Foster's Firsts.
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I've never been a supporter of Fosters and reckon the AB's lost the plot after Lions 1 in 2017 but a lot of the firsts are a reflection on the available players and the comparative strengths of the opposition.
Making it all about us is a continuation of the arrogance that got us into this mess. We used to be fitter and more skilful than our opponents but no longer are. That's not just down to Foster.
I also don't think Razor is going to be the messiah next year. He'll have the same forwards coach and many of the same players who have now been owned in two successive matches. Hopefully we will have a plan B and won't simply revery to brainless kicking but it's a long way back to the top of world rugby and it's not all about the coach's (in)abilities. Serious structural and competitive concerns too.
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The one hope I do have in regards to Razor and the culture/mindset change he can bring is that the Crusaders whilst not being an unbeatable team have always displayed a remarkable ability to get up for the big games.
Case in point being this year when they lost to the Dura and the Chiefs (twice) but still got up for the big dance.
If he can bring that to the AB's it's a big step forward. -
Super rugby encourages flowing attacking all action expansive rugby from the Kiwi sides. Which in turn leads to commparatively small forwards who get blown away in the collisions by the bigger packs - almost all of whom can compete with us at the skill level too.
If we can play a continuity game we can hang in there and blow teams away in the 4th quarter. This is what we always used to do but a combination of teams successfully employing the dark arts to slow the game down and having greater depth (than us) so they can run on a practically new pack without any drop in quality has screwed this game plan.
Our lack of Plan B is down to the uniformity of our playing options. Same only not as good.
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@dogmeat 16. Samisoni Taukei’aho (25)
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Ofa Tu’ungafasi (53)
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Fletcher Newell (8)
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Tupou Vaa’i (22)
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Luke Jacobson (15)
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Finlay Christie (17)
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David Havili (25)
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Leicester Fainga’anuku (3)
Bench vs France: hardly screams run them off their feet in the final 15 minutes. Too much a bob each way selecting. If that is genuinely the plan, then it should be something like Roigard, Taylor or Coles, Leicester, Tamaiti, McKenzie etc.
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@dogmeat said in Foster's Firsts.:
I also don't think Razor is going to be the messiah next year.
He doesn't need to be the messiah, he just needs to not be a naughty naughty
boycoach. -
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@sparky ordinarily I'd say you can't attribute that to the coaching, but there is certainly some issues with our discipline which does come back to coaching
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@taniwharugby said in Foster's Firsts.:
@sparky ordinarily I'd say you can't attribute that to the coaching, but there is certainly some issues with our discipline which does come back to coaching
If it’s the coaching things may not get better next year. The Saders get pinged a hell of a lot.
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@Crazy-Horse but they didn't get alot of cards do they, and usually a bit more calculated?
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@taniwharugby said in Foster's Firsts.:
@Crazy-Horse but they didn't get alot of cards do they, and usually a bit more calculated?
I haven't see any stats but it seems to me they got carded a fair bit too. Or maybe it seemed that way to me because I support them.
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@Crazy-Horse I know there is always lenty of chat in match threads about how.much they get away with or deserve cards....
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@taniwharugby said in Foster's Firsts.:
@Crazy-Horse I know there is always lenty of chat in match threads about how.much they get away with or deserve cards....
Yeah but I think on here the Saders would be called evil
cheats for helping old ladies across the road. -
Penalties not too bad, YCs they ranked 8th this year. 1st (meaning fewest YCs) was the Chiefs
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