NZ Form Team - Round Two
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Nz team of the week. After watching all but hurricanes game some good play. For me highlighted by established ABs playing well.
15 BFA- solid display
14 Naholo
13 Goodhue
12 Leinert-brown. Actually thought he stood out for chiefs.
11 Reiko
10 Mounga
9 Smith
8 Akira
7 Cane
6 Squire
5 Whitelock
4 Retallick
3 Aalatoa
2 Taylor
1 DLBAs said without seeing hurricanes. But a few Cld swap rnd with others
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Didnt ALB play 13?
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The Canes best were probably TJP and Laumape.
Smith still gets in ahead of TJP as he was instrumental for the Landers in the 2nd 40.
Laumape was very strong with ball in hand but it wasn't a really stand out performance, more a good game compared to some of the dross served up around him.
So I don't think any Canes make that team this week.
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I would have named Hodgman instead of DLB at LHP.
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Thought Laulala was good at tight head. Didn't put himself up for a potential red card either.
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Nigel Yalden's NZ team of the week:
Sanzar rugby site has an overall team of the week. Seems a bit light on NZers
https://sanzarrugby.com/superrugby/news/super-rugby-week-2-team-of-the-week/
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@duluth all those sunwolves and no Crusaders...apparently those teams are compiled on some complex algorithm.
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I'm fairly certain that Super Rugby Team of the Week is based purely on statistics so very similar to a Fantasy Rugby team.
For example, a halfback like Pulu is typically going to score higher than Aaron Smith because he generally runs more and tackles more - even though Aaron Smith outplayed him in round 1 - accuracy/quality of passing isn't a stat that is as easily measured as run metres/tackles broken.
Long story short - I wouldn't read too much into that team from a form point of view.
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Thought Duffie was pretty handy on Friday, Thompson at centre as well (but no reall drama with Goodhue). ALB didn't play 12 at all, so shouldn't get picked there.
Ofa T getting not much love but i thought he was really good on friday (that horrible knock-on in a dangerous position aside). He created one try by getting his side of the scrum right up. Good in the loose as well. He gets absolutely no love on here, at all. Even from the Blues guys.
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Ofa T gets plenty of love from me at AB level, I've never seen him have a bad test. But I don't really watch the Blues.
So as an outsider looking in I'd guess he has suffered from creating an early bad impression at SR level, issues when he plays Loosehead, and probably a hunch that he's suffered a bit from having a custard-scrummaging Blues golden boy packing behind him.
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I'll put my hand up and admit to hating on Ofa based on his early loosehead days playing in a miserably under performing Blues team.
Seems Cron might know a thing or two given how long he's been a project.
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@mariner4life Haha very true.
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I'm surprised to see Retallick in the OP's list - he's a great player but was rusty as hell in his first outing for months. I'm sure he'll be smashing it come the business end of the season but he was off the pace, and a little ill disciplined last round.
