I think if you look at the whole picture it’s clear to me that the selections of not just the wings but the whole team is about trying to capitalize on our points of difference relative to other teams. The easy conservative selections against Springboks would to choose defensively and match them. Choose Owen Franks, choose a big 6, choose Bender at fullback and Jordie on one wing to counter their kicking. Instead Hansen chooses to capitalize on our points of differences areas that we don’t just match the opposition but where they will struggle to beat us. Props who can handle, an electric back row, form wings who can finish, an irrepressible full back. I salute Hansen for making the aggressive selections and I think he was leaning that way on the wings in 2015 with NMS and Naholo, but Naholo disappointed in pool stages.

So far it just seems to be a masterclass from Hansen and his coaches, Despite my complaints about leaving J. Ioane at home and B Smith out of the 23, the selections have been outstanding so far. The balance of experience and youth has been perfect, even if it would have been easier to go the conservative route Hansen has been aggressive and it’s paid off. The young Crusaders in the backs have repaid Hansen’s faith enormously. Also amazing is tactically the ABs seem to be adjusting to the rush defenses and defensively they also seem to be going lower in the tackle. Was always confident ABs would win by more than a try but the possibility of a hiding was material and that’s what we got. Bring on England.

@cgrant said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

People in this forum are great fans of Richie Mounga. He's had a mare : missed an easy tackle on Daly who is not the quickest fullback nor the strongest one (this led to England's first try), then could not handle the English rush defence. Let's hope he'll learn from this very disappointing performance.
The Bounga experiment was clearly a failure with BB's kicking from hand being an issue. Would DMac have done better ?

I hate the loss but I hate these kind of posts after the loss even worse. No complaints about Bounga after Wallabies, South Africa or Ireland , now its a failure? Nothing to suggest any other available combo would have done better. Really did not think Ritchie was the problem.

I think people putting far too much weight into that England game, we were flat as England were against SA. Our “small” team was certainly big enough when we played the Boks and I would say our back row and midfield came out on top. ALB/Laumape/Goodhue/Ennor all have the physical/skill requirements to excel at Test level. My one question would be our line speed in defence, we have not been that consistent as to whether we push really hard or hold back a little even though results have tended to be good if not a little mixed. I think Savea cannot be left out f starting XV and Cane if fit has to have a place which definitely leaves room for one big unit in Reads abscence and though all contenders have all been a little dissaponting you hope someone puts their hand up this season. In the second row Tuipolotu can solidify his spot and Barrett minus silly penalties plays above his size.

Good news is the growth of Laulala, Hames, Taylor and Tuingafasi in the front row is awesome at least it should be Crockett’s last year.

I wish I could remember the name of the poster who called me arrogant and delusional for saying any fringe AB back row forward could walk into a test rugby team. He claimed Luke Whitelock could not replace Robshaw or play in England 2nd row and here Brad Shields has done both! Still think it is a bad decision not to wait for him to step onto English soil, it just sends a bad message.

Will be interesting to see the adjustments that both teams make, I do have the sense that the English outside backs are more settled but England really need parity upfront to have a chance. Totally underwhelmed by Itoje and have been for a while.

I still think the NH are really missing the things and areas that make the ABs so good. They went into this game pretty much ignoring the ABs mid year form and considering a fatigued EOYT. Games 2,3,4 of the year are generally the ABs at their best and unlike what Gatland said the step up from Super rugby is wide. I also think if the pundits are lauding the Lions for their ball in hand game they will play right into the ABs hands, its the kind of game the ABs want the lions to play and there is no ways that they will have the players to back it up over 160 minutes. In my opinion they missed the try scoring chances simply because they do not have the skills to execute consistently under pressure. I cannot imagine the Lions finishing any of the AB try scoring chances but I can imagine the ABs converting all of the Lions chances.

@canefan said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

@Bones it remains to be seen if he is correct. I suspect the ABs have quietly undergone a revolution in terms of how they play the game, and these so called experts like Barnes and O'Sullivan have not yet fully cottoned on. Our boys are the only ones who can get in the way of an AB win. A lack of physicality or handling will allow England to feed off our mistakes. But I'm quietly confident that we will win comfortably and that we will run England off the park

Yes I am with. It’s interesting that someone like Barnes who has a secret Hard on for the ABs still does not get that Barrett was struggling at 10 despite the World Player of the year awards. It’s been clear as day to us that Mounga is better in that role and Barrett relishes the space at the back. The Irish pundits did not get it at all but hilarious to see their post mortems now. It is a hard road that the ABs have to take to win this but like last game I feel good. The ABs having this much time together is more meaningful than any other team. They have form, fitness and chemistry on their side, they know exactly what’s coming , ABs by at least 10.

It’s the ABs every match counts, look forward to watching them frontup again.

Was at the game , great atmosphere , like a home game for Irish. Kind of felt Hansen has to wear this one, a few of gambles failed completely. Really missed having the two best locks in the world but Tuoipolutu and Kaino came up short, early lineiut calls came up short, Naholo and Savea combination came up short. Midfield was meh, we looked so much better with TJ. Moody has shown several serious lapses in discipline and this one undoubtedly cost us. Seriously thought it could have been red. He should have been yanked earlier but not having Crockett made that very hard. Hats of to Irish I thought they held the hall in contact and tackled like demons.

I am curious as to whether Springboks can remain strong with strong schools system, weakened Super Rugby and many overseas? It’s a broader question for the whole Southern Hemisphere but maybe we will see how Boks go after the World Cup and who and when the players will be available.

I think people putting far too much weight into that England game, we were flat as England were against SA. Our “small” team was certainly big enough when we played the Boks and I would say our back row and midfield came out on top. ALB/Laumape/Goodhue/Ennor all have the physical/skill requirements to excel at Test level. My one question would be our line speed in defence, we have not been that consistent as to whether we push really hard or hold back a little even though results have tended to be good if not a little mixed. I think Savea cannot be left out f starting XV and Cane if fit has to have a place which definitely leaves room for one big unit in Reads abscence and though all contenders have all been a little dissaponting you hope someone puts their hand up this season. In the second row Tuipolotu can solidify his spot and Barrett minus silly penalties plays above his size.

Hard to go past the US with the mix of money and the collegiate system that produces thousands of amateur athletes who play sport at a bear professional level.

Having watched the final gives me more perspective, there is not much between ABs , Boks and England, if any team is slightly off their game they will get beat and sometimes it will not be pretty. Barrett over Cane was probably a mistake but watching the final I can understand what Hansen was thinking of even though it did not work. The two brutes in the back row at were very effective or the Boks. BFA was never an option once Bridge played that Bledisloe and backed it up, it wasn’t realistic to drop him but I was puzzled that BFA wasn’t on the bench.

However all that said honestly think the high intensity wins against Wallabies, Boks and Ireland just left us drained and we were flat for the England game. Likewise the AB game drained England and the Boks built just right, obviously with a little bit of good fortune too which you need to win a World Cup.

Congratulations Boks, so happy for you, Siya such a humble guy , impossible to dislike him.

Also kind of nice that ABs did beat them at this years World Cup.

Hopefully this puts an end to all the fingerpointing and blame from some AB fans, every game is different. I think England played their final last week, and unfortunately we had our two finals against SA and Ireland, maybe even the Bled as well, super hard to lift that many times in a few weeks. Boks timed their run beautifully.

This is not even in the same universe as those losses. ‘95 - 2007 losses were devestating , all of them, never saw them coming. Even in hindsight the French losses still feel awful. ‘91 the previous games were underwhelming and injuries/selections in the backs definitely put a question mark pre game. This one hurt mainly because there generally seemed to be a real turn going on with selections and wins particularly over Australia/SA/ Ireland and that really built my hopes up perhaps a little like 2003 but it was always clear that this England team posed a real threat. Looking at the whole picture when you consider the loss of our legends in 2015 and the continuing player and coach drain New Zealand still punches massively above its weight, but with each success it only raises the expectation ever higher which is probably where I was, but never the gut punch of those other losses.

Reece , Ardie, Goodhue for mine.

It’s the ABs every match counts, look forward to watching them frontup again.

Razor for mine. An unprecedented record of success getting the best out of good players which is what you have to do as AB coach.

@shark said in Hansen:

@Winger said in Hansen:

@shark

Bridge was poor. Its a bit pointless arguing who was more poor. And really Bridge and Reece only made the starting team because of who they play for

Coaches naturally have preferences for the team they support. But a good coach has the maturity to put his preferences to one side and pick the best team. They must do this and also make it seem as they doing this otherwise its likely to create a strange atmosphere in the team. When Hansen picked Barrett over Cane it was obvious what was going on. Then what followed was a dreadful performance

Hansen failed the maturity test. As Wylie, Hart and Deans did before him. Henry and Smith didn't.

The next coach can't be Robertson. He's not ready yet. Go overseas and coach for a few years to prove he can coach outside the safe Crusaders environment. I just like the look of Joseph and Brown. Greta combination and Joseph is a perfect front person

Utter garbage. Bridge and Reece had both earned their spots and neither are to blame for what happened yesterday. You have ZERO credibility when you promote this Hansen Crusaders bias crap at the same time as blatantly ignoring how poor your boy Jordie was off the bench, in a continuation of his legacy of AB brain farts. Also, how much time have you spent in the AB environment, enabling you to comment on the atmosphere within the side??

It’s really sad and unfortunate that AB losses bring out the absolute worse in “fans”. I said a few weeks ago that there are those waiting for a loss to bring knives out for Bridge , Reece and Mounga and it comes to pass. At least I am happy that team is taking the loss with dignity.