Reshuffling the All Blacks backline

MN5

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="No Quarter" data-cid="567996" data-time="1459210134">
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I love the insightful analysis you provide on a regular basis MN5.
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I haven't watched much Super Rugby <strike>this</strike> any year so can't offer a great deal. Standard.
 
Is Ngatai a bit of a Kahui type player ie hard runner and tackler with a bit of a footballing brain to boot ? haven't seen much of him.

Milk

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MN5" data-cid="568005" data-time="1459211272">
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Is Ngatai a bit of a Kahui type player ie hard runner and tackler with a bit of a footballing brain to boot ? haven't seen much of him.
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Well, for what it's worth, Rennie on the radio this morning said he runs their attack.

Cantab79

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Chris B." data-cid="568004" data-time="1459211086">
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Nor me really, but pickings are a bit slim. As a Ta$man fan, James Lowe still seems a bit green for my liking - a bit suspect in his decision-making, though maybe playing for the Chiefs and Ta$man he's been encouraged to have a go. Who else? Proctor? FABJM? Sam McNicol? Tevita Li?
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Of those you mentioned, Li and Lowe would be my preference. Li is obviously an excitement machine with ball in hand, and Lowe has the best kicking game of any winger in NZ.

Hooroo

Is this the same Lowe that plays wing for the Chiefs? I think he is fairly weak in the contact. Seems to constantly lose possession

SammyC

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Cantab79" data-cid="568009" data-time="1459211618">
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Of those you mentioned, Li and Lowe would be my preference. Li is obviously an excitement machine with ball in hand, and Lowe has the best kicking game of any winger in NZ.
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I think at present, Osborne is superior to both of those guys.
 
Lowe has some good games, but also some shockers (Dunedin last year) 
 
As far as I can see, Li has only one positive attribute - Pace.

taniwharugby

hopefully this is Li's breakout year at big boy level...he has shown glimpses at ITM and Super rugby after being an age grade star.

Crucial

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="SammyC" data-cid="568011" data-time="1459212110">
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I think at present, Osborne is superior to both of those guys.
 
Lowe has some good games, but also some shockers (Dunedin last year) 
 
As far as I can see, Li has only one positive attribute - Pace.
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Agree with the last comment.
 
He can develop further but he isn't offering an all round game at the moment.

mariner4life

where's the cliche thread? Because one of my favourites has always been "you can't coach pace".
 
Be nice to have some mad wheels in the team again. Have we had any since Joey Roks and Dougie were our boys?
 
 
Just to be that guy, i don't think Barrett is a great starting fullback either. I like him as the impact player he has become, but i find his positional play and all-round fullback skills to be a bit south of what you expect from an AB 15.

Siam

Nobody notice the link between Dagg and Savea's form <strike>dropping off</strike> turning to shit?
 
Same happened when DC got injured all the time...
 
Once again McCaw shows the way.....
 
DON'T GET FUCKING MARRIED!!!! :mad1:

MN5

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="mariner4life" data-cid="568025" data-time="1459213585">
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where's the cliche thread? Because one of my favourites has always been "you can't coach pace".
 
Be nice to have some mad wheels in the team again. Have we had any since Joey Roks and Dougie were our boys?
 
 
Just to be that guy, i don't think Barrett is a great starting fullback either. I like him as the impact player he has become, but i find his positional play and all-round fullback skills to be a bit south of what you expect from an AB 15. 
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It's a dumb clichÃ© because pace can be coached, well, trained is a better word.
 
But good point none of Savea, Kahui, Jane, Dagg, Smith etc strike me as having the kind of pace of those guys mentioned above. I think H Gear did in his brief career, Naholo probably does but is it racist for me to think that just because he is Fijian ?

ACT Crusader

9. A. Smith
10. L. Sopoaga
11. G. Moala
12. M. Fekitoa
13. R. Crotty
14. B. Smith
15. B. Barrett
 
21. T. Kerr-Barlow
22. A. Cruden
23. C. Ngatai

mariner4life

sickening bias

Crucial

I think we are likely to see this..
 
9. A. Smith 
10. A. Cruden 
11. J Savea 
12. C. Ngatai 
13. M. Fekitoa 
14. W. Naholo 
15. B. Smith 
21. T. Kerr-Barlow 
22. R. Crotty 
23. B. Barrett
 
With extra squad members
 
L. Sopoaga
D. McKenzie
G Moala
TJP

Siam

So we're going to move the best Fullback in the world from the team pattern of the best team in the world because?
 
Oh yeah because we don't have another winger in all of NZ
 
strewth
 
Should we just bring back Caleb Ralph then
 
Rather an underdone wing than an underdone fullback

Siam

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Crucial" data-cid="568035" data-time="1459216209">
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I think we are likely to see this..
 
9. A. Smith 
10. A. Cruden 
11. J Savea 
12. C. Ngatai 
13. M. Fekitoa 
14. W. Naholo 
15. B. Smith 
21. T. Kerr-Barlow 
22. R. Crotty 
23. B. Barrett
 
With extra squad members
 
L. Sopoaga
D. McKenzie
G Moala
TJP
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Yeah maybe swap Crotty for Charlie because the Zoo seem to place a lot of emphasis on experience and leadership.
 
Crotty has been in the AB environment a fair bit and another "experienced" voice in the backline would be a sound move.
 
Especially for the first test where we have had a habit of playing very much under par

ACT Crusader

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Siam" data-cid="568037" data-time="1459216506">
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So we're going to move the best Fullback in the world from the team pattern of the best team in the world because?
 
Oh yeah because we don't have another winger in all of NZ
 
strewth
 
Should we just bring back Caleb Ralph then
 
Rather an underdone wing than an underdone fullback
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The ABs have basically been doing that for the last 12-18 months....

mariner4life

obvious troll is obvious
 
 
This "Crotty has more leadership" is some fucking bullshit you racist fucks. It's pretty clear from watching the Chiefs Ngatai has a huge say in how their game plays, and is often the one settling it down when a few of our more excitable players take it too far. While i expect Crotty to also be in the, i don't see him taking in too much more collateral than Ngatai given their last 18 months of rugby.

Siam

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="ACT Crusader" data-cid="568039" data-time="1459216909">
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The ABs have basically been doing that for the last 12-18 months....
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No they haven't
 
Ben Smith has been the starting 15. Sure tactical changes later in the game have been applied but not to the 1stXV

Siam

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="mariner4life" data-cid="568041" data-time="1459217130">
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obvious troll is obvious
 
 
This "Crotty has more leadership" is some fucking bullshit you racist fucks. It's pretty clear from watching the Chiefs Ngatai has a huge say in how their game plays, and is often the one settling it down when a few of our more excitable players take it too far. While i expect Crotty to also be in the, i don't see him taking in too much more collateral than Ngatai given their last 18 months of rugby. 
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Fair enough but Crotty has far more AB experience than Ngatai- it's not unreasonable to assume that this could be a deciding factor when selecting the run on team for the first game of a season

leytonandamanda

I'm going to throw Macilai 's name into the hat. I think he has looked very good so far this season 
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The Silver Fern

Reshuffling the All Blacks backline