Possible All Blacks 2020
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@junior said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Chris said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Stargazer said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@mariner4life I'm not interested in team lines or Grace (too young). It was a comment on his height (193cm).
I'd like to see Jacobson at 6 (possibly covering 8).
It's all about the combos. Who are the locks and how tall are they. Who are the other loosies and what's their height.
Well you would think the AB's will Start Cane and Savea surley they are our best 2 LF's so the 3rd LF you would think has height otherwise we are compromised a bit come line out time, With the hints by Foster on needing physicality are they looking for a enforcer like Kanio.
It takes awhile for that sort of player to develop into the uncompromising hard enforcer, who isn't a liability with brain explosions in the heat of battle.With presumably Cane playing 7 and Ardie playing 8, we'll need a tall bruiser to give us (a) some height and (b) some physicality. Who that is, I do not know.
However, I can see S Barrett perhaps being the obvious choice to fill that role as he has, at least, the height requirement. I guess this will depend what our locking stocks look like come the middle of the year.
The other obvious 6 options Frizell or Fifita, but I don't see that happening without either one or both of them toughening-up significantly and becoming the modern-day Jerry Collins (with Cane and Ardie being McCaw and So'oilao, respectively).
That's a hard no to SBarrett at 6 for me.
@mariner4life said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@junior said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Chris said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Stargazer said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@mariner4life I'm not interested in team lines or Grace (too young). It was a comment on his height (193cm).
I'd like to see Jacobson at 6 (possibly covering 8).
It's all about the combos. Who are the locks and how tall are they. Who are the other loosies and what's their height.
Well you would think the AB's will Start Cane and Savea surley they are our best 2 LF's so the 3rd LF you would think has height otherwise we are compromised a bit come line out time, With the hints by Foster on needing physicality are they looking for a enforcer like Kanio.
It takes awhile for that sort of player to develop into the uncompromising hard enforcer, who isn't a liability with brain explosions in the heat of battle.With presumably Cane playing 7 and Ardie playing 8, we'll need a tall bruiser to give us (a) some height and (b) some physicality. Who that is, I do not know.
However, I can see S Barrett perhaps being the obvious choice to fill that role as he has, at least, the height requirement. I guess this will depend what our locking stocks look like come the middle of the year.
The other obvious 6 options Frizell or Fifita, but I don't see that happening without either one or both of them toughening-up significantly and becoming the modern-day Jerry Collins (with Cane and Ardie being McCaw and So'oilao, respectively).
That's a hard no to SBarrett at 6 for me.
I agree wholeheartedly. I'm just thinking (a) where do we get our height from and (b) who played there in our last meaningful match (which our new head coach was crucially involved in, remember)? When the only other "incumbents" are Frizell and Fifita, I think both of these things will count for something in the selectors' eyes.
My preference is to jettison S Barrett (as a 6) and Fifita and take a punt on a young buck (with Frizell as the "experienced" backup option).
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Tom Robinson is another option at 6.
I think he's more likely to make the squad as a bench 6/lock. There's other players I would prefer to start at 6 but he's an option if we need height
@Duluth said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
Tom Robinson is another option at 6.
I think he's more likely to make the squad as a bench 6/lock. There's other players I would prefer to start at 6 but he's an option if we need height
He'd be one of the contenders for my young buck punt
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@mariner4life said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@junior said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Chris said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Stargazer said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@mariner4life I'm not interested in team lines or Grace (too young). It was a comment on his height (193cm).
I'd like to see Jacobson at 6 (possibly covering 8).
It's all about the combos. Who are the locks and how tall are they. Who are the other loosies and what's their height.
Well you would think the AB's will Start Cane and Savea surley they are our best 2 LF's so the 3rd LF you would think has height otherwise we are compromised a bit come line out time, With the hints by Foster on needing physicality are they looking for a enforcer like Kanio.
It takes awhile for that sort of player to develop into the uncompromising hard enforcer, who isn't a liability with brain explosions in the heat of battle.With presumably Cane playing 7 and Ardie playing 8, we'll need a tall bruiser to give us (a) some height and (b) some physicality. Who that is, I do not know.
However, I can see S Barrett perhaps being the obvious choice to fill that role as he has, at least, the height requirement. I guess this will depend what our locking stocks look like come the middle of the year.
The other obvious 6 options Frizell or Fifita, but I don't see that happening without either one or both of them toughening-up significantly and becoming the modern-day Jerry Collins (with Cane and Ardie being McCaw and So'oilao, respectively).
That's a hard no to SBarrett at 6 for me.
I agree wholeheartedly. I'm just thinking (a) where do we get our height from and (b) who played there in our last meaningful match (which our new head coach was crucially involved in, remember)? When the only other "incumbents" are Frizell and Fifita, I think both of these things will count for something in the selectors' eyes.
My preference is to jettison S Barrett (as a 6) and Fifita and take a punt on a young buck (with Frizell as the "experienced" backup option).
@junior said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
My preference is to jettison S Barrett (as a 6) and Fifita and take a punt on a young buck (with Frizell as the "experienced" backup option).
Frizell is still pretty much just a young buck himself - turned 26 last week so he's about the same age as Kaino was when he made his proper start to test rugby. And he's not particularly experienced - having started Super rugby in 2018.
I don't think he's been bad in any of his tests and was very good vs Argentina in Nelson. Suffering a bit because he's been pulled a bit from left field, isn't who people from further north wanted to see and, like everyone else, he isn't Jerome Kaino.
Plenty of potential though.
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@junior said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
My preference is to jettison S Barrett (as a 6) and Fifita and take a punt on a young buck (with Frizell as the "experienced" backup option).
Frizell is still pretty much just a young buck himself - turned 26 last week so he's about the same age as Kaino was when he made his proper start to test rugby. And he's not particularly experienced - having started Super rugby in 2018.
I don't think he's been bad in any of his tests and was very good vs Argentina in Nelson. Suffering a bit because he's been pulled a bit from left field, isn't who people from further north wanted to see and, like everyone else, he isn't Jerome Kaino.
Plenty of potential though.
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@junior said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
My preference is to jettison S Barrett (as a 6) and Fifita and take a punt on a young buck (with Frizell as the "experienced" backup option).
Frizell is still pretty much just a young buck himself - turned 26 last week so he's about the same age as Kaino was when he made his proper start to test rugby. And he's not particularly experienced - having started Super rugby in 2018.
I don't think he's been bad in any of his tests and was very good vs Argentina in Nelson. Suffering a bit because he's been pulled a bit from left field, isn't who people from further north wanted to see and, like everyone else, he isn't Jerome Kaino.
Plenty of potential though.
@Chris-B said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
Suffering a bit because he's been pulled a bit from left field, isn't who people from further north wanted to see
Further north than Nelson or Oamaru?
Don't think geographical has a lot to do with it. People usually just want the best players in the ABs, wherever they come from.
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@Chris-B I have high hopes, and from what I've seen, has the ability. He just doesn't play enough. Why is he never first choice at the Highlanders?
I wish Fifita had a bit of blood in his nostrils.
@mariner4life said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Chris-B I have high hopes, and from what I've seen, has the ability. He just doesn't play enough. Why is he never first choice at the Highlanders?
I wish Fifita had a bit of blood in his nostrils.
Hammer's careful management
- but, I expect Shannon will be first choice at the Highlanders this year.But, he's previously been competing against the more experienced Whitelock, Squire, Dixon and others for game time - so jumped that pecking order to be picked for the ABs.
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@Chris-B said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
Suffering a bit because he's been pulled a bit from left field, isn't who people from further north wanted to see
Further north than Nelson or Oamaru?
Don't think geographical has a lot to do with it. People usually just want the best players in the ABs, wherever they come from.
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@Chris-B said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@nzzp Further north than the Bombay Hills.
Can't really claim that anymore with the number of Crusaders that sneak into the ABs on the coat tails of good players.
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@Kirwan To be specific - I think pretty much everyone who has played in the 6 jersey in recent times has been marked hard by those who would rather have seen Akira there.
@Chris-B said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Kirwan To be specific - I think pretty much everyone who has played in the 6 jersey in recent times has been marked hard by those who would rather have seen Akira there.
Two years ago he was absolutely carving it up. Frustration for a number of people was that there wasn't a lot of work being done to actually have him deliver his potential, where others (Frizzel) seemed to have a Santner-esque run in the side without really firing a shot.
Edit: 2-3 years ago...
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I think the way things have transpired, perhaps what the brains trust saw in Akira had some grounding.
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@Kirwan To be specific - I think pretty much everyone who has played in the 6 jersey in recent times has been marked hard by those who would rather have seen Akira there.
@Chris-B said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Kirwan To be specific - I think pretty much everyone who has played in the 6 jersey in recent times has been marked hard by those who would rather have seen Akira there.
At 6? Most people liking Akira wanted him at eight, with Read or Cane at 6.
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I think the way things have transpired, perhaps what the brains trust saw in Akira had some grounding.
@antipodean said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
I think the way things have transpired, perhaps what the brains trust saw in Akira had some grounding.
Really? You don't think his physical gifts meant it was worth investing in his mental side? I dunno, from the outside seemed a very hands off approach. Honest question - would you rather have peak Luke Whitelock, or peak Akira?
Whitelock L got 8 caps....
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I think the way things have transpired, perhaps what the brains trust saw in Akira had some grounding.
@antipodean said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
I think the way things have transpired, perhaps what the brains trust saw in Akira had some grounding.
At the end of last season, sure. The two years before that, not so much. Especially when they started trying to pull rabbits out hats with players like Fifta and Frizzell who were barely getting game time.
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@antipodean said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
I think the way things have transpired, perhaps what the brains trust saw in Akira had some grounding.
At the end of last season, sure. The two years before that, not so much. Especially when they started trying to pull rabbits out hats with players like Fifta and Frizzell who were barely getting game time.
@Kirwan said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@antipodean said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
I think the way things have transpired, perhaps what the brains trust saw in Akira had some grounding.
At the end of last season, sure. The two years before that, not so much. Especially when they started trying to pull rabbits out hats with players like Fifta and Frizzell who were barely getting game time.
and Luke dubya as well (see my comment above).
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@Kirwan said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@antipodean said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
I think the way things have transpired, perhaps what the brains trust saw in Akira had some grounding.
At the end of last season, sure. The two years before that, not so much. Especially when they started trying to pull rabbits out hats with players like Fifta and Frizzell who were barely getting game time.
and Luke dubya as well (see my comment above).
@nzzp said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Kirwan said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@antipodean said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
I think the way things have transpired, perhaps what the brains trust saw in Akira had some grounding.
At the end of last season, sure. The two years before that, not so much. Especially when they started trying to pull rabbits out hats with players like Fifta and Frizzell who were barely getting game time.
and Luke dubya as well (see my comment above).
Yep. Definition of a journeyman, and all that time wasted on him and then - look a rabbit! - lets play Savea there.
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This is going to be a fascinating watch as the AB 2020 squad comes together.The activity on the fern may ramp up to a new extreme.
Always seems to be a bit of a bolter who has a big SR season and forces his way in under the last regime.
Loose Forward looks the space for that sort of selection.Is there a left field selection sitting somewhere who is going to claim the bolter's potential spot.?Robinson,Grace,Boshier,Sotutu,Tu'u. or someone else waiting for a chance.May have been Blackadder if not for injury
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This is going to be a fascinating watch as the AB 2020 squad comes together.The activity on the fern may ramp up to a new extreme.
Always seems to be a bit of a bolter who has a big SR season and forces his way in under the last regime.
Loose Forward looks the space for that sort of selection.Is there a left field selection sitting somewhere who is going to claim the bolter's potential spot.?Robinson,Grace,Boshier,Sotutu,Tu'u. or someone else waiting for a chance.May have been Blackadder if not for injury
@Chris said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
This is going to be a fascinating watch as the AB 2020 squad comes together.The activity on the fern may ramp up to a new extreme.
Always seems to be a bit of a bolter who has a big SR season and forces his way in under the last regime.
Loose Forward looks the space for that sort of selection.Is there a left field selection sitting somewhere who is going to claim the boaters potential spot.?Robinson,Grace,Boshier,Sotutu,Tu'u. or someone else waiting for a chance.May have been Blackadder if not for injury
Yeah, as the All Blacks have weakened the old provincial battlegrounds have opened up.
For a period there everyone pretty much agreed on all the selections. Now we seem to have dropped back to the Broomhall days with players like Bridge getting selected.
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I find it strange how people say that Akira didn't get chances. He's been in and out of ABs camps over the last few years. I'm sure the coaches have had a good look at him, worked with him and gave him work-ons. Apparently, he didn't deliver and didn't do what was expected of him. Also, we only know what we've seen or read via the media. Maybe they did work with him and we just don't know about it?
