@brodean said in All Blacks v France I:

Beauden Barrett is 34 now.

Have we really become that desperate as a rugby nation that we can't try an exciting young prospect like Reuben Love against France B? He didn't even make the 23.

Beauden Barrett in 2027 will be the same age as Jonny Sexton was in 2023.

If Razor wants to be innovative and forward thinking, he really needs to throw Ruben Love the 10 jersey in the third test once we've hopefully sealed the deal. At the very least, Ruben really needs to get some time off the bench to stake his claim. We definitely can't go into a WC with Beauden at the helm.

@Canes4life

Yes now is the perfect time to blood Love.

@brodean said in All Blacks v France I:

@Canes4life

Yes now is the perfect time to blood Love.

yes he needs to show a bit of Love in this series. And I'm serious, but I'll get my coat anyway.

Selecting Beauden is a wasted opportunity. He's never been a good 10, never going to be - and by the next WC he will be older and slower, negating further his real strengths which are running and kicking for himself.
McKenzie is a better 10, currently our best - and actually looks to put others into space - he is a realistic option for the next few years. He should be starting and Love should be on the bench and getting game time.
If you're not going to do it against France B at home - they have named what 8 debutants? - then when the fuck are you going to do it?

@Chris said in All Blacks v France I:

Yeah I watched all the Blues games Barrett did play well for the Blues apart from the odd silly mistake.

I watched most.

Beauden's long range kicking, and especially his exit plays, were terrible. This is one area DMac has it all over him, and he has his poor moments. We will never match the top international teams if we simply cannot get out of our 22 properly.

The Blues did not play better once he got back in the team, quite the contrary -- that is, he's no better than Plummer or Perofeta. In particular, the Blues centres scored almost no tries this year, despite a hard-working forward pack, because BB doesn't set up a back-line very well. It's no coincidence that the All Black back-line becomes similarly dry in tries when he has taken over.

How many times do we have to repeat the end of last year, where we are going OK under McKenzie, only to replace him with Barrett and then get worse? How does our sudden improvement once Beauden was replaced by Mo'unga get ignored?

I get that DMc is not the sort of player that everyone likes. But at least he is good for the other backs to run off, and gives us options other than poor chips, mid-field bombs and cross-kicks.

@reprobate

Yup and with the comfort of homeground advantage too.

Beauden's biggest weakness is his inability to put players into gaps with his passing game. When he creates something its either him making a line break or some kind of 50/50 kick.

@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks v France I:

@Kirwan said in All Blacks Vs France, Test One, Dunedin:

@Chris-B said in All Blacks Vs France, Test One, Dunedin:

@1kiwi said in All Blacks Vs France, Test One, Dunedin:

My concern lies with Beauden at 10. We should be blooding a new 10 with the world cup only 2 years away. I don't believe we can win a world cup with either Beauden or Damien as our 10.

To paraphrase Ramsay Bolton from Game of Thrones, "Anyone who thinks Richie won't be wearing the 10 jersey at RWC2027 hasn't been paying attention".

Barring injury of course.

Don't shoot the messenger!

Not if I have anything to do with it;

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Doubtful this will be as effective as my Akira and Sotutu dolls….

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Those pins are rookie numbers

@Canes4life said in All Blacks v France I:

@brodean said in All Blacks v France I:

Beauden Barrett is 34 now.

Have we really become that desperate as a rugby nation that we can't try an exciting young prospect like Reuben Love against France B? He didn't even make the 23.

Beauden Barrett in 2027 will be the same age as Jonny Sexton was in 2023.

If Razor wants to be innovative and forward thinking, he really needs to throw Ruben Love the 10 jersey in the third test once we've hopefully sealed the deal. At the very least, Ruben really needs to get some time off the bench to stake his claim. We definitely can't go into a WC with Beauden at the helm.

i think they should have given him all three....how often do you get three homes test against a International B squad to settle into a role

we'll lock up tot he first 2...then try Love...he wont get man of the match and so they'll go back to BB....

Blues win the comp with a somewhat limited but reliable Plummer and without Beauden, then go to 6th out of 11 the next year with Beauden.
That's a strong case for AB selection right there.

@reprobate said in All Blacks v France I:

McKenzie is a better 10

This was not apparent in the Super Rugby playoffs.

@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks v France I:

@reprobate said in All Blacks v France I:

McKenzie is a better 10

This was not apparent in the Super Rugby playoffs.

And Barrett did what? A couple of chip kicks for himself which got people excited - but he's done those sporadically forever, because he's been a very good outside back. Still showed no ability as either a playmaking or kicking 10.
I think it was apparent that McKenzie is superior throughout Super, and in international rugby last year - and even pre 2023 WC. You can't draw conclusions on small selected samples, otherwise week 1 playoff Hoskins is a legend, week 2 he's a useless piece of shit. And if playoffs are the be-all, where are our cantablacks?

@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks v France I:

@reprobate said in All Blacks v France I:

McKenzie is a better 10

This was not apparent in the Super Rugby playoffs.

I think the playoffs suggested that neither of those guys are the answer at 10. Of course in a different team one or other might shine in black. But I won't hold my breath. And I don't want them to have stellar games playing harem scarem against this French side. I want to see a bit more control and authority in the pilot's chair

@reprobate said in All Blacks v France I:

You can't draw conclusions on small selected samples, otherwise week 1 playoff Hoskins is a legend, week 2 he's a useless piece of shit. And if playoffs are the be-all, where are our cantablacks?

I'm talking about this notion of DMac being the answer - not disputing Beauden has his issues too.

The fact is DMac has come up small 3 playoff years in a row.

I blame Laidlaw for not keeping Love at 10 this year and I'm championing Reihana - Reihana would have been in my AB squad - I would have done something like name him in the squad but release him for the Maori ABs and then have him rejoin the AB squad.

@Chester-Draws said in All Blacks v France I:

@Chris said in All Blacks v France I:

Yeah I watched all the Blues games Barrett did play well for the Blues apart from the odd silly mistake.

I watched most.

Beauden's long range kicking, and especially his exit plays, were terrible. This is one area DMac has it all over him, and he has his poor moments. We will never match the top international teams if we simply cannot get out of our 22 properly.

The Blues did not play better once he got back in the team, quite the contrary -- that is, he's no better than Plummer or Perofeta. In particular, the Blues centres scored almost no tries this year, despite a hard-working forward pack, because BB doesn't set up a back-line very well. It's no coincidence that the All Black back-line becomes similarly dry in tries when he has taken over.

How many times do we have to repeat the end of last year, where we are going OK under McKenzie, only to replace him with Barrett and then get worse? How does our sudden improvement once Beauden was replaced by Mo'unga get ignored?

I get that DMc is not the sort of player that everyone likes. But at least he is good for the other backs to run off, and gives us options other than poor chips, mid-field bombs and cross-kicks.

Yeah I agree Barret makes play for himself before others, I don’t believe he will transfer enough at his age to internationals that will win us big games as I mentioned in my post .

@Canes4life said in All Blacks v France I:

@brodean said in All Blacks v France I:

Beauden Barrett is 34 now.

Have we really become that desperate as a rugby nation that we can't try an exciting young prospect like Reuben Love against France B? He didn't even make the 23.

Beauden Barrett in 2027 will be the same age as Jonny Sexton was in 2023.

If Razor wants to be innovative and forward thinking, he really needs to throw Ruben Love the 10 jersey in the third test once we've hopefully sealed the deal. At the very least, Ruben really needs to get some time off the bench to stake his claim. We definitely can't go into a WC with Beauden at the helm.

We need the incumbents to pull their hammies.

If Sasha and Libbock were Allblacks they would have had the odd run out at 15 and we would be persisting with Francois Steyn and Handre Pollard at 10.

@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks v France I:

@reprobate said in All Blacks v France I:

You can't draw conclusions on small selected samples, otherwise week 1 playoff Hoskins is a legend, week 2 he's a useless piece of shit. And if playoffs are the be-all, where are our cantablacks?

I'm talking about this notion of DMac being the answer - not disputing Beauden has his issues too.

The fact is DMac has come up small 3 playoff years in a row.

I blame Laidlaw for not keeping Love at 10 this year and I'm championing Reihana - Reihana would have been in my AB squad - I would have done something like name him in the squad but release him for the Maori ABs and then have him rejoin the AB squad.

The difference is that Beauden has had years and years - that improvement is clearly never happening.
How many tests has McKenzie actually started at 10? And in far fewer opportunities he has shown glimpses of what we need - the attacking first half of Boks 1 last year, the improved control vs Ireland etc.

@reprobate said in All Blacks v France I:

@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks v France I:

@reprobate said in All Blacks v France I:

You can't draw conclusions on small selected samples, otherwise week 1 playoff Hoskins is a legend, week 2 he's a useless piece of shit. And if playoffs are the be-all, where are our cantablacks?

I'm talking about this notion of DMac being the answer - not disputing Beauden has his issues too.

The fact is DMac has come up small 3 playoff years in a row.

I blame Laidlaw for not keeping Love at 10 this year and I'm championing Reihana - Reihana would have been in my AB squad - I would have done something like name him in the squad but release him for the Maori ABs and then have him rejoin the AB squad.

The difference is that Beauden has had years and years - that improvement is clearly never happening.
How many tests has McKenzie actually started at 10? And in far fewer opportunities he has shown glimpses of what we need - the attacking first half of Boks 1 last year, the improved control vs Ireland etc.

Beauden was neutered once the dual pivot shite started. Initially with DMAC at 15 until he did his ACL and then with Mounga.

We deify our 10's historically and Beaudy was THE MAN going into the 2017 Lions tour.

Once the dual pivot stuff started that was the end of him. We took the keys to the castle away. A tacit vote of no confidence.

Love to me is a gun, with plenty of X-factor. He should have way more runs on the board at this stage. Reihana now knocking on the door too.

I cannot believe Razor is persisting with this Hokey Cokey act at 10 between DMAC and Beuady. Id rather he picked one and stuck with them even if it was the wrong choice. This chopping and changing serves neither of them.

Seems to me the Crusaders spent a lot of time and effort to quieten DMac, they seemed (in the final) to take his worth a lot more seriously than some posters on here.

@Jet said in All Blacks v France I:

this Hokey Cokey act at 10 between DMAC and Beuady. Id rather he picked one and stuck with them even if it was the wrong choice. This chopping and changing serves neither of them

BB started at 10 on the EOYT apart from one game when he was unavailable. He was clearly the incumbent and he is starting again this week

I think McKenzie was preferred earlier in 2024 but it seems that the rankings changed during the RC

@Duluth said in All Blacks v France I:

@Jet said in All Blacks v France I:

this Hokey Cokey act at 10 between DMAC and Beuady. Id rather he picked one and stuck with them even if it was the wrong choice. This chopping and changing serves neither of them

BB started at 10 on the EOYT apart from one game when he was unavailable. He was clearly the incumbent and he is starting again this week

I think McKenzie was preferred earlier in 2024 but it seems that the rankings changed during the RC

Yup, our best game.