Bledisloe Three: Sydney, 31 October
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For us I particularly liked Coles (attitude, speed, etc.), Cane (everything), Smith (hardly put a foot wrong other than lead up to Oz try), Ritchie, and ALB (apart from foot in touch!). Thought Scooter was good off bench, but Hodgman under the pump from Tupou. TJP non passing game really stunted ABs tonight. Not his sort of game. Roane certainly brought X-factor.
For Oz Slipper excellent in scrum and plenty of great tackling. Paenga-Amosa good in tight. Liked look of Simone and Petaia very dangerous. Tupou monstered Hodgman in at least one scrum.
Lolesio too green to be critical, but Rennie needs some gold at 10. Simmons depowers OZ forwards - @NTA isn't there ANYONE else?
Overall ABs just too sharp in first 40 and won easing down. -
Random thoughts in no particular order.
Frizzel got stopped a few times eh, but really happy with his game. His workrate was immense, I'd be really interested in seeing stats for carries/tackles/rucks. In saying that, be interested to see what the other options can do now and if they'll be as amazeballs as all the Frizzel knockers think they'll be.
Really wish we could move on from Perenara. Or he could move on from being an egg and at least try and concentrate on being good at rugby instead of being good at arsehole. When the ref is saying to you, very shortly after running on the field "don't shout at me like that", maybe it's time to pull your head in. Hopefully someone like Roe can advance next year.
Coles, locks, Cane, Smith, Mounga, Clarke, ALB all awesome. Very comfortable starting debut from Sotutu and solid from Tuungafasi and Beauds. Pretty mixed bag from Jordie, but still a lot better than yesteryear.
Seems I'm out of touch on the officials, thought bok was very good and the cards were fair, as well as tmo.
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@pakman said in Bledisloe Three: Sydney, 31 October:
Lolesio too green to be critical, but Rennie needs some gold at 10. Simmons depowers OZ forwards - @NTA isn't there ANYONE else?
Harrison. Who is also 21.
@NTA said in Bledisloe Three: Sydney, 31 October:
@pakman said in Bledisloe Three: Sydney, 31 October:
Lolesio too green to be critical, but Rennie needs some gold at 10. Simmons depowers OZ forwards - @NTA isn't there ANYONE else?
Harrison. Who is also 21.
I was ambiguous. I meant alternative to Simmons at lock.
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@NTA said in Bledisloe Three: Sydney, 31 October:
@pakman said in Bledisloe Three: Sydney, 31 October:
Lolesio too green to be critical, but Rennie needs some gold at 10. Simmons depowers OZ forwards - @NTA isn't there ANYONE else?
Harrison. Who is also 21.
I was ambiguous. I meant alternative to Simmons at lock.
@pakman said in Bledisloe Three: Sydney, 31 October:
@NTA said in Bledisloe Three: Sydney, 31 October:
@pakman said in Bledisloe Three: Sydney, 31 October:
Lolesio too green to be critical, but Rennie needs some gold at 10. Simmons depowers OZ forwards - @NTA isn't there ANYONE else?
Harrison. Who is also 21.
I was ambiguous. I meant alternative to Simmons at lock.
Is Arnold's arm mended yet?
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Will have to watch again but thought Frizell was really good, as he was in Auckland.
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Will have to watch again but thought Frizell was really good, as he was in Auckland.
@Old-Samurai-Jack said in Bledisloe Three: Sydney, 31 October:
Will have to watch again but thought Frizell was really good, as he was in Auckland.
He was ridiculously busy, especially in the first half. Pretty low impact ball in hand but certainly didn't stop him doing it time and time again, which must have an influence on the opposition defence.
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@Old-Samurai-Jack said in Bledisloe Three: Sydney, 31 October:
Will have to watch again but thought Frizell was really good, as he was in Auckland.
He was ridiculously busy, especially in the first half. Pretty low impact ball in hand but certainly didn't stop him doing it time and time again, which must have an influence on the opposition defence.
@Bones said in Bledisloe Three: Sydney, 31 October:
@Old-Samurai-Jack said in Bledisloe Three: Sydney, 31 October:
Will have to watch again but thought Frizell was really good, as he was in Auckland.
He was ridiculously busy, especially in the first half. Pretty low impact ball in hand but certainly didn't stop him doing it time and time again, which must have an influence on the opposition defence.
I said it earlier, I thought he had a really strong game, him and Whitelock were the pick of the forwards for me. I do feel like this back row is a very tight one, no one shirks the hard stuff and they just get buried in everything. Great for wet weather matches. I think with Ardie a little looser, more turnovers and more on the wide channels. Both combinations great, love having all four players in the 23.
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@Bones said in Bledisloe Three: Sydney, 31 October:
@Old-Samurai-Jack said in Bledisloe Three: Sydney, 31 October:
Will have to watch again but thought Frizell was really good, as he was in Auckland.
He was ridiculously busy, especially in the first half. Pretty low impact ball in hand but certainly didn't stop him doing it time and time again, which must have an influence on the opposition defence.
I said it earlier, I thought he had a really strong game, him and Whitelock were the pick of the forwards for me. I do feel like this back row is a very tight one, no one shirks the hard stuff and they just get buried in everything. Great for wet weather matches. I think with Ardie a little looser, more turnovers and more on the wide channels. Both combinations great, love having all four players in the 23.
@DMX said in Bledisloe Three: Sydney, 31 October:
I do feel like this back row is a very tight one, no one shirks the hard stuff and they just get buried in everything.
Gotta agree. They complement and play off each other really well. Frizell may not knock people back like Sam Cane does but, jeez, he gives 100%.
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@DMX said in Bledisloe Three: Sydney, 31 October:
I do feel like this back row is a very tight one, no one shirks the hard stuff and they just get buried in everything.
Gotta agree. They complement and play off each other really well. Frizell may not knock people back like Sam Cane does but, jeez, he gives 100%.
@Victor-Meldrew said in Bledisloe Three: Sydney, 31 October:
@DMX said in Bledisloe Three: Sydney, 31 October:
I do feel like this back row is a very tight one, no one shirks the hard stuff and they just get buried in everything.
Gotta agree. They complement and play off each other really well. Frizell may not knock people back like Sam Cane does but, jeez, he gives 100%.
Yep and if Sotutu's game grows like it did in SRA (where at times his attacking play and stealing ability was like a man amongst boys) they could be excellent. Then bring on Ardie for any of them to finish the opposition off completely.
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All Blacks seriously need some succession planning at halfback. The gap between Aaron Smith and the rest is that big.
@MrDenmore said in Bledisloe Three: Sydney, 31 October:
All Blacks seriously need some succession planning at halfback. The gap between Aaron Smith and the rest is that big.
Return to the status quo. Halfback has always been our weakest position historically.
It's been a treat having a Rolls Royce halfback for the better part of a decade after always being outmatched.
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Highlights with the Oz commentary -
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@MrDenmore said in Bledisloe Three: Sydney, 31 October:
All Blacks seriously need some succession planning at halfback. The gap between Aaron Smith and the rest is that big.
Return to the status quo. Halfback has always been our weakest position historically.
It's been a treat having a Rolls Royce halfback for the better part of a decade after always being outmatched.
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Aaron Smith should walk away with NZ rugby player of the year.
Thought coles was excellent too.
Pity SA not in RC.
@Billy-Tell said in Bledisloe Three: Sydney, 31 October:
Aaron Smith should walk away with NZ rugby player of the year.
Thought coles was excellent too.
Pity SA not in RC.
This, A Smith was excellent but when Smith is excellent you can almost guarantee the forwards were the reason. So props to the engine room.
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If someone just stitched together all the man love shown after scoring, and winning it would do very well on certain websites.
I like seeing the raw emotion and how much it means, but after Rieko scores I think TJ jumps up into his arms with legs wrapped around, in isolation that is very strange from two adult men. But with sport it is completely normal. Funny how these things happen. -
Sevu Reece was excited about the win!
