I think if you look at the whole picture it’s clear to me that the selections of not just the wings but the whole team is about trying to capitalize on our points of difference relative to other teams. The easy conservative selections against Springboks would to choose defensively and match them. Choose Owen Franks, choose a big 6, choose Bender at fullback and Jordie on one wing to counter their kicking. Instead Hansen chooses to capitalize on our points of differences areas that we don’t just match the opposition but where they will struggle to beat us. Props who can handle, an electric back row, form wings who can finish, an irrepressible full back. I salute Hansen for making the aggressive selections and I think he was leaning that way on the wings in 2015 with NMS and Naholo, but Naholo disappointed in pool stages.

So far it just seems to be a masterclass from Hansen and his coaches, Despite my complaints about leaving J. Ioane at home and B Smith out of the 23, the selections have been outstanding so far. The balance of experience and youth has been perfect, even if it would have been easier to go the conservative route Hansen has been aggressive and it’s paid off. The young Crusaders in the backs have repaid Hansen’s faith enormously. Also amazing is tactically the ABs seem to be adjusting to the rush defenses and defensively they also seem to be going lower in the tackle. Was always confident ABs would win by more than a try but the possibility of a hiding was material and that’s what we got. Bring on England.

@cgrant said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

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 ?

I hate the loss but I hate these kind of posts after the loss even worse. No complaints about Bounga after Wallabies, South Africa or Ireland , now its a failure? Nothing to suggest any other available combo would have done better. Really did not think Ritchie was the problem.

@sdrggyy said in Worst All Black RWC exits:

2019 we lost solely because of own our fault - no external factors involved.

I think England were an external factor, honestly don't think there was much between ABs, Boks and England, on any given day any of the three teams could have won imho. England caught us flat, Boks caught England flat.

Good news is the growth of Laulala, Hames, Taylor and Tuingafasi in the front row is awesome at least it should be Crockett’s last year.

I think people putting far too much weight into that England game, we were flat as England were against SA. Our “small” team was certainly big enough when we played the Boks and I would say our back row and midfield came out on top. ALB/Laumape/Goodhue/Ennor all have the physical/skill requirements to excel at Test level. My one question would be our line speed in defence, we have not been that consistent as to whether we push really hard or hold back a little even though results have tended to be good if not a little mixed. I think Savea cannot be left out f starting XV and Cane if fit has to have a place which definitely leaves room for one big unit in Reads abscence and though all contenders have all been a little dissaponting you hope someone puts their hand up this season. In the second row Tuipolotu can solidify his spot and Barrett minus silly penalties plays above his size.

I still think the NH are really missing the things and areas that make the ABs so good. They went into this game pretty much ignoring the ABs mid year form and considering a fatigued EOYT. Games 2,3,4 of the year are generally the ABs at their best and unlike what Gatland said the step up from Super rugby is wide. I also think if the pundits are lauding the Lions for their ball in hand game they will play right into the ABs hands, its the kind of game the ABs want the lions to play and there is no ways that they will have the players to back it up over 160 minutes. In my opinion they missed the try scoring chances simply because they do not have the skills to execute consistently under pressure. I cannot imagine the Lions finishing any of the AB try scoring chances but I can imagine the ABs converting all of the Lions chances.

I wish I could remember the name of the poster who called me arrogant and delusional for saying any fringe AB back row forward could walk into a test rugby team. He claimed Luke Whitelock could not replace Robshaw or play in England 2nd row and here Brad Shields has done both! Still think it is a bad decision not to wait for him to step onto English soil, it just sends a bad message.

Will be interesting to see the adjustments that both teams make, I do have the sense that the English outside backs are more settled but England really need parity upfront to have a chance. Totally underwhelmed by Itoje and have been for a while.

@canefan said in RWC: England v New Zealand (SF1):

@Bones it remains to be seen if he is correct. I suspect the ABs have quietly undergone a revolution in terms of how they play the game, and these so called experts like Barnes and O'Sullivan have not yet fully cottoned on. Our boys are the only ones who can get in the way of an AB win. A lack of physicality or handling will allow England to feed off our mistakes. But I'm quietly confident that we will win comfortably and that we will run England off the park

Yes I am with. It’s interesting that someone like Barnes who has a secret Hard on for the ABs still does not get that Barrett was struggling at 10 despite the World Player of the year awards. It’s been clear as day to us that Mounga is better in that role and Barrett relishes the space at the back. The Irish pundits did not get it at all but hilarious to see their post mortems now. It is a hard road that the ABs have to take to win this but like last game I feel good. The ABs having this much time together is more meaningful than any other team. They have form, fitness and chemistry on their side, they know exactly what’s coming , ABs by at least 10.

It’s the ABs every match counts, look forward to watching them frontup again.

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

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

I think every squad people post should be prefixed with either 'what I'd pick' versus 'what will be picked' often a big difference. We've got a coach who got in on a ‘continuity and experience’ ticket, I can see him picking a ‘continuity and experience’ team - recently the ABs coaches went for form rather than experience. Maybe that didn’t work so well at RWC in their minds. Expecially after many years of trusting experience did so well for them? So I think we will see very conservative selections, but I hope they are bold

There's absolutely no reason why in this of all years a "form over experience" approach shouldn't be tried for most positions. If you look at the guys currently playing well, they're all pretty young guys either at the beginning of the SR or AB careers and who are likely to be at their peaks in 2023. Now is the perfect opportunity to take a punt on some of these guys and set them on the path to be the incumbents for 2023.

This is the one problem with 2 year contracts, I am not sure incentives are aligned for this approach. I don't believe the priority for Foster will be to develop through 2023, his first priority is to win, especially given that he does not know how many chances he is going to get in the next two seasons. Not saying there will be no new caps this year just think he will pay a lot of attention to experience and combinations.

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

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

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

Who is the form 2nd 5/8 ? I would be tempted to say Nankivell or TJ Faiane but none of them is AB material IMO. So I guess the midfield combo should be ALB - Goodhue or ALB - Ioane.

I think Fozzie is looking to win right now, anyone expecting a form XV will be disappointed IMHO. I’m guessing ALB and Goodhue will be top of the list for first 2 or 3 tests.

He's got a 2 year contract with a lot to prove, winning this year (if there are any games) will mean nothing, too. Hell want a nailed down team for hopefully a proper/more extensive session next year

Agree to disagree, the fact it’s a 2year contract will make it all the more imperative to get it done now. He not screwing around with a new midfield or totally new back 3 for the Bledisloe, it would put him on the backfoot for rest of his contract, and its not like the incumbents are that old, I am guessing he is going to go the super conservative route.

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

Who is the form 2nd 5/8 ? I would be tempted to say Nankivell or TJ Faiane but none of them is AB material IMO. So I guess the midfield combo should be ALB - Goodhue or ALB - Ioane.

I think Fozzie is looking to win right now, anyone expecting a form XV will be disappointed IMHO. I’m guessing ALB and Goodhue will be top of the list for first 2 or 3 tests.

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

@ravens88 said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:

Second First Five

Waaaaait a miiinute....

He was excellent for the canes throughout the noughties.

Agree but he was special in that he seemed to peak for the ABs with his final year being perhaps his finest.

Re 2019 semi, for all the talk about mental toughness or selections if you tell me that Read, Whitelock and Rettallick were all going to have poor games I think I will tell you its really unlikely that the ABs could ever win. Don't think I could fault Hansen for choosing any of them. I still think he was right with the Mounga/ Barrett combo despite how hysterical some people were after the game. The only chance to recall Ben Smith to the starting line up was the SA game, but the young wingers came through again so it was next to impossible after that. I would have had him on the bench but watching Jordie's goal kicking this year I can see what he was thinking. Also I see what he was thinking choosing S. Barrett but in a way he lost a confidence in what was initially an unconventional decision to play Ardie at 6/8 with Cane.

@junior said in Worst All Black RWC exits:

@Nepia said in Worst All Black RWC exits:

@canefan said in Worst All Black RWC exits:

@taniwharugby said in Worst All Black RWC exits:

@Victor-Meldrew that was the bizaare thing, with the team selected we thought we must have had a game plan to utilise it, but we didnt. Instead playing to the plan that needed Cane out there.

I hope that wasn't Fozzie's master plan....

Considering Fozzie has named Cane as his captain I don't think leaving him on the bench features in his master plan.

That could just be a ruse to deflect all the blame onto Shag, though

I said the exact same thing in another thread!

@sdrggyy said in Worst All Black RWC exits:

2019 we lost solely because of own our fault - no external factors involved.

I think England were an external factor, honestly don't think there was much between ABs, Boks and England, on any given day any of the three teams could have won imho. England caught us flat, Boks caught England flat.

1 Moody
2 Coles
3 Ofa T
4 Whitelock
5 Tuipulotu
6 Frizell
7 Cane
8 Savea
9 A. Smith
10 Mo'unga
11. Bridge
12 ALB
13 Goodhue
14 Reece
15 B. Barrett
16 Taylor
17. Hodgman
18. Laulala
19. Parkinson
20. Sotutu
21. TJP
22. J.Barrett
23 R. Iaone

Not a whole lot different from World Cup, notable that Ardie must be in the side was tempted to have him at 7 and Cane at 6 but they can do that when Sotutu comes on. Mounga is the best 10 in NZ and then daylight. BB probably has to play himself out of the 15 jersey.

@Kiwiwomble said in Chiefs v Highlanders:

that is the weird thing about announcing a captain so early...set yourself up to look a bit silly if he has a bad season and some young bucks come through

The cynical side of me says Foster chose Cane to absolve himself from the WC semi-final loss.

@No-Quarter

I saw nothing to suggest that Mounga should not retain number 10 jersey for the All Blacks.