Wales v All Blacks 30th Oct NH Tour
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Very impressed with the performance tonight and they took their opportunities well. You have to give credit to that win for numbers 1-8, the set piece was excellent, the ruck work was awesome and the hits on D were sensational. I haven't seen the stats but boy were they putting in some work hitting bodies. Paps is a very solid player, almost workmanlike but just gets the job done and tackles hard.
It is clear to me that the backline just isn't working and I actually really feel for ALB, he has really had a merry go round of partners and shifting him between 12/13 hasn't helped. I can't help but feel his combo with QT at the Chiefs and the AB's long term could be worth trying. HV unfortunately just looks uncomfortable, makes errors, and lacks penetration.
Overall a wonderful display of skill and very enjoyable morning.
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The lack of talk about the ref must mean he did a pretty good job. I appreciated his calm demeanour and just the way he went about it. TMO seemed intent on getting involved and it appeared the ref was a little annoyed at him. A few calls went our way for sure but overall I felt he was fair and let the game flow.
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@chimoaus said in Wales v All Blacks 30th Oct NH Tour:
The lack of talk about the ref must mean he did a pretty good job. I appreciated his calm demeanour and just the way he went about it. TMO seemed intent on getting involved and it appeared the ref was a little annoyed at him. A few calls went our way for sure but overall I felt he was fair and let the game flow.
We only blame ref when games are close or we lose. It's just the way.
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@antipodean said in Wales v All Blacks 30th Oct NH Tour:
@mrdenmore said in Wales v All Blacks 30th Oct NH Tour:
I thought the ALB-Rieko centres combination looked infinitely better than Havili-ALB. In fact, I wonder when they are going to give up on the inside centre experiment with Havili, whose lack of directness offers no threat and disrupts the entire backline. I can see he was an acceptable stopgap but they really need to develop Tupea.
Havili seems to be going backwards in form. That of course has the caveat that he looked his best playing Tonga, Fiji and the Wallabies.
Caveat might also include that he was playing outside Aaron Smith in those games, which probably bought him a fraction more time and space.
He's received both ball and man together a fair bit this season and that's a problem if you're not a big munter (not that easy even if you are).
If Tupaea does well vs Italy it might be worth giving him a run against France and put Dave on the bench.
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@broughie said in Wales v All Blacks 30th Oct NH Tour:
@machpants Had to reread your post. The “get it” at first glance appeared snarky like do you understand? In light of the rules would have understood a YC but the ref should have discretion which he seemed to take advantage of. He made reference to AB defensive coverage ruling out a definite welsh try.
Yeah wasn't being snarky, sorry. My point is it didn't have to be a penalty try to be a yellow. We've seen plenty of intercept fails that resulted in yellow only. It's a massive risk for the players to go for it
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@machpants said in Wales v All Blacks 30th Oct NH Tour:
@taniwharugby said in Wales v All Blacks 30th Oct NH Tour:
While it appears they like DH at 12, you'd think from today, Tupaea was really the only one whos stocks rose considerably, and should be pressing to start ahead of DH, below is what I'd pick.
Moody, Taylor, Ofa
Brodie, Whitelock
Ioane, Jacobson, Savea
Weber, BB
DH, ALB
Ioane, Jordie, ReeceTaukei'aho, Laulala, Tu'unukuafi, Barrett, Blackadder, Christie, Mounga, Jordan
I can't see Beaudy starting, maybe this one but not the big games. He's just not been upto standard
BB Looked good to me
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Havili started out the year well, but went backwards against real tests with the Boks. He just doesn't have the instinct or required physicality to play direct, instead hesitating and jinking around too much.
I'd drop him and give Tupaea more time in the 12 jersey.
AB coaches sometimes need the vision to look past Super rugby form and see a player's potential. The player they should have developed there is Peter Umaga Jensen. That boat hasn't sailed yet.
I don't see Goodhue as a 12 nor ALB. They are both specialist 13s in my eyes.
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My random thoughts after finishing watching the match:
TJ bounced back really well this week. My hysterical post mid week was unwarranted.
Blackadder - quiet first half. More busy when returned from the break for Laulala's yellow card early in the second half.
There was a weird ruck when the Wales guy fell on our side of the ruck, grabbed the ball on the ground and the ref let it play on around 30 minute mark. Very strange.
I don’t remember Johnny McNiccol being so big when he was playing in NZ.
How did the no arms tackle by Welsh 7 not get looked at like Laulala’s was. There was less attempt to wrap in that one.
Nice run by Rieko followed by the Jordan magic for that try that broke the game. Should be a bridge too far for Bridge to get a start again.
BB two good intercept tries plus a decent game at 10.
Nice play by Reece, Rieko and Ardie for the Reece try.
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@nepia said in Wales v All Blacks 30th Oct NH Tour:
There was a weird ruck when the Wales guy fell on our side of the ruck, grabbed the ball on the ground and the ref let it play on around 30 minute mark. Very strange.
Did he already have the ball when he fell forward?
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@mikethesnow said in Wales v All Blacks 30th Oct NH Tour:
Will write more tomorrow but great to be back watching Test rugby.
And this will rankle with the majority on here, but if he stays fit Blackadder could become an AB all time great
Akira has lost his starting 6 position me thinks.
Nowhere near as busy as Blackadder - who seems almost hyperactive. -
@tim said in Wales v All Blacks 30th Oct NH Tour:
@nepia said in Wales v All Blacks 30th Oct NH Tour:
There was a weird ruck when the Wales guy fell on our side of the ruck, grabbed the ball on the ground and the ref let it play on around 30 minute mark. Very strange.
Did he already have the ball when he fell forward?
The one I was thinking of I'm pretty sure he fell first. I could have been deceived by the angle. Will check if I do a rewatch this week.
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After reading comments, I would've thought that the AB forwards smashed Wales, but they did not.
Fairly average 40 minutes of rugby against Wales B. Beauden Barrett good, Savea fringe running very good (great tactic against rush defence), Whitelock very good, Papalii good.
ABs very lucky not to concede three cards. Barrett for the knock down, and Blackadder's shoulder charge (tucked his arm, contact shoulder on shoulder). The Welsh player led with his head, and tucked it, but we were lucky there.
A couple of Laulala carries aside, not much go forward from tight forwards. Retallick better have a GREAT off season.
Havili had three (?) turnovers and a charge down. Hasn't looked right at 12 for the last few games.
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@tim said in Wales v All Blacks 30th Oct NH Tour:
After reading comments, I would've thought that the AB forwards smashed Wales, but they did not.
Fairly average 40 minutes of rugby against Wales B. Beauden Barrett good, Savea fringe running very good (great tactic against rush defence), Whitelock very good, Papalii good.
ABs very lucky not to concede three cards. Barrett for the knock down, and Blackadder's shoulder charge (tucked his arm, contact shoulder on shoulder). The Welsh player led with his head, and tucked it, but we were lucky there.
Yeah, was wondering at the time if we were going to see a red for Laulala and a yellow for Blackadder. Shit technique from both of them that could have cost us with a different ref.
