New Zealand Rugby Team Watch

[zer0]

the Ioane kid would never have been sighted if Kaino didnt go down? how wild would it be if he just turned up out of nowhere and usurped all the expected future AB loosies, the Savea's, the Todd's, the Shields. He looks that goddamn good. Just a kid and he's making yards every time, doing plenty of shitwork and outpacing outside backs for tries in the corner.

Too bad he doesn't, yet, show the same vigour on defence. See his lazy jogging when the Bulls made a break down the left-field from a scrum (and just about scored, IIRC). With his pace he should effectively be a fourth outside back when it comes to cover-defence.

Please do not tell me there are more freaks like this running around unknown in Auckland club rugby while the Blues locking engine room is staffed by Triggs, Beknuts and Wayne Gunston.

There's plenty. Joe Edwards is another big, mobile (not Ioane-esque mobile, of course) loose-forward lump who springs to mind. Though, in his case, I think Ioane stole his thunder.

Meanwhile, the Auckland NPC loose-forward trio could be Akira Ioane/Blake Gibson/Joe Edwards; all over 6'0/100kg's, mobile and all under 22 years old. Stick Tuipulotu and Luatua in at lock, and you have what could be the Blues locking and loose-forward units for a decade or so.

Of course the monkeys at the franchise will, inevitably, find some inventive way to balls it up.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

interesting article on NZRFU's pay grades being jolted into line with worldwide market forces after the Piutau fiasco
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=11457400

Charles Piutau was the perfect example, and effectively served as the wake-up call on how much recruitment patterns are changing. Piutau, despite his obvious potential, was on a relatively small contract at the start of this year. It's understood he wasn't even on the Super Rugby maximum of $180,000

 

[Dan54]

Patrick Tuipulotu is out of WC, needs a hip op apparently

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...atrick-tuipulotu-ruled-out-of-rugby-world-cup

Gotta be a potential career-ender & the poor bugger's only 22. Luckily we've got some decent backups for 4N & RWC plus the Samoa match to maybe have a look at someone.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Steven Luatua potentially out as well:

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3551_53377,00.html

If so Brad Shields next cab off the rank IMO.

 

[qwerty51]

Would he have made the 23?

I thought Kaino/Messam would be preferred?

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^^^^^^^^^^ I believe we'll take 4 x 6/8's to RWC, being Read, Kaino, Messam & 1 other with Luatua & Shields the leading candidates (& Taufua the bolter). Ergo, Luatua out = Shields or Taufua come into the mix, in that order IMO.

 

[Dan54]

You don't rate Vito's chances WOB? I would think he will be ahead of Shields or Taufua, mind you Blade Thomson may sneak into calculations if they want someone to cover lock.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^^^^^^^^^^ Vito comes into the mix if Messam or Kaino go down but if it's Luatua they need to replace then it's Shields followed by Taufua for mine.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

as we get closer to RWC squad announcment i would be confident in venturing an avatar bet that NONE of the newish S15 "form"players are on that goddamn plane.

They will stay loyal to the capped players who have guided them to 2 losses in the last 4 years. No Skudders or Broadhursts or Hika Elliots (!) or Webers or Shields or Ioanes. It'll be the Daggs and Janes and Thrushes and Vitos and Romanos...... and hello 1991 and another semi final exit

 

[ACT Crusader]

as we get closer to RWC squad announcment i would be confident in venturing an avatar bet that NONE of the newish S15 "form"players are on that goddamn plane.

They will stay loyal to the capped players who have guided them to 2 losses in the last 4 years. No Skudders or Broadhursts or Hika Elliots (!) or Webers or Shields or Ioanes. It'll be the Daggs and Janes and Thrushes and Vitos and Romanos.. and hello 1991 and another semi final exit

During that 4 years with only 2 losses, Hansen and co have introduced a number of new players that are key cogs to the side - Brodie, Coles, A. Smith, Savea, Bender. Also it's how they use the bench with such great effect. That's a very different proposition to what occurred between 87 and 91.

 

[Dan54]

I not as sure as you DP, I think Elliot will be bloody close , of the others perhaps only Broadhurst would make it, but why would you change too many? Ioane I would bet my cods on won't make it, hell I wouldn't pick him on 2 games of s15 rugby, and the rest are not really standing out ALL that much, they're going well, but not that much better than incumbents, who are generally players that have proved they can play international rugby.

 

[Dan54]

We can add Dane Coles to players that have resigned with NZRU, apparently signed for another 4 years. this is news I do enjoy reading!!

 

[Hugh Jarse]

<snip>That's a very different proposition to what occurred between 87 and 91.

You want NZ to go back to back in RWC, unlike '91, then the simple solution is to stop them wearing Raybans sunglasses. It was the rockstar sense of entitlement and the view that they just had to turn up to win Bill that scuppered the '91 campaign for NZ.

Even though there are a few geriatrics likely to be on the plane to RWC 15, the Lords of Darkness seem to have eliminated any 1991 sense of entitlement arrogance from their team. Big ugly old reliable diesel engines win Rugby World Cups.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Only a month until the Samoa test & no word yet on when Shag & co. will name their side. I'm picking it'll be after the first Super Rugby. playoff weekend & that players from any NZ team(s) still alive won't be picked unless they've spent a lot've time out injured & are deemed to be in need of a run. Other than that it'll largely be a squad of Cantabs & D'Aucks with backup from whichever team(s) bow out in Week 1 of the playoffs.

SBW, though, will be sent regardless: they love him up there, esp the kids, so he'll at least do some PR work, a la his visit on behalf of the NRL last year, even if he doesn't or can't play.

As for Samoa, the Pacific Nations Cup starts on 18 July so presumably this match also falls within the SH window & those Samoan players who've yet to retire from Test rugby in order to earn a contract top-up will be paying their way to Apia & hoping SRU remembers to reimburse them this side of Christmas...............

Hopefully the Chinese labourers who've been beavering away for several months now will have Apia Park in tip-top condition for the expected 12K sellout crowd which is pretty good from a total resident population of <200K, it's like ~270K rocking up to a game in NZ.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Everyone's fav CruSadists & AB loose head has signed up for three more years:



http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3551_54304,00.html

 

[Dismal Pillock]

oh God, its just dawned on me, in 4 short months the tenured professorship of messrs Nonu and Conrad Smith will be GONE from the AB midfield.

C.Smith to be replaced by either Crotty or Ngatai? wft, seems a bit of a sad choice.

2nd 5 G.Moala? Ran way afoul of the No Dickheads policy, has he made up enough ground?
Money Bill at 2nd 5? Yeah right. The guy is a proven mercenary, not in it for the jersey, just the cash and the glory. He'll probably be back in the NRL by Xmas.

What a hole.

What a pickle.

WHO THE HELL WILL TAKE THEIR PLACE?

WHO?

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[waiopehu oldboy]

^^^^^ gonna need some experience in there, fo sho, I reckon, so for mine it's 12. Luke McAllister & 13. Tamati Ellison Bet you want yer mommy NOW, eh? Eh?

 

[Dismal Pillock]

12. Luke McAllister & 13. Tamati Ellison

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[waiopehu oldboy]

So you wanna play rough, huh? I'll give you rough, fella:

9. Kelleher, B 10. Lavea, T 11. Ralph, C 12. McAllister, L 13. Ellison, T 14. Blair, B 15. Farrell, C*

Still think you're tough, punk? Well do ya?

* NOT the actor, how many times to I have to tell y'all, FFS.