All Blacks v Tonga
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@crucial said in All Blacks v Tonga:
I have just woken in a cold sweat as I have seen the reality of Foster’s bold new strategy for the ABs.
Not only do we play two playmakers but three midfielders!
Nothing else can plain the amazing linking abilities of our left wing and the lack of desire for him to beat a man.
The plan still needs work as shown in the last minute when he unexpectedly found himself on the end of the chain with no one in front of him and wasn’t able to recycle to a loose forward.
No wonder the right wing scored all the tries. He’s the only real outside back.I actually had a similar thought during the game. That maybe Bridge would make a better midfielder than wing. Similar style to Crotty. Not particularly fast or dynamic but just dare i say it…..safe.
Whatever position he is he shouldn’t be anywhere near the ABs.The fact he was given a rating of 9 in that player rating article just demonstrates the poor quality of journalism in NZ.
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@chris-b
No they can all do that. You are singling out a basic skill and suggesting Bridge deserves praise for not screwing up a fundamental.
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@duluth said in All Blacks v Tonga:
@pukunui said in All Blacks v Tonga:
I actually had a similar thought during the game. That maybe Bridge would make a better midfielder than wing. Similar style to Crotty. Not particularly fast or dynamic but just dare i say it…..safe.
Whatever position he is he shouldn’t be anywhere near the ABs.The fact he was given a rating of 9 in that player rating article just demonstrates the poor quality of journalism in NZ.
I’ve been saying he should be a fullback for the last couple of years.
The issue is his lack of foot work. An AB winger should be have top quality foot work that puts off defenders. Bridge doesn’t have it but every successful AB winger has had it. Even our wingers that were famous for running over people had great feet.
At fullback he could still do his tidy work at the end of the chain. Picking and choosing when to join the line would make space for others. He seems tidy under the high ball, not sure how good his kicking game is though
The problem he has is he needs to it at SR level. He seems unlikely to get game time their at the Crusaders. Maybe If Jordan is considered a winger now that will change (and Havili a 12)
That's probably a fair comment and, like Nepia, I thought George looked a bit down on pace.
But, he is a different sort of wing - a constructive wing who runs into space and links to support inside and out. He does it very well and if they're running loose forwards in the outside channel it's a useful skill to have. I think it it was for a try scored by Papalií down the left - but, George makes a beautiful little half pump dummy to turn the defender and open the space on the outside.
Those who are touting Big Leicester as a better option at present - I don't think they're been watching closely enough. I wouldn't mind him or Rayasi in there as apprentices - even playing these games. But, they are not All Black ready yet.
@chris-b said in All Blacks v Tonga:
Those who are touting Big Leicester as a better option at present - I don't think they're been watching closely enough. I wouldn't mind him or Rayasi in there as apprentices - even playing these games. But, they are not All Black ready yet.
I think that is the point. Bridge is a known quantity, this game was ideal to test a new winger.
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@crazy-horse said in All Blacks v Tonga:
@kirwan said in All Blacks v Tonga:
@crazy-horse said in All Blacks v Tonga:
@crucial said in All Blacks v Tonga:
A firing Caleb Clarke solves the problem doesn’t it?
Certainly does. Let's hope he can put this
seasonbehind him.Injury, you mean.
Thanks Eroni.
No worries Mr Bridge.
@kirwan said in All Blacks v Tonga:
@crazy-horse said in All Blacks v Tonga:
@kirwan said in All Blacks v Tonga:
@crazy-horse said in All Blacks v Tonga:
@crucial said in All Blacks v Tonga:
A firing Caleb Clarke solves the problem doesn’t it?
Certainly does. Let's hope he can put this
seasonbehind him.Injury, you mean.
Thanks Eroni.
No worries Mr Bridge.
You obviously have me on ignore because in no way have been white knighting Bridge.
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@chris-b said in All Blacks v Tonga:
Those who are touting Big Leicester as a better option at present - I don't think they're been watching closely enough. I wouldn't mind him or Rayasi in there as apprentices - even playing these games. But, they are not All Black ready yet.
I think that is the point. Bridge is a known quantity, this game was ideal to test a new winger.
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks v Tonga:
@chris-b said in All Blacks v Tonga:
Those who are touting Big Leicester as a better option at present - I don't think they're been watching closely enough. I wouldn't mind him or Rayasi in there as apprentices - even playing these games. But, they are not All Black ready yet.
I think that is the point. Bridge is a known quantity, this game was ideal to test a new winger.
The general tenor seems to be that most people don't want a bar of George.
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@nostrildamus said in All Blacks v Tonga:
@chris-b said in All Blacks v Tonga:
Those who are touting Big Leicester as a better option at present - I don't think they're been watching closely enough. I wouldn't mind him or Rayasi in there as apprentices - even playing these games. But, they are not All Black ready yet.
I think that is the point. Bridge is a known quantity, this game was ideal to test a new winger.
The general tenor seems to be that most people don't want a bar of George.
@chris-b ah well. We actually don't have that many wingers.
And perhaps that game against England is still a dark memory for many. But if he has skills at centre-fullback-wing, maybe wing is where he shouldn't play in the big games, because wings need pace.
And at the higher speed of top games at higher speeds, a winger who can link but can't outrun is probably in the wrong position. -
Halfbacks, if I am allowed to include the Maori All Blacks..
my ranking was Hall then Weber then Christie (but many may disagree esp on the last 2)..
I note Hall is 3 years younger than Aaron Smith, so maybe he is a RWC contender?
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@chris-b ah well. We actually don't have that many wingers.
And perhaps that game against England is still a dark memory for many. But if he has skills at centre-fullback-wing, maybe wing is where he shouldn't play in the big games, because wings need pace.
And at the higher speed of top games at higher speeds, a winger who can link but can't outrun is probably in the wrong position.@nostrildamus Maybe - but, at the moment I'm doubtful we've got a better option on the left wing until Caleb Clarke comes back - or maybe Rieko gets pushed there.
He's not going to be the greatest of All Black wingers - but, he's far from the worst.
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@nostrildamus Maybe - but, at the moment I'm doubtful we've got a better option on the left wing until Caleb Clarke comes back - or maybe Rieko gets pushed there.
He's not going to be the greatest of All Black wingers - but, he's far from the worst.
@chris-b said in All Blacks v Tonga:
@nostrildamus Maybe - but, at the moment I'm doubtful we've got a better option on the left wing until Caleb Clarke comes back - or maybe Rieko gets pushed there.
He's not going to be the greatest of All Black wingers - but, he's far from the worst.
Can you name worst so I can figure out the spectrum?
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@nostrildamus really? After the erratic display from Hall yesterday. Weber then Christie then Drummond...
@arhs said in All Blacks v Tonga:
@nostrildamus really? After the erratic display from Hall yesterday. Weber then Christie then Drummond...
I liked the look of Hall, maybe I missed key mistakes, and he doesn't have the foot speed of his rivals but I thought he was good from the 50-60 or so minutes I saw.
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@chris-b said in All Blacks v Tonga:
@nostrildamus Maybe - but, at the moment I'm doubtful we've got a better option on the left wing until Caleb Clarke comes back - or maybe Rieko gets pushed there.
He's not going to be the greatest of All Black wingers - but, he's far from the worst.
Can you name worst so I can figure out the spectrum?
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Just saw that video of Fozzie on Facebook and it was captioned.
If my earlier theory is correct then the ABs will score 16 tries (that’s how many times he said “really “)@crucial said in All Blacks v Tonga:
@bovidae said in All Blacks v Tonga:
I think Fozzie has set the team a target of one try for every time he says 'really' in an interview.
@crucial said in All Blacks v Tonga:
Just saw that video of Fozzie on Facebook and it was captioned.
If my earlier theory is correct then the ABs will score 16 tries (that’s how many times he said “really “)Nearly forgot. Looks like we have cracked the code.
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@nostrildamus Maybe - but, at the moment I'm doubtful we've got a better option on the left wing until Caleb Clarke comes back - or maybe Rieko gets pushed there.
He's not going to be the greatest of All Black wingers - but, he's far from the worst.
@chris-b said in All Blacks v Tonga:
He's not going to be the greatest of All Black wingers - but, he's far from the worst.
Not the worst generic rugby player (not talking about wing play). In fact he's pretty good, he doesn't make many mistakes.
But maybe the worst foot work of an AB winger in the professional age? I'm struggling to think of another one
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@chris-b said in All Blacks v Tonga:
He's not going to be the greatest of All Black wingers - but, he's far from the worst.
Not the worst generic rugby player (not talking about wing play). In fact he's pretty good, he doesn't make many mistakes.
But maybe the worst foot work of an AB winger in the professional age? I'm struggling to think of another one
@duluth said in All Blacks v Tonga:
@chris-b said in All Blacks v Tonga:
He's not going to be the greatest of All Black wingers - but, he's far from the worst.
Not the worst generic rugby player (not talking about wing play). In fact he's pretty good, he doesn't make many mistakes.
But maybe the worst foot work of an AB winger in the professional age? I'm struggling to think of another one
He makes Zac's footwork look good.
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Not really sure what people see in Clarke to be honest. Apart from one game at Eden Park in which he made a few line breaks against a poor Aussie team, he was fairly average in Aussie, really poor this year (for whatever reason).
Riko on the left wing, Will on the right (Reece is there as well) and that is as much firepower as you'll ever get. -
@stag said in All Blacks v Tonga:
7 clean breaks…….
7 clean breaks, and 6 "don't hit me, I'm not a threat" as soon as the 2nd layer of defence is reached. (With the 7th of those clean breaks, being 'there IS NO 2nd layer of defence, I'm over the line, thanks guys')
I want him to be good. I want every NZer to be good. But in this game, he didn't do very well. I sincerely hope that in the next one, and every subsequent one, he does, and becomes a legendary All Black. I hope that for every guy who puts on the All Blacks jersey.
But, in this game, he wasn't a very good winger. And... why people defend "a player" rather than just saying "yeah, he made mistakes"... is frankly, fucking bizarre. -
@chris-b said in All Blacks v Tonga:
@nepia Neil Purvis.
To be brutally harsh - the second coming of NMS.
Sheesh Grandpa, couldn't you pick someone most of us had seen play?
Plus, his one cap makes it hard to compare with modern wingers.
@nepia said in All Blacks v Tonga:
@chris-b said in All Blacks v Tonga:
@nepia Neil Purvis.
To be brutally harsh - the second coming of NMS.
Sheesh Grandpa, couldn't you pick someone most of us had seen play?
I harshly did!
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@nepia said in All Blacks v Tonga:
@chris-b said in All Blacks v Tonga:
@nepia Neil Purvis.
To be brutally harsh - the second coming of NMS.
Sheesh Grandpa, couldn't you pick someone most of us had seen play?
I harshly did!
@chris-b said in All Blacks v Tonga:
@nepia said in All Blacks v Tonga:
@chris-b said in All Blacks v Tonga:
@nepia Neil Purvis.
To be brutally harsh - the second coming of NMS.
Sheesh Grandpa, couldn't you pick someone most of us had seen play?
I harshly did!
Neil Purvis was a very tidy 12 shifted out to the wing.
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@crazy-horse said in All Blacks v Tonga:
@crucial said in All Blacks v Tonga:
A firing Caleb Clarke solves the problem doesn’t it?
Certainly does. Let's hope he can put this
seasonbehind him.Injury, you mean.
@kirwan said in All Blacks v Tonga:
@crazy-horse said in All Blacks v Tonga:
@crucial said in All Blacks v Tonga:
A firing Caleb Clarke solves the problem doesn’t it?
Certainly does. Let's hope he can put this
seasonbehind him.Injury, you mean.
Wait what? He's played well this season you think?
