So the ABs finished the game with the following forwards :

Karl Tu'inukuafe Liam Coltman Ofa T Scott Barrett Jackson Hemopo Shannon Frizell Matt Todd Luke Whitelock

Who could have guessed that at the beginning of the season ?

People in this forum are great fans of Richie Mounga. He's had a mare : missed an easy tackle on Daly who is not the quickest fullback nor the strongest one (this led to England's first try), then could not handle the English rush defence. Let's hope he'll learn from this very disappointing performance. The Bounga experiment was clearly a failure with BB's kicking from hand being an issue. Would DMac have done better ?

For me, Olo Brown is another certainty. He was the best tighthead prop in the world in the late nineties while Charlie Faumuina never was.

SA by 20. They are too strong, too fresh. I can't see them lose to Japan in a WC match. Oh wait ...

Is it the weakest AB squad since 2004 ? There is a lot of fringe players who do not seem to be of international calibre. Perry is struggling at SR level, Frizell is the third choice blindside flanker for the Highlanders, TTT, Mo'unga are largely untested, DMac has yet to have a good game at 1st Five, this season, Fifita has been very anonymous, Scott Barrett is lacking the necessary physique for an international lock while JTA has never propped at TH at the upper level. Moreover, L. Whitelock is just here to fill a gap in Read's absence, NMS does not have the pace of an international wing and Harris is a journeyman as is Ofa T. If the RWC was to be played toimorrow, I doubt this team could make the final.

@kiwimurph said in Let's talk about six, baby:

Evans and Hemopo are other names you could throw in the mix.

Be interesting who gets the 6 shirt against Italy.

I would add Seu as well. It's a shame he was injured this year and so missed most of the SR season. I found him outstanding during the last stages of the Mitre 10 Cup.

I have nothing against Tomkinson but I can't imagine he is the best non capped 2nd Five in the country ! Faiane, Nankivell or Walden are better options IMO.

The "BB can't control a game" is rather ridiculous when the AB win the RC with a bonus point for 4 tries in each game (in fact, they scored an average of 6 tries per game) and with record margins. If you call "control of the game" kicking into the corners in order to apply pressure on the opponents, then BB does not know how to control a game. He just tears the defences to create and score tries which put the AB beyond reach of the opposition. Instead of winning by a 5-10 point margin, the AB, with his "no control", win with an average 25-30 point margin. I reckon he did not play his usual best last Saturday but that was his sole under par performance of the year. This criticism is beyond me.

I'd like to see a Crotty - Goodhue midfield combo at the EOYT or against the Wallabies in Brisbane. Goodhue is the most Conradsmithuesque centre in NZ IMO.

@rapido said in 2018 Rugby Championship:

Can't even blame an exodus of talent. Only Vito I would class as a definite test class 8/6. Even that was only on his form the last year in NZ after flattering to deceive for much of hist test career.

Luatua ?

No Will Jordan but no Leicester Fainganu'uku either. The latter brings something that Bridge doesn't : beating defenders at will.

The 13 jersey should be for Goodhue or Rieko Ioane. I know the latter is considered by many as a left wing but his last performances there in black were disappointing. He seems to have lost his former speed. Moreover, with Clarke and Telea (formerly a left wing with NH and the Blues) in outstanding form, there are exciting options for the 11 jersey. And I did not even mentioned Fainganu'uku nor Alaimalo.

Openside flanker is probably the position which is the richest in NZ : Cane, Savea, Papali'i, Hunt, Gibson, Kirifi, Christie and even Jacobson according to Bones.

@Bones said in Highlanders v Crusaders:

@Old-Samurai-Jack yeah I really liked him on the wing last year and I think Goodhue is an ok 12, but an excellent centre.

Still no IWL. Is he injured ?

@sparky How could he hit many rucks since he was the main ball carrier up front ?

I feel sorry for Gilbert who did better than expected on the right wing : not bad against the Chiefs and very good against the Blues before his injury.

@Bovidae said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:

@junior said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:

If Ben Smith is the benchmark, then Jordan has plenty of time to develop into that player. There's no need to rush him in at this stage when there are plenty of other options.

That being said, they could start him on the right wing in the same way they did with Israel Dagg (and Ben Smith for that matter).

Jordan is an outstanding young talent but I would like to see more of him under pressure to see how he copes. So far he's had a good run in dominant teams (Tasman, Crusaders).

While playing him on the wing does make sense I am reminded of the Waikato-Tasman game last year when Jordan was badly exposed twice on defence playing on the right wing leading to tries.

He is a far better full back than right wing IMO. He looks lost in defense there.

Ah Kuoi was the best lock on the paddock. His workrate is impressive and he is quite dynamic in the loose. Not a bad LO jumper either.

I liked what I saw from Slater against the Crusaders last Sunday. His throwing was rather good (with one notable exception), he has a good workrate and he looks big for a hooker. At just 21, he is one to watch closely.