New Zealand Rugby Team Watch

[Hugh Jarse]

Sounds like there are a few whitebaiting rivers in the UK. http://www.foodsofengland.co.uk/whitebait.htm

NZL will be OK for a #10.

 

[Hawko]

I'm not saying that Naholo for Sopoaga is the worst selection in AB history, just that in terms of this squad it's the one that makes the least sense, and that a goal kicking 5/8 (who kicked 5/7 on debut so hardly a shocker @USA) will likely win you more RWC matches than a try scoring winger.....

... nek minnit Naholo runs 85m & beats 11 defenders to win the GF making Shag & co retrospective geniuses

It wasn't Naholo for Sopoaga. It was Barrett for Sopoaga. That's the really strange decision. A couple of weeks ago Sopoaga debuted vs SA away and everyone else thought he had a blinder. Shag thought he was worse than Barrett would have been.

Given the quality of the pool NZ are in, the flexibility argument won't wash. At 65 years old I could play 15 as a back up in that team and they'd still win by 30. And Piutau is far and away the best back-up 15, but he's not going either. And if Sopoaga can't back-up 12 against one of the minnows I'll walk naked down George Street. If back-up for positions is the criteria then Sopoaga/Piutau win over Slade/Barrett every time and twice on Sundays.

And everyone in the NZ team will already know that. That's why Shag has taken a huge selection risk. If NZ win then everyone in NZ will forget that he didn't choose on form in the surrounding euphoria. But if NZ lose early then everyone will remember and we'll have a new NZ coach by the end of the year.

 

[Braveheart81]

I think Barrett was always going to get selected. Even if Cruden was fit, he'd be there and perhaps Slade would have been left at home.

I definitely see Barrett as being in Hansen's preferred matchday 23 as one of the back reserves.

I think Slade won out over Sopoaga for his versatility and Naholo beat out Piutau.

Personally I think taking Naholo is pretty risky. If he doesn't return seemlessly from injury it will look like a silly pick. Piutau would be second choice fullback, is fine on the wing and is far less of a gamble overall.

 

[Hawko]

I think Barrett was always going to get selected. Even if Cruden was fit, he'd be there and perhaps Slade would have been left at home.

I definitely see Barrett as being in Hansen's preferred matchday 23 as one of the back reserves.

I think Slade won out over Sopoaga for his versatility and Naholo beat out Piutau.

Personally I think taking Naholo is pretty risky. If he doesn't return seemlessly from injury it will look like a silly pick. Piutau would be second choice fullback, is fine on the wing and is far less of a gamble overall.

I agree that Hansen wanted Barrett, my key point was that on form you would never make that decision. Therefore its a "captain's call" and we all know how well those work sometimes. Sir Duke of Edinburgh anyone?

 

[Braveheart81]

I don't think they're like for like choices though.

A similar argument would be Beale vs Leali'ifano as a 10-12 option for the Wallabies RWC squad. On form Leali'ifano was better but that isn't the role Beale was selected for.

I think Barrett is the first choice 22/23 and I don't think Sopoaga is in that selection frame.

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[waiopehu oldboy]

It wasn't Naholo for Sopoaga. It was Barrett for Sopoaga.

Kinda was, kinda wasn't: if you take Piutau (clearly the best wing/ 2nd fullback in NZ right now & a more than adequate backup to "papercut" Smith) instead of Naholo you don't need BOTH Slade & Barrett. I tend to agree with @Braveheart that in that scenario Barrett likely gets picked ahead of Slade but either way the remaining spot goes to the specialist 5/8 in Sopoaga rather than another utility.

 

[USARugger]

I'm not saying that Naholo for Sopoaga is the worst selection in AB history, just that in terms of this squad it's the one that makes the least sense, and that a goal kicking 5/8 (who kicked 5/7 on debut so hardly a shocker @USA) will likely win you more RWC matches than a try scoring winger.....

... nek minnit Naholo runs 85m & beats 11 defenders to win the GF making Shag & co retrospective geniuses

Eeesh, you're right - maybe I'm thinking of Super Rugby or something else? Have a pretty firm impression that he's been unreliable from the tee in a few games this year.

 

[Dan54]

Yep you right USA. Doesn't matter what anyone thinks, it is like Shag said in interview, it was between Carter and Sopoaga for the specialist spot, and much as I like Sopoaga, I do think he needs to work a little on his defence, and long kicking out of hand. I was more surprised about Dagg missing than Sopaoga, but like most I have only formed my opinions watching TV, not being at most of games and trainings to see how everyone is really performing.

 

[p.Tah]

Looks as if Richie is having trouble carrying the weight of a nation at training

 

[Braveheart81]

Scotty Stevenson's article today is pretty funny.

Someone Pass the Cotton Wool

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11506375

 

[Hugh Jarse]

^^^Classic article. Almost as if scripited by G&GR's own @Dismal Pillock.

I was half expecting to read a reference to one of the Gunston brothers.

 

[Viking]

I don't think they're like for like choices though.

A similar argument would be Beale vs Leali'ifano as a 10-12 option for the Wallabies RWC squad. On form Leali'ifano was better but that isn't the role Beale was selected for.

I think Barrett is the first choice 22/23 and I don't think Sopoaga is in that selection frame.

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This. Barrett's impact from the bench is superb. It would be much better then what Sopoaga could do. Barrett is such a good attacker and runner of the ball - and when the defence is tiring he will calve them up. I rate him highly.

I actually think Sopoaga missed out to Carter. Carter was on the chopping block but he proved he still had it in the second bled.

 

[qwerty51]

Pretty surprised NZ is playing no one since the last Bledisloe to their first pool match. I think they go into the RWC with the longest time between Tests and given their easy pool it might not be such a good thing.

 

[Hawko]

Pretty surprised NZ is playing no one since the last Bledisloe to their first pool match. I think they go into the RWC with the longest time between Tests and given their easy pool it might not be such a good thing.

I reckon that's deliberate. NZ will use their pool matches to get up to speed with virtually nil chance of losing. Australia on the other hand, will bash themselves up in the pool of death and be exhausted just getting out.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

This. Barrett's impact from the bench is superb. It would be much better then what Sopoaga could do. Barrett is such a good attacker and runner of the ball - and when the defence is tiring he will calve them up. I rate him highly.

As already alluded to, Barrett's got the 23 jersey pretty much locked down which is fine by me, unless our Cup comes down to a last-gasp, long range penalty shot with Barrett at the tee...............

The two fullback system having worked so well for so long it's hard to see it being abandoned at this late stage & as neither Savea nor Naholo are noted kickers (or at times catchers) of the ball our back three in the business-end games will likely have to be 11. Savea or Milner-Skudder 14. Milner-Skudder or Naholo 15. Smith.

 

[zer0]

The two fullback system having worked so well for so long it's hard to see it being abandoned at this late stage & as neither Savea nor Naholo are noted kickers (or at times catchers) of the ball our back three in the business-end games will likely have to be 11. Savea or Milner-Skudder 14. Milner-Skudder or Naholo 15. Smith.

I wouldn't at all be surprised if Hansen is arrogant enough to think he can revert back to playing two strike wingers in the Rokocoko/Sivivatu mold without being found out. Plus everything points to Hansen's playing Naholo in the knockouts. As Savea is more or less untouchable, I'd say that the Savea/Naholo/B.Smith back three is, unfortunately, what we'll see in the do-or-die matches. It hardly fills me with confidence.

EDIT: But if Hansen doesn't play Naholo in the knockouts, then he's just being spiteful by not picking Piutau.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^^^^^^^^^ theyre presumably intending to play Naholo if & when fit (otherwise why pick him in the first place), but if they were gonna toss out the two fullback strategy then surely they'd have tried it already this season or on last EOYT? Savea has been poor this year, I'd say he's on some pretty thin ice if Naholo is even half-decent v Georgia & is available for the QF.

 

[Viking]

Surely it would be Savea or Naholo not both. Lots of talk that Savea isn't performing well - I think he's going okay but certainly not his destructive self. I always thought Hansen was risking Naholo in case Savea doesn't start performing, so he has a like-for-like strike winger he will inject once fit.

 

[zer0]

^^^^^^^^^ theyre presumably intending to play Naholo if & when fit (otherwise why pick him in the first place), but if they were gonna toss out the two fullback strategy then surely they'd have tried it already this season or on last EOYT? Savea has been poor this year, I'd say he's on some pretty thin ice if Naholo is even half-decent v Georgia & is available for the QF.

Hansen seems far to conservative to drop Savea for a major match, and has been talking up Naholo so much that it'd look more than a little odd for him to not play him in the big matches.

As to why they wouldn't have tried it earlier, well, for mine, there's two possible/likely reasons. First, Piutau didn't decided to leave for Ulster until after the EOYT. Hansen, therefore, had no reason ("reason") to select anyone ahead of him. He still doesn't IMO (if that wasn't already clear enough). Second, Savea's post Super Rugby gorging meant that he couldn't realistically field both Savea and Naholo against Argentina. Naholo's injury obviously meant he couldn't play them together during any of the other tests.

 

[zer0]

Surely it would be Savea or Naholo not both. Lots of talk that Savea isn't performing well - I think he's going okay but certainly not his destructive self. I always thought Hansen was risking Naholo in case Savea doesn't start performing, so he has a like-for-like strike winger he will inject once fit.

That assumes that Naholo will be playing better than Savea, which seems unlikely given that he'll be coming off a reasonable recovery period.

As I said above, I just don't think Hansen is adventurous enough to drop Savea at this late stage. Look at how long it took for B.Smith to displace Dagg. He had to easily be the top Super Rugby fullback in the country for years, and then endure getting shifted about the test backline before he could displace a favourite. Simply because Dagg had so much "good will" and "faith" from Hansen. Savea will have just as much, if not more, parked in the bank.

EDIT: For another -- more recent -- example, look at Nepo Laulala. Looked like our best scrummaging TH and was industrious around the field. Yet Faumuina is selected ahead of him on the back of a game and a half of NPC rugby. Again, "good will", "faith" and all that.