AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?
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@Snowy said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@mariner4life said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Someone mentioned a couple of weeks back a suspicion that Papali'i was "heavy footed" and having watched him, it's true. He really plods along the ground. May lack the foot speed to be a top level international loose forward
I know this is a bit different to top end speed, but who were the guys chasing him when he made the break? Three if IIRC? He had a good lead but they didn't appear to be making ground.
Tomkinson closest, Gregory next closest and Frizell was a fair way back.
@KiwiMurph said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@Snowy said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@mariner4life said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Someone mentioned a couple of weeks back a suspicion that Papali'i was "heavy footed" and having watched him, it's true. He really plods along the ground. May lack the foot speed to be a top level international loose forward
I know this is a bit different to top end speed, but who were the guys chasing him when he made the break? Three if IIRC? He had a good lead but they didn't appear to be making ground.
Tomkinson closest, Gregory next closest and Frizell was a fair way back.
Well Gregory is pretty quick from what I have seen in sevens. Dunno about Tomkinson speed wise? Frizell is no slouch either.
As I implied they had to turn and he had a lead but Dalton seems quick enough for top end speed.
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Well I reckon Ozzies would, sat this moment in time, be fuck loads better then most Nations. They've actually played some rugby, recently
@Machpants said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Well I reckon Ozzies would, sat this moment in time, be fuck loads better then most Nations. They've actually played some rugby, recently
I think the wobs are going to be a very good team in a couple of years. They have a lot of young talented players that Rennie will mould into quality Test players in time.
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Well I reckon Ozzies would, sat this moment in time, be fuck loads better then most Nations. They've actually played some rugby, recently
@Machpants said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Well I reckon Ozzies would, sat this moment in time, be fuck loads better then most Nations. They've actually played some rugby, recently
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We are actually spoiled for choice and until some of these guys get a go at the top level we won't know.
Frizell has been impressive, along with Kirifi.
When will we see top level rugby again though?
@Snowy said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
We are actually spoiled for choice and until some of these guys get a go at the top level we won't know.
Frizell has been impressive, along with Kirifi.We sure are! It's just a shame the blues players have no faults eh? The others can't get close! Not that you have any bias...
Kirifi is extremely lucky Gibson is injured.
P.S. No-one has had any doubts about Paps pace in a straight line on a break. Pretty sure if he held his pace until the tryline in the weekend the stand behind would have been in with a chance of complete destruction though.
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@Machpants said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Well I reckon Ozzies would, sat this moment in time, be fuck loads better then most Nations. They've actually played some rugby, recently
@antipodean fuck he'sa dense looking fluffybunny isn't he?
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@antipodean fuck he'sa dense looking fluffybunny isn't he?
@mariner4life It's his crazy tiny eyes
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@junior said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@Machpants said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
I think every squad people post should be prefixed with either 'what I'd pick' versus 'what will be picked' often a big difference. We've got a coach who got in on a ‘continuity and experience’ ticket, I can see him picking a ‘continuity and experience’ team - recently the ABs coaches went for form rather than experience. Maybe that didn’t work so well at RWC in their minds. Expecially after many years of trusting experience did so well for them? So I think we will see very conservative selections, but I hope they are bold
There's absolutely no reason why in this of all years a "form over experience" approach shouldn't be tried for most positions. If you look at the guys currently playing well, they're all pretty young guys either at the beginning of the SR or AB careers and who are likely to be at their peaks in 2023. Now is the perfect opportunity to take a punt on some of these guys and set them on the path to be the incumbents for 2023.
This is the one problem with 2 year contracts, I am not sure incentives are aligned for this approach. I don't believe the priority for Foster will be to develop through 2023, his first priority is to win, especially given that he does not know how many chances he is going to get in the next two seasons. Not saying there will be no new caps this year just think he will pay a lot of attention to experience and combinations.
@DMX said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@junior said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@Machpants said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
I think every squad people post should be prefixed with either 'what I'd pick' versus 'what will be picked' often a big difference. We've got a coach who got in on a ‘continuity and experience’ ticket, I can see him picking a ‘continuity and experience’ team - recently the ABs coaches went for form rather than experience. Maybe that didn’t work so well at RWC in their minds. Expecially after many years of trusting experience did so well for them? So I think we will see very conservative selections, but I hope they are bold
There's absolutely no reason why in this of all years a "form over experience" approach shouldn't be tried for most positions. If you look at the guys currently playing well, they're all pretty young guys either at the beginning of the SR or AB careers and who are likely to be at their peaks in 2023. Now is the perfect opportunity to take a punt on some of these guys and set them on the path to be the incumbents for 2023.
This is the one problem with 2 year contracts, I am not sure incentives are aligned for this approach. I don't believe the priority for Foster will be to develop through 2023, his first priority is to win, especially given that he does not know how many chances he is going to get in the next two seasons. Not saying there will be no new caps this year just think he will pay a lot of attention to experience and combinations.
I personally think that, this year, he will be able to both win and give the form guys who'll be good for 2023 some experience. The chances are we'll be playing only the Wallabies this year - there'll probably be no test matches against the Boks and those up north - so there will be opportunities to build experience whilst getting the Ws early on.
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@antipodean fuck he'sa dense looking fluffybunny isn't he?
@mariner4life said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@antipodean fuck he'sa dense looking fluffybunny isn't he?
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@Machpants said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Well I reckon Ozzies would, sat this moment in time, be fuck loads better then most Nations. They've actually played some rugby, recently
I think the wobs are going to be a very good team in a couple of years. They have a lot of young talented players that Rennie will mould into quality Test players in time.
@akan004 said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@Machpants said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Well I reckon Ozzies would, sat this moment in time, be fuck loads better then most Nations. They've actually played some rugby, recently
I think the wobs are going to be a very good team in a couple of years. They have a lot of young talented players that Rennie will mould into quality Test players in time.
You may be right , but I remember those words being spoken about Deans
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@Snowy said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
We are actually spoiled for choice and until some of these guys get a go at the top level we won't know.
Frizell has been impressive, along with Kirifi.We sure are! It's just a shame the blues players have no faults eh? The others can't get close! Not that you have any bias...
Kirifi is extremely lucky Gibson is injured.
P.S. No-one has had any doubts about Paps pace in a straight line on a break. Pretty sure if he held his pace until the tryline in the weekend the stand behind would have been in with a chance of complete destruction though.
@Bones said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@Snowy said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
We are actually spoiled for choice and until some of these guys get a go at the top level we won't know.
Frizell has been impressive, along with Kirifi.We sure are! It's just a shame the blues players have no faults eh? The others can't get close! Not that you have any bias...
Kirifi is extremely lucky Gibson is injured.
P.S. No-one has had any doubts about Paps pace in a straight line on a break. Pretty sure if he held his pace until the tryline in the weekend the stand behind would have been in with a chance of complete destruction though.
I certainly didn't say the Blues players have no faults. I did say I don't care where they come from and that I just want the best players in rep teams. Obviously some people want to see their own team's players get higher honours, and have trouble grasping the concept, but I really don't give a shit where they are from. If the entire Northland side were better than everybody in the AKL side then the Blues should be the entire Northland side.
As for Paps I have already said that is a bit different to foot speed but he does seem to be quick for a big guy.
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@akan004 said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@Machpants said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Well I reckon Ozzies would, sat this moment in time, be fuck loads better then most Nations. They've actually played some rugby, recently
I think the wobs are going to be a very good team in a couple of years. They have a lot of young talented players that Rennie will mould into quality Test players in time.
You may be right , but I remember those words being spoken about Deans
@kiwiinmelb said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@akan004 said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@Machpants said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Well I reckon Ozzies would, sat this moment in time, be fuck loads better then most Nations. They've actually played some rugby, recently
I think the wobs are going to be a very good team in a couple of years. They have a lot of young talented players that Rennie will mould into quality Test players in time.
You may be right , but I remember those words being spoken about Deans
Difference being that Rennie has had to build teams up from nearly every level he's coached, whereas Deans Deans inherited a Ferrari and kept it going fast (not sure why I chose a car metaphor, I don't know anything about them).
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@kiwiinmelb said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@akan004 said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@Machpants said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Well I reckon Ozzies would, sat this moment in time, be fuck loads better then most Nations. They've actually played some rugby, recently
I think the wobs are going to be a very good team in a couple of years. They have a lot of young talented players that Rennie will mould into quality Test players in time.
You may be right , but I remember those words being spoken about Deans
Difference being that Rennie has had to build teams up from nearly every level he's coached, whereas Deans Deans inherited a Ferrari and kept it going fast (not sure why I chose a car metaphor, I don't know anything about them).
@Nepia said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@kiwiinmelb said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@akan004 said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@Machpants said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Well I reckon Ozzies would, sat this moment in time, be fuck loads better then most Nations. They've actually played some rugby, recently
I think the wobs are going to be a very good team in a couple of years. They have a lot of young talented players that Rennie will mould into quality Test players in time.
You may be right , but I remember those words being spoken about Deans
Difference being that Rennie has had to build teams up from nearly every level he's coached, whereas Deans Deans inherited a Ferrari and kept it going fast (not sure why I chose a car metaphor, I don't know anything about them).
That's a good car metaphor. Any Ferrari old enough to be inherited would ultimately break down and require extensive work to return it to its former glory.
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@akan004 said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@Machpants said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Well I reckon Ozzies would, sat this moment in time, be fuck loads better then most Nations. They've actually played some rugby, recently
I think the wobs are going to be a very good team in a couple of years. They have a lot of young talented players that Rennie will mould into quality Test players in time.
You may be right , but I remember those words being spoken about Deans
@kiwiinmelb said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@akan004 said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@Machpants said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Well I reckon Ozzies would, sat this moment in time, be fuck loads better then most Nations. They've actually played some rugby, recently
I think the wobs are going to be a very good team in a couple of years. They have a lot of young talented players that Rennie will mould into quality Test players in time.
You may be right , but I remember those words being spoken about Deans
I think the key difference is this time around most of their up and coming talent is up front. They have always had decent backs but average packs. I think this will change with the youngsters they have atm.
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@kiwiinmelb said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@akan004 said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@Machpants said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Well I reckon Ozzies would, sat this moment in time, be fuck loads better then most Nations. They've actually played some rugby, recently
I think the wobs are going to be a very good team in a couple of years. They have a lot of young talented players that Rennie will mould into quality Test players in time.
You may be right , but I remember those words being spoken about Deans
Difference being that Rennie has had to build teams up from nearly every level he's coached, whereas Deans Deans inherited a Ferrari and kept it going fast (not sure why I chose a car metaphor, I don't know anything about them).
@Nepia said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@kiwiinmelb said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@akan004 said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@Machpants said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Well I reckon Ozzies would, sat this moment in time, be fuck loads better then most Nations. They've actually played some rugby, recently
I think the wobs are going to be a very good team in a couple of years. They have a lot of young talented players that Rennie will mould into quality Test players in time.
You may be right , but I remember those words being spoken about Deans
Difference being that Rennie has had to build teams up from nearly every level he's coached, whereas Deans Deans inherited a Ferrari and kept it going fast (not sure why I chose a car metaphor, I don't know anything about them).
Fair enough , out of interest ,
What Car has Rennie inherited ?
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@Nepia said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@kiwiinmelb said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@akan004 said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@Machpants said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Well I reckon Ozzies would, sat this moment in time, be fuck loads better then most Nations. They've actually played some rugby, recently
I think the wobs are going to be a very good team in a couple of years. They have a lot of young talented players that Rennie will mould into quality Test players in time.
You may be right , but I remember those words being spoken about Deans
Difference being that Rennie has had to build teams up from nearly every level he's coached, whereas Deans Deans inherited a Ferrari and kept it going fast (not sure why I chose a car metaphor, I don't know anything about them).
Fair enough , out of interest ,
What Car has Rennie inherited ?
@kiwiinmelb said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@Nepia said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@kiwiinmelb said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@akan004 said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@Machpants said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Well I reckon Ozzies would, sat this moment in time, be fuck loads better then most Nations. They've actually played some rugby, recently
I think the wobs are going to be a very good team in a couple of years. They have a lot of young talented players that Rennie will mould into quality Test players in time.
You may be right , but I remember those words being spoken about Deans
Difference being that Rennie has had to build teams up from nearly every level he's coached, whereas Deans Deans inherited a Ferrari and kept it going fast (not sure why I chose a car metaphor, I don't know anything about them).
Fair enough , out of interest ,
What Car has Rennie inherited ?
Crap, cars really aren't my things ... um what kind of car looks flash but has a shit engine?
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@kiwiinmelb said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@akan004 said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@Machpants said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
Well I reckon Ozzies would, sat this moment in time, be fuck loads better then most Nations. They've actually played some rugby, recently
I think the wobs are going to be a very good team in a couple of years. They have a lot of young talented players that Rennie will mould into quality Test players in time.
You may be right , but I remember those words being spoken about Deans
I think the key difference is this time around most of their up and coming talent is up front. They have always had decent backs but average packs. I think this will change with the youngsters they have atm.
@akan004 they have had decent packs before. The challenge has been keeping them.
The front row used to be decent in the scrum, and reasonable around the paddock. Adam Coleman was a good lock, but didn't kick on. Pooper + Fardy is a good backrow (if short) - but Fardy disappeared overseas I beleive.
I'm sure @nta will comment
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@akan004 they have had decent packs before. The challenge has been keeping them.
The front row used to be decent in the scrum, and reasonable around the paddock. Adam Coleman was a good lock, but didn't kick on. Pooper + Fardy is a good backrow (if short) - but Fardy disappeared overseas I beleive.
I'm sure @nta will comment
@nzzp they also havent had the backrow balance right since Pocock has been about as they want him there despite him being the cause of the unbalancedness
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@nzzp they also havent had the backrow balance right since Pocock has been about as they want him there despite him being the cause of the unbalancedness
@taniwharugby said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@nzzp they also havent had the backrow balance right since Pocock has been about as they want him there despite him being the cause of the unbalancedness
yep, absolutely.
But unbalanced isn't 'bad', just 'not awesome'.
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@nzzp they also havent had the backrow balance right since Pocock has been about as they want him there despite him being the cause of the unbalancedness
@taniwharugby said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@nzzp they also havent had the backrow balance right since Pocock has been about as they want him there despite him being the cause of the unbalancedness
They also haven't had a great deal of talent in the 6/8 jerseys either.
This season that is much different - they seem stacked with talent in those positions now (if young/unproven at test level - but still)
