Julian savea
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Chris B." data-cid="598045" data-time="1468898860">
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<p><strong>I think Lowe is the opposite of slow and steady.</strong></p>
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<p>He's big, fast and has great skills - and I think the Chiefs have given him a license to use his flair. That comes unstuck occasionally, but he's only just 24 so I think his decision-making will mature - and probably wouldn't be hard for the ABs to rein him in just a touch.</p>
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<p>Right now, he's probably a better bet than Jules.</p>
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<p>Yep, when I read that I wonder if there is another Lowe playing at the moment.</p>
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<p>He lacks accuracy at times - but then that can be levelled at Savea and Naholo.</p>
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<p>Plus, as I noted after the Tahs game he's a really good talker on the field, geeing up (hate that phrase by the way) his team and calling where the plays are going.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="ACT Crusader" data-cid="598190" data-time="1468933673">
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<p>And did some pretty special stuff at 7s. I was a big fan of his when he was running for Titch. The mullet was ugly though.....</p>
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<p>That was one of his better do's. Christ he had some shockers</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Rancid Schnitzel" data-cid="598153" data-time="1468922864">
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<p>I suspect the issue most people had with Jane was that he was neither a massive Islander nor a speed merchant a la Howlett. Could also be that many hadn't seen him play regularly for the Canes. Lowe is a decent enough player, but is he really comparable to Jane? Jane did some pretty amazing shit for the Canes.</p>
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<p>i remember remember when Jane was not chosen against Boks in tri-nations 2009 when SA peppered us with high balls, baffling. Also remember before he debuted may posters said his error rate was too high, which was also strange. With Ben Smith I argued he should have been in 2011 World Cup squad and I got little support, someone even referred to him as a Caleb Ralph clone! As far as Lowe goes I think Chris B. said it best "<span style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">big, fast and has great skills",</span></p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="DMX" data-cid="598222" data-time="1468967229">
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<p>With Ben Smith I argued he should have been in 2011 World Cup squad and I got little support, someone even referred to him as a Caleb Ralph clone!</p>
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<p>I think Ben Smith probably lacked confidence and didn't realise how good he was.</p>
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<p>I recall seeing him play in Nelson - after he'd debuted for the ABs and been discarded - and I was surprised to see how big he was. And he was pretty anonymous for most of the game until suddenly at the end they chucked him the ball and he took off and ran through half our team to set up the winning try. The sort of stuff he does 10 times per game now.</p>
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<p>It was very annoying, since Otago were still an uncollected scalp at that stage.</p> -
<p>Lowe just doesn't have the upside of Naholo/Savea and he isn't a converted fullback which the selectors like. For him to make the team he would need to be playing at a consistent level and he hasn't done that this season. Would maybe have him in front of Savea though.</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="ACT Crusader" data-cid="598190" data-time="1468933673"><p>
And did some pretty special stuff at 7s. I was a big fan of his when he was running for Titch. The mullet was ugly though.....</p></blockquote>
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As MN5 mentioned, he's had a number of stunningly bad hairstyles. Recall he dyed his hair one time and was sporting a goaty. Perhaps it was difficult for the selectors to take him serious? -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="hydro11" data-cid="598230" data-time="1468968773"><p>
Lowe just doesn't have the upside of Naholo/Savea and he isn't a converted fullback which the selectors like.</p></blockquote>
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Lowe has played a fair bit at fullback hasn't he? -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Crazy Horse" data-cid="598245" data-time="1468970878"><p>Lowe has played a fair bit at fullback hasn't he?</p></blockquote>
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He's played mainly wing for the Chiefs and Mako$. There's been the odd game here and there for the Mako$, but he's certainly not first choice option there. -
<p>If Lowe has good linking skills that stand up at international level/speed then he is a mile in front of some of the other AB wing contenders (not mentioning any names..)</p>
<p>PS good to see that hairstyle choice is a major determinant in AB selection, keeping it real!</p> -
<p>Lowe looks like a terrorist muppet at the moment with his beard, but is he doing anything wrong on the field? He seems to be playing as well as any other left winger in New Zealand.</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="nostrildamus" data-cid="599700" data-time="1469328677">
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<p>If Lowe has good linking skills that stand up at international level/speed then he is a mile in front of some of the other AB wing contenders (not mentioning any names..)</p>
<p>PS good to see that hairstyle choice is a major determinant in AB selection, keeping it real!</p>
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<p>If it was, Ardie wouldn't be in the squad.</p> -
<p>>If it was, Ardie wouldn't be in the squad.</p>
<p>Can't we separate the quality of the choice from the quality of the hairstyle?</p> -
<p>Still pondering what may be wrong with Julian Savea. It doesn't seem to be his fitness and the effort he puts in, going by the comments from Boyd (and Hansen in June).</p>
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<p>Confidence is certainly low, but that seems more a result than the initial cause. Mental health issues? Other health issues? My partner, who is a health professional, was thinking out loud the other day and said he looked like someone with a thyroid problem (causes weight problems, makes you sluggish and can cause depression, to name a few symptoms). We may never find out; just hope he gets the support he needs (regardless of whether they keep him in the AB squad). Mental health is certainly not the NZRU's strong point.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Stargazer" data-cid="599713" data-time="1469329939">
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<p>Still pondering what may be wrong with Julian Savea. It doesn't seem to be his fitness and the effort he puts in, going by the comments from Boyd (and Hansen in June).</p>
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<p>Confidence is certainly low, but that seems more a result than the initial cause. Mental health issues? Other health issues? My partner, who is a health professional, was thinking out loud the other day and said he looked like someone with a thyroid problem (causes weight problems, makes you sluggish and can cause depression, to name a few symptoms). We may never find out; just hope he gets the support he needs (regardless of whether they keep him in the AB squad). <strong>Mental health is certainly not the NZRU's strong point.</strong></p>
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<p>Why do you say that?</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Tim" data-cid="599717" data-time="1469330111">
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<p>Why do you say that?</p>
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<p>Yeah, if anything I think the AB have mental support far more so than other levels. NZRFU don't have a reputation for flogging players, and they get proper time off with concussions, etc. Even when he has had issues, it has been dealt with behind closed doors as much as possible - dropping him for the second Wales test was done effectively and without throwing him under the bus (excuse the bad dad joke)</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Tim" data-cid="599717" data-time="1469330111">
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<p>Why do you say that?</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="nzzp" data-cid="599720" data-time="1469331739">
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<p>Yeah, if anything I think the AB have mental support far more so than other levels. NZRFU don't have a reputation for flogging players, and they get proper time off with concussions, etc. Even when he has had issues, it has been dealt with behind closed doors as much as possible - dropping him for the second Wales test was done effectively and without throwing him under the bus (excuse the bad dad joke)</p>
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<p>Guildford is one recent example. It took a very long time to find out what was wrong with him and to help him, because - if I'm correct - they used a mental skills coach instead of a specialist.</p>
<p>Punishment (for example, suspensions & making him apologise in front of the media) is also not the way to address the behavioural problems resulting from his condition, something only the Waratahs management seems to have understood thus far (it's more likely to aggravate low self-esteem).</p>
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<p>I don't want to discuss individuals though. My comment wasn't meant as a strong criticism of the NZRU, merely an observation. Mental health problems are more difficult to recognise/diagnose and treat than physical health problems, and certainly not among the first things a sports organisation was used to recognise until maybe the last few years. Patients are often the last to recognise and, especially, accept that they have mental health issues. There's also a stigma due to part of the media & public being uninformed, inconsiderate bullies. </p>
<p>Mental health issues need to be carefully managed and that may in some cases be beyond the skill set/training of a mental skills coach. </p>
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<p>But maybe they've learned and is all the "we don't know what's wrong with him" kind of speech from Boyd and Hansen just a way of keeping the media at a distance from Julian Savea's case, while they work with him in the background, away from the public eye. That would be the proper way to deal with any kind of issues he may have (whether of a mental health character or not).</p>
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<p>Concussion isn't a mental health issue btw, eventhough it affects the brain.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="antipodean" data-cid="599711" data-time="1469329743">
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<p><strong>Lowe looks like a terrorist muppet at the moment with his beard</strong>, but is he doing anything wrong on the field? He seems to be playing as well as any other left winger in New Zealand.</p>
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<p>If it was, Ardie wouldn't be in the squad.</p>
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<p>Fuck me, can you even leave the house these days? You'll be seeing potential terrorists every 5 metres. ;)</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Nepia" data-cid="599736" data-time="1469334176">
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<p>Fuck me, can you even leave the house these days? You'll be seeing potential terrorists every 5 metres. ;)</p>
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<p>I bet there's a few posters who will breath easier once they deport that muslim scoundrel Sonny Bill Williams, and not a moment too soon</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Rancid Schnitzel" data-cid="598153" data-time="1468922864">
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<p>I suspect the issue most people had with Jane was that he was neither a massive Islander nor a speed merchant a la Howlett. Could also be that many hadn't seen him play regularly for the Canes. Lowe is a decent enough player, but is he really comparable to Jane? Jane did some pretty amazing shit for the Canes.</p>
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<p>For some reason the Hurricanes has long been a favorite team of mine and I have been delighted over and over again watching the skill and guile of Corey Jane and Conrad Smith sneak under the radar. <em>(The Hurricanes did have an annoying habit of losing the first game in every season when I had the rent money, the childrens' school fees and the car repayments riding on them. Year after year! Grrrr.)</em></p>
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<p>Jane held his spot in competition with the likes of big guns Sivi and Joe and Hosea Gear and Toeava. The fact that both of them continued to be selected is a testament to the wisdom of the triumvirate in valuing blokes who make things possible for the boom performers. I used reckon they saw what I saw - one must select Ma'a Nonu and Conrad together or not at all.</p>
