Blues v Hurricanes
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@Chris-B Exactly. We don't have the depth that the Crusaders have so guys like Akira will get run into the ground unfortunately. Still, he carried 23 times last night so workrate clearly isn't a problem.
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@African-Monkey yeah makes you wonder if they would have played Robinson if not for his concussion cos he was only 2 mins short of Akira last week...Blues havent had much trust in thier squad for a number of years now.
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@Rancid-Schnitzel said in Blues v Hurricanes:
@KiwiMurph said in Blues v Hurricanes:
@African-Monkey and as for his temperament he came back absolutely firing from the yellow card 10 minute break in that final and was a huge catalyst for the Auckland win.
Not a bad big game temperament i'd say.
Wouldn't want it in a world cup play off game though? Would you?
What I don't want is B Barrett diving 6 feet before the try line and sliding over. I had visions of the ball popping out when he did it last night.
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@KiwiMurph said in Blues v Hurricanes:
@Rancid-Schnitzel said in Blues v Hurricanes:
@KiwiMurph said in Blues v Hurricanes:
@African-Monkey and as for his temperament he came back absolutely firing from the yellow card 10 minute break in that final and was a huge catalyst for the Auckland win.
Not a bad big game temperament i'd say.
Wouldn't want it in a world cup play off game though? Would you?
Ben Smith got yellow carded in a RWC final.
Let's not pick him.
#Logic
Yes, because that was my argument wasn't it. Ffs.
Again, for the 6th time now, I think he's a phenomenonal player and I wish he'd been selected already. He could prove invaluable because he's a special player. I was merely expressing an opinion that the reason he hasnt played a test yet (or was even selected for the squad last year) was because of his temperament and/or attitude. You think otherwise. Fair enough.
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@Crazy-Horse said in Blues v Hurricanes:
@Rancid-Schnitzel said in Blues v Hurricanes:
@KiwiMurph said in Blues v Hurricanes:
@African-Monkey and as for his temperament he came back absolutely firing from the yellow card 10 minute break in that final and was a huge catalyst for the Auckland win.
Not a bad big game temperament i'd say.
Wouldn't want it in a world cup play off game though? Would you?
What I don't want is B Barrett diving 6 feet before the try line and sliding over. I had visions of the ball popping out when he did it last night.
I thought that was perfectly using the conditions to his advantage with another player bearing down on him. What concerned me far far more was that he missed the kick.
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@Rancid-Schnitzel agree, but I would still shit myself.
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@Rancid-Schnitzel meh, he's been kicking well this season. I wouldn't worry too much.
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@nzzp said in Blues v Hurricanes:
@Rancid-Schnitzel said in Blues v Hurricanes:
And Jordie Barrett (of all people) showed why Akira Ioane doesn't get selected for the ABs. He's an absolutely phenomenonal talent but who would bet against him doing something dumb in a big game?
Akira had one of the worst games I've seen from him in ages -- but he didn't (and doesn't) get penalised for his off the ball stuff. It's largely disappeared from his game.
Also, I understand he had 24 carries last night. Twenty four!!! Clearly lazy
His ability to get his hands on the ball has never been an issue at age grade level and now in senior rugby. There are two issues I see (I know everyone’s an expert on Akira), it’s what he does with the ball and also on the defensive side of the game. Things that can be developed and worked on.
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@KiwiMurph said in Blues v Hurricanes:
@Rancid-Schnitzel said in Blues v Hurricanes:
@KiwiMurph said in Blues v Hurricanes:
@African-Monkey and as for his temperament he came back absolutely firing from the yellow card 10 minute break in that final and was a huge catalyst for the Auckland win.
Not a bad big game temperament i'd say.
Wouldn't want it in a world cup play off game though? Would you?
Ben Smith got yellow carded in a RWC final.
Let's not pick him.
#Logic
And the Aussies still couldn’t beat us.
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@ACT-Crusader said in Blues v Hurricanes:
@nzzp said in Blues v Hurricanes:
@Rancid-Schnitzel said in Blues v Hurricanes:
And Jordie Barrett (of all people) showed why Akira Ioane doesn't get selected for the ABs. He's an absolutely phenomenonal talent but who would bet against him doing something dumb in a big game?
Akira had one of the worst games I've seen from him in ages -- but he didn't (and doesn't) get penalised for his off the ball stuff. It's largely disappeared from his game.
Also, I understand he had 24 carries last night. Twenty four!!! Clearly lazy
His ability to get his hands on the ball has never been an issue at age grade level and now in senior rugby. There are two issues I see (I know everyone’s an expert on Akira), it’s what he does with the ball and also on the defensive side of the game. Things that can be developed and worked on.
I'm dirty because his work at 8 in the scrum was woeful. Disrupted by TJ, but the slow, signalled pickups followed by fumbles were a stain on my soul. I've been such a fan of Akira, but last night wasn't a game that made me feel good about anything meaningful
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@KiwiMurph said in Blues v Hurricanes:
So thats his last 50 odd first class games at 8.
With pretty much the same cohort of back row partners at both provincial and Super level. The division of responsibilities is always going to be similar. Outside of the scrimmaging considerations the AB selectors have usually picked the back row on overall balance rather than picking for individual jerseys.
Somehow Akira and Read are specialists in the same position who could not be selected elsewhere, yet in no way is Akira a like for like swap for Read. But don't worry boys he is very comfortable with the digit eight on his jersey. I will need to watch the tape from the Maori tour to see if wearing a black shirt, shorts and socks has a noticeable effect on his game and report back.
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@nzzp said in Blues v Hurricanes:
@ACT-Crusader said in Blues v Hurricanes:
@nzzp said in Blues v Hurricanes:
@Rancid-Schnitzel said in Blues v Hurricanes:
And Jordie Barrett (of all people) showed why Akira Ioane doesn't get selected for the ABs. He's an absolutely phenomenonal talent but who would bet against him doing something dumb in a big game?
Akira had one of the worst games I've seen from him in ages -- but he didn't (and doesn't) get penalised for his off the ball stuff. It's largely disappeared from his game.
Also, I understand he had 24 carries last night. Twenty four!!! Clearly lazy
His ability to get his hands on the ball has never been an issue at age grade level and now in senior rugby. There are two issues I see (I know everyone’s an expert on Akira), it’s what he does with the ball and also on the defensive side of the game. Things that can be developed and worked on.
I'm dirty because his work at 8 in the scrum was woeful. Disrupted by TJ, but the slow, signalled pickups followed by fumbles were a stain on my soul. I've been such a fan of Akira, but last night wasn't a game that made me feel good about anything meaningful
Was just listening to Mexted on Radiosport. Mex is one of those people who sounds very authorative and very sure of what he's saying, but I'm never sure if he's quite as expert as he sounds. I guess he's been running that IRANZ academy for a long time, he's probably learned something.
Anyway, he said the scrum management of the Blues was woeful and that was primarily down to Akira along with the halfback. He reckons Akira isn't good enough at that "bread and butter" aspect of the No. 8's game and he also doesn't get wide in support, which he also says is the 8s job (I'd have some question marks about this in the AB set-up).
Anyway, to howls of outrage, Mex wants him in the AB squad because he's a beast of a man, but he wants him picked as a 6 and not an 8.
Mex also picked his midfielders - Crotty, Nonu, Goodhue and ALB. Said his choice was between Nonu and Laumape - who offer the same game, but Nonu's ability to put his outsides in space tips the balance. Was pretty dismissive of SBW - said he's not sure he should even be in frame because while he can give you a couple of offloads a game, he's a liability on defence (and always has been) and is always broken.
http://120.138.20.16/WeekOnDemand/radiosport/2019.05.12-12.30.00-S.mp3
http://120.138.20.16/WeekOnDemand/radiosport/2019.05.12-12.45.00-S.mp3
8.15 in this for anyone who's interested.
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@Chris-B yeah I heard that too.
Agree, he says the things that make you think he knows his shit, but dont always agree with his analysis.
With his comments on SBW it made me wonder if he has any contact with the upper echelon of NZ Rugby these days, while many of us struggle to see what SBW brings any more, it seems clear the coaches rate him, and if fit, I simply cannot see him not being on the plane.
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@taniwharugby I can't either.
The only thing that might mitigate against SBW is that - the way I see it - you've SBW, Crotty, Nonu and Laumape contending for two 2nd five slots. So, they could pick two experienced options in Crotty and Nonu. I can't really see them picking Laumape ahead of SBW.
But, I think it will be the glass brothers!
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@Chris-B said in Blues v Hurricanes:
Mex also picked his midfielders - Crotty, Nonu, Goodhue and ALB. Said his choice was between Nonu and Laumape - who offer the same game, but Nonu's ability to put his outsides in space tips the balance.
In this I'm in complete agreement. There simply isn't a better second five-eighth in New Zealand at carrying, passing and kicking. It's just a pity his pace has deserted him now he's old.
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@antipodean said in Blues v Hurricanes:
@Chris-B said in Blues v Hurricanes:
Mex also picked his midfielders - Crotty, Nonu, Goodhue and ALB. Said his choice was between Nonu and Laumape - who offer the same game, but Nonu's ability to put his outsides in space tips the balance.
In this I'm in complete agreement. There simply isn't a better second five-eighth in New Zealand at carrying, passing and kicking. It's just a pity his pace has deserted him now he's old.
Laumape has pace though. Nonu would get brutally exposed a level up - even at this level, some people are runnign around him.
Well, I should say 'were'. I think he's adjusted to the pace of game more, but having pace can get you out of a bad situation offensively or defensively. Realistically, I think he's behind both SBW and Laumape in the AB selector's eyes ... will take a couple of injuries to get into squad contention
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So after watching this game I’ve decided that Tony Johnson is either @Rancid-Schnitzel or Jordie Barrett’s publicist. I swear if JB had crouched down and taken a dump in the middle of the field Johnson would have been praising him for the consistency of the tutae (hopefully the advertisers algorithms don’t speak Maori).
