All Blacks MOTM v Boks II

@BerniesCorner said in All Blacks MOTM v Boks II:

@Crucial Canes effort as always was massive and he does the grunt work He deserves this win. Really pleased for him.
However the balance of the loosies isn't right. It would work better if Cane was at 6, we need a whippet at 7

I get that but the current plan is two 7.5s not two 6/8s. I don’t think this crew see it as an imbalance, they see it as an advantage.
What’s our current alternative? Ditch Cane or Ardie to the bench for Sotutu?

Only saw the highlights, not the full game but went for Frizell, R Ioane and Savea.

Havilii looked decent too but out of principle I can’t vote for him.

@Crucial Absolute conservatism has made the forward pack struggle.
There are players who have consistently done well in SR who weren't given a chance for so long.
Finally De Groot, Newell, Samisoni, Bower have been given a chance to shine.
Currently we don't have a quick loosie for turnovers. That's a big part of the game
Sotutu has consistently also played well. It makes sense to at least have a look at Ardie 7 and Sotutu 8.
In my view I would like the Captain to be Whitelock. He's got the CV and is an automatic pick until RWC 2023

@BerniesCorner To be honest, only the reluctance to promote Sami T. to the starting line-up is a bit mystifying. Arguably, it's contributed significantly to costing Plumtree his job and a great sign that Ryan immediately made the switch from Taylor to Sami.

Bower has played 16 tests now - and he didn't have too many fans on the Fern during most of this Super season - I think I recall someone writing "Bower can fuck off"! Newell is an absolute rookie, though very promising, and apparently de Groot turned up lacking fitness, so I'm supportive of giving him a solid kick in the arse.

The other guy who's not really getting the opportunities he probably deserves is Sotutu. He's in the unfortunate position of being behind Ardie at 8, who is a "must have" and Ardie can't be shifted to 7 because Sam C. is captain so also a "must have". I'd guess that if we win Argentina I, Hoskins will get his chance in Argentina II (assuming Fozzie retains the reins).

@Chris-B We are going to end up with pretty much the Crusaders backbone without the main man. NZRs fault.
Over the past 20 years GOAT and Read were automatic picks. SW is also an auto.

@Chris-B said in All Blacks MOTM v Boks II:

I think I recall someone writing "Bower can fuck off"!

I could be completely off base, but I do get a sneaking suspicion that could have been a certain poster who mysteriously promotes Hodgman above all others?

@BerniesCorner Not surprisingly, I would have picked Whitelock as captain, but I didn't mind the pick of Sam Cane.

The problem is, he's struggling to command his place and that's unbalancing our loosies.

I still reckon the scenario outlined by chchfanatic is a runner - though they might skip Joe Schmidt as the short run Head Coach.

@Bones Actually, he might have, but my memory is someone else.

My memory is a bit flawed these days though.

@BerniesCorner said in All Blacks MOTM v Boks II:

@Chris-B We are going to end up with pretty much the Crusaders backbone without the main man. NZRs fault.
Over the past 20 years GOAT and Read were automatic picks. SW is also an auto.

Oh you mean Razor?
I thought the current Mr Contrary poster on here was going to argue that it isn't Razor but Ryan that is the real reason for Crusaders success therefore we can keep Foster but luckily that fishing lure hasn't occurred to him yet.

@Chris-B That was in 2021.

@MN5 said in All Blacks MOTM v Boks II:

Only saw the highlights, not the full game but went for Frizell, R Ioane and Savea.

Havilii looked decent too but out of principle I can’t vote for him.

Because Tonga beat Scotland in 2012 and anyone of Tongan descent feels your highland ire a decade later?
I'm guessing this is not true but a decade long burning sense of Utu is a great reason.

@Tim Wasn't you either!

@mariner4life said in All Blacks MOTM v Boks II:

Ok someone is going to think I've been hacked but

JBarrett. His kicking but most importantly work in the air were the key reasons we won.

Always knew one day you'd acknowledge the brilliance of one the Canes' very finest.

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks MOTM v Boks II:

@MN5 said in All Blacks MOTM v Boks II:

Only saw the highlights, not the full game but went for Frizell, R Ioane and Savea.

Havilii looked decent too but out of principle I can’t vote for him.

Because Tonga beat Scotland in 2012 and anyone of Tongan descent feels your highland ire a decade later?
I'm guessing this is not true but a decade long burning sense of Utu is a great reason.

That’s clearly not it - he picked an actual Tongan as one of his other options.

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks MOTM v Boks II:

@MN5 said in All Blacks MOTM v Boks II:

Only saw the highlights, not the full game but went for Frizell, R Ioane and Savea.

Havilii looked decent too but out of principle I can’t vote for him.

Because Tonga beat Scotland in 2012 and anyone of Tongan descent feels your highland ire a decade later?
I'm guessing this is not true but a decade long burning sense of Utu is a great reason.

Jesus Christ, what a bizarre post.

@Crucial said in All Blacks MOTM v Boks II:

I chucked a vote in for Cane. There may have been 3 better performances but he put in a huge spell that doesn’t seem to be getting much love. A number of times he had to cover ground to clean up after half breaks and breaks and his link play was good.
It’s not his fault that he’s being asked to play a different role than we may expect

He was crucial to everything we did well in the first half

@MN5 said in All Blacks MOTM v Boks II:

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks MOTM v Boks II:

@MN5 said in All Blacks MOTM v Boks II:

Only saw the highlights, not the full game but went for Frizell, R Ioane and Savea.

Havilii looked decent too but out of principle I can’t vote for him.

Because Tonga beat Scotland in 2012 and anyone of Tongan descent feels your highland ire a decade later?
I'm guessing this is not true but a decade long burning sense of Utu is a great reason.

Jesus Christ, what a bizarre post.

Really? It was just a test to see if you are like those Scottish men I know who hold obscure grudges that everyone else has forgotten about.

Reminds me that my Glaswegian bro in law used to say 'While the Irish English and Welsh were fighting each other we were fighting our natural enemies: ourselves."

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks MOTM v Boks II:

@MN5 said in All Blacks MOTM v Boks II:

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks MOTM v Boks II:

@MN5 said in All Blacks MOTM v Boks II:

Only saw the highlights, not the full game but went for Frizell, R Ioane and Savea.

Havilii looked decent too but out of principle I can’t vote for him.

Because Tonga beat Scotland in 2012 and anyone of Tongan descent feels your highland ire a decade later?
I'm guessing this is not true but a decade long burning sense of Utu is a great reason.

Jesus Christ, what a bizarre post.

Really? It was just a test to see if you are like those Scottish men I know who hold obscure grudges that everyone else has forgotten about.

Reminds me that my Glaswegian bro in law used to say 'While the Irish English and Welsh were fighting each other we were fighting our natural enemies: ourselves."

Yeah but I’m from Wellington