AB Captain

shark

@mariner4life really? Have you watched much? I think it's at old Super 12 level, where if you could shine there, you easily made the step up.

The players have been talking about this as well, it's taking days to physically get over the games. No easy games, four weeks in a row, knockout intensity each week. If that doesn't let selectors see who shines, I don't know what does.

There's no way it's at that level now. And the players have no way of comparing it either. But we can clear as day on paper see the difference in squad depth and its a paddling pool compared to the dive pool we had 10+ years ago.

kiwiinmelb

@antipodean said in AB Captain:

So months after demonstrating a lack of physicality, the answer for some of you is to pick a better blindside so the failed RWC semifinal openside flanker can continue to start..?

Ardie's not the best 7, nor the best 6 and certainly not 8. He is however an excellent combination which is why he should be on the bench.

I would have no problem with a fit Ardie coming on with half an hour to go , sprinting around, running amok.

I think the bench has become such an important weapon , its a credit to him not an insult , that he could potentially do it better than anyone else.

shark

@antipodean said in AB Captain:

@shark said in AB Captain:

@antipodean said in AB Captain:

@shark said in AB Captain:

@antipodean And you'd prefer to select the second best openside flanker

No, I've quite clearly said I want Cane. Ardie's not even second best.

Yes, so you have quite clearly said you want the #2.

Let's try this a different way. Instead of relying on mere assertion; why do you think Ardie is a better Test level openside flanker?

The superior all-round game is a good start.

antipodean

@shark said in AB Captain:

@antipodean said in AB Captain:

@shark said in AB Captain:

@antipodean said in AB Captain:

@shark said in AB Captain:

@antipodean And you'd prefer to select the second best openside flanker

No, I've quite clearly said I want Cane. Ardie's not even second best.

Yes, so you have quite clearly said you want the #2.

Let's try this a different way. Instead of relying on mere assertion; why do you think Ardie is a better Test level openside flanker?

The superior all-round game is a good start.

So I go back to my original point. At each position he isn't the standout performer. So pick those players first. The best 7, the best 6 and the best 8 to start with.

In the modern game, defences are so well organised and difficult to break down that if teams have no success in the first few phases they're kicking the ball away. What better way to secure possession than have defenders that make their tackles and do so in a dominant manner.

Toddy

Ardie is no slouch in defence, though he's not at Cane's standard, and has been a standout performer in dominant tackles so far in SRA. Picking Cane as the starting 7 means the rest of the forward pack has to be balanced with the fact that he is basically Owen Franks with ball in hand. Getting over the gainline is an area the All Blacks have struggled with over the last few years and Cane is a big part of that problem. The gainline issue may be resolved by picking Patty T and either/both Ioane and Sotutu but picking those players also shores up the defence....

Picking Ardie or Cane requires the rest of the loose forwards/forwards to be balanced out as neither are the full package. I don't have a problem with either starting and I think it's more important that the 6 & 8 are sorted for the long term than worrying about the position we're actually strong in.

I'll be disappointed if we shoehorn in both players into the starting 15 as I don't think either of them are decent options for 6 or 8 other than as injury cover.

ACT Crusader

@Toddy balance is important and based on how they play and my 2 cents, I reckon the below combos would work best.

Ioane, Savea, Sotutu
Frizell, Cane, Sotutu

kiwiinmelb

@ACT-Crusader said in AB Captain:

@Toddy balance is important and based on how they play and my 2 cents, I reckon the below combos would work best.

Ioane, Savea, Sotutu
Frizell, Cane, Sotutu

You might be onto something there , and if correct , that is bad news for Akira , for obvious reasons Cane is starting

Nepia

@kiwiinmelb said in AB Captain:

@ACT-Crusader said in AB Captain:

@Toddy balance is important and based on how they play and my 2 cents, I reckon the below combos would work best.

Ioane, Savea, Sotutu
Frizell, Cane, Sotutu

You might be onto something there , and if correct , that is bad news for Akira , for obvious reasons Cane is starting

The fact that Akira can even be mentioned without half the Fern bringing up ruck counts and lazy is probably enough of a bonus for him.

Bones

So ahhh... remember that article about how hard Cane hits? You know how everyone cites that in order to disregard Ardie? Well...ummmm..a couple of weeks ago...

He is making dominant tackles at a solid rate of 19%, but that sits below other loose forwards Ardie Savea (31%), Mitch Brown (28%), Papalii (25%), Du’Plessis Kirifi (25%), and Tom Christie (25%).

MN5

@Nepia said in AB Captain:

@kiwiinmelb said in AB Captain:

@ACT-Crusader said in AB Captain:

@Toddy balance is important and based on how they play and my 2 cents, I reckon the below combos would work best.

Ioane, Savea, Sotutu
Frizell, Cane, Sotutu

You might be onto something there , and if correct , that is bad news for Akira , for obvious reasons Cane is starting

The fact that Akira can even be mentioned without half the Fern bringing up ruck counts and lazy is probably enough of a bonus for him.

Or his "attitude" or "niggle"

Nepia

@MN5 said in AB Captain:

@Nepia said in AB Captain:

@kiwiinmelb said in AB Captain:

@ACT-Crusader said in AB Captain:

@Toddy balance is important and based on how they play and my 2 cents, I reckon the below combos would work best.

Ioane, Savea, Sotutu
Frizell, Cane, Sotutu

You might be onto something there , and if correct , that is bad news for Akira , for obvious reasons Cane is starting

The fact that Akira can even be mentioned without half the Fern bringing up ruck counts and lazy is probably enough of a bonus for him.

Or his "attitude" or "niggle"

Or his "beard length".

Bones

@Nepia said in AB Captain:

@MN5 said in AB Captain:

@Nepia said in AB Captain:

@kiwiinmelb said in AB Captain:

@ACT-Crusader said in AB Captain:

@Toddy balance is important and based on how they play and my 2 cents, I reckon the below combos would work best.

Ioane, Savea, Sotutu
Frizell, Cane, Sotutu

You might be onto something there , and if correct , that is bad news for Akira , for obvious reasons Cane is starting

The fact that Akira can even be mentioned without half the Fern bringing up ruck counts and lazy is probably enough of a bonus for him.

Or his "attitude" or "niggle"

Or his "beard length".

Wait...is it in quotes because it's a euphemism or because you're quoting someone?

Nepia

@Bones said in AB Captain:

@Nepia said in AB Captain:

@MN5 said in AB Captain:

@Nepia said in AB Captain:

@kiwiinmelb said in AB Captain:

@ACT-Crusader said in AB Captain:

@Toddy balance is important and based on how they play and my 2 cents, I reckon the below combos would work best.

Ioane, Savea, Sotutu
Frizell, Cane, Sotutu

You might be onto something there , and if correct , that is bad news for Akira , for obvious reasons Cane is starting

The fact that Akira can even be mentioned without half the Fern bringing up ruck counts and lazy is probably enough of a bonus for him.

Or his "attitude" or "niggle"

Or his "beard length".

Wait...is it in quotes because it's a euphemism or because you're quoting someone?

Ummm ... I was just following @MN5's template.

MN5

@Nepia said in AB Captain:

@Bones said in AB Captain:

@Nepia said in AB Captain:

@MN5 said in AB Captain:

@Nepia said in AB Captain:

@kiwiinmelb said in AB Captain:

@ACT-Crusader said in AB Captain:

@Toddy balance is important and based on how they play and my 2 cents, I reckon the below combos would work best.

Ioane, Savea, Sotutu
Frizell, Cane, Sotutu

You might be onto something there , and if correct , that is bad news for Akira , for obvious reasons Cane is starting

The fact that Akira can even be mentioned without half the Fern bringing up ruck counts and lazy is probably enough of a bonus for him.

Or his "attitude" or "niggle"

Or his "beard length".

Wait...is it in quotes because it's a euphemism or because you're quoting someone?

Ummm ... I was just following @MN5's template.

Prepare to get banned....repeatedly

junior

@shark said in AB Captain:

I've never been a fan of the Cane appointment. Completely uninspiring choice and Savea should be the starting openside flanker.

Taylor is the obvious choice as a first choice starter and emerging leader.

I can't take this seriously because I still remember you saying the Reuben Thorne was a great captain

Nepia

@junior said in AB Captain:

@shark said in AB Captain:

I've never been a fan of the Cane appointment. Completely uninspiring choice and Savea should be the starting openside flanker.

Taylor is the obvious choice as a first choice starter and emerging leader.

I can't take this seriously because I still remember you saying the Reuben Thorne was a great captain

I haven't taken him seriously when discussing anything to do with the Chiefs since his trolling in 2012/13 because not all the players were from the region. I expect that if Cane was a Cane and Ardie was a Chiefs that the argument would be going the other way.

junior

@antipodean said in AB Captain:

So months after demonstrating a lack of physicality, the answer for some of you is to pick a better blindside so the failed RWC semifinal openside flanker can continue to start..?

Ardie's not the best 7, nor the best 6 and certainly not 8. He is however an excellent combination which is why he should be on the bench.

Yeah he's like a more skilful and athletic (but probably less abrasive) Masoe - a perfect guy to have on the bench

junior

@shark said in AB Captain:

@antipodean And you'd prefer to select the second best openside flanker because he's supposedly a dominant tackler? Who cares that he has hands like feet and his only link play is on the golf course?

Sounds a lot like McCaw when you describe him like that...

shark

@junior said in AB Captain:

@shark said in AB Captain:

I've never been a fan of the Cane appointment. Completely uninspiring choice and Savea should be the starting openside flanker.

Taylor is the obvious choice as a first choice starter and emerging leader.

I can't take this seriously because I still remember you saying the Reuben Thorne was a great captain

I'd love you to try and find that. Because you just made it up. Certainly in relation to the All Blacks. You just expect that to be believable because I'm a Cantab.

shark

@Nepia said in AB Captain:

@junior said in AB Captain:

@shark said in AB Captain:

I've never been a fan of the Cane appointment. Completely uninspiring choice and Savea should be the starting openside flanker.

Taylor is the obvious choice as a first choice starter and emerging leader.

I can't take this seriously because I still remember you saying the Reuben Thorne was a great captain

I haven't taken him seriously when discussing anything to do with the Chiefs since his trolling in 2012/13 because not all the players were from the region. I expect that if Cane was a Cane and Ardie was a Chiefs that the argument would be going the other way.

"Because not ALL the players were from the region". This is gold. Those were the squads where there were more guys from Manawatu and Southland in the squad than from Waikato.

The Silver Fern

AB Captain