AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?

[taniwharugby]

@Bones illegal tackle today, sad really!

[MN5]

@taniwharugby said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:

@Bones illegal tackle today, sad really!

In that case let’s all prepare to laud Damian McKenzie as the greatest Rugby player to ever lace boots

[Chris B.]

@antipodean said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:

Nothing says experiment like All Black Ben Blair.

http://stats.allblacks.com/asp/teamsheet.asp?MT_ID=2072

Decent AB debut for Benny!

[Bones]

@Chris-B that's a fucked up backline!

[Chris B.]

@Bones The whole starting XV looks slightly ropey while Jerry was in the bin.

A bit of cavalry on the bench!

[Bones]

@Chris-B swap Miller and Waller out and the forward pack looks pretty respectable I reckon.

[Chris B.]

@Bones Some workhorses - not quite as damp a squib as the backline, but not many in the conversations about AB greats.

[antipodean]

@Bones said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:

@Chris-B that's a fucked up backline!

Ireland clearly had no depth back then. Giving up that many points to a backline with the collective speed of an asthmatic ant carrying shopping.

[junior]

@mariner4life said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:

@antipodean said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:

@BerniesCorner said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:

N Laumape has to start at 12

Laumape doesn't pass, kinda important skill for second five-eighth.

which is a bit of a bugger, because all our others can pass, and have nice light feet, but aren't physical units. So we give a bit somewhere no matter what.

Which makes playing someone like a Laumape at 12 OK (not ideal but still OK) because his deficiencies are made out both inside and outside him.

[booboo]

@ACT-Crusader said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:

@mariner4life said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:

@KiwiMurph said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:

@mariner4life was it the 06 End of Year Tour where they basically alternated between two separate starting XVs?

I think 06 also was when ABs played one squad in Argentina (captained by Collins?) the same weekend (or very close to) another test the ABs had with a totally different squad (think it was a test in NZ).

2005 was where the hammered Wales one week, turned up with a new team the next week and hammered Ireland. its was taking the piss.

Then we beat England at Twickers despite 3 yellow cards (including 2 at the same time)

oh, and of course we beat Scotland on the way home.

The Fern was a funny place during that 05 EOYT. “Cheapening the jersey”...

Wales match
Tialata, Oliver, Hayman, Jack, Ryan, Collins, Masoe, So’oialo, Kelleher, Carter, Rokocoko, Umaga, Smith, Gear, Muliaina

Ireland match
Woodcock, Mealamu, Afoa, Eaton, Williams, Lauaki, McCaw, Tuiali’i, Weepu, Evans, Sivivatu, Mauger, Nonu, Howlett, L. MacDonald

Other players on tour
Taumoepeau, Hore, A. MacDonald, Cowan, Toeava

I recall debate about whether the ABs could win the GS on one weekend and I came up with four XVs for which it was conceivable. Nudging towards the stronger XV for England, mid-strength IRE & WAL, best of the rest to take on the Jocks. (Got real scratchy when you added benches though.)

I recall the Home Nation (and French ie., @Pdp / @Parcy-v2-0) posters actually being impressed.

Depth at that time was just insane.

[BerniesCorner]

Laumape has done enough to deserve a chance at 12. Who says he can't further develop his passing and kicking skills in an AB enviroment. Thats the great thing about rugby everyone's different.

[canefan]

@BerniesCorner said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:

Laumape has done enough to deserve a chance at 12. Who says he can't further develop his passing and kicking skills in an AB enviroment. Thats the great thing about rugby everyone's different.

I remember a time when many people on this site thought of Nonu as a ball hog who would never make the grade in black......

[antipodean]

Something has gone horribly wrong if a player has to become an All Black in order to learn to pass.

[BerniesCorner]

tell that to Richie and Nonu

[antipodean]

Nonu started as a winger, missed RWC selection and further developed his skill set.

Comparing Laumape to GOAT is hilarious.

[Machpants]

@Bones said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:

@Chris-B that's a fucked up backline!

I had to click on the link to even remember who TF D.W.Hill was!
"... was a solid five eight and quality goalkicker..."

Solid, says it all really

[taniwharugby]

@Machpants one of those players where Super rugby was thier ceiling, but he played some great super rugby and deserved his shot, played at 10 & 12 at super level IIRC

[Machpants]

@taniwharugby said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:

@Machpants one of those players where Super rugby was thier ceiling, but he played some great super rugby and deserved his shot, played at 10 & 12 at super level IIRC

Yeah I totally remembered him once I clicked, D W didn't mean much to me. Great rugby servant but never an ab

[Bovidae]

That was a midweek team playing Ireland A.

[Bones]

@BerniesCorner said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:

Laumape has done enough to deserve a chance at 12. Who says he can't further develop his passing and kicking skills in an AB enviroment. Thats the great thing about rugby everyone's different.

His kicking is fine, even his passing us fine - it's pulling all his skills together at once and still keeping his vision plus developing a bit more awareness that is the goal here.

As I pointed out elsewhere, Nonu was a lot younger than 27 when he started his "journey".

So he can do it I reckon, just needs to do it quick.

Edit: I reckon Nonu prolly received a heck of a lot more dusruspict too.