SBW out? Rieko to 12!

TSF version of Godwin’s law:

“As a thread grows longer, the probability of discussing the RWC failure or Akira Ioane approaches 1”

There's been some comments in the media that the current situation is similar to all the other Blues coaches. I thought I would check out the win percentages vs other NZ sides

Yes, the form of the NZ teams has ebbed and flowed but they are generally strong. Also, they are the one constant across the various number of teams, competition structure etc

Umaga 6.7%

15 games 1 win

The one win was the first game vs the Highlanders (33-31)

If his team the next 5 NZ games (2 vs Crusaders, 2 vs Hurricanes, 1 vs Highlanders) he can just edge in front of Kirwan

Kirwan 29%

24 games 7 wins
(3 Hurricanes, 2 Highlanders, 2 Crusaders)

Crap

Lam 37.5%

24 games 9 wins
(4 Highlanders, 2 Chiefs, 2 Hurricanes, 1 Crusaders)

I think there has to be a note about the injury crisis in Lams fourth season. Crazy number of injuries, players with no NPC experience starting... locks in particular, we were starting our 7th choice lock with a loosie next to him etc

First three seasons prior to that injury crisis:
9/16 56.3%

This included the best streak since Henry: 6 in a row versus NZ teams. The streak Included all other NZ sides. That season was the last time the Blues made the playoffs

Nucifora 50%

6/12
(2 Chiefs, 2 Highlanders, 1 Hurricanes, 1 Crusaders)

A bad first season cemented reputation then his team went ok (0-4 in that first year)

Sloane 52.9%

9/17
(3 Crusaders, 2 Chiefs, 2 Hurricanes, 2 Highlanders)

Various 1 season coaches all got 50%

Yes, even Jed Rowlands

Henry 92.9%

13/14

13 in a row before losing the final in 98

Clearly Henry belongs in his own category.

From 1999-2011 all of these coaches had a minimum of 50% success rate against NZ teams:
Rowlands 50%
Hunter 50%
Oliver 50%
Sloane 52.9%
Nucifora 50%
Lam 56.3%

Sure, thats not good enough, but they were competitive. They all got a lot of criticism in the press compared to the current coach.

Then came the injury crisis in Lam’s fourth season. I have never been convinced the right action was to sack Lam after that amount of injuries. He had very little support in the media and from the board so he had no chance.

The new normal of shittness has settled in under Kirwan/Umaga

I want to have a thread where I can make my political points and no one can disagree with me.

At the moment the only punishment is some public humiliation and going to whatever anger management course his lawyer enlists him in.

I would like to see him removed from the current AB squad. At least then there would be a financial penalty. It also serves as a warning to others

We have a perfectly good squad replacement in Robinson. He should've made the original squad IMO

After that I don't really care. It sounds like a low level incident - he can come back later if he's good enough (..and based on his efforts at Test level so far, he is not good enough)

@frank said in Depth at 10:

Zarn Sullivan is the obvious guy to try.
Problems
-he won't get game time there because of BB playing for Auckland
-he is being used at fullback
-Fozzie is way too conservative to think outside the box and pick him

I think this is getting a bit silly. Sullivan hasn't even had a single start as a ten at NPC level

He's unlikely to get a run at ten because he's been very good for the Blues at fullback. MacDoanld (a decent fullback himself), has raved about Sullivans natural lines from fullback. Maybe his best position is actually fullback?

Maybe he becomes a ten, maybe he doesn't. But the rating he is getting in thread based on almost no adult rugby in the position is over the top

Merry Christmas. I hope there isn't too much covid talk during your family gatherings

I'll mention a positive

Great to see Hodgman get a bench spot. He's been on a steady improvement for a few years now. A well earned debut

Plenty of other spots to disagree with.. in particular Sotutu should've got a start

Just cancel it. The current ground is good enough for Canterbury. The Crusaders should move to their new power base of Nelson

Cane/Sotutu/Ioane

Savea on the bench

@Tim said in All Blacks 2022:

Paps should be higher too.

I agree if we are only rating his form at 7. That second Ireland test when he played 6 was a bit shit and drags down the rating

@Crazy-Horse said in All Blacks depth 2022 & 2023:

Something is going on with RM though. He looks a shadow of his Crusader self when he's with the ABs. Maybe he hasn't got the top two inches for test rugby, or maybe there is something about the role he is expected to play for the ABs? Or maybe it's something else altogether. Who knows.

He has a game that is ideal for the lower level

He doesn't spend as much time at first receiver as traditional tens. At SR level other people (mostly Havili) take over this role and RM drifts slightly further behind the other backs looking for mismatches. He's lethal when he spots a fatty out of position in the defensive line. He calls for the ball and exposes them better than anyone else at the moment

So what happens against better defences? Initially it was long periods with out touching the ball. I think that has been resolved but he just can't find the same space. His running game being nullified effects the confidence of everything else and his kicking from hand goes to shit.

He wasn't helped at the start of the year by the team playing very flat. He needs to run onto the ball. That's a problem that got fixed during the SA trip.. but again the defences are better. In the England match I think he beat 8 defenders? But in general the second or third defender would get him without a genuine break happening.. in SR rugby beating 8 defenders would probably result in 4-5 tries

I wonder hows the AB's would go if every other selection remained the same and we picked the best traditional 10? That would probably be Gatland? He wouldn't do anything spectacular, but would the other backs score more tries?

@Daffy-Jaffy said in Blues 2023:

WTG players that Nogusta mentioned in another thread

I’ve moved those posts to this thread now

@nostrildamus said in Thoughts on Cane now?:

@Chris said in Thoughts on Cane now?:

@nostrildamus said in Thoughts on Cane now?:

@Chris said in Thoughts on Cane now?:

@nostrildamus said in Thoughts on Cane now?:

@Chris said in Thoughts on Cane now?:

@TheMojoman said in Thoughts on Cane now?:

@Stag said in Thoughts on Cane now?:

@Kirwan sorry, but you couldn’t be more wrong on that one.

Blackadder is terrific 6 at Super level but I haven't seen that translate into Test rugby yet.

A bit like Akira then.

Sorry that isn't strictly true. Akira showed it against the Aussies and periods elsewhere.

@nostrildamus said in Thoughts on Cane now?:

@Chris said in Thoughts on Cane now?:

@TheMojoman said in Thoughts on Cane now?:

@Stag said in Thoughts on Cane now?:

@Kirwan sorry, but you couldn’t be more wrong on that one.

Blackadder is terrific 6 at Super level but I haven't seen that translate into Test rugby yet.

A bit like Akira then.

Sorry that isn't strictly true. Akira showed it against the Aussies and periods elsewhere.

People keep saying these great AB games by Akira I don’t remember that happening.
Drifting in and out of games but not 80mins of
quality.

Eh? I didn't say great. But is your standard 80 minutes? Wow. Even Ardie can usually only manage 55.
Akira has been lauded with "MOTM" test comments from the press. I don't recall that with Blackadder.

Akira Ioane goes BEAST MODE vs Australia

Akira Ioane put on a man of the match performance in the All Blacks 38-21 victory over the Wallabies in Perth.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/300170383/all-blacks-v-argentina-akira-ioane-grabs-chance-against-pumas--but-what-next
OR: https://www.rugbypass.com/news/the-all-blacks-number-6-jersey-is-akira-ioanes-for-as-long-as-he-wants-it/

I don't take notice of the press all click bait.

There was a link first up to his video highlights.
But if you don't believe the press and don't watch the match I guess you'll be hard to convince.

Also, Chris voted for Akira as man of the match

NZ v India T20’s

Second match just starting (first game was abandoned)

India XI: Ishan Kishan, Rishabh Pant (wK), Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Hardik Pandya (capt), Washington Sundar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal.

New Zealand XI: Finn Allen, Devon Conway (wK), Kane Williamson (capt), Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Adam Milne, Lockie Ferguson

NZ chose to bowl

Props & Paps

Colin Newboult  /  Nov 18  /  International

Autumn Nations Series preview: France to thrash Japan in Toulouse

France will aim to complete an unbeaten year when they take on Japan in their final Autumn Nations Series clash in Toulouse on Sunday.

France

15 Thomas Ramos, 14 Damian Penaud, 13 Gael Fickou, 12 Jonathan Danty, 11 Yoram Moefana, 10 Romain Ntamack, 9 Maxime Lucu, 8 Gregory Alldritt, 7 Charles Ollivon (c), 6 Anthony Jelonch, 5 Romain Taofifenua, 4 Cameron Woki, 3 Uini Atonio, 2 Julien Marchand, 1 Reda Wardi

Reserves: 16 Peato Mauvaka, 17 Dany Priso, 18 Sipili Falatea, 19 Florian Verhaeghe, 20 Bastien Chalureau, 21 Sekou Macalou, 22 Bapiste Couilloud, 23 Matthieu Jalibert

Japan

15 Ryohei Yamanaka, 14 Dylan Riley, 13 Shogo Nakano, 12 Ryoto Nakamura, 11 Siosaia Fifita, 10 Seungsin Lee, 9 Naoto Saito, 8 Kazuki Himeno, 7 Pieter Labuschagné, 6 Michael Leitch, 5 Jack Cornelsen, 4 Warner Dearns, 3 Jiwon Gu, 2 Atsushi Sakate (c), 1 Keita Inagaki

Reserves: 16 Kosuke Horikoshi, 17 Craig Millar, 18 Syuhei Takeuchi, 19 Wimpie Van der Walt, 20 Tevita Tatafu, 21 Yutaka Nagare, 22 Hayata Nakao, 23 Kotaro Matsushima

Current standings

30 Savea
28 Taukeiaho
17 R Ioane
14 Papali'i
13 Whitelock
13 S Barrett
10 Smith
10 Retallick
8 J Barrett
T Clarke
4 A Ioane
4 Sotutu
4 Jordan
3 Telea
3 Reece
3 Bower
3 Cane
3 de Groot
3 Lomax
2 Perenara
2 Tupaea
1 RTS
1 Taylor

3 votes

@Joans-Town-Jones

I was correcting a specific, and completely incorrect, point you made

You are putting words in my mouth and claiming I have said something I haven't. It's painfully dumb or a troll