Best players in SR this week

[Winger]

@Duluth said in Best players in SR this week:

unlike two guaranteed starting ABs who were dogshit on Saturday afternoon.

I assume one of those was Ardie? He's also played some very good games already in SR. Who knows what the reason for that game was.. but it isn't a pattern of poor form for him

Both have made teams of the week. And neither were shithouse in this game.

And but for 2-3 fucked up lineouts due in part to idiotic replacements by our coaches (short locks and a shortish back row) and a very poor clearance by Morgan the team could have won. This wouldn't happen with 2 of our ABs playing poorly

Rugbypass gave them a 7 and 7.5 rating. Maybe a bit high but not by much

[Duluth]

@cgrant said in Best players in SR this week:

Whitelock has been sidelined for weeks and Vai'i goes missing sometimes. It's the same with PPP. Maybe the most constant in his performances is Cameron Suafua but he is not a standout either. Bird has been good in his outings but he is not even considered as a starter at the Canes. So who ? Gardiner (he's just a stop gap in the Crusaders team as he is more a 6 than a lock) ? Barrett (pretty anonymous so far) ?

Is two games good enough to make a form xv? My pick would be Darry, he's been excellent since returning from injury. He seems like he's added some quality weight and he's shifting bodies

[Chris]

@cgrant said in Best players in SR this week:

Gardiner (he's just a stop gap in the Crusaders team as he is more a 6 than a lock)

He still has been really good the last 3 weeks playing out of position,So should be considered.

[KiwiMurph]

I'm not surprised Jordie was poor on the weekend. He was in between Morgan and a centre who hadn't played rugby in 6 months.

There's plenty of ABs playing well despite not being in form team of the competition; Cane, Weber, Smith, Ennor, Clarke etc.

The likes of Akira and Jordan should be back playing soon (this week?) which will help.

I'm hoping with Rieko's contract issue now behind him his game will flow.

[kiwi_expat]

@cgrant said in Best players in SR this week:

A bit off topic but what would be your form team so far (eligible NZ players only) ?
Mine :
De Groot
Taukei'aho
Lomax
Retallick
?
Finau
Papali'i
Sotutu
Weber/Roigard
MacKenzie
Fainganu'uku
T. Umaga Jensen
Aumua
Narawa/Telea
Stephenson

Only one Crusaders player, more Highlanders even, surprisingly.

How come these form teams, or 'team/s of week' rarely ever feature more than a couple of Crusaders while the same people claim a certain coach gets all the best players when he ends up doing yet another headspin around the super rugby trophy.

An interesting dichotomy.

[Kiwiwomble]

@kiwi_expat is this just a vibe you have or have you actually checked? i feel there are times lots of crusaders would make these teams in the past

edit: picked the super round at random and there are 5 crusaders

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/131411652/super-rugby-team-of-the-week-richie-mounga-bounces-back-as-beauden-barrett-struggles

random week from last year, 7 crusaders

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/128209119/moana-pasifika-hitman-henry-timestowers-a-highlight-of-super-rugby-team-of-the-week

[mariner4life]

[kiwi_expat]

@Kiwiwomble Nope, was referring to the sentiment on here, as I quoted a ferner's team in my post...

[KiwiMurph]

@kiwi_expat said in Best players in SR this week:

@Kiwiwomble Nope, was referring to the sentiment on here, as I quoted a ferner's team in my post...

Crusaders having a lot of injuries this season adds to it a lot.

[Duluth]

There was a similar claim this time last year that Crusaders players aren’t rated on TSF so I ran a poll asking how many Crusaders would make their AB 23 (not a prediction of what the selectors would pick)

There is no such thing as a TSF consensus but most people had loads of Crusaders in their 23

[mariner4life]

@KiwiMurph said in Best players in SR this week:

@kiwi_expat said in Best players in SR this week:

@Kiwiwomble Nope, was referring to the sentiment on here, as I quoted a ferner's team in my post...

Crusaders having a lot of injuries this season adds to it a lot.

also Mo'unga, Jordan and SBarrett normally walk in to these teams, and one hasn't played, the other two are not the form players

[kiwi_expat]

A possible World Cup squad, with the most important players in bold.

Rettalick, Va'ai, Whitelock, Savea, Papali'i, R.Ioane, De Groot, Tu'ungafasi, Laulala, Ross, S.Barrett, Clarke, Stevenson, Telea, Fainganu'uku, Lomax, A.Smith, Roigard, Weber, J.Barrett, Taukei'aho, McKenzie, B.Barrett, Mo'unga, Cane, Aumua, Taylor, Jacobson, ALB, Tuipulotu, TUJ, Sotutu, A.Ioane.

Crusaders have not exactly produced the influential 'core' of this All Black team have they?

[Bones]

@KiwiMurph said in Best players in SR this week:

@kiwi_expat said in Best players in SR this week:

@Kiwiwomble Nope, was referring to the sentiment on here, as I quoted a ferner's team in my post...

Crusaders having a lot of injuries this season adds to it a lot.

They didn't play this weekend did they? They're doing well if they got players in the team.

[Chris]

@kiwi_expat said in Best players in SR this week:

A possible World Cup squad, with the most important players in bold.

Rettalick, Va'ai, Whitelock, Savea, Papali'i, R.Ioane, De Groot, Tu'ungafasi, Laulala, Ross, S.Barrett, Clarke, Stevenson, Telea, Fainganu'uku, Lomax, A.Smith, Roigard, Weber, J.Barrett, Taukei'aho, McKenzie, B.Barrett, Mo'unga, Cane, Aumua, Taylor, Jacobson, ALB, Tuipulotu, TUJ, Sotutu, A.Ioane.

I reckon that 33 is a way off what Foster and co will actually select.

[Bones]

@Chris said in Best players in SR this week:

@kiwi_expat said in Best players in SR this week:

A possible World Cup squad, with the most important unselected players in bold.

Rettalick, Va'ai, Whitelock, Savea, Papali'i, R.Ioane, De Groot, Tu'ungafasi, Laulala, Ross, S.Barrett, Clarke, Stevenson, Telea, Fainganu'uku, Lomax, A.Smith, Roigard, Weber, J.Barrett, Taukei'aho, McKenzie, B.Barrett, Mo'unga, Cane, Aumua, Taylor, Jacobson, ALB, Tuipulotu, TUJ, Sotutu, A.Ioane.

I reckon that 33 is a way off what Foster and co will actually select.

Fixed it.

[Chris]

@Bones said in Best players in SR this week:

@Chris said in Best players in SR this week:

@kiwi_expat said in Best players in SR this week:

A possible World Cup squad, with the most important unselected players in bold.

Rettalick, Va'ai, Whitelock, Savea, Papali'i, R.Ioane, De Groot, Tu'ungafasi, Laulala, Ross, S.Barrett, Clarke, Stevenson, Telea, Fainganu'uku, Lomax, A.Smith, Roigard, Weber, J.Barrett, Taukei'aho, McKenzie, B.Barrett, Mo'unga, Cane, Aumua, Taylor, Jacobson, ALB, Tuipulotu, TUJ, Sotutu, A.Ioane.

I reckon that 33 is a way off what Foster and co will actually select.

Fixed it.

I think that is exactly what may happen plus no Ross.

[kiwi_expat]

Would be pretty hilarious if Foster takes 3 non-running halfbacks. Christie doesn't offer any point of difference. Roigard and Ratima offer a running threat that non of Smith, Weber, Christie, can bring.

[Bones]

@kiwi_expat said in Best players in SR this week:

Would be pretty hilarious if Foster takes 3 non-running halfbacks. Christie doesn't offer any point of difference. Roigard and Ratima offer a running threat that non of Smith, Weber, Christie, can bring.

We're watching a different Weber

[kiwi_expat]

I think this gives a fair indication of where the top talent is coming from - Chiefs, Blues, Hurricanes.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/300856461/all-blacks-barometer-whos-in-the-33man-squad-ahead-of-the-world-cup-in-france

Chiefs, Blues, Canes have formed our All Black's best sides in recent seasons & that is set to continue.

[Stargazer]

@kiwi_expat Comedy gold.