All Blacks squad - The Rugby Championship
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@Chris-B Well one option would be playing our best lock at lock, not six. And using Akira at the front instead of midget Savea (something he's done plenty for the Blues).
@Kirwan I'm only suggesting that it won't surprise me to see Scott at 6 - largely to combat the Bok lineout. If Retallick were available, I'd think it quite likely. I certainly think it's more likely than Frizell at 6.
Most likely though, they'll stick with Akira.
Even if we play Barrett there (and Vaai at lock), we are going to be giving away height to each of the three tallest Boks, so we've got challenges. And I'm sure our lineout problems won't have escaped the Bok coaches.
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@Chris-B said in All Blacks squad - The Rugby Championship:
Wouldn't surprise me to see Scott Barrett at 6. They will be worried about countering the Bok's size and physicality.
But, it's a difficult team to predict, because this will be Ryan's forward pack, rather than Plumtree's - and there's questions about whether they "give the boys another chance to put things right", or there's a significant change of tack.
My guess is the former, but a clear loss would surely necessitate a significant change of course.
FFS the last time they did that was 2019. It doesn’t work. SB ain’t a 6 and as I keep saying for all the Fern hype around him in the Irish series he missed a number of tackles, turned over ball, and is still the AB most likely to have a brain fart.
@Nepia said in All Blacks squad - The Rugby Championship:
@Chris-B said in All Blacks squad - The Rugby Championship:
Wouldn't surprise me to see Scott Barrett at 6. They will be worried about countering the Bok's size and physicality.
But, it's a difficult team to predict, because this will be Ryan's forward pack, rather than Plumtree's - and there's questions about whether they "give the boys another chance to put things right", or there's a significant change of tack.
My guess is the former, but a clear loss would surely necessitate a significant change of course.
FFS the last time they did that was 2019. It doesn’t work. SB ain’t a 6 and as I keep saying for all the Fern hype around him in the Irish series he missed a number of tackles, turned over ball, and is still the AB most likely to have a brain fart.
Scott has been known to give away the odd penalty - but, he's certain to be playing regardless of the number on his back. Maybe playing at 6 he's out in the fresh air a bit more, get a bit more oxygen to his brain, stop the red mist descending?
Actually, if you watch that 2019 half, Scott was pretty good - one of our best - apart from an obligatory dumb penalty on the 40th minute.
Among other things he made this amazing run to cut off Jonny May that I posted a few weeks back as well.
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=428450447862358
Kept us in the match and you have to admit that Sam's stumpy little Reparoa legs would never have got across. Scott's run took years of specialized training at his Rahotu hacienda. As he set off, his mother's words would have been ringing in his ears.
"Come on, Scott. You can run fast too. Smash that little bastard into the rose garden!!!"
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@Chris-B said in All Blacks squad - The Rugby Championship:
Wouldn't surprise me to see Scott Barrett at 6. They will be worried about countering the Bok's size and physicality.
But, it's a difficult team to predict, because this will be Ryan's forward pack, rather than Plumtree's - and there's questions about whether they "give the boys another chance to put things right", or there's a significant change of tack.
My guess is the former, but a clear loss would surely necessitate a significant change of course.
I hope Ryan picks his forwards. It might mean more Crusaders but then if they get dominated no excuses.
@Winger there are only 5 in the pack to choose from aren't there?
3 probably guaranteed a start (SB, SW, GB), one probably will (CT) as he had done so before Ryan came in and the 5th might come off the bench.
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@Nepia said in All Blacks squad - The Rugby Championship:
@Chris-B said in All Blacks squad - The Rugby Championship:
Wouldn't surprise me to see Scott Barrett at 6. They will be worried about countering the Bok's size and physicality.
But, it's a difficult team to predict, because this will be Ryan's forward pack, rather than Plumtree's - and there's questions about whether they "give the boys another chance to put things right", or there's a significant change of tack.
My guess is the former, but a clear loss would surely necessitate a significant change of course.
FFS the last time they did that was 2019. It doesn’t work. SB ain’t a 6 and as I keep saying for all the Fern hype around him in the Irish series he missed a number of tackles, turned over ball, and is still the AB most likely to have a brain fart.
Scott has been known to give away the odd penalty - but, he's certain to be playing regardless of the number on his back. Maybe playing at 6 he's out in the fresh air a bit more, get a bit more oxygen to his brain, stop the red mist descending?
Actually, if you watch that 2019 half, Scott was pretty good - one of our best - apart from an obligatory dumb penalty on the 40th minute.
Among other things he made this amazing run to cut off Jonny May that I posted a few weeks back as well.
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=428450447862358
Kept us in the match and you have to admit that Sam's stumpy little Reparoa legs would never have got across. Scott's run took years of specialized training at his Rahotu hacienda. As he set off, his mother's words would have been ringing in his ears.
"Come on, Scott. You can run fast too. Smash that little bastard into the rose garden!!!"
@Chris-B said in All Blacks squad - The Rugby Championship:
@Nepia said in All Blacks squad - The Rugby Championship:
@Chris-B said in All Blacks squad - The Rugby Championship:
Wouldn't surprise me to see Scott Barrett at 6. They will be worried about countering the Bok's size and physicality.
But, it's a difficult team to predict, because this will be Ryan's forward pack, rather than Plumtree's - and there's questions about whether they "give the boys another chance to put things right", or there's a significant change of tack.
My guess is the former, but a clear loss would surely necessitate a significant change of course.
FFS the last time they did that was 2019. It doesn’t work. SB ain’t a 6 and as I keep saying for all the Fern hype around him in the Irish series he missed a number of tackles, turned over ball, and is still the AB most likely to have a brain fart.
Scott has been known to give away the odd penalty - but, he's certain to be playing regardless of the number on his back. Maybe playing at 6 he's out in the fresh air a bit more, get a bit more oxygen to his brain, stop the red mist descending?
Actually, if you watch that 2019 half, Scott was pretty good - one of our best - apart from an obligatory dumb penalty on the 40th minute.
Among other things he made this amazing run to cut off Jonny May that I posted a few weeks back as well.
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=428450447862358
Kept us in the match and you have to admit that Sam's stumpy little Reparoa legs would never have got across. Scott's run took years of specialized training at his Rahotu hacienda. As he set off, his mother's words would have been ringing in his ears.
"Come on, Scott. You can run fast too. Smash that little bastard into the rose garden!!!"
Reminiscent of Chresten Davis running down Caleb Ralph back in the NPC of 01.
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@Chris-B said in All Blacks squad - The Rugby Championship:
@Nepia said in All Blacks squad - The Rugby Championship:
@Chris-B said in All Blacks squad - The Rugby Championship:
Wouldn't surprise me to see Scott Barrett at 6. They will be worried about countering the Bok's size and physicality.
But, it's a difficult team to predict, because this will be Ryan's forward pack, rather than Plumtree's - and there's questions about whether they "give the boys another chance to put things right", or there's a significant change of tack.
My guess is the former, but a clear loss would surely necessitate a significant change of course.
FFS the last time they did that was 2019. It doesn’t work. SB ain’t a 6 and as I keep saying for all the Fern hype around him in the Irish series he missed a number of tackles, turned over ball, and is still the AB most likely to have a brain fart.
Scott has been known to give away the odd penalty - but, he's certain to be playing regardless of the number on his back. Maybe playing at 6 he's out in the fresh air a bit more, get a bit more oxygen to his brain, stop the red mist descending?
Actually, if you watch that 2019 half, Scott was pretty good - one of our best - apart from an obligatory dumb penalty on the 40th minute.
Among other things he made this amazing run to cut off Jonny May that I posted a few weeks back as well.
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=428450447862358
Kept us in the match and you have to admit that Sam's stumpy little Reparoa legs would never have got across. Scott's run took years of specialized training at his Rahotu hacienda. As he set off, his mother's words would have been ringing in his ears.
"Come on, Scott. You can run fast too. Smash that little bastard into the rose garden!!!"
Reminiscent of Chresten Davis running down Caleb Ralph back in the NPC of 01.
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With Retallick out they have to start Barrett at lock - that’s assuming he is fit and firing to go also, hence the Dickson cover.
Vaa’i on the bench.
Ioane, Cane, Savea - put your houses on it. Not my preferred but I think there’s no reason to suggest they won’t.
For the Boks I would have Sotutu on the bench ahead of Papali’i. Frizell is only cover so no need unless someone pulls up lame in training.
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Personally, I think if they don’t give the 6 jersey to Akira here, then he's never going to be seen as the option and may as well not be picked. If they don't trust him to back up after Ireland and play well in SA, I can't see how he is going to get chances to go deep at a WC.
I'm really intrigued about how Ryan will influence the selection of the forwards, he may not be a selector but he should be a/then main voice for selecting the forwards in the 23 (based on the game plan as decided by the coaches and leadership group).
@gt12 said in All Blacks squad - The Rugby Championship:
Personally, I think if they don’t give the 6 jersey to Akira here, then he's never going to be seen as the option and may as well not be picked. If they don't trust him to back up after Ireland and play well in SA, I can't see how he is going to get chances to go deep at a WC.
I'm really intrigued about how Ryan will influence the selection of the forwards, he may not be a selector but he should be a/then main voice for selecting the forwards in the 23 (based on the game plan as decided by the coaches and leadership group).
I am hoping Ryan has been watching the Blues loose trio in SR and is absolutely itching to get his hands on them and get them humming like that at test level. That would mean putting Ardie on the bench, does he have the balls to do that?
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@No-Quarter said in All Blacks squad - The Rugby Championship:
Akira has been one of the shining lights of the ABs recently. He was instrumental in getting us back in the game against the French last year - he, ST and SB starting hitting it up close in and got us awesome go forward. For me he's the incumbent 6, and I'd be shocked if they were to pick the failed Frizzel ahead of him. I'd say they see Frizzel as someone who technically has similar physical attributes to Akira (though has never shown it at test level) so could cover in case of injury.
The same coaching masterminds that decided Samisoni could miss the deciding test of the series against Ireland to give all the hookers a run like they were handing out participation medals?
@antipodean said in All Blacks squad - The Rugby Championship:
@No-Quarter said in All Blacks squad - The Rugby Championship:
Akira has been one of the shining lights of the ABs recently. He was instrumental in getting us back in the game against the French last year - he, ST and SB starting hitting it up close in and got us awesome go forward. For me he's the incumbent 6, and I'd be shocked if they were to pick the failed Frizzel ahead of him. I'd say they see Frizzel as someone who technically has similar physical attributes to Akira (though has never shown it at test level) so could cover in case of injury.
The same coaching masterminds that decided Samisoni could miss the deciding test of the series against Ireland to give all the hookers a run like they were handing out participation medals?
That was just mealy-mouthed horseshit. Taylor had already had an extended run. The quickest excuse Foster could think of to explain something so bizarre.
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@gt12 said in All Blacks squad - The Rugby Championship:
Personally, I think if they don’t give the 6 jersey to Akira here, then he's never going to be seen as the option and may as well not be picked. If they don't trust him to back up after Ireland and play well in SA, I can't see how he is going to get chances to go deep at a WC.
I'm really intrigued about how Ryan will influence the selection of the forwards, he may not be a selector but he should be a/then main voice for selecting the forwards in the 23 (based on the game plan as decided by the coaches and leadership group).
I am hoping Ryan has been watching the Blues loose trio in SR and is absolutely itching to get his hands on them and get them humming like that at test level. That would mean putting Ardie on the bench, does he have the balls to do that?
@No-Quarter I doubt he will have that much say!
You know Ardie is already inked in.
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With Retallick out they have to start Barrett at lock - that’s assuming he is fit and firing to go also, hence the Dickson cover.
Vaa’i on the bench.
Ioane, Cane, Savea - put your houses on it. Not my preferred but I think there’s no reason to suggest they won’t.
For the Boks I would have Sotutu on the bench ahead of Papali’i. Frizell is only cover so no need unless someone pulls up lame in training.
@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks squad - The Rugby Championship:
With Retallick out they have to start Barrett at lock - that’s assuming he is fit and firing to go also, hence the Dickson cover.
Vaa’i on the bench.
Ioane, Cane, Savea - put your houses on it. Not my preferred but I think there’s no reason to suggest they won’t.
For the Boks I would have Sotutu on the bench ahead of Papali’i. Frizell is only cover so no need unless someone pulls up lame in training.
From what I have read Foster really rates Frizell.
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@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks squad - The Rugby Championship:
With Retallick out they have to start Barrett at lock - that’s assuming he is fit and firing to go also, hence the Dickson cover.
Vaa’i on the bench.
Ioane, Cane, Savea - put your houses on it. Not my preferred but I think there’s no reason to suggest they won’t.
For the Boks I would have Sotutu on the bench ahead of Papali’i. Frizell is only cover so no need unless someone pulls up lame in training.
From what I have read Foster really rates Frizell.
I'd like to see more of Sotutu at 8. I doubt I will get my wish.
