All Blacks v Tonga
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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?
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@antipodean said in All Blacks v Tonga:
@tim said in All Blacks v Tonga:
@stag ABs have been committing about one man per ruck. Would be better served getting some contact practice in by hitting rucks.
And not permitting any kicking. Treat this like the RWC group stage match against minnows it is.
Fozzie can't risk doing that, remember how much shit Hansen copped in 2015 when they did that.
@nepia said in All Blacks v Tonga:
@antipodean said in All Blacks v Tonga:
@tim said in All Blacks v Tonga:
@stag ABs have been committing about one man per ruck. Would be better served getting some contact practice in by hitting rucks.
And not permitting any kicking. Treat this like the RWC group stage match against minnows it is.
Fozzie can't risk doing that, remember how much shit Hansen copped in 2015 when they did that.
Perhaps if his reappointment is marginal it comes down to points difference?
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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
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I think Rieko's shift to centre has come a few years too early. We are far better off utilising his pace off the mark, power and footwork on the wing while he is still young.
He was carrying an injury in 2019 and then seemed to want to move in after that, but he appears to he back to fill fitness now. If I was the AB coaches I'd be saying to him we need you on the wing, but behind the scenes we will continue to develop you as a centre and move you in during the 2nd half in tests where appropriate to gain experience there.
