@canefan said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
@Mr-Fish said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
Anton Lienert-Brown is probably the best distributing centre in NZ - just saying...
When he's not in the bin?
See, none of our contenders are perfect, ALB can't stay on the field, Rieko can't pass and Proctor can't walk on water defend. 
@Nepia said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
@canefan said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
@Mr-Fish said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
Anton Lienert-Brown is probably the best distributing centre in NZ - just saying...
When he's not in the bin?
See, none of our contenders are perfect, ALB can't stay on the field, Rieko can't pass and Proctor can't
walk on waterdefend.
And Leicester is laughing
@junior said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
@Frank said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
@brodean said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
@Wurzel said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
Speaking of Dagg and ex players not being critical of current ABs, evidently he’s not a Rieko fan… and wasn’t when they played together
Finally someone says something. Thank heavens.
The fact in a decade Rieko hasn't developed the skills to take the high ball or develop a kicking game says a lot.
It also says a lot about these coaches.
They talk about both sides of the ball but throw Rieko on the wing when presumably they know he struggles under the high ball. If they don't know - and if their plan was to play Rieko on the wing - then why weren't they using the pre AB squad naming camp in BOP and the French series trainings to really test out Rieko under the high ball.
There are some things Rieko has improved on in his career - defensively he has gotten much better and his passing has improved compared to where it was when he first came on the scene.
But it screams of Razor not having the sack to drop a guy that the NZR signed to a deal through to the 2027 RWC.
He doesn't need a highball game at centre and he didn't need a kicking game with Havili and JB being his main two partners.
Does need to know how to pass well though doesn't he.
See it as a close call between him and Proctor however.
He passes just fine - not perfect, but fine. The issue he has is the same one that Proctor is facing now - a lack of time and space with which to use the ball. This is primarily the result of how this and the last regime structured their backline attack and also the two blokes inside him who can’t pass for shit either.
I don’t know if there is a centre in NZ who could, under those conditions, throw the kind of perfectly timed flat spiral passes to wide wingers and fullbacks that people seem to be expecting here - not Rieko and not Proctor either.
As for the comment earlier about Rieko tucking and ducking, that is totally fair and quite frustrating. But, I think it is also fair to suggest that this is something he has developed to get himself over the gain line and not get smashed by his opposing centres when playing so flat and flat footed as part of our backline structure.
If it's a center who can pass well both ways, its ALB.
As a starter, the YC risk may go down?
Edit, I see these points have been covered.
I thought Ennor's big improvements in super this year was his heads up play and handling. Carry on in that manner and he could get up to half a dozen games before being discarded because he didn't look to the manor born.
@Bones said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
I thought Ennor's big improvements in super this year was his heads up play and handling. Carry on in that manner and he could get up to half a dozen games before being discarded because he didn't look to the manor born.
Yeah, if we have to pick a Crusader centre it would be Ennor for me. I once described him as a poor man's Rieko, but he has looked an improved player the last couple of years.
As for big LF, when he left he couldn't pass for shit. Has that changed?
@Crazy-Horse said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
@Bones said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
I thought Ennor's big improvements in super this year was his heads up play and handling. Carry on in that manner and he could get up to half a dozen games before being discarded because he didn't look to the manor born.
Yeah, if we have to pick a Crusader centre it would be Ennor for me. I once described him as a poor man's Rieko, but he has looked an improved player the last couple of years.
As for big LF, when he left he couldn't pass for shit. Has that changed?
He'll fit right in then!
@Crazy-Horse thought he was looking quite rapid this year too.
@Crazy-Horse said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
As for big LF, when he left he couldn't pass for shit
Not a skill required for the ABs. No problem.
Yeah agreed on Ennor - thought he had by far his best season. I would welcome.him into the squad.
@reprobate said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
@taniwharugby said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
@KiwiMurph i wonder if the Boks will kick to us?
Well it's not like we didn't also miss an absolute shitload of tackles... making it a tough choice for them to run it or kick it.
Bit of a masterstroke really, they won't know what to do.
Boks missed a lot of tackles against the Aussies on the weekend as well - 30. In terms of overall tackle completion, their rate was lower than the ABs.
Both teams were guilty of a passive defensive line through decent periods. They took and made their kicks.
This points to another problem with that match - fat too much defending and in the wrong end of he park. It was taking its toll and put huge pressure on us for long periods.
Against the Boks if we can get down our end I think they are vulnerable defensively too.
@Frank said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
@junior said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
This is primarily the result of how this and the last regime structured their backline attack and also the two blokes inside him who can’t pass for shit either.
Yeah, his lack of distribution skill is the fault of every coach and every player that has ever played inside him. Nothing to do with him at all............
Way to take one sentence from my post, remove all context, and miss the point completely.
Going to be interesting,
Before the Argie 2 game ,I honestly thought we might be on a upwards trajectory mainly due to the forwards , tight 5 in particular. Then we served up that pile of dog shit where it feels like any progress all came undone .
I suspect Rassie will target that tight 5 and holland in particular to see if he can find a chink and a barrage of high balls are coming our way , if we play the same back 3 I think we are in trouble.
If Clarke isn’t ready , I’d play love ( he’s 24 now if he’s not ready yet when is he ready ? ) at 15 Jordan at 14 , can narawa play 11 .? What is carter like under the high ball ?
@Frank said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
@booboo said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
Preston withdrawn from NPC.
Roigard not ready.
Any word on Ratima's injury? Could be related to that too.
@canefan said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
@Nepia said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
@canefan said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
@Mr-Fish said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
Anton Lienert-Brown is probably the best distributing centre in NZ - just saying...
When he's not in the bin?
See, none of our contenders are perfect, ALB can't stay on the field, Rieko can't pass and Proctor can't
walk on waterdefend.And Leicester is laughing
@canefan said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
@Nepia said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
@canefan said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
@Mr-Fish said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
Anton Lienert-Brown is probably the best distributing centre in NZ - just saying...
When he's not in the bin?
See, none of our contenders are perfect, ALB can't stay on the field, Rieko can't pass and Proctor can't
walk on waterdefend.And Leicester is laughing
Leicester is an even worse defender than Proctor.
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
Yeah agreed on Ennor - thought he had by far his best season. I would welcome.him into the squad.
He drops the ball cold in front of the line every season. He's a butterfly fingers.
@brodean said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
@canefan said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
@Nepia said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
@canefan said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
@Mr-Fish said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
Anton Lienert-Brown is probably the best distributing centre in NZ - just saying...
When he's not in the bin?
See, none of our contenders are perfect, ALB can't stay on the field, Rieko can't pass and Proctor can't
walk on waterdefend.And Leicester is laughing
@canefan said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
@Nepia said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
@canefan said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
@Mr-Fish said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
Anton Lienert-Brown is probably the best distributing centre in NZ - just saying...
When he's not in the bin?
See, none of our contenders are perfect, ALB can't stay on the field, Rieko can't pass and Proctor can't
walk on waterdefend.And Leicester is laughing
Leicester is an even worse defender than Proctor.
Amen, anyone who saw him in games in top 14 should tell you thst.
Then read his stats, really backs it up. Couple of games I saw, he didn't even look interested in tackling anyone who didn't rub directly at him.
@brodean said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
@canefan said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
@Nepia said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
@canefan said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
@Mr-Fish said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
Anton Lienert-Brown is probably the best distributing centre in NZ - just saying...
When he's not in the bin?
See, none of our contenders are perfect, ALB can't stay on the field, Rieko can't pass and Proctor can't
walk on waterdefend.And Leicester is laughing
@canefan said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
@Nepia said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
@canefan said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
@Mr-Fish said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
Anton Lienert-Brown is probably the best distributing centre in NZ - just saying...
When he's not in the bin?
See, none of our contenders are perfect, ALB can't stay on the field, Rieko can't pass and Proctor can't
walk on waterdefend.And Leicester is laughing
Leicester is an even worse defender than Proctor.
Someone has to step up otherwise Razor won't hesitate to pull the trigger for Leicester
@canefan said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
@brodean said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
@canefan said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
@Nepia said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
@canefan said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
@Mr-Fish said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
Anton Lienert-Brown is probably the best distributing centre in NZ - just saying...
When he's not in the bin?
See, none of our contenders are perfect, ALB can't stay on the field, Rieko can't pass and Proctor can't
walk on waterdefend.And Leicester is laughing
@canefan said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
@Nepia said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
@canefan said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
@Mr-Fish said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
Anton Lienert-Brown is probably the best distributing centre in NZ - just saying...
When he's not in the bin?
See, none of our contenders are perfect, ALB can't stay on the field, Rieko can't pass and Proctor can't
walk on waterdefend.And Leicester is laughing
Leicester is an even worse defender than Proctor.
Someone has to step up otherwise Razor won't hesitate to pull the trigger for Leicester
I think Razor is aware of this hence why he rarely selected him at center for the Crusaders. Rieko at 11 is most at risk.
@sparky said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
It will be the same team, I suspect, but with Christie starting and Preston on the bench.
That would be just what a high performing team would do.
@sparky said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
It will be the same team, I suspect, but with Christie starting and Preston on the bench.
So no change on the wings????
If we look at who HASN'T been released to NPC, and assume the rest (apart from Patty T) are in 23 we get:
Will Jordan, Sevu Reece, Billy Proctor, Jordie Barrett, Rieko Ioane, Beauden Barrett, Kyle Preston, Ardie Savea, Du Plessis Kirifi, Tupou Vaa'i, Fabian Holland, Scott Barrett (capt), Fletcher Newell, Codie Taylor, Ethan de Groot.
Reserves: Samisoni Taukei'aho, Tamaiti Williams, Pasilio Tosi, Simon Parker, Wallace Sititi, Finlay Christie, Quinn Tupaea, Damian McKenzie.
@booboo said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
Preston withdrawn from NPC.
Christie was bloody good last week.
But can he repeat that performance next week or did he just stand out because the rest of the team were pretty shit?
@Bovidae said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
As Karl Dickson is the ref, you know what speed the game will be played at.
Bloody Hell
@reprobate said in All Blacks v Springboks I:
That's a worry. Not happy about needing a guy who has played what 3/4 of a super season, and looked to be struggling with the pressure off the bench in the final.
You're talking about Preston?
Started the Super season with a hiss and a roar, but I thought he got worse as the season progressed. Seem to recall saying that I'd have picked Drummie ahead of him when the play-offs came.
I'd say there's zero chance he starts if Christie is fit and I'm pretty happy with that. Massive dice roll to pick our fifth choice halfback to debut vs the Boks.
TBH - I'm surprised Xavier Roe isn't there ahead of him.