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New Zealand Rugby Team Watch

waiopehu oldboy

Stirling Mortlock (74)
LOL SirJK "cleaning house of Crusaders players" & proceeds to name four in his XV & six in his 23 to play Ireland including Taylor as starting hooker. Shit, even I'm ready to bench him.

 

Dismal Pillock

Simon Poidevin (60)
Oh well, at least one of these boring NZRFU shill pundits desperate not to offend - or even be of any interest to anyone watching their television shows - has deviated from the NZRFUCCP party line and had the balls to make some calls.

Although.....
George Bower as the starting loosehead prop alongside Codie Taylor
giphy.gif
 
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Dan54

Tim Horan (67)
Well Kirwan was always going to name too many Blues players, good to see couple of Blues supporters agree! ;)
 

Dismal Pillock

Simon Poidevin (60)
Dismal Power Rankings

Hookers

Taukeiaho

Dane Coles ffs where are you
Asafo Aumua
Codie Taylor - has this tenured wuss fallen off The Soialo Cliff?

Props - fuck knows here

Hodgman ffs
Ofa Tuungafasi
Tamaeiti - this kid is massive and shockingly mobile
Tyrel Lomax
Newell
De Groot
Karl Tu’inukuafe
Nepo Laulala
fat passengers

Locks

Tupou Vaa’i
Lord
- these 2 kids are really killing it. NZRFU with huge calls to make visa visor the 2 tenured non-performing creaky carthorses
Samuel Whitelock
Brodie Retallick
Scott Barrett hahahaha

Loose Forwards

Ardie Savea
Hoskins Sotutu
Dalton Papalii
Cane
Akira Ioane

Ethan Blackadder
Luke Jacobson
Shannon Frizell
Cullen Grace
- hahahaha

Halfbacks

Christie
- killing it
Aaron Smith - terrible in Suva. All slowed down. Fakatava was a noticeable improvement. If he's picked for his quick pass but fafs around, with his non-existent running game, then he brings nothing
Brad Weber
Fakatava
TJ Perenara - please go away, bug-eyed Byron handbrake boy

First five–eighths

Beauden Barrett
Richie Mo’unga -
yet to prove he's anything but a shiny little star atop a Xmas tree at test level.

Midfielders

Rieko Ioane
Jordie Barrett
-goddamnit you have to pick him here dont you?
TUJ
PUJ not flash in Suva
Braydon Ennor
David Havili
fucking LOLLLLLLLL
Anton Lienert-Brown
Quinn Tupaea
. Jesus, just no.

Outside backs

Will Jordan
Caleb Clarke
Sevu Reece

George Bridge just fuck off shitcnut
 
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Dismal Pillock

Simon Poidevin (60)
ps I really dont get the narrative that because Sam Cane was "selected" as AB captain yonks ago that he gets a pampered free ride in even if he's just playing "ok" (luckily he's playing better than ok right now) and everyone else; Ardie, Dalton, etc, has to be shoehorned to other positions to accomodate him.

That's where we fucked up with Captain Read kept around for 2 seasons too long.

This is not WW1. We are not going over the top to glory or death at Passchendaele. We do not need a politically-trained delegated commander of men.

Just pick the top XV and then choose one of the pricks in the sheds on the day to captain it. FFS
 

Dismal Pillock

Simon Poidevin (60)
The big calls Fozzie would never make to give NZ a fighting chance at RWC2023;

1 Hodgman
2 Taukeiaho
3 Ofa Tuungafasi

Mobile, murderous and munty. Scrums? Fuck scrums. We take the tap. Chaos and brain exhaustion are our only allies.

4 Tupou Vaa’i
5 Lord

Raw but energetic. Unlike the codger brigade. Lineout murder, ETA 2023

6 Akira Ioane
7 Cane vs Dalton Papalii - too tight to call yet
8 Hoskins Sotutu - lineout skills. sorry Ardie

9 Aaron Smith - please God please, just hang on
10 Beauden Barrett - many game management faults but at least he's not a total defensive horror show
11 Caleb Clarke
12 Jordie Barrett
13 Rieko Ioane
14 Sevu Reece - diveballing hollywooding shitheel but at least he gets involved and knows where to pop up
15 Will Jordan

16 some fat sook
17 another fat sook
18 Coles vs Aumua. Please God, Coles.
19 Ranga Christie. Please just go away, Flapanara
20 Ardie
21 Papalii vs Cane
22 Mounga
23 a Milner Skudder wildcard; a Rayasi/TUJ/PUJ type
 

Dismal Pillock

Simon Poidevin (60)
Bailyn Sullivan put his hand up I thought - really stretched Ikitau a few times.

He's probably in a battle with Ennor and Leicester for that 13/wing spot.
Really curious how much input Schmidt will have. He seems like a very forthright charachter who will not brook Fozzie's "we cant drop anyone before RWC or we might have to admit we were wrong" mindset.

Schmidt has big say = we might get a look at the Sullivans, the PUJ's the Leicesters.
vs
Fozzie sez i'm the boss = we're locked into Goodhue/Ennor/Tupeaua/Bridge/Havili come hell or high water to "build combinations" before RWC
 

KiwiM

Trevor Allan (34)
Another one to put his hand up this week was Marino Mikaele-Tu'u - stood up very well to the physical Fijians. Offers more size, power and ball running ability than the likes of Jacobson, Robinson, Grace (lol) etc.
 

Dan54

Tim Horan (67)
Another one to put his hand up this week was Marino Mikaele-Tu'u - stood up very well to the physical Fijians. Offers more size, power and ball running ability than the likes of Jacobson, Robinson, Grace (lol) etc.
Yep, but much as I fan of Mikaele-Tu'u he has to put hand up for more than one week.
 

Dan54

Tim Horan (67)
Really curious how much input Schmidt will have. He seems like a very forthright charachter who will not brook Fozzie's "we cant drop anyone before RWC or we might have to admit we were wrong" mindset.

Schmidt has big say = we might get a look at the Sullivans, the PUJ's the Leicesters.
vs
Fozzie sez i'm the boss = we're locked into Goodhue/Ennor/Tupeaua/Bridge/Havili come hell or high water to "build combinations" before RWC
Schmidt I imagine will have exactly same say as Fox, Plumtree etc. He is a selector why anyone thinks he will come in and go right I want so and so in there and everyone will go yes sir, I don't think they know how selection panel works. Read Hansen's book, or listen to Henry etc talk about it, they will talk for hours and read every bit of info on every player before all agree on team. Hansen even says they talk to team coaches to see if things at home etc are affecting how they play. As he says most (not all) can name quite easily 90-95% of who will be in AB team pretty well, but the rest they really only guessing at this weeks favourite, as they don't really have the info (or the brain I don't think ;) )
 

KiwiM

Trevor Allan (34)
Schmidt I imagine will have exactly same say as Fox, Plumtree etc. He is a selector why anyone thinks he will come in and go right I want so and so in there and everyone will go yes sir, I don't think they know how selection panel works. Read Hansen's book, or listen to Henry etc talk about it, they will talk for hours and read every bit of info on every player before all agree on team. Hansen even says they talk to team coaches to see if things at home etc are affecting how they play. As he says most (not all) can name quite easily 90-95% of who will be in AB team pretty well, but the rest they really only guessing at this weeks favourite, as they don't really have the info (or the brain I don't think ;) )

I think the point is Dan54, frankly the team is in a different spot than it was under Hansen.

Given how they went against Boks, Ireland and France last year, plus Super form so far this year - there's a real case to be made that there should be a real cleanout in the ABs and new blood should be brought in.

I don't expect it to happen yet mind you but there's an awful lot of ABs from last year that based on both their test form and Super form in the last 12 months look either past it, or just not up to it.

I expect Fozzie to roll with basically the same squad through to the RWC 2023 but that doesn't mean that those calling for change are wrong.
 

Dan54

Tim Horan (67)
I agree kiwi, my point was anyone who think Schmidt will come on selection panel and say ok so and so needs to go etc, and so that's what happens. It doesn't he is anothet voice who looks at things from anothet angle. I am guessing he will have one or suggestions that may or maybe not take hold who knows, and I guessing he will be more aligned to what present panel is selecting than a few people on random rugby forums. I would love to see a few of my preferred players get picked to, but I not really thinking that they will pick who I think should be picked.
Just to add just for mine I would look seriously at Vaií and Lord at lock, to go with probably Lurch and Barrett. I would look at Jacobson. Ioane and Frizell at 6/8 and Samisoni/Codie/Asofa A as hookers. But I only seen most of them on tv and always remember how underdone McCaw and co used to look in Super rugby etc to discount Sam W etc.
I also remember how badly we were playing a couple of years out from 2011 WC etc. And I buggered if I know who will be midfield.
Don't forget we internet warriors , most don't even go to watch rugby etc, so I will think that those who do and have all info (including Schmidt) will know what they looking for.
 

Up the Guts

Steve Williams (59)
Bailyn Sullivan put his hand up I thought - really stretched Ikitau a few times.

He's probably in a battle with Ennor and Leicester for that 13/wing spot.
I thought both the Hurricanes’ centres looked dangerous. They both got on the outside of Ikitau a couple of times, who is an excellent defender and shut down Am completely last year.
 

KiwiM

Trevor Allan (34)
I agree kiwi, my point was anyone who think Schmidt will come on selection panel and say ok so and so needs to go etc, and so that's what happens. It doesn't he is anothet voice who looks at things from anothet angle. I am guessing he will have one or suggestions that may or maybe not take hold who knows, and I guessing he will be more aligned to what present panel is selecting than a few people on random rugby forums. I would love to see a few of my preferred players get picked to, but I not really thinking that they will pick who I think should be picked.
Just to add just for mine I would look seriously at Vaií and Lord at lock, to go with probably Lurch and Barrett. I would look at Jacobson. Ioane and Frizell at 6/8 and Samisoni/Codie/Asofa A as hookers. But I only seen most of them on tv and always remember how underdone McCaw and co used to look in Super rugby etc to discount Sam W etc.
I also remember how badly we were playing a couple of years out from 2011 WC etc. And I buggered if I know who will be midfield.
Don't forget we internet warriors , most don't even go to watch rugby etc, so I will think that those who do and have all info (including Schmidt) will know what they looking for.

I look at it from a slightly different view. I think he's going to have more influence that that because if he's not then there's no real point bringing him in. The whole idea of bringing him in is to get a different set of eyes and a different perspective.

Because I think we agree Foster isn't going to make sweeping changes then I imagine Schmidt is actually going to be quite influential on any new players/returning players that come into the squad, some of those 50/50 calls.

I take your point about Super Rugby form vs test form and so i'm not so worried about Sam Whitelock but I am worried about Codie Taylor and Lurch. Lurch hasn't been the same since he got injured before the RWC in 2019 - nearly 3 years ago. Meanwhile Codie Taylor has carried his poor AB form into Super Rugby - and his poor AB form has been happening for a few seasons now. It's not as if all these guys they suddenly click into gear when the ABs play - for some their recent AB form is also poor. I'm not saying you cut them from the squad but their places in the playing 23 should be under real heat depending on how things go vs Ireland.

The good news is there's plenty of footy left to go and there's what 4 more rounds of regular season + playoffs to go so plenty of high intensity footy for the AB selectors to get an idea - Coles might even be back soon.
 

Dan54

Tim Horan (67)
For sure Schmidt has been brought into to gave a different set of eyes, and looking form a different perspective, which is exactly same reason that Fox was brought in too. I not saying he won't have an influence, but he won't change selections by himself. I would imagine all 3 selectors have an influence well hope they would, and I actually always assumed the coach would just say well I want this or that player, but Hansen reckons sometimes meetings (even on Zoom or whatever) could go on for hours, and they would all have to agree before anyone was picked.
 

Jeffrey

Chris McKivat (8)
I think the point is Dan54, frankly the team is in a different spot than it was under Hansen.

Given how they went against Boks, Ireland and France last year, plus Super form so far this year - there's a real case to be made that there should be a real cleanout in the ABs and new blood should be brought in.

I don't expect it to happen yet mind you but there's an awful lot of ABs from last year that based on both their test form and Super form in the last 12 months look either past it, or just not up to it.

I expect Fozzie to roll with basically the same squad through to the RWC 2023 but that doesn't mean that those calling for change are wrong.
There are quite a lot of impediments to AB improvements.

1) is the innate 4-year WC cycle. With the WC next year, Foz is very unlikely to get the sack. So we're stuck with him, even though 2020 was bad, and 2021 saw us lose to the truly top teams. Our record is upheld by playing the Aussies multiple times, and also a lot of commercial matches.

2) there is an argument for everything. AB coaches tend to be more defensive, not without logic because of people have different views on how the ABs should play and who should be playing. But if we fuck up, we can always go with "we're building combinations"; "remember 2009? We got pumped by the Boks but won the WC in 2011"; or worse, "we've been disrupted by Covid (even though every other country also has)". No matter what, there is always an ostensibly reasonable argument

3) Inertia on the biggest names. Codie Taylor is complete smuck these days. Complete smuck. Laulala is a lazy fucker who isn't even that hard. Whitelock looks like he has clocked too many KMs in the engine - and for some reason he never runs onto the ball, he's always taking it standing still; Retallick looks worse than his rookie year. Moody is always moody. half the backs still can't tackle, but are you going to drop Smith or Mouanga or Jordan? The big names have more leeway.

4) "if you're so great why aren't you the AB coach?" For some reason, a good number of kiwis are often quite defensive of the ABs. After years of winning everything, it has become unfathomable that we might not win many things.

It's a tough job to be an AB coach. You're always expected to win. That's just not possible.
But at least show us you have made improvements. You have thought it through, you have a plan, you have developed and diversified.
No. Since 2017, we still try to out-pass a rush defense even though it does not work.
We're still shite at generating forward momentum in the tight.
We still do not rush on defense, ceding ground for line integrity, and then losing more ground because we're weak in contact.
We have no real imagination on attack. the flyhalf doesn't loop, there are no decoys. We just try to get it to the wing.
We still have the 2 forward side-by-side pod system, where, invariably the rush swallows, pushing us behind the gainline.
We rightfully dumped Owen Franks because he can't carry. But the props still can't carry. Has anyone seen Furlong, Genge, Baille or Kitschoff?
 
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