AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?

[junior]

@gt12 said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:

@voodoo

Here is the thing - Jordan is great at 15 and looks completely lost on defense when he plays at 14. He's also not a great defender, and he'll likely have more tackles to make at 11/14.

I love him, he's super dangerous, but I'd really like to see that he play wing well (on both sides of the ball) at Super rugby level, before putting him there for the ABs...

So no real downgrade on our current no. 14...?

[gt12]

@junior

Good point.

Hasn't plead guilty to male assaults female either.

[sparky]

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

Surely the back three has to be Clarke, Jordan, Jordie?

Eventually. Think all three could be fab but have obvious work onsm

Clarke needs to look for work more and score more tries.

Jordan needs to improve his defence.

Jordie needs to work on his decision-making and mental skills.

[Bones]

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

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

Surely the back three has to be Clarke, Jordan, Jordie?

Eventually. Think all three could be fab but have obvious work onsm

Clarke needs to look for work more and score more tries.

Jordan needs to improve his defence.

Jordie needs to work on his decision-making and mental skills.

Disagree on Jordie. He's stepped up this year.

Anyway, can anyone name an AB back three player that doesn't have obvious work ons?

[nzzp]

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

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

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

Surely the back three has to be Clarke, Jordan, Jordie?

Eventually. Think all three could be fab but have obvious work onsm

Clarke needs to look for work more and score more tries.

Jordan needs to improve his defence.

Jordie needs to work on his decision-making and mental skills.

Disagree on Jordie. He's stepped up this year.

Anyway, can anyone name an AB back three player that doesn't have obvious work ons?

BFA?

[Bones]

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

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

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

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

Surely the back three has to be Clarke, Jordan, Jordie?

Eventually. Think all three could be fab but have obvious work onsm

Clarke needs to look for work more and score more tries.

Jordan needs to improve his defence.

Jordie needs to work on his decision-making and mental skills.

Disagree on Jordie. He's stepped up this year.

Anyway, can anyone name an AB back three player that doesn't have obvious work ons?

BFA?

Duh.

Needs to work on playing rugby.

Oh and accounting.

[junior]

@gt12 said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:

@junior

Good point.

Hasn't plead guilty to male assaults female either.

So still some work ons?

[junior]

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

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

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

Surely the back three has to be Clarke, Jordan, Jordie?

Eventually. Think all three could be fab but have obvious work onsm

Clarke needs to look for work more and score more tries.

Jordan needs to improve his defence.

Jordie needs to work on his decision-making and mental skills.

Disagree on Jordie. He's stepped up this year.

Anyway, can anyone name an AB back three player that doesn't have obvious work ons?

Yeah, the guy who consistently nails match-winning kicks needs to work on his mental skills...

[Machpants]

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

@gt12 said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:

@junior

Good point.

Hasn't plead guilty to male assaults female either.

So still some work ons?

Are you saying he shoulda lied and pleaded not guilty?

[antipodean]

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

@Bones Depends on where Rieko plays.

TBH there's not been a standout player to suggest he shouldn't be at centre. The incumbents have all been very underwhelming. His defence has been very good and his speed is an asset - something we've missed in the backline recently.

[Bones]

@antipodean he's by far the form centre. Followed by PUJ. Only the Highlanders centres rate lower than the form of Goodhue and ALB...

[pakman]

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

@antipodean he's by far the form centre. Followed by PUJ. Only the Highlanders centres rate lower than the form of Goodhue and ALB...

Hard not to feel the Goodhue is an excellent 13 but mediocre 12. I feel much more comfortable for ABs with Rieko on wing, albeit covering 13. ALB seems to be a bit like Crotty, good at both 12 and 13, but not outstanding at either.

I expect ALB and Jack would be the likely 12/13 picks if team named on Thursday.

I like the look of PUJ. Does he cover 12 for Canes?

[Bones]

@pakman I'm not all that comfortable with Roane covering centre and wing unless it's from the bench.

[cgrant]

Who is the form 2nd 5/8 ? I would be tempted to say Nankivell or TJ Faiane but none of them is AB material IMO. So I guess the midfield combo should be ALB - Goodhue or ALB - Ioane.

[Victor Meldrew]

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

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

Always thought Nonu had a high skill level but didn't quite know how and when to use them. He used to regularly be shite to average in Super Rugby, but once he pulled the black jersey on he was at another level.

Dunno about Laumape though - he's developed a lot this year but is way behind where Nonu was at the same stage of his career.

[pakman]

@Victor-Meldrew said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:

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

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

Always thought Nonu had a high skill level but didn't quite know how and when to use them. He used to regularly be shite to average in Super Rugby, but once he pulled the black jersey on he was at another level.

Dunno about Laumape though - he's developed a lot this year but is way behind where Nonu was at the same stage of his career.

Here's one to put cat among pigeons: I think Caleb Clarke has many of the attributes to make a very good 12.

Outstanding at second receiver a couple of times today, in particular in first Blues try.

[Bones]

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

@Victor-Meldrew said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:

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

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

Always thought Nonu had a high skill level but didn't quite know how and when to use them. He used to regularly be shite to average in Super Rugby, but once he pulled the black jersey on he was at another level.

Dunno about Laumape though - he's developed a lot this year but is way behind where Nonu was at the same stage of his career.

Here's one to put cat amoug pigeons: I think Caleb Clarke has many of the attributes to make a very good 12.

Outstanding at second receiver a couple of times today, in particular in first Blues try.

Nice... actually when running in traffic he does actually remind me of that big munter they had at the Lions a year or so ago.

[ravens88]

@Victor-Meldrew

Nonu far too often mailed it in playing Super Rugby - his spot was largely guaranteed at Second First Five for majority of his career

He was a tiger for the ABs and a pussycat for Landers, Canes

To be fair he fronted up for the Blues

[Bones]

@ravens88 said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:

Second First Five

Waaaaait a miiinute....

He was excellent for the canes throughout the noughties.

[sparky]

@ravens88 Nonsense, until he fell out with Hammett, Nonu was a consistently excellent player for the Canes. Our problems in the 2000s were in the Forwards and at First Five.