All Blacks 2022
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@Nepia said in All Blacks 2022:
@Tim said in All Blacks 2022:
Cane maybe captain, but is recovering from injury … again.
Does anyone think he will play better than Papalii would in this series?
Cane was written off in 2020 in the same way and finished the year as AB of the year. As I think @ACT-Crusader notes, Super form doesn’t always correlate with test form. Added to that he’s been good when he played, for posters actually taking notice.
Personally if either starts I’ll be happy as I like them both.
I'd argue having to choose between DP & Sam is a good position for NZ rugby to be in.
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@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2022:
@Nepia said in All Blacks 2022:
@Tim said in All Blacks 2022:
Cane maybe captain, but is recovering from injury … again.
Does anyone think he will play better than Papalii would in this series?
Cane was written off in 2020 in the same way and finished the year as AB of the year. As I think @ACT-Crusader notes, Super form doesn’t always correlate with test form. Added to that he’s been good when he played, for posters actually taking notice.
Personally if either starts I’ll be happy as I like them both.
I'd argue having to choose between DP & Sam is a good position for NZ rugby to be in.
With Cane as capt you pretty much assure he’s starting. This means Ardie at 8 and likely Akira at 6 against a big Irish pack with Papali’i covering all 3 from the bench.
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@Victor-Meldrew Cane is fine in the squad but he is still not a captains arsehole. That’s the big problem here.
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@Stag said in All Blacks 2022:
@KiwiMurph obviously Blackadder would have been there, Luke Jacobson should be there and Cullen Grace absolutely should be there
That's fair. I wouldn't say the absence of those 3 make this the weakest loose forward group in years. Aside from PGS the rest of the loosies pick themselves.
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@Stag said in All Blacks 2022:
@KiwiMurph obviously Blackadder would have been there, Luke Jacobson should be there and Cullen Grace absolutely should be there
I agree. Not taking anything away from Sowakula but Jacobson is the incumbent plus a like for like swap with Blackadder. Selectors probably thought Papali’i could play all 3 back row spots as well meaning they could bet on the upside of Sowakula.
Cullen gives you a tall 8/6 which they don’t really have. You’d have to shift Va’ai there to give the necessary size. I would love to see a Robinson/Grace type loosie in there but I think at some stage they had to try Sowakula to see if he’s test match material. If not now when?
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@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2022:
@Tim said in All Blacks 2022:
Cane maybe captain, but is recovering from injury … again.
Does anyone think he will play better than Papalii would in this series?
That's tricky one for Foster, isn't it? A fit Sam Cane for me every time and we seem to play better when he's on the field - but the key word is "fit".
There must be a thought in Foster's mind that he may have to drop his Captain if his injuries continues. Tough on Sam & a tough decision.
Should have dropped McCaw too with all those injuries he used to get. And Papalii? appendicitis! Who the fuck gets that these days? Get rid of him.
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@Stag said in All Blacks 2022:
@Victor-Meldrew Cane is fine in the squad but he is still not a captains arsehole. That’s the big problem here.
For most of last year we had the (South Island) peoples captain in there and the results weren’t spectacular. I think as long as the senior players pull together it probably doesn’t matter which of the Sam’s are captain, and Dalton can have an apprenticeship and not be rushed in too early.
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@TheMojoman said in All Blacks 2022:
@Stag said in All Blacks 2022:
@KiwiMurph obviously Blackadder would have been there, Luke Jacobson should be there and Cullen Grace absolutely should be there
I agree. Not taking anything away from Sowakula but Jacobson is the incumbent plus a like for like swap with Blackadder. Selectors probably thought Papali’i could play all 3 back row spots as well meaning they could bet on the upside of Sowakula.
Cullen gives you a tall 8/6 which they don’t really have. You’d have to shift Va’ai there to give the necessary size. I would love to see a Robinson/Grace type loosie in there but I think at some stage they had to try Sowakula to see if he’s test match material. If not now when?
Grace is shorter than PGS and Akira. NB: if wiki is to be believed.
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@number9 said in All Blacks 2022:
@Frye here was the opportunity to turn things around. Karl ahead of Hodgman de Groot WTF???
PGS ahead of Robinson, Jacobson and even Cullen Grace.
We will not win the WC. This is Foster's shit coaching like when he took Chiefs.
Fozzie basically said with Bower still learning & Ross new they needed Karl as their best scrummaging loose head in the squad. Karl’s lucky that’s for sure. If Moody was fit he’d be getting ready to fly to France. -
@Nepia said in All Blacks 2022:
@TheMojoman said in All Blacks 2022:
@Stag said in All Blacks 2022:
@KiwiMurph obviously Blackadder would have been there, Luke Jacobson should be there and Cullen Grace absolutely should be there
I agree. Not taking anything away from Sowakula but Jacobson is the incumbent plus a like for like swap with Blackadder. Selectors probably thought Papali’i could play all 3 back row spots as well meaning they could bet on the upside of Sowakula.
Cullen gives you a tall 8/6 which they don’t really have. You’d have to shift Va’ai there to give the necessary size. I would love to see a Robinson/Grace type loosie in there but I think at some stage they had to try Sowakula to see if he’s test match material. If not now when?
Grace is shorter than PGS and Akira. NB: if wiki is to be believed.
So he is? My bad I thought he’d played lock at some point.
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@Nepia said in All Blacks 2022:
Haven’t read the thread yet, but PGS - WTF. He’d already gone well off the boil this season before the abortion that was his 80 minutes on Friday.
MMT must be eyeing up the Samoan squad after seeing that selection.
That was my thought too ie, PGS had faded. The selectors must’ve thought he was overworked as the primary ball carrier at the Chiefs. I guess if they were ever going to try him now is the time, still some time before RWC and a spot opening up with Blackadder’s injury.
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Showing my bias here but Robinson has to be close now showing he can adequately cover lock in Super Rugby. We don’t have another player like him - 1.98cm tall, big engine, good over ball etc.
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@Frank said in All Blacks 2022:
I don't think he has a shit's show of starting , but RTS is very lucky in that he plays between the starting 1st five and starting center - COMBINATIONS!!!!!!!
If they do start Beaudy, I reckon RTS is almost as good a chance of starting as any of the other three midfielders for that combinations reason. If he has a good game this coming weekend, that will help.
He's a bit more experienced than your average newbie, so they won't be concerned about him being overawed.
Personally, I'd pick Jack Goodhue at 12, but he's really been selected as a centre so maybe they'll ask him to specialize..
RTS at 12 with Jack on the bench wouldn't be bad.
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@Stag said in All Blacks 2022:
@Nepia that would make his lineout prowess over those two even more impressive then
I’m not sure being used more correlates with prowess. Both Akira and the luckiest man in NZ rugby have been used as targets successfully as well, even if not as frequently.
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@TheMojoman said in All Blacks 2022:
Showing my bias here but Robinson has to be close now showing he can adequately cover lock in Super Rugby. We don’t have another player like him - 1.98cm tall, big engine, good over ball etc.
Fully agree and I was one of his early detractors when he was a looser version than now. He’s another in the long line of should have been there over PGS.
TBF, he probably missed out due to the fact Christie has already got the Ginga quota sewn up. (Auto correct just changed ginga to Bunga - so it allows me to be racist but not hairest. 😱)
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Foster said they're keen to use Papalii on the blindside, I bet that was Schmidt's idea, not his... Papallii has never had the pace to be a link player at 7, which is a pretty big factor in the ABs playing a fast paced game.
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@Chris-B said in All Blacks 2022:
Jack on the bench wouldn't be bad.
Not sure Jack offers anything off the bench.
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@TheMojoman said in All Blacks 2022:
Showing my bias here but Robinson has to be close now showing he can adequately cover lock in Super Rugby. We don’t have another player like him - 1.98cm tall, big engine, good over ball etc.
Its pretty obvious to me, he is not going to get selected as a loose forward. Robinson needs to put on 5-10kg and start playing at lock for Northland and the Blues to make the squad.
And I have to admit having him at lock a bit bigger would be a huge asset to any team.
