All Blacks v France II
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@Kirwan said in All Blacks v France 2:
So what's the consenus on this team? I'm surprised at the apathy here at us nearly getting tipped up by the French B team.
I don't think this a strong All Black squad, I think four years of Ryan as forwards coach and the same problems in the loosies (if anything we've gone backwards there) is pretty damning.
I can see us relying on individual brilliance, from newish players like Roigard, to paper over these cracks.
Agree, though I will say the scrum and lineout are good and we have a bunch of good tight five options in the squad plus guys like Darry, Lord, Bell and a few others that have quite a bit of potential.
The maul has been pretty average. Better on defence than attack.
Maul doesn't seem to be a priority on attack and its difficult to get the maul going without a couple of big bodies in the loose forwards when lineout ball is won.
Apart from Finau and Vaa'i the current loose forward options lack power in their cleaning.
There are too many small loosies in the squad with Savea, Lio Willie and D Kirifi.
When I think back to that combo of McCaw, Collins, and So'oialo with Masoe on the bench it was dynamite but once we had McCaw, Kaino, and Read, in hindsight that combo was too small.
Having said that any combo of McCaw, Collins, So'oialo, and Masoe would I believe have a physical edge over Savea, Lio Willie and D Kirifi. So for me they are a level down in the physicality stakes compared to the guys from 20 years ago.
They need to look at a few more guys like Papali'i, Sotutu, Parker, Flanders, Howden, and Haig to get the balance right.
Ryan excels at tight forward coaching but is weak in the loose forwards. Not sure if its down to him or Razor but it seems like the loose forwards being selected are similar to Razor in his playing days.
We have good backline options including a few others who missed out like Lam.
The backline always seems to be on the verge of something since SA last year but can't reliably seal the deal when breaks are made. The backline attack and the game plan generally doesn't quite seem to be clicking.
Finally its hard to get excited about France B after they've made 10 wholesale changes despite the last team coming within a few of winning. This is obviously a development tour for France.
If we lose it would be a disaster, if we beat them by a few points it will be disappointing, if we thrash them its an experimental development team at the end of a long year. So its a tough one.
Hoping for better defence, better support play, and clinical finishing.
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@akan004 said in All Blacks v France 2:
We could be without Sititi, Scott Barrett, Clarke and Williams for the test against SA at Eden Park. Fuck.
When I look at those William's is the big one missing - literally and figuratively. We have options to cover the rest.
De Groot has some times had struggles against SA. William's is a point of difference for our forwards.
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It would help if he was in the squad but would Lam have been fast enough to replace Clarke at 11? Maybe he has potential at 13 one day?
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@nostrildamus said in All Blacks v France 2:
It would help if he was in the squad but would Lam have been fast enough to replace Clarke at 11? Maybe he has potential at 13 one day?
Not really a case of how fast he is, more if he could book a flight from Auckland to Wellington and get here on time. Air New Zealand would be a more reliable option than Jetstar.
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@booboo said in All Blacks v France 2:
Narawa a right wing?
If so, Rieko to go woke.Took me a bit to get that
But yeah that’s the logical option
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@kiwiinmelb i on the other hand got it immediately and you cant prove otherwise
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@MN5 said in All Blacks v France 2:
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks v France 2:
It would help if he was in the squad but would Lam have been fast enough to replace Clarke at 11? Maybe he has potential at 13 one day?
Not really a case of how fast he is, more if he could book a flight from Auckland to Wellington and get here on time. Air New Zealand would be a more reliable option than Jetstar.
Considering Lam is in Adelaide preparing for the AU/NZ game vs Lions tomorrow I'm not sure how useful an Auckland to Wellington flight is
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Come on down TNT!
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@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks v France 2:
ABs have confirmed
Caleb out
Narawa 14
Rieko 11Interested to see if Narawa can translate his SR form into form in black
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Rieko creates a bit of debate around here, but these injuries to Reece and Clarke are showing his huge value to the team. To be able to play 11, 14 and 13 provides such flexibility for us, and even if he’s not the strike force he once was, he never really has a bad game in black.
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@voodoo said in All Blacks v France 2:
Rieko creates a bit of debate around here, but these injuries to Reece and Clarke are showing his huge value to the team. To be able to play 11, 14 and 13 provides such flexibility for us, and even if he’s not the strike force he once was, he never really has a bad game in black.
Could easily play 12 too, had a great season there in 2018.........(sorry, Blues joke).
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@voodoo said in All Blacks v France 2:
Rieko creates a bit of debate around here, but these injuries to Reece and Clarke are showing his huge value to the team. To be able to play 11, 14 and 13 provides such flexibility for us, and even if he’s not the strike force he once was, he never really has a bad game in black.
Jordie can do all of that and play 10 too.
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@voodoo said in All Blacks v France 2:
Rieko creates a bit of debate around here, but these injuries to Reece and Clarke are showing his huge value to the team. To be able to play 11, 14 and 13 provides such flexibility for us, and even if he’s not the strike force he once was, he never really has a bad game in black.
His resistant to injury is probably his greatest asset.
