Blindside
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None of the current incumbents (Frizell, Ioan, S. Barrett) have really delivered.
What are the other options :
Blackadder and Grace spring to my mind. They should be back from injury and could bring the physicality and mongrel needed at the highest level.
Among the uncapped players, I like the look of Ah Kuoi and Finau. Suafua was very good for the Maoris against Ireland. MMT is more an 8 than a 6 but his ball carrying is one of the best in NZ. Tom Robinson is made of glass and I fear SR is his ceiling.
I don't know what to think of Luke Jacobson. Is he an 8 who can cover 6 and 7 ?
Your opinions ? -
None of the current incumbents (Frizell, Ioan, S. Barrett) have really delivered.
What are the other options :
Blackadder and Grace spring to my mind. They should be back from injury and could bring the physicality and mongrel needed at the highest level.
Among the uncapped players, I like the look of Ah Kuoi and Finau. Suafua was very good for the Maoris against Ireland. MMT is more an 8 than a 6 but his ball carrying is one of the best in NZ. Tom Robinson is made of glass and I fear SR is his ceiling.
I don't know what to think of Luke Jacobson. Is he an 8 who can cover 6 and 7 ?
Your opinions ?Ethan is a dead cert to be in there somewhere.
Plenty of Mongrel and workrate.
Think he could be moulded into a super super player.
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@cgrant none of the uncapped players are playing or doing anything that have them above the guys in the squad or recent debutantes (ie PGS).
Stick with what we have and keep improving.
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Lakai and Finau are two names for the future.
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Lakai
A 19 year old is not going to be playing at the WC next year. Especially based off the NPC. Pure fantasy.
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Fi-fucking-nau
At least he would put samu or valentines day on their ass
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Also, putting it here as my hot take
Barring injury, A Ioane won't make the next RWC squad
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@mariner4life He came off the bench against the Brumbies in Hamilton and did ... precisely nothing. The Brumbies fucking flogged them and Finau did nothing to stop that.
The Chiefs were beaten 25 to nil in Hamilton this year by the Blues. This is more fantasy shit. All the Blues loose forwards were completely dominant in that game.
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@ACT-Crusader This is the only post in this thread remotely connected to reality.
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@mariner4life He came off the bench against the Brumbies in Hamilton and did ... precisely nothing. The Brumbies fucking flogged them and Finau did nothing to stop that.
The Chiefs were beaten 25 to nil in Hamilton this year by the Blues. This is more fantasy shit. All the Blues loose forwards were completely dominant in that game.
Proven failures at test level all.
"Oh this guy had a down game this one time, obviously shit"
"But if he normally wears blue really it's some other players fault he was anonymous all over again"
The delusion North of the bombays is getting out of hand
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@mariner4life Who are these proven failures? Papalii who was excellent all of last year, and despite being used sparingly had a good game this week. Sotutu? Excellent this week off zero code in the last two and a half months.
You have got to try harder, get more nuanced. I can tell your heart isn't in this.
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@mariner4life Who are these proven failures? Papalii who was excellent all of last year, and despite being used sparingly had a good game this week. Sotutu? Excellent this week off zero code in the last two and a half months.
You have got to try harder, get more nuanced. I can tell your heart isn't in this.
Those two blokes dominated by their opposites this weekend? Those guys?
I've already burned my "cane doesn't do much" card because Dalton redefined it on Thursday
#owned
Fuck I hope Grace and Blackadder live up to early promise
Nah that's not fair, if hoskins can find a shoulder he looks super useful
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Blackadder is just McCaw lite, he's a busy fucker sure, but I really don't see the hype on him at 6. He's a great option at 7, goes ok at 6 in SR tho, so probably decent cover off the bench.
Jacobson used to have one of the best shoulders in SR, but I haven't seen it reappear after all his injuries, so he's just another lightweight 6/8.
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Blackadder is just McCaw lite, he's a busy fucker sure, but I really don't see the hype on him at 6. He's a great option at 7, goes ok at 6 in SR tho, so probably decent cover off the bench.
Jacobson used to have one of the best shoulders in SR, but I haven't seen it reappear after all his injuries, so he's just another lightweight 6/8.
McCaw lite is close to first on the team sheet for most other countries
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@MiketheSnow said in Blindside:
Blackadder is just McCaw lite, he's a busy fucker sure, but I really don't see the hype on him at 6. He's a great option at 7, goes ok at 6 in SR tho, so probably decent cover off the bench.
Jacobson used to have one of the best shoulders in SR, but I haven't seen it reappear after all his injuries, so he's just another lightweight 6/8.
McCaw lite is close to first on the team sheet for most other countries
At openside.
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@Bones I thought - according to Ireland anyway - that Cane was McCaw-lite?
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@ACT-Crusader said in Blindside:
@cgrant none of the uncapped players are playing or doing anything that have them above the guys in the squad or recent debutantes (ie PGS).
Stick with what we have and keep improving.
I disagree, PGS was so average by the end of Super rugby that Grace and MMT (looking at our two provinces) were playing better than him.
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@Nepia And MMT is continuing his excellent form in NPC (at 6). He should definitely be seriously considered.
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Blackadder is just McCaw lite, he's a busy fucker sure, but I really don't see the hype on him at 6. He's a great option at 7, goes ok at 6 in SR tho, so probably decent cover off the bench.
Jacobson used to have one of the best shoulders in SR, but I haven't seen it reappear after all his injuries, so he's just another lightweight 6/8.
Which is certainly better than being “Todd Blackadder light” I guess since his Dad had limitations as a player.
Of course you can’t point this out in Canterbury because they hold Todd in the same esteem that lots of ferners do with regards to Akira Ioane.
But anyhoo, whoever they pick is a massive step down from Kaino/McCaw/Read. No two ways about it.
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@mariner4life said in Blindside:
Also, putting it here as my hot take
Barring injury, A Ioane won't make the next RWC squad
Right now it's going to be tight for him.
Squad size says they'll most likely take 5 loosies, though they may make room for 6.
Cane and Ardie are locked in.
Frizell at present has the inside track at 6, which SBarrett can provide cover.
Leaves two spots. Fozzie likes Blackadder and he's a good utility for the bench - though he's far from locked in.
Could be the three Auckland boys fighting for the final spot with more need for another specialist 7 or 8 than a 6.
I'm inclined to think only one of Ioane or Frizell goes.
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@Stargazer said in Blindside:
@Nepia And MMT is continuing his excellent form in NPC (at 6). He should definitely be seriously considered.
He is a more physical loosie than Sotutu I think? Worth considering.
I do like Sotutu and I do think some are a little too critical considering he has only been playing NPC(?) but he has admitted his defending is a work on. Send him on the end of year tour please! -
There's a lot of options at blindside without anyone really standing out from the crowd.
I would like to see more of MMT and Suafoa at 6 but Frizell at the Highlanders and Ioane/Robinson at the Blues means that is unlikely.
Is Grace going to get game time at 6 with Matera gone? Probably not with Blackadder coming back.
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@KiwiMurph said in Blindside:
Is Grace going to get game time at 6 with Matera gone? Probably not with Blackadder coming back.
I thought he underwhelmed at 8 until the latter part of this season. It's like the penny dropped for him. It's almost at the stage where I am now wondering which is his best position. Hopefully he gains a wee bit more weight because I am not sure he would win a hell of a lot of collisions at test level the way he is now.
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@Stargazer said in Blindside:
MMT is continuing his excellent form in NPC
Good to hear, because I've only watched yesterday's game from HB and I didn't even know he was on the field until they did a close up on him at the scrum towards the end of the match.
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@Crazy-Horse said in Blindside:
@KiwiMurph said in Blindside:
Is Grace going to get game time at 6 with Matera gone? Probably not with Blackadder coming back.
I thought he underwhelmed at 8 until the latter part of this season. It's like the penny dropped for him. It's almost at the stage where I am now wondering which is his best position. Hopefully he gains a wee bit more weight because I am not sure he would win a hell of a lot of collisions at test level the way he is now.
What does Grace bring to the table exactly ? I’ll freely admit to not watching much Super Rugby so I’m not exactly sure but he seems to be talked up as a pretty special player…..or is that only in comparison to the incumbent ABs some of whom haven’t set the world on fire.
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@MN5 throws himself about like a psycho, like good Read used to do.
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Caleb Delany has been fantastic for Wellington this year. I’d also like to see Cullen Grace at 6 at some point.
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@nostrildamus said in Blindside:
@Canes4life said in Blindside:
Caleb Delany
a 1.98m Wellington lock? That doesn't seem right...
same height as Ardie (in the stats book)
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Blackadder is just McCaw lite, he's a busy fucker sure, but I really don't see the hype on him at 6. He's a great option at 7, goes ok at 6 in SR tho, so probably decent cover off the bench.
Jacobson used to have one of the best shoulders in SR, but I haven't seen it reappear after all his injuries, so he's just another lightweight 6/8.
Which is certainly better than being “Todd Blackadder light” I guess since his Dad had limitations as a player.
Of course you can’t point this out in Canterbury because they hold Todd in the same esteem that lots of ferners do with regards to Akira Ioane.
But anyhoo, whoever they pick is a massive step down from Kaino/McCaw/Read. No two ways about it.
Read after 2013 was a massive step down from the other two. Should've retired in 2015.
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@nostrildamus said in Blindside:
@Canes4life said in Blindside:
Caleb Delany
a 1.98m Wellington lock? That doesn't seem right...
same height as Ardie (in the stats book)
I've found heights from 1.9 1.94 1.95 and 1.98
Lions and Canes say 1.94 so I suspect that is most accurate..https://www.wellingtonlions.co.nz/squad/caleb-delany
1 cm less than Brad Thorne height.. -
@nostrildamus Delany definitely suits 6 rather than lock from what I’ve seen of him. He’s very good in the lineout, he's sound defensively and he carries hard.
He’s not a flashy 6 but he’s the type of 6 the All Blacks should be looking at going forward.
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Oliver Haig will have a bright future I think
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E Blackadder for me is the guy that should be our 6.
Brusing defender & good over the ball.
Not sure who as backup tho
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@nostrildamus said in Blindside:
@Canes4life said in Blindside:
Caleb Delany
a 1.98m Wellington lock? That doesn't seem right...
Wonder if he can play 12?
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Blackadder is just McCaw lite, he's a busy fucker sure, but I really don't see the hype on him at 6. He's a great option at 7, goes ok at 6 in SR tho, so probably decent cover off the bench.
Jacobson used to have one of the best shoulders in SR, but I haven't seen it reappear after all his injuries, so he's just another lightweight 6/8.
Which is certainly better than being “Todd Blackadder light” I guess since his Dad had limitations as a player.
Of course you can’t point this out in Canterbury because they hold Todd in the same esteem that lots of ferners do with regards to Akira Ioane.
But anyhoo, whoever they pick is a massive step down from Kaino/McCaw/Read. No two ways about it.
Read after 2013 was a massive step down from the other two. Should've retired in 2015.
Eh? He was one of our best in 2014 and 2015. In 2016 he was still very solid. 2017 a bit up and down. He was playing a bit better in 2018. Captaincy and output wasn’t great in 2019.
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Thinking about if Blackadder was to be the 6, a trio of him, Cane and Ardie is quite "small", so I can then start to see the benefit of someone like PSG at 8 or Akira moving again. But then it's Ardie to the bench - so better off just having Blackadder on the bench.
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@ACT-Crusader said in Blindside:
Blackadder is just McCaw lite, he's a busy fucker sure, but I really don't see the hype on him at 6. He's a great option at 7, goes ok at 6 in SR tho, so probably decent cover off the bench.
Jacobson used to have one of the best shoulders in SR, but I haven't seen it reappear after all his injuries, so he's just another lightweight 6/8.
Which is certainly better than being “Todd Blackadder light” I guess since his Dad had limitations as a player.
Of course you can’t point this out in Canterbury because they hold Todd in the same esteem that lots of ferners do with regards to Akira Ioane.
But anyhoo, whoever they pick is a massive step down from Kaino/McCaw/Read. No two ways about it.
Read after 2013 was a massive step down from the other two. Should've retired in 2015.
Eh? He was one of our best in 2014 and 2015. In 2016 he was still very solid. 2017 a bit up and down. He was playing a bit better in 2018. Captaincy and output wasn’t great in 2019.
I feel like Whitelock should've been given the captaincy after McCaw, and more investment in Luatua alongside Read, which would've paid dividends now as he'd be the senior loose forward with Cane and potentially have 100+ caps.
Under Read's tenure we lost to Ireland, lost to the Lions (yes, a draw at home is a loss..), rolled over to England in the RWC semi. I'll never forget how his interview was a weird mixture of relieved and happy after Ireland "finally" beat us in Chicago.
