All Blacks 2024
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I’m also happy to put my hand up about BB being past it. He looked great off the bench and I think that’s where he should stay - listening to his comments he sounded a bit Piri Weepu in that he was watching what was happening so could come on and tactically influence the game.
You are bang on about our locks, loosies, HBs, and wings. I feel like we have a few placeholders here though - waiting for Lord, Roigard, Jordan. That should mean that we’ll lose Pat T to the bench / competing with Vaii, one of TJ / Christie, and a big call between BB and Perofeta assuming Jordan goes to 15. If Jordan returns at 15, we might need a bigger boot 11/14 so a Narawa comes into play too.
The big area to me looks to be choosing our 6, and then backing them.
If we had Lord back, I can see value in trying Vaii but he’s doing well off the bench, so we give Finau time or go small. It’s just an area of weakness, again. God help us if Frizell is their answer.
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@gt12 said in All Blacks 2024:
If we had Lord back, I can see value in trying Vaii but he’s doing well off the bench, so we give Finau time or go small. It’s just an area of weakness, again. God help us if Frizell is their answer
perhaps playing 6 is far harder than we think, given the false starts here since 2017 (and even before that).
I still think Vaa'i is too slow to play 6. He's a lock, play lock.
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@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2024:
So, after a tight England series, thoughts?
Props: Scrum good. Defense good. Lineout work not good. Carrying not good.
I've been beating this drum forever. Despite what Ryan says our props offer nothing as ball-carriers, de Groot especially. With PT anonymous we had no go-forward in the tight five. When Slipper is more of a threat carrying the ball, we've got problems. We can't just be relying on the loose forwards to get over the advantage line.
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@Landers92 said in All Blacks 2024:
@Bovidae only 32 going I was told. Hoping to hear some names that aren’t going later today
Been told it’s the original 32 that were selected that are going minus TJ. Sounds like the 4 that were training with them aren’t going. Asked if Hotham was going but wasn’t sure, I would assume he is based off what happened at the position.
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@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2024:
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2024:
So, after a tight England series, thoughts?
Props: Scrum good. Defense good. Lineout work not good. Carrying not good.
I've been beating this drum forever. Despite what Ryan says our props offer nothing as ball-carriers, de Groot especially. With PT anonymous we had no go-forward in the tight five. When Slipper is more of a threat carrying the ball, we've got problems. We can't just be relying on the loose forwards to get over the advantage line.
Hard for any ball runners to make the adv line after Christie has a cup of tea before clearing... It was noticeable how the runners were moving onto the ball and making meters, as soon as Ratima got on...
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@mariner4life Pretty fair assessment.
Big Tamaiti can carry - I've been a bit surprised he hasn't been the bench option, but maybe he's still getting up to speed.
Him, Sami T., and Tosi would make a pretty fearsome bomb squad!
Hopefully some further improvement to come from Scott Barrett. He hadn't played for several months. Next year, when we hopefully have Lord, Holland and Darry in the arsenal, we should have a taller and better lineout.
At 6, we really need a legitimate third lineout jumper. If not Finau, then Suafoa, Dunshea and Hannah are guys with the desired dimensions.
When Dunshea burst onto the scene it was playing number 8 vs the British and Irish Lions. Since then he's had a lot of injuries and now seems to have pushed into lock. Dunno whether he's still got the mobility to play 6.
Too early for Hannah, but I don't think he's tall enough to be a test lock.
Telea looks to have lost a yard of pace from last year, whether through injury or hitting the 27 years mark. He needs to re-find it, because we have plenty of good wings.
Rieko's also 27, so no way is he transitioning back to wing. We'll get to see what Proctor can do, but I don't expect him to push out Rieko this year, if at all.
I expect Jordan to return as a fullback. Whether he goes there immediately, or transitions, that's where his long term future will be IMO. This time next year, he'll be 27 as well.
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@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2024:
I still think this is our best combination,
Two limited passer is fine when the team plays a smash and base forward based game
But thats not what Robertson wants it seems. So, it a poor combination. Esp when we have the option of Proctor where passing is a strength
I also though Perofeta was good the first game. But poor the 2nd. He not a test FB and really needs to focus on 1st
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@Chris-B said in All Blacks 2024:
Rieko's also 27, so no way is he transitioning back to wing
Maybe on whether it depends on Robertson. Or 2 limited super rugby coaches
As the backline only started to function well when the the reserves came on.
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@Chris-B said in All Blacks 2024:
Telea looks to have lost a yard of pace from last year, whether through injury or hitting the 27 years mark. He needs to re-find it, because we have plenty of good wings.
Seemed to lose some speed mid season of Super Rugby.
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@Tim said in All Blacks 2024:
@Chris-B said in All Blacks 2024:
Telea looks to have lost a yard of pace from last year, whether through injury or hitting the 27 years mark. He needs to re-find it, because we have plenty of good wings.
Seemed to lose some speed mid season of Super Rugby.
Maybe he lost speed mid season I don't know, but the guy has always been on the slow side. I am not sure why people are surprised by this.
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@Winger said in All Blacks 2024:
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2024:
I still think this is our best combination,
Two limited passer is fine when the team plays a smash and base forward based game
But thats not what Robertson wants it seems. So, it a poor combination. Esp when we have the option of Proctor where passing is a strength
I also though Perofeta was good the first game. But poor the 2nd. He not a test FB and really needs to focus on 1st
i havent had a chance to read through the match thread, was this the consensus for the second test?
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@Kiwiwomble said in All Blacks 2024:
@Winger said in All Blacks 2024:
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2024:
I still think this is our best combination,
Two limited passer is fine when the team plays a smash and base forward based game
But thats not what Robertson wants it seems. So, it a poor combination. Esp when we have the option of Proctor where passing is a strength
I also though Perofeta was good the first game. But poor the 2nd. He not a test FB and really needs to focus on 1st
i havent had a chance to read through the match thread, was this the consensus for the second test?
It varies
But he cost a certain try. And his line clearing was poor = poor for me
He was also replaced at 48 minutes and this was the start of the backline transformation. With (almost*) everything going right for Barrett (* one poor clearing kick)
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@Tim said in All Blacks 2024:
@Chris-B said in All Blacks 2024:
Telea looks to have lost a yard of pace from last year, whether through injury or hitting the 27 years mark. He needs to re-find it, because we have plenty of good wings.
Seemed to lose some speed mid season of Super Rugby.
I thought that too ... Was there a niggle or something???
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@Chris-B said in All Blacks 2024:
Hopefully some further improvement to come from Scott Barrett.
Just rewatching the first half and he is in absolutely everying. Extraordinary motor - so many involvements. I'm very very impressed - missed it live but his workrate is off the charts.
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@Crazy-Horse said in All Blacks 2024:
@Tim said in All Blacks 2024:
@Chris-B said in All Blacks 2024:
Telea looks to have lost a yard of pace from last year, whether through injury or hitting the 27 years mark. He needs to re-find it, because we have plenty of good wings.
Seemed to lose some speed mid season of Super Rugby.
Maybe he lost speed mid season I don't know, but the guy has always been on the slow side. I am not sure why people are surprised by this.
He's never been express.
But, the last couple of tests he's repeatedly been cutting back inside which is a giveaway that your opponent has you beaten for pace.
I don't recall that from last year - not when he had an outside break.
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Just on Rieko and his “limited” distribution - I’ll need to go and rewatch a heap of games, but feel like I can count on one finger the number of times where he’s received the ball in space and had the option to go himself or put someone into space. Just seems like it’s crash ball every time, and I put that down to gameplay and Jordie more than Rieko’s limitations
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@Chris-B said in All Blacks 2024:
@Crazy-Horse said in All Blacks 2024:
@Tim said in All Blacks 2024:
@Chris-B said in All Blacks 2024:
Telea looks to have lost a yard of pace from last year, whether through injury or hitting the 27 years mark. He needs to re-find it, because we have plenty of good wings.
Seemed to lose some speed mid season of Super Rugby.
Maybe he lost speed mid season I don't know, but the guy has always been on the slow side. I am not sure why people are surprised by this.
He's never been express.
But, the last couple of tests he's repeatedly been cutting back inside which is a giveaway that your opponent has you beaten for pace.
I don't recall that from last year - not when he had an outside break.
true, the thing we might be underestimating is his ability to make ground through congestion (either breaking tackles or just threading the needle), worst case with cutting back is you are closer to your support, best case make a break towards the posts, im still very happy with Telea...with a little work to be done on positioning on defence
