Bledisloe 2

Billy Tell

Papalii is not going to make it. He is consistently anonymous at this level. Pity.

Bones

Papalii is not going to make it. He is consistently anonymous at this level. Pity.

Same with Fakatava, Vaai, Goodhue, Faingaanuku and Sotutu. Can them all.

Edit: something which would be interesting would be to see the progression of Cane at 24, looks like he debuted at 20 so I guess he was just into getting regular starts.

Machpants

@Darren said in Bledisloe 2:

I heard, can't remember where though, that he will be available but DH will not.

Will have to be JB at 12, I don't see any other options

Maybe available. He had concussion some but passed the day one test (like sexton) so he could be available. There's another test later, but also ABs have been traditionally very conservative with head knocked. So I don't see cane playing even if he is available

Victor Meldrew

@KiwiMurph said in Bledisloe 2:

@ACT-Crusader said in Bledisloe 2:

So with Cane failing the HIA on Thursday, is he out also?

I read Cane wasn't tested at the ground but tested later last night and passed so it's up in the air.

I hope he's back. He was missed once he went off.

Bovidae

@ACT-Crusader said in Bledisloe 2:

Still a question mark over Ardie’s availability?

He'll be back. Foster made a comment that implied the baby had been born.

The easiest option is JB to 12 and BB to 15, i.e., the backline that played in the 2nd half. I also don't think that the RM-BB combo has worked that well.

Putting RTS at 12, in combination with Ioane, could also be looked at. Less disruption and you still have the aerial strength and big boot of JB at the back. BB to provide impact off the bench.

I think there may also be some tweaks in the reserve forwards like Ofa for Newell.

booboo

@Darren said in Bledisloe 2:

I heard, can't remember where though, that he will be available but DH will not.

Will have to be JB at 12, I don't see any other options

RTS? Straight swap rather than re jigging the backing like @Bovidae says

Crazy Horse

@Bones said in Bledisloe 2:

@Crazy-Horse said in Bledisloe 2:

@Bones said in Foster:

@Crazy-Horse he's used to playing outside Morgan who is more like RM.

I was more concerned at the prospect of BB being at 15 with RM at 10. That has not worked and I suspect adding JB into the playmaking mix may complicate things too much.

Yeah I don't really see that JB would play more of a playmaking role than DH?

Still missing my point. I have no issue with JB being at 12 no matter how he plays. My issue is with RM at 10 if BB is at 15. Those two haven't worked out how to play well together.

canefan

@Bones said in Bledisloe 2:

@Crazy-Horse said in Bledisloe 2:

@Bones said in Foster:

@Crazy-Horse he's used to playing outside Morgan who is more like RM.

I was more concerned at the prospect of BB being at 15 with RM at 10. That has not worked and I suspect adding JB into the playmaking mix may complicate things too much.

Yeah I don't really see that JB would play more of a playmaking role than DH?

In Bled 1 he just seemed to do the basics reasonably well. Cart it up or pass outside. The one cross field kick he did was very good because the aussies were nowhere to be found

Victor Meldrew

@booboo said in Bledisloe 2:

@Darren said in Bledisloe 2:

I heard, can't remember where though, that he will be available but DH will not.

Will have to be JB at 12, I don't see any other options

RTS? Straight swap rather than re jigging the backing like @Bovidae says

Being selected in midfield for the ABs is almost like an invitation to guest of honour at a career-threatening-injury party.

So it depends who you want to get injured the least, I guess.

canefan

@booboo said in Bledisloe 2:

@Darren said in Bledisloe 2:

I heard, can't remember where though, that he will be available but DH will not.

Will have to be JB at 12, I don't see any other options

RTS? Straight swap rather than re jigging the backing like @Bovidae says

Not sure RTS is the answer.

Victor Meldrew

@canefan said in Bledisloe 2:

@booboo said in Bledisloe 2:

@Darren said in Bledisloe 2:

I heard, can't remember where though, that he will be available but DH will not.

Will have to be JB at 12, I don't see any other options

RTS? Straight swap rather than re jigging the backing like @Bovidae says

Not sure RTS is the answer.

Has to be Jordie or Ennor. Unless Foster & Schmidt go left-field for someone like TUJ

booboo

@canefan but shuffling players all around the backline and playing them out of position is?

I prefer my solution.

Remember we're down our four best 12s.

booboo

@Victor-Meldrew said in Bledisloe 2:

@canefan said in Bledisloe 2:

@booboo said in Bledisloe 2:

@Darren said in Bledisloe 2:

I heard, can't remember where though, that he will be available but DH will not.

Will have to be JB at 12, I don't see any other options

RTS? Straight swap rather than re jigging the backing like @Bovidae says

Not sure RTS is the answer.

Has to be Jordie or Ennor. Unless Foster & Schmidt go left-field for someone like TUJ

Ennor at 12?

canefan

@booboo said in Bledisloe 2:

@Victor-Meldrew said in Bledisloe 2:

@canefan said in Bledisloe 2:

@booboo said in Bledisloe 2:

@Darren said in Bledisloe 2:

I heard, can't remember where though, that he will be available but DH will not.

Will have to be JB at 12, I don't see any other options

RTS? Straight swap rather than re jigging the backing like @Bovidae says

Not sure RTS is the answer.

Has to be Jordie or Ennor. Unless Foster & Schmidt go left-field for someone like TUJ

Ennor at 12?

Ugh

Bovidae

@Victor-Meldrew Ennor will have to be on the bench as centre cover (and wing). He isn't an option at 2nd 5. If RTS doesn't start there is no point him being in the 23.

Victor Meldrew

@booboo said in Bledisloe 2:

@Victor-Meldrew said in Bledisloe 2:

@canefan said in Bledisloe 2:

@booboo said in Bledisloe 2:

@Darren said in Bledisloe 2:

I heard, can't remember where though, that he will be available but DH will not.

Will have to be JB at 12, I don't see any other options

RTS? Straight swap rather than re jigging the backing like @Bovidae says

Not sure RTS is the answer.

Has to be Jordie or Ennor. Unless Foster & Schmidt go left-field for someone like TUJ

Ennor at 12?

Jordie it has to be then. Has the most experience at 12. Eeyore on the bench.

Victor Meldrew

@Bovidae said in Bledisloe 2:

@Victor-Meldrew Ennor will have to be on the bench as centre cover (and wing). He isn't an option at 2nd 5. If RTS doesn't start there is no point him being in the 23.

A JB at 12/BB at 15 combo has less risk than RTS at 12 - particularly if we want to keep the EP record.

Just a pity we haven't been able to blood newer players as much as we would have liked.

booboo

@canefan said in Bledisloe 2:

@booboo said in Bledisloe 2:

@Victor-Meldrew said in Bledisloe 2:

@canefan said in Bledisloe 2:

@booboo said in Bledisloe 2:

@Darren said in Bledisloe 2:

I heard, can't remember where though, that he will be available but DH will not.

Will have to be JB at 12, I don't see any other options

RTS? Straight swap rather than re jigging the backing like @Bovidae says

Not sure RTS is the answer.

Has to be Jordie or Ennor. Unless Foster & Schmidt go left-field for someone like TUJ

Ennor at 12?

Ugh

Not my suggestion. Clarifying @Victor-Meldrew 's post.

booboo

@Victor-Meldrew said in Bledisloe 2:

@Bovidae said in Bledisloe 2:

@Victor-Meldrew Ennor will have to be on the bench as centre cover (and wing). He isn't an option at 2nd 5. If RTS doesn't start there is no point him being in the 23.

A JB at 12/BB at 15 combo has less risk than RTS at 12 - particularly if we want to keep the EP record.

Just a pity we haven't been able to blood newer players as much as we would have liked.

I don't see RTS as a risk.

And I question the need to play a 15 at 12 and a 10 at 15.

Chester Draws

@booboo said in Bledisloe 2:

I don't see RTS as a risk.

And I question the need to play a 15 at 12 and a 10 at 15.

I also want to see RTS play. We'd look like tools if he is the answer, but we never play him to find out.

But the other alternative isn't bad. Beauden Barrett is not a 10 playing at 15. He's a 15 who wants to play at 10. His ability to run from depth is astonishing -- the best part of his game -- and he almost never gets to do it from 10. Meanwhile his game management from 10 is extremely ordinary.

Jordie Barrett plays 12 regularly enough. It's hardly high risk (which is why I think Foster will go that way -- avoiding any risk at all seems to be his selection mantra).

The Silver Fern

Bledisloe 2