All Blacks 2024
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@taniwharugby I agree with the general premise of shaking things up and looking at things differently.
However, i'm not sure Bridge is the best example.
He's about to turn 29 and has fundamental issues with his game that means he has a ceiling. Issues that are highly unlikely to be honed. One such issue is he lacks footwork which is why he had/has such an issue beating defenders. From memory towards the end even Razor wasn't selecting him in his top 15.
@KiwiMurph yeah one thing that seemed fairly clear about Bridge was he had a great rugby brain, just didn't have the physical ability to keep up.
Can relate.
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@sparky said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@mikedogz said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:

If he avoids getting broken, surely he'll be the ABs 9 a lot between now and the next RWC.
Built like a beast, face like a 13 year old choir boy.
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@KiwiMurph yeah one thing that seemed fairly clear about Bridge was he had a great rugby brain, just didn't have the physical ability to keep up.
Can relate.
@Bones said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@KiwiMurph yeah one thing that seemed fairly clear about Bridge was he had a great rugby brain, just didn't have the physical ability to keep up.
Can relate.
Really? His inability to even try to beat a player was extraordinary. He literally ran into contact while in space repeatedly
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@Bones said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@KiwiMurph yeah one thing that seemed fairly clear about Bridge was he had a great rugby brain, just didn't have the physical ability to keep up.
Can relate.
Really? His inability to even try to beat a player was extraordinary. He literally ran into contact while in space repeatedly
@nzzp said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@KiwiMurph yeah one thing that seemed fairly clear about Bridge was he had a great rugby brain, just didn't have the physical ability to keep up.
Can relate.
Really? His inability to even try to beat a player was extraordinary. He literally ran into contact while in space repeatedly
In his head, JK was jealous of the immense swerve he'd just completed.
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Disagree with what Robertson is wanting to do, but good on him for articulating his views and pushing the envelope. He clearly understands/thinks there's gaps in the talent pool which he's concerned about. NZ Rugby needs a shake-up.
But, like any other AB Head Coach, he has to make the best of what's available and will be judged on that basis.
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Disagree with what Robertson is wanting to do, but good on him for articulating his views and pushing the envelope. He clearly understands/thinks there's gaps in the talent pool which he's concerned about. NZ Rugby needs a shake-up.
But, like any other AB Head Coach, he has to make the best of what's available and will be judged on that basis.
Except he made his case earlier, got shut down by NZR and is doing it again.
If there's gaps it's his job to fix them, with the talent available. If Fozzie can get the ABs to within a point of winning the final with NZ based players surely Coaching Jesus will walk it.
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@Bones said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@KiwiMurph yeah one thing that seemed fairly clear about Bridge was he had a great rugby brain, just didn't have the physical ability to keep up.
Can relate.
Really? His inability to even try to beat a player was extraordinary. He literally ran into contact while in space repeatedly
@nzzp said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@KiwiMurph yeah one thing that seemed fairly clear about Bridge was he had a great rugby brain, just didn't have the physical ability to keep up.
Can relate.
Really? His inability to even try to beat a player was extraordinary. He literally ran into contact while in space repeatedly
Yeah I think it’s one of the great Rugby cliches that all white outside backs have these amazing brains and vision to make up for their lack of physical gifts compared to the more explosive island players.
Total horseshit in Bridges case.
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@Machpants I thought this was the most interesting news from Razor's press conference.
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I liked this part:
"They'll select them, I'll oversee it, and 'koro' Wayne Smith will come in and have a word, if he needs to," said Robertson. "They will be watching them, selecting them and giving them feedback.
"I want them to select them and take ownership of that. We'll always get someone to cast a second set of eyes to make sure they're on track."
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@nzzp said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@KiwiMurph yeah one thing that seemed fairly clear about Bridge was he had a great rugby brain, just didn't have the physical ability to keep up.
Can relate.
Really? His inability to even try to beat a player was extraordinary. He literally ran into contact while in space repeatedly
Yeah I think it’s one of the great Rugby cliches that all white outside backs have these amazing brains and vision to make up for their lack of physical gifts compared to the more explosive island players.
Total horseshit in Bridges case.
@MN5 said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@nzzp said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@KiwiMurph yeah one thing that seemed fairly clear about Bridge was he had a great rugby brain, just didn't have the physical ability to keep up.
Can relate.
Really? His inability to even try to beat a player was extraordinary. He literally ran into contact while in space repeatedly
Yeah I think it’s one of the great Rugby cliches that all white outside backs have these amazing brains and vision to make up for their lack of physical gifts compared to the more explosive island players.
Total horseshit in Bridges case.
Except when you consider how successful a guy with seemingly very limited physical ability was and how he got his hands on the ball for some great tries at super level.
Which makes mn5 total horseshit.
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@MN5 said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@nzzp said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@KiwiMurph yeah one thing that seemed fairly clear about Bridge was he had a great rugby brain, just didn't have the physical ability to keep up.
Can relate.
Really? His inability to even try to beat a player was extraordinary. He literally ran into contact while in space repeatedly
Yeah I think it’s one of the great Rugby cliches that all white outside backs have these amazing brains and vision to make up for their lack of physical gifts compared to the more explosive island players.
Total horseshit in Bridges case.
Except when you consider how successful a guy with seemingly very limited physical ability was and how he got his hands on the ball for some great tries at super level.
Which makes mn5 total horseshit.
@Bones said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@MN5 said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@nzzp said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@KiwiMurph yeah one thing that seemed fairly clear about Bridge was he had a great rugby brain, just didn't have the physical ability to keep up.
Can relate.
Really? His inability to even try to beat a player was extraordinary. He literally ran into contact while in space repeatedly
Yeah I think it’s one of the great Rugby cliches that all white outside backs have these amazing brains and vision to make up for their lack of physical gifts compared to the more explosive island players.
Total horseshit in Bridges case.
Except when you consider how successful a guy with seemingly very limited physical ability was and how he got his hands on the ball for some great tries at super level.
Which makes mn5 total horseshit.
I must have missed all those in amongst the easy run ins.
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@Bones said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@MN5 said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@nzzp said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@KiwiMurph yeah one thing that seemed fairly clear about Bridge was he had a great rugby brain, just didn't have the physical ability to keep up.
Can relate.
Really? His inability to even try to beat a player was extraordinary. He literally ran into contact while in space repeatedly
Yeah I think it’s one of the great Rugby cliches that all white outside backs have these amazing brains and vision to make up for their lack of physical gifts compared to the more explosive island players.
Total horseshit in Bridges case.
Except when you consider how successful a guy with seemingly very limited physical ability was and how he got his hands on the ball for some great tries at super level.
Which makes mn5 total horseshit.
I must have missed all those in amongst the easy run ins.
@MN5 said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@MN5 said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@nzzp said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@KiwiMurph yeah one thing that seemed fairly clear about Bridge was he had a great rugby brain, just didn't have the physical ability to keep up.
Can relate.
Really? His inability to even try to beat a player was extraordinary. He literally ran into contact while in space repeatedly
Yeah I think it’s one of the great Rugby cliches that all white outside backs have these amazing brains and vision to make up for their lack of physical gifts compared to the more explosive island players.
Total horseshit in Bridges case.
Except when you consider how successful a guy with seemingly very limited physical ability was and how he got his hands on the ball for some great tries at super level.
Which makes mn5 total horseshit.
I must have missed all those in amongst the easy run ins.
The year he got something like 12 or 13 tries, the highlight reel was shocking. Like, system puts him in space, fall over line. He beat maybe three players?
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@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Disagree with what Robertson is wanting to do, but good on him for articulating his views and pushing the envelope. He clearly understands/thinks there's gaps in the talent pool which he's concerned about. NZ Rugby needs a shake-up.
But, like any other AB Head Coach, he has to make the best of what's available and will be judged on that basis.
Except he made his case earlier, got shut down by NZR and is doing it again.
If there's gaps it's his job to fix them, with the talent available. If Fozzie can get the ABs to within a point of winning the final with NZ based players surely Coaching Jesus will walk it.
@Nepia said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Disagree with what Robertson is wanting to do, but good on him for articulating his views and pushing the envelope. He clearly understands/thinks there's gaps in the talent pool which he's concerned about. NZ Rugby needs a shake-up.
But, like any other AB Head Coach, he has to make the best of what's available and will be judged on that basis.
Except he made his case earlier, got shut down by NZR and is doing it again.
If there's gaps it's his job to fix them, with the talent available. If Fozzie can get the ABs to within a point of winning the final with NZ based players surely Coaching Jesus will walk it.
I really don't have much of a problem with him raising it again and think it's positive he's challenging the status quo.
Apart from that, we're saying pretty much the same thing. We'll see in a year or two if he's half as good as his fanbois have been telling us
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People still want to see Jordan moved to a more involved position after his delightful showing in the RWC final? It was just a culmination of all his "rugby issues", kid needs a lot of work.
Be handy off the bench.
@Bones said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
People still want to see Jordan moved to a more involved position after his delightful showing in the RWC final? It was just a culmination of all his "rugby issues", kid needs a lot of work.
Be handy off the bench.
Yeah, I like Jordan as a player, but I thought Stevenson was the better allround fullback (esp with his boot). This season there will probably be even more competition for the 15 jersey.
I think Jordan's RWC final troubles (ito the ball-in hand side of things) stemmed from him being more of 'glider' (i.e. a player that spots or anticipates a gap and then glides through that gap) and the opposition being a man up (leaving few gaps). They actually needed a 'chainsaw' (ie. a player who creates his own gaps via vicious sidestepping at pace). Hell, even a power winger would have been more useful.
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[mod edit - moved here because every response to this was about the ABs]
Wasn't sure where to post this
https://twitter.com/ScotMailSport/status/1744975291032727926
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@Nepia said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Disagree with what Robertson is wanting to do, but good on him for articulating his views and pushing the envelope. He clearly understands/thinks there's gaps in the talent pool which he's concerned about. NZ Rugby needs a shake-up.
But, like any other AB Head Coach, he has to make the best of what's available and will be judged on that basis.
Except he made his case earlier, got shut down by NZR and is doing it again.
If there's gaps it's his job to fix them, with the talent available. If Fozzie can get the ABs to within a point of winning the final with NZ based players surely Coaching Jesus will walk it.
I really don't have much of a problem with him raising it again and think it's positive he's challenging the status quo.
Apart from that, we're saying pretty much the same thing. We'll see in a year or two if he's half as good as his fanbois have been telling us
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@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Disagree with what Robertson is wanting to do, but good on him for articulating his views and pushing the envelope. He clearly understands/thinks there's gaps in the talent pool which he's concerned about. NZ Rugby needs a shake-up.
But, like any other AB Head Coach, he has to make the best of what's available and will be judged on that basis.
Except he made his case earlier, got shut down by NZR and is doing it again.
If there's gaps it's his job to fix them, with the talent available. If Fozzie can get the ABs to within a point of winning the final with NZ based players surely Coaching Jesus will walk it.
@Nepia said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Disagree with what Robertson is wanting to do, but good on him for articulating his views and pushing the envelope. He clearly understands/thinks there's gaps in the talent pool which he's concerned about. NZ Rugby needs a shake-up.
But, like any other AB Head Coach, he has to make the best of what's available and will be judged on that basis.
Except he made his case earlier, got shut down by NZR and is doing it again.
If there's gaps it's his job to fix them, with the talent available. If Fozzie can get the ABs to within a point of winning the final with NZ based players surely Coaching Jesus will walk it.
How many overseas based players would have made the ABs when Fozzie was coach? Not many if any.
Now at least two world class players in Mounga and BBBR would walk into this team which is well short of world class talent. I can see why Razor is pushing for overseas based players, and as long as we limit it to only a couple of players, I'm ok with it. The alternative is having Tupou Vaa'i at lock.