Argentina v All Blacks
-
Problem with selecting SS is that he's had a week at most in the AB environment and two days of that has been spent sitting on planes.
Guys who've been starting for a year have tended to look a bit lost in our wide defensive system.
And we're already going to have to have Narawa on debut.
-
-
@Chris-B said in Argentina v All Blacks:
Problem with selecting SS is that he's had a week at most in the AB environment and two days of that has been spent sitting on planes.
Guys who've been starting for a year have tended to look a bit lost in our wide defensive system.
And we're already going to have to have Narawa on debut.
I think you've hit the nail on the head as to why I expect very little difference for the starting XV from last year. This is a tight turnaround with limited training time, and a fixture they'll want to win. More emphasis on getting the systems cemented for newbies would be the focus than playing time I'd expect.
-
@Chris-B said in Argentina v All Blacks:
Guys who've been starting for a year have tended to look a bit lost in our wide defensive system.
most have looked lost in our wide defensive system the past 4 or 5 years, particularly outside the 22.
-
-
@Chris-B said in Argentina v All Blacks:
@pakman Yeah - we've got to have someone who somehow covers 7 & 8.
Savea can cover 7 so no.8 is more important. If, eventually, SB plays at 6 then you can have two loosies on the bench. BUT one of those needs to be a physical 6.
Worse case scenario: Savea leaves the field early which means Frizell or Papalii plays at no.8 for the majority of the test.
-
@Bovidae I'd rather not have to juggle the loosies if someone is forced off.
I really like Ethan as a bench option, because he can play all three positions competently.
If we have two loosies on the bench it opens up quite a lot of possibilities.
-
@Chris-B said in Argentina v All Blacks:
@Bovidae I'd rather not have to juggle the loosies if someone is forced off.
I really like Ethan as a bench option, because he can play all three positions competently.
If we have two loosies on the bench it opens up quite a lot of possibilities.
That’s pretty true of Jacobson too, especially with Savea at 8.
It’d like to see Finau is all I know.
-
@antipodean said in Argentina v All Blacks:
@Joans-Town-Jones said in Argentina v All Blacks:
@DaGrubster WJ is in the side when fit. That's a given. But SS has been lighting up for the last couple of years. WJ isn't playing, BB just looks utter gash, and DMac provides cover. We need game breakers. Under Fozz-ball the team looks void of ideas and maybe a SS can spark that attack.
It's our inability to carry beyond the advantage line, secure and quickly recycle ball, and then make the outnumbered defenders make a bad decision that is the problem.
Selecting a fullback and hoping they can do something approaching individual game breaking brilliance is the problem.
Hopefully we can get both.
-
Jacobson is a workhorse, but I dont want to see him flogged before the WC either. It's about affording the whole squad opportunities to show what they can produce at this level, while still showing respect to Argentina. That said, the loose forward mix will be interesting. I'd also hope we rest one of BBBR or Whitelock.
-
@antipodean said in Argentina v All Blacks:
@Joans-Town-Jones said in Argentina v All Blacks:
@DaGrubster WJ is in the side when fit. That's a given. But SS has been lighting up for the last couple of years. WJ isn't playing, BB just looks utter gash, and DMac provides cover. We need game breakers. Under Fozz-ball the team looks void of ideas and maybe a SS can spark that attack.
It's our inability to carry beyond the advantage line, secure and quickly recycle ball, and then make the outnumbered defenders make a bad decision that is the problem.
Selecting a fullback and hoping they can do something approaching individual game breaking brilliance is the problem.
Yeah every year we heavily debate
The back 3 and I’m just as guilty, but it’s not usually where we
Get beat -
@Tim said in Argentina v All Blacks:
Sam Cane hasn't played well at test level since 2018
I get you have same Cane is Shit tattooed across your torso coupled with a massive man-crush for papalii but Canes was the All Black's player of the year in 2020 and won the Kel Tremaine trophy.
That doesn't necessarily mean Cane should start now, but ignoring the facts could discredit your argument.
-
@antipodean I'm not talking up SS as the difference between a win and a loss. I've not argued that point at all.
Most of the 2nd SA test last year, 60 mins against England, about 20 mins against the Jocks were very good.
We've got 5 tests before now and the first test against France in the RWC. We need to see SS at some point.
-
if we're going to stick with the attack from anywhere game plan...then surely we need to see if people like SS can break open a defence at this level...I would argue BB spent too long coming off the bench and tearing holes through tired teams but not enough games starting trying to do it against fresh teams early in his career
-
I don't reckon it is because of Stevenson's line breaks that he should play. It's because Barrett has shown nothing all year - that and Stevenson can kick, and field position matters.
Cane and DP are basically the same solid player. Neither is going to be dominant against the top sides, both will hold their own.
Scott Barrett is a pretty mediocre blindside flanker, and any 8 worth his weight should be tearing off the back of the scrum at/around him.
It would be nice if Foster threw caution to the wind and picked Mckenzie to start at 10 etc, but he's probably too stuck in his ways. -
The RM and BB 10/15 combination is basically the flat track bully combination for the AB's. Against lesser/more disorganized teams they can rip them to shreds and everything looks well.
Against organized teams with a strong defense and kicking game we end up pinned in our own half watching them trying to chip kick from our own 22 in a desperate attempt to generate some attack.
RM has at least this season displayed some element of mental toughness especially in the SR finals (and unfortunately against the Chiefs in the final).
BB however should be peeling potato's back at the hotel.
Hence I fully expect fozzie to select RM and BB at 10 and 15 for this first test match.
-
We aren't going to win the WC with BB in the line-up, he's far too predictable. It feels like 98% of the time he reverts to kicking the ball away when he is put under even the slightest amount of pressure.
We need some surprise factor in this team and guys like Roigard, Narawa and Stevenson are players we should be promoting to atleast strike some sort of fear into our opposition.
The All Black's have become so predictable and have shown no innovation under Fozzie because he is completely conservative. He is conservative with his captain choice, he is conservative in the players he picks and when it comes to game strategy it seems like he is averse to any sort of change.
I would rather us get knocked out in a WC playing rugby that the All Blacks are renowned for i.e innovation, high skill and tempo VS getting knocked out after selecting an experienced team of players who are either passed it or well out of form.
-
@Canes4life said in Argentina v All Blacks:
We aren't going to win the WC with BB in the line-up
I think Fozzie disagrees...
Not sure it's his predictability thats the issue, it is more his form and poor decision making, although apparently alot of that was part of the Blues gameplan...
