@duluth said in Bledisloe I:

@duluth said in Bledisloe I:

Bench TH injured, replaced by a LH

Is Tu'inukuafe covering TH now?

From stuff:
It is not clear yet whether Perry, or fellow reserve prop Karl Tu'inukuafe, who is also a loosehead specialist, will cover the tighthead side. A spokesman said that would be confirmed by coach Steve Hansen at his team naming press conference

Exactly the situation I was pointing at when the squad was named. Pretty sure the Mako tried using Kane Hames at tighthead last year vs Canterbury and he got done like a dinner and I'd rate him a stronger scrummager than Perry.

I think Canterbury used Joe Moody as a tighthead a few seasons back. Having him switch sides if necessary might be the most solid option - but, means at least one of the starting props has to go 80.

Get JTA on the bench Shag.

Yeah crazy stuff, I remember you pointing it out and it was a very WTF moment

@sammyc said in Bledisloe I:

@kiwimurph said in Bledisloe I:

@sammyc playing at 13

I still don’t think he’s earned a starting spot.

Do you think Naholo has?

And 13 is a vastly different position to 15, AB fans of all people should know that!

Look, our options aren't great. But Jordie has proven himself more than capable at test level - he was MOTM in the decider against the Lions on debut which is probably the biggest pressure cooker environment you'll get outside of the WC.

Naholo on the other hand has either gone missing or shat the bed when the pressure has come on. He is very far from proving himself at test level, so in what is probably the most important match of the season I'd prefer they go with proven performers.

Granted none of this is likely to be the winning/losing of the game (unless Naholo puts in another performance like he did against the Tahs of course!) but we've got to argue about something - selections have become a bit of a bore.

@no-quarter

I think I am with you that Naholo underperforms at test level when the pressure is on and I don't really know what he has done to prove himself at this level. He is an accident waiting to happen when he chases high balls and I think there are at least 3 guys at Super level who deserve to be in before him. That said no big fan of Jordie either, way to selfish with the ball , the number of times during the season that he ignored Ben Lam outside him was unbelievable. To me Naholo and Jordie are both weak links in the squad.

I'm in the Naholo has under performed at test level and no issue with JB being left out camp.

I'm in the they should have selected Alaimalo camp ....

@nepia said in Bledisloe I:

I'm in the Naholo has under performed at test level and no issue with JB being left out camp.

I'm in the they should have selected Alaimalo camp ....

Add ALB being robbed and I'm in

@Nepia I'm a massive fan of Alaimalo, would love to see him brought in sooner rather than later.

Failing that we could just play a back two of Rieko and BFA. We've always backed ourselves as being innovative...

@no-quarter said in Bledisloe I:

@Nepia I'm a massive fan of Alaimalo, would love to see him brought in sooner rather than later.

Failing that we could just play a back two of Rieko and BFA. We've always backed ourselves as being innovative...

are we really innovative any more? Or do we just do the basics really well for longer?

@mariner4life we are just better than everyone else at this rugby thing and adapting to changes

@taniwharugby said in Bledisloe I:

@mariner4life we are just better than everyone else at this rugby thing and adapting to changes

that's some startling insight right there. It's this kind of knowledge that makes TSF the best rugby site on the planet...

@mariner4life said in Bledisloe I:

@no-quarter said in Bledisloe I:

@Nepia I'm a massive fan of Alaimalo, would love to see him brought in sooner rather than later.

Failing that we could just play a back two of Rieko and BFA. We've always backed ourselves as being innovative...

are we really innovative any more? Or do we just do the basics really well for longer?

Maybe we save out innovation for when we need it? The innovation at RWC 2015 was to spend the pool games testing shit for the finals which worked, just with the unfortunate side effect of nearly making all the fans meltdown.

@nepia said in Bledisloe I:

@mariner4life said in Bledisloe I:

@no-quarter said in Bledisloe I:

@Nepia I'm a massive fan of Alaimalo, would love to see him brought in sooner rather than later.

Failing that we could just play a back two of Rieko and BFA. We've always backed ourselves as being innovative...

are we really innovative any more? Or do we just do the basics really well for longer?

Maybe we save out innovation for when we need it? The innovation at RWC 2015 was to spend the pool games testing shit for the finals which worked, just with the unfortunate side effect of nearly making all the fans meltdown.

probably something to that. Not sure i have seen too much innovation on the field for a while, but maybe it's the off-the-field stuff where we still lead. Which doesn't help the rampant speculators (ie us).

It was a serious question by the way.

@mariner4life short memory. How could you forget the Dagg hit up innovation in the Lions series?

@mariner4life it's the truth; the truth is out there bro, you just need to know where to find it!

@mariner4life said in Bledisloe I:

@nepia said in Bledisloe I:

@mariner4life said in Bledisloe I:

@no-quarter said in Bledisloe I:

@Nepia I'm a massive fan of Alaimalo, would love to see him brought in sooner rather than later.

Failing that we could just play a back two of Rieko and BFA. We've always backed ourselves as being innovative...

are we really innovative any more? Or do we just do the basics really well for longer?

Maybe we save out innovation for when we need it? The innovation at RWC 2015 was to spend the pool games testing shit for the finals which worked, just with the unfortunate side effect of nearly making all the fans meltdown.

probably something to that. Not sure i have seen too much innovation on the field for a while, but maybe it's the off-the-field stuff where we still lead. Which doesn't help the rampant speculators (ie us).

It was a serious question by the way.

I was being partially serious - I think that was innovative in that it prepared the players for the finals (well at least I think it did).

@bones said in Bledisloe I:

@mariner4life short memory. How could you forget the Dagg hit up innovation in the Lions series?

some shit i am trying to scrag from my memory.

so what you are saying is we have used all the good ideas?

@nepia said in Bledisloe I:

@mariner4life said in Bledisloe I:

@nepia said in Bledisloe I:

@mariner4life said in Bledisloe I:

@no-quarter said in Bledisloe I:

@Nepia I'm a massive fan of Alaimalo, would love to see him brought in sooner rather than later.

Failing that we could just play a back two of Rieko and BFA. We've always backed ourselves as being innovative...

are we really innovative any more? Or do we just do the basics really well for longer?

Maybe we save out innovation for when we need it? The innovation at RWC 2015 was to spend the pool games testing shit for the finals which worked, just with the unfortunate side effect of nearly making all the fans meltdown.

probably something to that. Not sure i have seen too much innovation on the field for a while, but maybe it's the off-the-field stuff where we still lead. Which doesn't help the rampant speculators (ie us).

It was a serious question by the way.

I was being partially serious - I think that was innovative in that it prepared the players for the finals (well at least I think it did).

yea, because that team of players needed soooo much preparation. Seriously, considering the talent assembled, and how much footy they had played together the coaching required was how to get them to the ground on time

@mariner4life well from there we decided to fuck the winger off and just have our 10 hit it up from the scrum. Tries galore to BB and Dmac. Innovation.

Goibng from the discussion on Radio Sport, it seems big Karl is shifting to be reserve tighthead - and played a bit there in last year's NPC.

James Parsons apparently told them he'd be fine there, so I'm completely reassured!

@chris-b did he have his head gear on when he said that, he has no credibility when he takes it off!