All Blacks vs Springboks I

@crucial said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

@bovidae said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

To be fair to the writer, Ennor will be thrown a start soon. In DC.

Could be right. It's harsh but he's a sympathy selection to be fair. His original selection was fair enough given what was around but now he's being given chances because his injuries weren't his fault.
We currently have 4 good midfielders and a proven excellent one waiting to come back. I'm kind of not even sure why Ennor is in the squad tbh.

The MF is going so well even Goodhue is going to find it hard to get back up the pecking order

@crucial guess he looked better than Donald did in the 2011 RWC Final...

@tim said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

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I think it's clear if ALB isn't 100%, Rieko starts at centre. Which means Bridge on the left wing.

I expect it will be Ardie, Akira and Paps to start the first test.

I also think starting with Samisoni would be good too.

given the flack Bridge gets is there the appetite for Reece at 11 and Jordan at 14?

@crucial Agree with you. My comment was also about where Ennor is in the pecking order of midfielders. USA and Italy will probably be his only tests.

having watched teh last two Bok tests it would be an enormously stupid error to pick an inferior all-round player just to negate one part of what the opposition does, and not look to making more of what we do well.

I wouldn't have Bridge in the 23, he is unnecessary.

@mariner4life said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

having watched teh last two Bok tests it would be an enormously stupid error to pick an inferior all-round player just to negate one part of what the opposition does, and not look to making more of what we do well.

I wouldn't have Bridge in the 23, he is unnecessary.

Cough* 2019 SF Cough*

@mariner4life
Bridge has been safe but far too pedestrian on attack. And if history is anything to go by, these games are decided by the one opportunity taken or not taken......

@old-samurai-jack said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

@mariner4life
Bridge has been safe but far too pedestrian on attack. And if history is anything to go by, these games are decided by the one opportunity taken or not taken......

i think i get what your saying, you cant win without scoring, little point stopping them scoring if we dont ourselves, i'd like to think we have enough firepower elsewhere but im just not 100% that Fozzie will change the gameplan to attack where....id be concerned we'd see Bridge just trying to do crash balls all night again or not having the speed to get around his mark

@canefan said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

@mariner4life said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

having watched teh last two Bok tests it would be an enormously stupid error to pick an inferior all-round player just to negate one part of what the opposition does, and not look to making more of what we do well.

I wouldn't have Bridge in the 23, he is unnecessary.

Cough* 2019 SF Cough*

Maybe we could try a Barrett at 6 as well?

@crucial said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

@canefan said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

@mariner4life said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

having watched teh last two Bok tests it would be an enormously stupid error to pick an inferior all-round player just to negate one part of what the opposition does, and not look to making more of what we do well.

I wouldn't have Bridge in the 23, he is unnecessary.

Cough* 2019 SF Cough*

Maybe we could try a Barrett at 6 as well?

That one sentence is enough to trigger most of the fern.

@mariner4life said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

having watched teh last two Bok tests it would be an enormously stupid error to pick an inferior all-round player just to negate one part of what the opposition does, and not look to making more of what we do well.

I wouldn't have Bridge in the 23, he is unnecessary.

We have a team full of finishers. We want someone who can create the opportunities.

I suspect that South Africa will give it everything in the first 40 - the breakdown battle will be brutal. ABs will power away in 3rd quarter though.

Retallick is back to being a beast, and S Barrett is in career best form, so I'm feeling confident despite missing Whitelock.

@crucial said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

@canefan said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

@mariner4life said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

having watched teh last two Bok tests it would be an enormously stupid error to pick an inferior all-round player just to negate one part of what the opposition does, and not look to making more of what we do well.

I wouldn't have Bridge in the 23, he is unnecessary.

Cough* 2019 SF Cough*

Maybe we could try a Barrett at 6 as well?

@antipodean said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

@mariner4life said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

having watched teh last two Bok tests it would be an enormously stupid error to pick an inferior all-round player just to negate one part of what the opposition does, and not look to making more of what we do well.

I wouldn't have Bridge in the 23, he is unnecessary.

We have a team full of finishers. We want someone who can create the opportunities.

well put, i really do miss people like B & C smith (and obviously others), sure they finished a lot themselves but i most fondly remember them just making those breaks/half beaks that then had two or three other feed off and finish

@taniwharugby said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

@crucial guess he looked better than Donald did in the 2011 RWC Final...

One of the all-time great AB moments: AB's in a dog-fight, nerves starting to get the best of them and on comes The Duck, shirt several sizes too small, for a penalty and says to McCaw "just give me the fucking ball".

Calmest dude on the pitch.

@mn5 said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

@crucial said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

@canefan said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

@mariner4life said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

having watched teh last two Bok tests it would be an enormously stupid error to pick an inferior all-round player just to negate one part of what the opposition does, and not look to making more of what we do well.

I wouldn't have Bridge in the 23, he is unnecessary.

Cough* 2019 SF Cough*

Maybe we could try a Barrett at 6 as well?

That one sentence is enough to trigger most of the fern.

I'm now wondering who the non triggered are. Surely even the Cantabs wouldn't want him at 6?

@nepia said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

@mn5 said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

@crucial said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

@canefan said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

@mariner4life said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

having watched teh last two Bok tests it would be an enormously stupid error to pick an inferior all-round player just to negate one part of what the opposition does, and not look to making more of what we do well.

I wouldn't have Bridge in the 23, he is unnecessary.

Cough* 2019 SF Cough*

Maybe we could try a Barrett at 6 as well?

That one sentence is enough to trigger most of the fern.

I'm now wondering who the non triggered are. Surely even the Cantabs wouldn't want him at 6?

Non-ABs supporters?

@nepia said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

@mn5 said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

@crucial said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

@canefan said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

@mariner4life said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

having watched teh last two Bok tests it would be an enormously stupid error to pick an inferior all-round player just to negate one part of what the opposition does, and not look to making more of what we do well.

I wouldn't have Bridge in the 23, he is unnecessary.

Cough* 2019 SF Cough*

Maybe we could try a Barrett at 6 as well?

That one sentence is enough to trigger most of the fern.

I'm now wondering who the non triggered are. Surely even the Cantabs wouldn't want him at 6?

When you’ve witnessed Rueben Thorne playing as much in the six jersey as he did it pays to be quite Zen about such things.

@crucial Being a Cantab automatically means that you played well......

@kiwiwomble said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

@antipodean said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

@mariner4life said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

having watched teh last two Bok tests it would be an enormously stupid error to pick an inferior all-round player just to negate one part of what the opposition does, and not look to making more of what we do well.

I wouldn't have Bridge in the 23, he is unnecessary.

We have a team full of finishers. We want someone who can create the opportunities.

well put, i really do miss people like B & C smith (and obviously others), sure they finished a lot themselves but i most fondly remember them just making those breaks/half beaks that then had two or three other feed off and finish

Our current four wings are scoring tries at almost unprecedented rates.

Rieko 30/42
Even the much maligned George 12/15
Will 11/8
Sevu 10/13

TOTAL 63 tries 78 tests 0.8 tries per test.

Doug Howlett got 49/62 at 0.79
Cully got 46/58 at 0.79
Goldie got 44/60 at 0.73
Big Jules got 46/64at 0.72
Joe Rok got 46/69 at 0.66
Jonah got 37/63 at 0.58
Bender got 39/84 at 0.46
Tana got 36/74 at 0.48

@nepia I maintain the biggest issue with playing SB at 6, was the fact we carried on with the game plan we'd have had if Cane was out there rather than using SBs stregnth, BBBR was woefuly out of form too...

@Chris-B if it wasn't for the knee injuries Cully would have been closer to 1.

@taniwharugby said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

...BBBR was woefuly out of form too...

BBBR was coming back from injury. This season has shown he needs a few games to really hit his straps, and dominate.

@nepia said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

@bones said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

@act-crusader ya reckon? If he's unfit I can't see it not being Bridge/Jordie/Reece.

Ugh, I just threw up a wee bit.

I see what you mean, I still have nightmares about the RWC game against England where both Reece and Bridge were quickly shut down. I'd rather both don't start together, picking one is fine. Reece has high workrate, Bridge slower but safer.
But one of Jordan or RIoane on the wing please.

@tim said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

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A typo or two aside ( Taylor’s r?r? (physical strength) ) I really enjoyed that article. Thanks. Good to see a sports journalist can also be a sharp dress man.

@crucial had a nice show of hands but I hardly saw him..looks a bit lightweight for centre IMO..hope to be proven wrong cos the coaches love him...

@african-monkey said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

@crucial Being a Cantab automatically means that your fans believe you played well......

FIFY

@antipodean said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

@mariner4life said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

having watched teh last two Bok tests it would be an enormously stupid error to pick an inferior all-round player just to negate one part of what the opposition does, and not look to making more of what we do well.

I wouldn't have Bridge in the 23, he is unnecessary.

We have a team full of finishers. We want someone who can create the opportunities.

the last game I saw Bridge in he only created a lot of rucks, by being tackled.

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

@crucial had a nice show of hands but I hardly saw him..looks a bit lightweight for centre IMO..hope to be proven wrong cos the coaches love him...

About the same weight as ALB 95kg v 96 kg Ennor slightly taller 187cm to 185cm.

@chris I'm surprised ALB is so light.

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

@chris I'm surprised ALB is so light.

Yeah me too to be honest.

@nzzp out of form none the less...

@crucial said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

@canefan said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

@mariner4life said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

having watched teh last two Bok tests it would be an enormously stupid error to pick an inferior all-round player just to negate one part of what the opposition does, and not look to making more of what we do well.

I wouldn't have Bridge in the 23, he is unnecessary.

Cough* 2019 SF Cough*

Maybe we could try a Barrett at 6 as well?

Jordie, he has the height…

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

looks a bit lightweight for centre

Huh, go figure. I don't see him as smaller than any of our other midfielders.

But if being too "lightweight" gets him back on the wing where he's a much more dangerous player, then I'll back it.

@taniwharugby said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

@nepia I maintain the biggest issue with playing SB at 6, was the fact we carried on with the game plan we'd have had if Cane was out there rather than using SBs stregnth, BBBR was woefuly out of form too...

Don't throw some shade on the Magpie while defending the Cantab Mr Taniwha.

SB could have at least won a lineout or two.

@victor-meldrew said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

@pakman said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

@victor-meldrew said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

@bones said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

@tim I don't think anyone will cry into their cornflakes if we're "forced" to go with Ioane/Savea/Jacobson and Blackadder/Sotutu eh.

6/7/8 seems to be the one area we really don't need to worry too much about.

Would like ALB back though.

Yep. But I'm much less concerned now Reiko has some game time under his belt

Would still be a bit concerned if we ended up with DMac/Tuapea/Rieko in tight match with Boks. We’re still quite short on Backline ‘grey hair’.

Agreed, I was thinking more of BB/DH/RI.

That said, I want to see more DMac/Tuapea/Rieko playing together to build that experience.

My concern is that with no ALB in 23 we are quite vulnerable to an injury.

@bones said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:

looks a bit lightweight for centre

Huh, go figure. I don't see him as smaller than any of our other midfielders.

But if being too "lightweight" gets him back on the wing where he's a much more dangerous player, then I'll back it.

I'm happy to be proven wrong, and it's just based off a camera to the side, his neck didn't look as thick and robust as other midfielders (built up for collisions)...I didn't notice any weakness or frailty in tackling or running but I didn't see very much of him on camera...