AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?
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Question: Would the ABs be stronger with Rieko at centre or on the left wing?
I'd be starting him in the no.11 jersey but with his increasing ability to play at centre that changes the balance of the back reserves as you wouldn't need to carry another specialist midfielder.
If there are going to be 4 BC tests, Foster (and Rennie for that matter) will have the opportunity to try different combinations across the series. But I'm not expecting a huge number of newbies this season.
@Bovidae said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Question: Would the ABs be stronger with Rieko at centre or on the left wing?
I'd be starting him in the no.11 jersey but with his increasing ability to play at centre that changes the balance of the back reserves as you wouldn't need to carry another specialist midfielder.
If there are going to be 4 BC tests, Foster (and Rennie for that matter) will have the opportunity to try different combinations across the series. But I'm not expecting a huge number of newbies this season.
Fozzie in interview with Devlin on weekend said they saw him primarily as 11 who also plays 13 at test level.
Edit: oh yeah, and mentioned his injury last year affected his pace and power in contact, which he has back this year.
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Having read the rest of the thread and various teams picked I'm surprised at the reluctance to start Reiko, given his form and Fozzie' s comments.
@booboo said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Having read the rest of the thread and various teams picked I'm surprised at the reluctance to start Reiko, given his form and Fozzie' s comments.
And who would be better out on the wing?
I'd take an uninjured Ioane ahead of Bridge, Reece, Lam. Playing Centre won't hurt him too much I don't think - we usually play two non-wingers (fullbacks) in the back 3 anyway.
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Having read the rest of the thread and various teams picked I'm surprised at the reluctance to start Reiko, given his form and Fozzie' s comments.
@booboo said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Having read the rest of the thread and various teams picked I'm surprised at the reluctance to start Reiko, given his form and Fozzie' s comments.
His peril as a starting 11 for the ABs is Caleb Clarke who is looking an outstanding prospect.
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Hoping we get a dry track in Christchurch for the Blues Crusaders match and relative forward parity. Extremely interesting match-ups from 10-15.
@mofitzy_ said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Hoping we get a dry track in Christchurch for the Blues Crusaders match and relative forward parity. Extremely interesting match-ups from 10-15.
9-15
9:
Bryn the itinerant soul, redeemed in the 03, vs Northland Sam, finally showing more than the odd flash of talent10:
No comment. One of the best, against Mr Redemption (at last uninjured for a few games)11:
Boring civil engineering structure vs Mr Excitement12:
Northland Jack, oozing class vs the undersized thinker13:
Ex-Aucklander vs Aucklander. Developing player vs talent learning a new role14:
Short fast jinking stepping All Black vs The Other short fast jinking stepping guy15:
Youth vs Age. Potential vs Experience.So so tasty a matchup, cannot wait. So hard to pick 'em, but never bet against the Crusaders at home. Red hot favourites. Getting within 20 would be an upset.
Edit: Mods should probably be in the other thread to avoid derailing too much...
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Should change the title to "AB Squad for the All-Important-Clash With The GREATEST GAME EVAH KANGAROOS MAYYYYYYTE!"
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@NTA said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Should change the title to "AB Squad for the All-Important-Clash With The GREATEST GAME EVAH KANGAROOS MAYYYYYYTE!"
I'm gonna miss Phil Gould this year
@MN5 said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@NTA said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Should change the title to "AB Squad for the All-Important-Clash With The GREATEST GAME EVAH KANGAROOS MAYYYYYYTE!"
I'm gonna miss Phil Gould this year
Just think about taking a shit in your own mouth, and having that shit ooze into your brain.
There. You're got him back.
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Jordan is definitely more of a raw talent and weapon than Bridge. Bridge doesn't create as much as Jordan and doesn't have the physical gifts. Just because Jordan is a WBC doesn't mean he isn't the best young FB in the country (not including BB as he is now neither young or a pure 15). We need a proper fullback and I believe Jordan is that guy.
Who is the best young lineout hooker?
@mofitzy_ said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Jordan is definitely more of a raw talent and weapon than Bridge. Bridge doesn't create as much as Jordan and doesn't have the physical gifts. Just because Jordan is a WBC doesn't mean he isn't the best young FB in the country (not including BB as he is now neither young or a pure 15). We need a proper fullback and I believe Jordan is that guy.
Who is the best young lineout hooker?
At the moment, Ash Dixon.
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@booboo said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Having read the rest of the thread and various teams picked I'm surprised at the reluctance to start Reiko, given his form and Fozzie' s comments.
His peril as a starting 11 for the ABs is Caleb Clarke who is looking an outstanding prospect.
@sparky said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@booboo said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Having read the rest of the thread and various teams picked I'm surprised at the reluctance to start Reiko, given his form and Fozzie' s comments.
His peril as a starting 11 for the ABs is Caleb Clarke who is looking an outstanding prospect.
Lots of people picking Clarke as the starting winger. I would want him to see him perform for more than a handful of games before relegating Ioane to the bench.
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@sparky said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@booboo said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Having read the rest of the thread and various teams picked I'm surprised at the reluctance to start Reiko, given his form and Fozzie' s comments.
His peril as a starting 11 for the ABs is Caleb Clarke who is looking an outstanding prospect.
Lots of people picking Clarke as the starting winger. I would want him to see him perform for more than a handful of games before relegating Ioane to the bench.
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@pukunui Yeah, I don't think he'll be picked ahead Reece.
Also, I don't think they'll pick Jordan ahead of Havili.
@Stargazer said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@pukunui Yeah, I don't think he'll be picked ahead Reece.
Also, I don't think they'll pick Jordan ahead of Havili.
Yeah I don’t think Jordan will be ahead of Havili at 15 either.
If BB is at 10 i would start Havili at 15.
If BB is at 15 i would start Mounga at 10 and have Havili on the bench.I would give Jordan his chance at 14. But they are likely to stick with Reece there because there are hardly any tests this year.
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@mofitzy_ said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Jordan is definitely more of a raw talent and weapon than Bridge. Bridge doesn't create as much as Jordan and doesn't have the physical gifts. Just because Jordan is a WBC doesn't mean he isn't the best young FB in the country (not including BB as he is now neither young or a pure 15). We need a proper fullback and I believe Jordan is that guy.
Who is the best young lineout hooker?
At the moment, Ash Dixon.
@Stargazer said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@mofitzy_ said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Jordan is definitely more of a raw talent and weapon than Bridge. Bridge doesn't create as much as Jordan and doesn't have the physical gifts. Just because Jordan is a WBC doesn't mean he isn't the best young FB in the country (not including BB as he is now neither young or a pure 15). We need a proper fullback and I believe Jordan is that guy.
Who is the best young lineout hooker?
At the moment, Ash Dixon.
Young though?
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@Stargazer said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@mofitzy_ said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Jordan is definitely more of a raw talent and weapon than Bridge. Bridge doesn't create as much as Jordan and doesn't have the physical gifts. Just because Jordan is a WBC doesn't mean he isn't the best young FB in the country (not including BB as he is now neither young or a pure 15). We need a proper fullback and I believe Jordan is that guy.
Who is the best young lineout hooker?
At the moment, Ash Dixon.
Young though?
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@Crucial said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
The love for Will Jordan on this thread sounds very much like the love for George Bridge last year. Just saying.
Good player but he's not a patch on prime Ben Smith (which is the benchmark)
If Ben Smith is the benchmark, then Jordan has plenty of time to develop into that player. There's no need to rush him in at this stage when there are plenty of other options.
That being said, they could start him on the right wing in the same way they did with Israel Dagg (and Ben Smith for that matter).
@junior said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
If Ben Smith is the benchmark, then Jordan has plenty of time to develop into that player. There's no need to rush him in at this stage when there are plenty of other options.
That being said, they could start him on the right wing in the same way they did with Israel Dagg (and Ben Smith for that matter).
Jordan is an outstanding young talent but I would like to see more of him under pressure to see how he copes. So far he's had a good run in dominant teams ( Ta$man, Crusaders).
While playing him on the wing does make sense I am reminded of the Waikato- Ta$man game last year when Jordan was badly exposed twice on defence playing on the right wing leading to tries.
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On the age thing, very few of the contenders are older than 25.
Excluding the halfbacks....
Beaudy is a relative old man at 29.
Ngani Laumape (who's not getting mentioned, but I'd expect to be in the mix) is 27.
Richie Mo'unga recently turned 26.
None of the rest (I'm pretty sure) are older than 25 - ALB, Goodhue, Rieko, Ennor, Bridge, Reece, Clarke, Talea, Jordan, Jordie, DMac, Havili.
A wealth of talent there, and various others to come - e.g. Big Leicester who's struggling to get a shot at the Crusaders.
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On the age thing, very few of the contenders are older than 25.
Excluding the halfbacks....
Beaudy is a relative old man at 29.
Ngani Laumape (who's not getting mentioned, but I'd expect to be in the mix) is 27.
Richie Mo'unga recently turned 26.
None of the rest (I'm pretty sure) are older than 25 - ALB, Goodhue, Rieko, Ennor, Bridge, Reece, Clarke, Talea, Jordan, Jordie, DMac, Havili.
A wealth of talent there, and various others to come - e.g. Big Leicester who's struggling to get a shot at the Crusaders.
@Chris-B said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
On the age thing, very few of the contenders are older than 25.
Excluding the halfbacks....
Beaudy is a relative old man at 29.
Ngani Laumape (who's not getting mentioned, but I'd expect to be in the mix) is 27.
Richie Mo'unga recently turned 26.
None of the rest (I'm pretty sure) are older than 25 - ALB, Goodhue, Rieko, Ennor, Bridge, Reece, Clarke, Talea, Jordan, Jordie, DMac, Havili.
A wealth of talent there, and various others to come - e.g. Big Leicester who's struggling to get a shot at the Crusaders.
That's a real positive IMO, as it augurs well not just for 2023 but also, potentially, 2027.
