All Blacks 2023

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2023:

@cgrant said in All Blacks 2023:

@Tim said in All Blacks 2023:

And with that positional switch likely to remain leading into this year’s World Cup, Foster would have been pleased by Holland confirming that Barrett would spend the majority of the Super Rugby season with No 12 on his back.

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Not good news for Riley Higgins and PUJ.

isn't PUJ more a 13?

Yep cna play either well, without being a worldbeater.

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2023:

@cgrant said in All Blacks 2023:

@Tim said in All Blacks 2023:

And with that positional switch likely to remain leading into this year’s World Cup, Foster would have been pleased by Holland confirming that Barrett would spend the majority of the Super Rugby season with No 12 on his back.

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Not good news for Riley Higgins and PUJ.

isn't PUJ more a 13?

I did a quick count of where he played for the Hurricanes last season. I think this is accurate.

4 starts at 12
1 start at 13

Sullivan was generally the Hurricanes preferred 13 with Proctor also getting some time

PUJ had injuries, but when fit, his usual spot was on the bench

@cgrant said in All Blacks 2023:

@Tim said in All Blacks 2023:

And with that positional switch likely to remain leading into this year’s World Cup, Foster would have been pleased by Holland confirming that Barrett would spend the majority of the Super Rugby season with No 12 on his back.

View embedded content

Not good news for Riley Higgins and PUJ.

Higgins will spend a lot of time coming off the bench this year, same with Lakai I feel. Over time I think Higgins will grab one of those centre positions, he’s got the size, the skillset and the smarts to go very far in this game, but no need to rush him considering his age.

Also, isn’t PUJ out for half the season anyway? He’s still recovering from shoulder surgery?

@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2023:

Also, isn’t PUJ out for half the season anyway?

That goes without saying when referencing either brother doesn't it?

@Duluth yes Canes coaches played him off the bench and usually at 12 but for the ABs as I recall he played at 13 off the bench (or was it 12?) and he just looks better at 13 (and a poster on here agreed with me a year or two ago)

Let's see if he makes it through the season...

@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2023:

Let's see if he makes it through the season...

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I see it says last in pro rugby, I see Coles playing for Horwhenua/Kapiti for a few games next year.You read it here first!!

watching the 6 Nations, especially Ireland, it has rammed home to me that the ABs are really missing a front line breakdown menace.

Cane isn't that guy. I'm not actually sure Papali'i is either. Savea is good for a last ditch turnover but he's not a battle in the trenches guy. And who ever we have at 6 definitely aren't. Ireland have two in VdF and Doris is a massive pest. And they create a constant stream of shit ball for their opponents.

I'm battling to think of who around the country fits the bill?

@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2023:

watching the 6 Nations, especially Ireland, it has rammed home to me that the ABs are really missing a front line breakdown menace.

Cane isn't that guy. I'm not actually sure Papali'i is either. Savea is good for a last ditch turnover but he's not a battle in the trenches guy. And who ever we have at 6 definitely aren't. Ireland have two in VdF and Doris is a massive pest. And they create a constant stream of shit ball for their opponents.

I'm battling to think of who around the country fits the bill?

Part of the problem IMO is that our comps are 'hard' on spoilers. Hopefully the new WR directives are closer to that with stricter ruling of 'off feet'. When Ireland were here last year we saw their players actually lying on top of rucks and disrupting ball and getting away with it. I hope that changes.
On the player front probably Kirifi and Robinson fit the spoiler category but neither, IMO, have the full range of qualities to be considered.

@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2023:

watching the 6 Nations, especially Ireland, it has rammed home to me that the ABs are really missing a front line breakdown menace.

Cane isn't that guy. I'm not actually sure Papali'i is either. Savea is good for a last ditch turnover but he's not a battle in the trenches guy. And who ever we have at 6 definitely aren't. Ireland have two in VdF and Doris is a massive pest. And they create a constant stream of shit ball for their opponents.

I'm battling to think of who around the country fits the bill?

S Barrett can get a little scrappy..

@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2023:

watching the 6 Nations, especially Ireland, it has rammed home to me that the ABs are really missing a front line breakdown menace.

Cane isn't that guy. I'm not actually sure Papali'i is either. Savea is good for a last ditch turnover but he's not a battle in the trenches guy. And who ever we have at 6 definitely aren't. Ireland have two in VdF and Doris is a massive pest. And they create a constant stream of shit ball for their opponents.

I'm battling to think of who around the country fits the bill?

Hugh Renton has statistically been the biggest pest in the breakdown the last few years - but I don't think he'd ever be rounded enough that the All Blacks will look at him

@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2023:

I'm battling to think of who around the country fits the bill?

Boshier?

@Crucial said in All Blacks 2023:

@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2023:

watching the 6 Nations, especially Ireland, it has rammed home to me that the ABs are really missing a front line breakdown menace.

Cane isn't that guy. I'm not actually sure Papali'i is either. Savea is good for a last ditch turnover but he's not a battle in the trenches guy. And who ever we have at 6 definitely aren't. Ireland have two in VdF and Doris is a massive pest. And they create a constant stream of shit ball for their opponents.

I'm battling to think of who around the country fits the bill?

Part of the problem IMO is that our comps are 'hard' on spoilers. Hopefully the new WR directives are closer to that with stricter ruling of 'off feet'. When Ireland were here last year we saw their players actually lying on top of rucks and disrupting ball and getting away with it. I hope that changes.
On the player front probably Kirifi and Robinson fit the spoiler category but neither, IMO, have the full range of qualities to be considered.

We haven’t had that kind of player for some time and I used to get frustrated watching us line up in a 13/2 defence split so we could have 2 players available for counter attack opp off broken play and never effecting turnovers.

I think we started to see more turnovers last year, once the quality of our pack improved but we don’t have a player like a McCaw who is a master in the dark arts as such.

@Tim said in All Blacks 2023:

I think the main thing of interest in that article is that Barrett will play 12 in Super Rugby this year.

Surprised to read he only played 6 games at 12 last year and 11 times in his whole career - compared to 87 at Fullback and that Holland only thinks it "likely" he will play at 12. I thought the Canes & Holland saw him as a natural 12 and it was the AB being over-cautious.

Be interesting to see how Rueben Love goes this year and if he can stake an AB claim post-RWC2023.

@mariner4life Retallick used to perform that role pretty well, as did Taylor/Coles when they had form - which does bring to light one "shortcoming" of Taukeiaho.

Blackadder could be that guy, but to me he's a 7, could maybe have him at 6 if we've got a bruiser at 8.

@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2023:

Be interesting to see how Rueben Love goes this year and if he can stake an AB claim post-RWC2023

Why just Love? I don't get the attention this guy gets.

@Bones said in All Blacks 2023:

@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2023:

Be interesting to see how Rueben Love goes this year and if he can stake an AB claim post-RWC2023

Why just Love? I don't get the attention this guy gets.

Simpy as he's a contender for an AB slot and the article was mainly about him & JB.