2019 Rugby Championship

[Rapido]

Gutted for DMac.

[Stargazer]

Feel sorry for the fella, but as Hansen says, still young enough to make the 2023 RWC, maybe even 2027 RWC, if he's still good enough by then. Only a slight consolation for now, I know.

Now what are the coaches going to do?

Oh, and can they, please wrap Beaudy and Richie in cottonwool?

[Kirwan]

@Stargazer makes that 4th AB Ten thread more relevant. Shit.

[Siam]

With all the pr nonsense floating around it's easy to forget how sport and luck can be so cruel.

Not long ago DMac was the most resilient player in NZ - did about 2 seasons playing every minute for the chiefs or thereabouts

[Paekakboyz]

Aw man, terrible news for DMac hope he recovers well. RTS is a great example of how well a player that relies on fast feet/stepping can recover. But for every one that makes a full recovery there are more that lose the edge.

Nonu for back up 10???

[antipodean]

@Paekakboyz said in 2019 Rugby Championship:

Nonu for back up 10???

A player that can take it to the line and distribute?

[Paekakboyz]

@antipodean and run people over! even has a delicate wee short kicking game

[Dice]

@Paekakboyz

[Frank]

@sparky said in 2019 Rugby Championship:

I hope there is just the one Bledisloe test next year. A winner takes all game would add some excitement.

Fuck no.

[sparky]

@Frank

I used to enjoy the one off Bledisloe tests in the 1990s a lot more than playing them 3 or 4 times a season.

[sparky]

@Stargazer

The simplest solution would be for Jordie Barrett to move up to become his cover. He can play fullback, kick goals and can work with BB to learn what to do at First Five. The ABs would need to give him some Test experience at First Five before the World Cup.

[Tim]

However, Hansen said an agreement with New Zealand Rugby and the five Kiwi Super Rugby franchises around the foundation days – another will be held in Auckland on May 20 for the North Island players and in Christchurch on June 3 for the South Islanders – meant only those involved with the All Blacks last year could be included.

The reason for that was "so they [New Zealand franchises] could do some clear planning and would have an understanding of who they would have and who they would not have", Hansen said.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12222576

[KiwiMurph]

@Tim good find. Media jumped the gun proclaiming these players as a defacto RWC squad - I'd say rookies are absolutely still in the frame (Jordan and Robinson come to mind).

[Machpants]

Right wing is the traditional place for bolters too

[taniwharugby]

@Machpants and Tom Robinson spends alot of time on the wings for the Blues too

[Machpants]

@taniwharugby said in 2019 Rugby Championship:

@Machpants and Tom Robinson spends alot of time on the wings for the Blues too

Tom Robinson ABs #3 #10 confirmed

[sparky]

I think you could see four different starting First Fives for the four different ABs games.

For example:

Crotty Vs Argentina, Barrett (B) Vs South Africa, Barrett (J) Vs Australia (A), Mo'unga Vs Australia (H)

[Billy Tell]

There is absolutely no way Ryan Crotty gets a start at 10 in an international treat match. Has he ever played a game at 10 even at NPC level??

[Chester Draws]

@Billy-Tell said in 2019 Rugby Championship:

There is absolutely no way Ryan Crotty gets a start at 10 in an international treat match. Has he ever played a game at 10 even at NPC level??

And yet Leon MacDonald started for the All Blacks at 10 when things got desperate.

I'd rather a very good, very experienced player out of position than a very average and green player in position. Stephen Donald was a better first-five than all the options being currently lined up, and he was poor the first times he played for the ABs.

[Chester Draws]

@Siam said in 2019 Rugby Championship:

With all the pr nonsense floating around it's easy to forget how sport and luck can be so cruel.

Yeah, the cruelness of injuries is what gave him a full season when he was still very young though.