TRC: Pumas v All Blacks
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Think we can put a big line through Fifita, Squire and Akira Ioane at 6. None of them playing remotely well enough to go to Japan.
The selectors see Cane as a 7.
What does that leave? Scott Barrett when he gets fit, Jackson Hemopo, Jacobson, Papali'i or Shannon Fizzell.
@sparky said in TRC: Pumas v All Blacks:
Think we can put a big line through Fifita, Squire and Akira Ioane at 6. None of them playing remotely well enough to go to Japan.
The selectors see Cane as a 7.
What does that leave? Scott Barrett when he gets fit, Jackson Hemopo, Jacobson, Papali'i or Shannon Fizzell.
So many options, so little time.
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@Canes4life said in TRC: Pumas v All Blacks:
@MrDenmore I’m thinking the 23 will look like this: 1. Moody 2. Coles 3. Franks 4. Rettalick 5. Whitelock 6. Cane 7. Savea 8. Read 9. Smith 10. Barrett 11. Ioane 12. Crotty 13. Goodhue 14. Bridge 15. Smith Reserves: 16. Taylor 17. Tu’ungafasi 18. Ta’avao 19. Barrett 20. Jacobsen 21. Perenara 22. Mo’unga 23. Leinert-Brown
Hansen and co. have already said that they're not considering the option of starting Cane, Savea and Read all at the same time, so I'd be surprised if they go for that backrow. If fit again, they may start Frizell at 6. If he's not fit, they may give Jacobson the start; risky, but Fifita may not have enough credit left for another start.
I also expect Taylor, as the incumbent, to start in the 2 jersey, unless they want to ease him back in, via the bench.
Crotty and Scott Barrett are still injured. I'm afraid that they'll name SBW at 12 if he's fit. I'd prefer ALB and Goodhue as the starting combo in the absence of Crotty. I'd also prefer Laumape over SBW on the bench. I keep on wondering whether guaranteed All Blacks selection is a clause in his contract, which NZR agreed to, to keep him in rugby and in NZ.
Against an opponent like SA, they might start Perenara instead of Smith. It will be interesting to see how much they trust Bridge. Enough to give him the start, or will they be tempted to move BFA to the right wing and give Jordie another chance, but at fullback? Jordie is their love-child after all.
If the coaches hadn't been so obsessed with the "Dmac is a 10" project and its successor "BB and Dmac starting combo" project, Mo'unga might have had more game time last year and, especially, a few more starts. If that had happened, this SA test would have been a good game to test him in the 10 jersey in a big game, but because he's had so little game time in black, that probably won't happen.
I'm looking forward to this next test against South Africa, with almost a first choice squad available.
@Stargazer said in TRC: Pumas v All Blacks:
@Canes4life said in TRC: Pumas v All Blacks:
@MrDenmore I’m thinking the 23 will look like this: 1. Moody 2. Coles 3. Franks 4. Rettalick 5. Whitelock 6. Cane 7. Savea 8. Read 9. Smith 10. Barrett 11. Ioane 12. Crotty 13. Goodhue 14. Bridge 15. Smith Reserves: 16. Taylor 17. Tu’ungafasi 18. Ta’avao 19. Barrett 20. Jacobsen 21. Perenara 22. Mo’unga 23. Leinert-Brown
I'm afraid that they'll name SBW at 12 if he's fit. I'd prefer ALB and Goodhue as the starting combo in the absence of Crotty. I'd also prefer Laumape over SBW on the bench. I keep on wondering whether guaranteed All Blacks selection is a clause in his contract, which NZR agreed to, to keep him in rugby and in NZ.
That would be absolutely fuckin scandalous if true. Surely not.
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@Rembrandt said in TRC: Pumas v All Blacks:
Well I enjoyed that, first game of the year missing a number of stars against an Argie side who are no longer pushovers at home, it was always going to be close.
Bit rusty in execution but overall I think we did reasonably well. BB was great as too Savea and Retallick. Scrum held up well. Good to see Coles and Cane back. Jordie had a few errors but definitely worth persevering with for his boot and potential with his height. Newbies weren't over awed and gained some valuable close test match experience. Thought Gardner controlled the game beautifully, great communication with his assistants and let the game flow without missing much.
We'll be a lot better next game, Puma's are going to rue this missed opportunity for a long time, especially Sanchez missing that last penalty.
Is this one giant Poe? "did reasonably well"? "a few errors"? "potential with his height"?
What we saw was dreck -- a bad game plan, a lot of stupid penalties when not even under pressure, dropped ball, passes to no-one, some dodgy lineouts.
No, the Pumas haven't got better. You have to go back to 2006 to find the last time they were within a score of winning the game, and in our last few games against them we have won by about 20 points. We were one missed tackle in the corner away from losing that game.
@Chester-Draws said in TRC: Pumas v All Blacks:
@Rembrandt said in TRC: Pumas v All Blacks:
Well I enjoyed that, first game of the year missing a number of stars against an Argie side who are no longer pushovers at home, it was always going to be close.
Bit rusty in execution but overall I think we did reasonably well. BB was great as too Savea and Retallick. Scrum held up well. Good to see Coles and Cane back. Jordie had a few errors but definitely worth persevering with for his boot and potential with his height. Newbies weren't over awed and gained some valuable close test match experience. Thought Gardner controlled the game beautifully, great communication with his assistants and let the game flow without missing much.
We'll be a lot better next game, Puma's are going to rue this missed opportunity for a long time, especially Sanchez missing that last penalty.
Is this one giant Poe? "did reasonably well"? "a few errors"? "potential with his height"?
What we saw was dreck -- a bad game plan, a lot of stupid penalties when not even under pressure, dropped ball, passes to no-one, some dodgy lineouts.
No, the Pumas haven't got better. You have to go back to 2006 to find the last time they were within a score of winning the game, and in our last few games against them we have won by about 20 points. We were one missed tackle in the corner away from losing that game.
I reckon 13 Super rugby final starters means something.
Yep and I also reckon we'll see Jordie the giraffe become a key AB in years to come. If only we could put money on future AB starters.
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@mofitzy_ said in TRC: Pumas v All Blacks:
Papali'i too but he's almost a 6.5
1.93 and 113kg
He's not small
@Duluth said in TRC: Pumas v All Blacks:
@mofitzy_ said in TRC: Pumas v All Blacks:
Papali'i too but he's almost a 6.5
1.93 and 113kg
He's not small
You're right but he plays 7 often enough and wouldn't be a lineout target in the same way as some of the other potential 6s - though Blues are my least watched team so I might be wrong there.
I'm not going to watch the replay so what is the consensus on Moli and Ennor? Ennor had a drop if I recall but hardly had much time so would be rough to judge him too much on that.
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@shark said in TRC: Pumas v All Blacks:
@Winger said in TRC: Pumas v All Blacks:
Not the best game. Unlike many I wasn't that impressed with Reece. Whereas Jordie playing out of position was OK. For the RWC Jordie is a better selection than Reece
B Barrett had a good game. I also thought Ben Smith did ok. But I would have him on the wing and Jordie at FB if both start.
My view is Perenara should have started this game
J Barrett was absolute, utter garbage. And he keeps serving this kind of performance up for the ABs. I'm starting to get really annoyed by his face. I think i want to punch it. Now I understand that whole arc in Step Brothers.
I'm sure if he was playing for the crusaders you would think differently.
@Winger said in TRC: Pumas v All Blacks:
@shark said in TRC: Pumas v All Blacks:
@Winger said in TRC: Pumas v All Blacks:
Not the best game. Unlike many I wasn't that impressed with Reece. Whereas Jordie playing out of position was OK. For the RWC Jordie is a better selection than Reece
B Barrett had a good game. I also thought Ben Smith did ok. But I would have him on the wing and Jordie at FB if both start.
My view is Perenara should have started this game
J Barrett was absolute, utter garbage. And he keeps serving this kind of performance up for the ABs. I'm starting to get really annoyed by his face. I think i want to punch it. Now I understand that whole arc in Step Brothers.
I'm sure if he was playing for the crusaders you would think differently.
Idiotic.
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Laumape was pretty good individually I thought.
What did I learn Steve? I learned we still don't have a settled midfield. I learned that probably our best 12 is probably not going.
And we are going to be left with either a porcelain journeyman to combo with our best center by default. Or we are going with a mismatch.
Top planning.
@mariner4life said in TRC: Pumas v All Blacks:
Laumape was pretty good individually I thought.
What did I learn Steve? I learned we still don't have a settled midfield. I learned that probably our best 12 is probably not going.
And we are going to be left with either a porcelain journeyman to combo with our best center by default. Or we are going with a mismatch.
Top planning.
ALB 12 and Goodhue 13 is / will be our top combo and i fucken hope Hansen realises it as soon as next week and starts bedding them in. Potentially Ennor, or Crotty on the bench. But i wouldn't have Laumape anywhere near my AB squad.
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@mariner4life said in TRC: Pumas v All Blacks:
Laumape was pretty good individually I thought.
What did I learn Steve? I learned we still don't have a settled midfield. I learned that probably our best 12 is probably not going.
And we are going to be left with either a porcelain journeyman to combo with our best center by default. Or we are going with a mismatch.
Top planning.
ALB 12 and Goodhue 13 is / will be our top combo and i fucken hope Hansen realises it as soon as next week and starts bedding them in. Potentially Ennor, or Crotty on the bench. But i wouldn't have Laumape anywhere near my AB squad.
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@mariner4life said in TRC: Pumas v All Blacks:
Laumape was pretty good individually I thought.
What did I learn Steve? I learned we still don't have a settled midfield. I learned that probably our best 12 is probably not going.
And we are going to be left with either a porcelain journeyman to combo with our best center by default. Or we are going with a mismatch.
Top planning.
ALB 12 and Goodhue 13 is / will be our top combo and i fucken hope Hansen realises it as soon as next week and starts bedding them in. Potentially Ennor, or Crotty on the bench. But i wouldn't have Laumape anywhere near my AB squad.
@shark what's your thinking on laumape? I favour him over SBW but would prefer to see ALB start with Goodhue. If, and it's a big if, you could give me a injury free Crotty I could take the saders pairing as our starters. Laumape and a wing/FB on the bench gives us more punch imo.
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@Crucial said in TRC: Pumas v All Blacks:
Ardie and stand out for being good. Jordie a stand out for being a waste of space.
Ardie, BBBR and A Smith top 3 for me. Cane close behind.
Hated this forcing passes in traffic tactic thoughI don't get the love for Cane here. Did nobody see him drop it cold in that second half? Most players who do that get crucified here. He's probably short of a gallop, but at the moment Ardie is easily our best seven.
@Rancid-Schnitzel said in TRC: Pumas v All Blacks:
@Crucial said in TRC: Pumas v All Blacks:
Ardie and stand out for being good. Jordie a stand out for being a waste of space.
Ardie, BBBR and A Smith top 3 for me. Cane close behind.
Hated this forcing passes in traffic tactic thoughI don't get the love for Cane here. Did nobody see him drop it cold in that second half? Most players who do that get crucified here. He's probably short of a gallop, but at the moment Ardie is easily our best seven.
Thought Cane did OK overall considering his long lay-off.
No probs with either Ardie or a fully match-fit Cane starting TBH. Happy to have that sort of selection dilemma
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Big Fifita fan but fuck me he had about as much impact as a fly hitting a windscreen. If he's not gonna do any grunt work then at the very least he needs to make some barnstorming runs like he did when he last played Argentina.
Jordie Barrett and Akira Ioane need to get together and have a beer and dwell on the fact their siblings are miles better than they are.
Is Coltmans throwing always that bad ?
@MN5 said in TRC: Pumas v All Blacks:
Jordie Barrett and Akira Ioane need to get together and have a beer and dwell on the fact their siblings are miles better than they are.
This could be the start of a beautiful friendship. If Jordie signs with the Blues, he and Akira will be able to have
lots and lots of beers and visits to the pie factory together. -
@MN5 said in TRC: Pumas v All Blacks:
Jordie Barrett and Akira Ioane need to get together and have a beer and dwell on the fact their siblings are miles better than they are.
This could be the start of a beautiful friendship. If Jordie signs with the Blues, he and Akira will be able to have
lots and lots of beers and visits to the pie factory together. -
Was it Reece with the poor defensive read when he came off his wing in the second half and BB had to pull off a try saver? Never saw a replay so couldn't judge how bad it was.
@Toddy said in TRC: Pumas v All Blacks:
Was it Reece with the poor defensive read when he came off his wing in the second half and BB had to pull off a try saver?
My net connection went haywire at the time, but didn't Reece pull off a try-saving tackle in the 1st half?
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@Toddy said in TRC: Pumas v All Blacks:
Was it Reece with the poor defensive read when he came off his wing in the second half and BB had to pull off a try saver?
My net connection went haywire at the time, but didn't Reece pull off a try-saving tackle in the 1st half?
@Victor-Meldrew said in TRC: Pumas v All Blacks:
@Toddy said in TRC: Pumas v All Blacks:
Was it Reece with the poor defensive read when he came off his wing in the second half and BB had to pull off a try saver?My net connection went haywire at the time, but didn't Reece pull off a try-saving tackle in the 1st half?
Yes he did. Against a lock and stopped him dead just off the line.
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@Canes4life pretty sure Hansen has ruled out a Cane/Savea 6/7
@taniwharugby 6. Read 7. Cane 8. Savea then...
