2019 Rugby World Cup
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@sparky Not bad - but a few bits to critique.
I don't see the point in taking five midfielders. It is going to be tough on the guy who misses out, but that is why Hansen gets paid the big bucks. We're going to use a maximum of three in any game and then one spare as injury cover. We don't need yet another spare.
My man Will Jordan! @Nepia
I'm not sure Will's quite ready for test rugby - offensively great, but he's probably got a bit to learn still about defence and positional play on the wing. He's a shot though.
Actually, although I put Naholo in my group above because Hansen's stuck with him to date, I'd pick Bridge if he can show he's effective on the right wing. I might also pick him instead of Jordie.
I don't like the tandem of Ardie and Sam Cane. I would pick Frizell at 6.
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@westcoastie I think they will, too - but largely because there's not anyone else in the squad who otherwise makes any convincing claim to be able to play 10.
We don't have anyone of the ilk of Weepu, Leon or Lucky Luke who at least had some pedigree of playing there occasionally at lower levels.
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@Chris-B if we had to pick someone I'd chuck Ben Smith in there.
The compromise we'd have to make at 15 is better than the compromise we'd have to make at 10.
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I think Frizell will be in the RWC squad, especially as Liam Squire looks broken. But my God, he was poor against Crusaders last weekend. I would be worried about him going MIA in a World Cup knockout after that.
What I think is really special indeed about Will Jordan is his ability to accelerate and hit the line with the ball in two hand. This could be invaluable against the super organised defences we will see in RWC knock outs.
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Two implications already obvious of DMac being injured.
Jordie Barrett makes the squad. If not the first choice anywhere, he provide decent cover across the backline and is an excellent goalkicker.
Ben Smith if fit is the first-choice fullback for the knock outs. He is our best player under the high ball.
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@Kirwan said in 2019 Rugby World Cup:
@Chris-B Jordie is nailed on for the squad, covers too many positions.
Now that DMac is injured, I think he'll make it. I wouldn't have picked him if DMac was fit.
To be honest, though, I don't think he covers many positions at all at elite test level. He can be chucked in the midfield or on the wing against the minnows, though. I don't want to see him anywhere except fullback in a big test.
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@Stargazer said in 2019 Rugby World Cup:
@Chris-B Has David Havili ever played at 10? I know he can do the goal kicking (I still remember that huge kick in the clip below) and kicks in play, but don't know whether he'd have the required game management skills.
Maybe in club rugby. I don't recall him ever playing there for Mako or Crusaders - even as a fill in. His brother Willy plays first five, though!
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@westcoastie said in 2019 Rugby World Cup:
@Chris-B if we had to pick someone I'd chuck Ben Smith in there.
The compromise we'd have to make at 15 is better than the compromise we'd have to make at 10.
I'd play one of the halfbacks there - if we HAD to. TJ, I guess.
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The Springbok emblem has been relegated to the sleeve for this years world cup jersey, creating plenty of comment/debate in the republic.
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So Hansen says this of DMac
*"Where we'll miss him most is his ability to rip teams apart. It's not so much a positional thing," says the veteran coach. "He's very much like a young Beauden. He can cover a couple of positions but he's got ability and speed to open sides up. Beauden did that job last World Cup very successfully.
"That takes the pressure off to find someone like that because we've already got someone who is world-class at it.*
So it's he talking about Jordie here?
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What makes me wonder what is Beauden Barrett's role going to be at the 2019 Rugby World Cup? First choice starting First-Five or super Sub like 2019 or is Hansen sending a coded signal to BB that Mo'unga is the player in better form at the moment.
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@Machpants said in 2019 Rugby World Cup:
*"Where we'll miss him most is his ability to rip teams apart. It's not so much a positional thing," says the veteran coach. "He's very much like a young Beauden. He can cover a couple of positions but he's got ability and speed to open sides up. Beauden did that job last World Cup very successfully.
"That takes the pressure off to find someone like that because we've already got someone who is world-class at it.*
I read it as Beauden too.
A tad troubling that if Beauden and McKenzie both went down Hansen would feel pressure to find another player who can "rip teams apart" rather than revert to a more conventional gameplan and work with the players available.
Obviously the game changes but looking at past RWC finalists having an enigmatic gamebreaker hardly seems a prerequisite. Discipline, good defensive patterns and superior goal/drop kicking does.
