All Blacks 2023
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@Steven-Harris Tighthead. Had a great day in the scrum last time Chiefs played Crusaders.
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@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2023:
Good point, but I think we should have settled on a decent 6 (poss. 2 depending on game type) who form an effective unit with 7/8 by now.
Seems we've had almost 2 RWC cycles since we've had any semblance of a settled trio.
Beauden Barrett , Sam Cane ans Ardie Savea have for better or for worse upset the balance of the team post 2019. In the backs and forwards alike.
Accommodating Barrett at 10/15 has stymied Mo'ungas development by not giving him "the keys", seen Jordie shifted around and had other fullbacks overlooked.
Similarly, giving Cane the armband rendered him undroppable while the "best player in the world" over that period, in Savea, should have really been wearing his shirt with an-other at 6 and 8 respectively.
The team will look far more balanced when the 3 of them are gone....of that I am sure.
Whether the team will improve is another question altogether.
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@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2023:
@Tim We need some more new faces at prop. If Laulala can't perform in a SF he isn't going to do anything for the ABs. Jager might be a name we hear on Sunday night.
Williams was on TH tonight right? He's doing a damn good job of showing he covers both sides more than adequately. He definitely shouldn't miss out, but I won't be surprised if he does.
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Funny thing is the scoreline actually flattered the Blues quite a bit... Razor just subbing key players off and then opting to play the remainder with 14 men, the cheek of this man.
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If the starting ABs XV didn't have a single Blue in the team i'm not sure i'd argue.
Rieko will make it of course but there's an argument against it - he has poor hands, can't kick and at times is defensively all at sea. Admittedly he plays better for ABs than Blues and but it really worries me having a 13 with such poor hands.
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@kiwi_expat How many minutes were they playing with 14?
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@kiwi_expat said in All Blacks 2023:
Funny thing is the scoreline actually flattered the Blues quite a bit... Razor choosing to sub his top players off & then opting to play the remainder with 14 men, the goddamn cheek of this man.
Another silver lining - Razor clearly knows how Leon coaches inside out.
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@Tim said in All Blacks 2023:
@Bovidae I assume there will be six props in the 36 man squad, five in the 33 man WC squad.
I'll be very surprised if they don't pick six props in both. Enabling teams to pick three specialists on each side was a primary rationale for expanding squads this time.
I reckon Tamaiti will make the team. Olly Jager a possibility after tonight - he was sort of in the bubble (my one anyway).
I think de Groot, Ross, Williams
Lomax, Tu'ungafasi +1With the expectation that Moody will take a loosehead spot for RWC and Newell might be in the picture at tighthead, but quite possibly Tamaiti will switch sides and take that place if he goes well in the RC.
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@SBW1 said in All Blacks 2023:
@kiwi_expat How many minutes were they playing with 14?
Sione Havili Talitui left the field in the 79th minute. The game ended in the 84th.
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@Bones said in All Blacks 2023:
@Chris-B I wish they'd take a punt on Ainsley while Moody is out, see if he can handle test rugby still. He's playing great.
I'm a bit underdone in my rugby watching this year - especially of the Highlanders, so I'm the wrong person to comment on him. I've noticed him mentioned in dispatches here.
They know what Laulala brings so not much to lose in trying Ainsley or Jager. If whomever doesn't work out they can slot Moody into the looseheads and pick any of Williams, Newell or Laulala at TH for the Cup.
