All Blacks v France Test 3
-
So, my thoughts breaking it down to those stills.
Serin is pushing against the ref before Smith has even removed it from the scrum.
Serin is not as far offside as I originally thought.
Lacey is physically stopping him getting further offside ....
Lacey is stopping him leaving the mother of all gaps for Aaron Smith. Serin has no good options here.
Technically perfect execution by NZ. Wheeling their scrum to remove loosies from the equation, isolating Serin on the 'short' side in a 2 on 1 at pace.
Beautiful try spoilt by the optics of the ref getting in the way.
-
-
@kev said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
@rapido how far away from the scrum can defending halfback stand? I would have thought that he is 3 metres away and therefore offside rule is like other backs (non halfback).
The problem is the law only states the halfback has to be "close" to the scrum. I'd institute an interpretation that "close" now means within arms reach.
It would fundamentally change how teams defend at scrum time because normally the halfback defends against the five-eighth. So they hare off from the scrum and any head start from their perspective is a good one.
-
@taniwharugby said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
Where to start....
As expected social media going off with bias calls to refs should use common sense and ignore the rules.
Dmac looks a long way back from the scrum. Nearly 5m ...
-
@kev said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
@rapido how far away from the scrum can defending halfback stand? I would have thought that he is 3 metres away and therefore offside rule is like other backs (non halfback).
Without any basis in fact or bothering to consult the laws I think it's 2m. After that he has to drop to the 5m.
-
@antipodean said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
@kev said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
@rapido how far away from the scrum can defending halfback stand? I would have thought that he is 3 metres away and therefore offside rule is like other backs (non halfback).
The problem is the law only states the halfback has to be "close" to the scrum. I'd institute an interpretation that "close" now means within arms reach.
It would fundamentally change how teams defend at scrum time because normally the halfback defends against the five-eighth. So they hare off from the scrum and any head start from their perspective is a good one.
Law 19.30
Once play in the scrum begins, the scrum-half of the team not in possession:
a. Takes up a position with both feet behind the ball and close to the scrum or
b. Permanently retires to a point on the offside line either at that team’s hindmost foot, or
c. Permanently retires at least five metres behind the hindmost foot. -
Good win that. 49 points, with the game done and dusted early was a good outcome, especially given the French first half.
Front row a complete mixed bag. Taylor is the goods now, even if our lineout was not perfect on the night. O Franks good on D, scrummed well, and is a waste of space with the ball. Moody is all over the shop at the moment, hopefully just needs game time, which he hasn't had a lot of.
Starting locks were the shit. That's two good tests out of three for Barrett, so i am willing to change my position with regards to him, a great 3rd choice. Whitelock much better this week too, buried in the tough stuff.
What to make of the loose forwards? Frizzle Fry was up and down. Would appear for a couple of passages, then disappear for a couple. I reckon that had a lot to do with game fitness, and his lack of it. When he was visible, i think it's hard to say he was any less effective than Squire normally is. Also knocked Parra the fuck out, which we can all cheer a little bit. A Savea was his usual self, then got hurt. One French try was a direct result of him being driven back while trying to tackle. I'm not 100%, but i think it has to do with him worrying about being able to get at the ball after the tackle, rather than just effecting a solid tackle, and letting the rest take care of itself. I thought L Whitelock was invisible until a couple of errors, but, we kept the ball a lot, so someone had to be hitting those rucks. R Thorne indeed.
A Smith was fucking great. Is a yappy little shit who had to be told by the ref to shut his mouth at one point. Fucking halfbacks.
DMac. Wow. Fucking confident that bloke. Throws an intercept, kicks the ball dead, and it doesn't phase him one bit. A cracking game from him. He directed play, played straight, took good options, and his kicking from hand was a lot longer than i expected. Again, i am willing to change my position on this call by the selectors.
Good from the midfield. SBW was at his absolute best, and i hope he's not hurt. Goodhue looked at home actually, soft missed tackle aside. Plenty to work with in the future. I would pair SBW and ALB for the first Bledisloe.
Outsides. Hmmm. Ioane doesn't need more bigging up, a great game. Looked alright at centre too, albeit against a team rapidly back pedalling. B Smith looks goodish, but below some pretty high standards. Naholo was shit. He doesn't even look fast any more, and can't tackle for shit.Bench? love our bench props. Stil struggling to sww what more Ofa has to do to prove he is a great bench option. Good around the track, strong in the scrum. Karl T James eats scrums for fun. Hemapo was busy, but he just lacks the physical requirements for test match rugby in his chosen positions. Todd was fucking awesome, and surely, surely gets to be the #2 now. I still don't like TJP. J Barrett was good, that wide ball to Naholo was nice.
Moving forward?
Still seriously lacking at 6 and 8. Fuck knows what we can do there. I really wish someone would fucking tell us why Akira can't get a game considering the varying level of "meh" we've had from his chosen positions this June. DMac is the bench impact, and B Barrett better up his game, because DMac will push him with that type of form. Outsides? I guess B Smith back to the wing, but he doesn't actually look that good there, and is getting slower. The cupboard is a bit bare on the right wing actually. SBW gives us great midfield attack, needs to stay fit. Someone good is going to miss out. -
@mariner4life Those Chiefs wing-fullbacks (Alaimalo and Stevenson) have a big opportunity eh?
Nanai and Duffie are suffering from the general Blues malaise.
Lam might still come into it.
-
@tim there is definitely a spot open there. Of all of them i think Nanai has the most physical gifts, but he, like the last wing/FB from the Blues whose name completely escapes me, has just stalled in his development just below Super Rugby standard.
Who would have thought NZ would be scratching around for a winger? What are Goodhue's wheels like?
-
@mariner4life said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
there is definitely a spot open there. Of all of them i think Nanai has the most physical gifts, but he, like the last wing/FB from the Blues whose name completely escapes me, has just stalled in his development just below Super Rugby standard.
Visinia?
-
@duluth said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
@mariner4life said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
there is definitely a spot open there. Of all of them i think Nanai has the most physical gifts, but he, like the last wing/FB from the Blues whose name completely escapes me, has just stalled in his development just below Super Rugby standard.
Visinia?
yea, that's him! That boy could move! Where is he now? Japan?
-
@mariner4life Playing for FC Grenoble in French D2. They have been promoted to the top division again next year.
-
France
I think Nanai has been far better than him at SR level
If you go back to 2016, plenty of non Blues fans were suggesting him as an outside chance of making the AB's. That was the year he played for the Baabaas at Twickers and went well (Greenwood was a coach and thought he was next AB winger)
He's got himself offside with the franchise coach since then.
I would not be surprised if he had success immediately at another franchise
-
@duluth said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
France
I think Nanai has been far better than him at SR level
If you go back to 2016 plenty of non Blues fans were suggesting him as an outside chance of making the AB's. I think that was the year be played for the Baabaas at Twickers and went well (Greenwood was a coach and thought he was next AB winger)
He's goten himself offside with the franchise coach since then.
I would not be surprised if he had success immediately at another franchise
he seems to have to have the tools. I wonder what his mental application and work ethic is like? His basic skill set ticks a lot of boxes, but he is a long way from the required standard at the moment. As you say, a new franchise (or a new coach) looks essential if he is to do anything with his career in NZ
-
@tim you have to wonder with Naholo well out of touch, if Lam keeps his form up (assuming the canes make the finals) he might be a chance for the power wing spot?
Ioane & Naholo swapped wings for a period last night too didnt they?
-
-
@mariner4life said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
he seems to have to have the tools. I wonder what his mental application and work ethic is like?
Not great if the rumours are correct. He's not going to fix that where he is (well, not until 2020 at the earliest)
