All Black squad to play France.

[Hugh Jarse]

and Nonu at 12? he has been terrible all season

but he has a nasty habit of showing up to play when wearing Black.

It would be good for the Wobs if he carries his Soup form into TRC <he typed wishfully>.

 

[Dan54]

Bloody hell..Ranger should be starting.

No wonder these guys take off overseas...

Mate anyone who drops his lip and goes overseas because he hasn't started when he thinks he should is probably not someone I would want playing for All Blacks anyway.

 

[Bullrush]

It's not about dropping your lip, it's about not knowing if you'll ever get a decent crack no matter how good you play because Nonu and Smith will always get in no matter what Super form they display....

 

[Inside Shoulder]

It's not about dropping your lip, it's about not knowing if you'll ever get a decent crack no matter how good you play because Nonu and Smith will always get in no matter what Super form they display..

You can't pick ranger ahead of Smith even on s15 form, let alone on the basis that every time the whips crack Smith is there. Best 13 in the world, IMO. There is insufficient subtlety in Rangers game to displace Smith - it would alter the whole way the back line functions.
Nonu is a different case but he does produce at test level: mind you with best 10 ever inside him and the best 13 at the moment I'd be some chance to as well (ok - I admit I wouldn't be).
Ranger does have a tendency to make silly mistakes - but so does Nonu.
My guess is if Nonu doesn't produce equal career best form (which is way above s15 to date) he'll be gone: but I don't think Ranger will get the nod at 12.



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Dan54]

It's not about dropping your lip, it's about not knowing if you'll ever get a decent crack no matter how good you play because Nonu and Smith will always get in no matter what Super form they display..

Yep but he not trying to tell me he better than Smith at 13, and he has never played at 12, so it would be bloody hard to start him there. I don't even subscribe to the fact that Nonu has been that bad this year, he has been playing not particularly flash in a team that has looked confused with way they should be playing. I wouldn't mind betting Shag has given him a few runs at training at 12 to see how he looks. All in all like I say,I like Ranger, but if he decides overseas is where it's at, because too hard too make ABs, so be it!! Lets face it did you think Coles would get a start ahead of Hore and Mealamu??

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Yep but he not trying to tell me he better than Smith at 13, and he has never played at 12, so it would be bloody hard to start him there. I don't even subscribe to the fact that Nonu has been that bad this year, he has been playing not particularly flash in a team that has looked confused with way they should be playing. I wouldn't mind betting Shag has given him a few runs at training at 12 to see how he looks. All in all like I say,I like Ranger, but if he decides overseas is where it's at, because too hard too make ABs, so be it!! Lets face it did you think Coles would get a start ahead of Hore and Mealamu??

I dont disagree: i havent kept a close eye on Nonu but I saw him do a very deft little grubber kick in behind the line some time in the last month that pissed me off.
Pissed me off because the last thing the Wobs need is for Nonu to go adding a short kicking game to his many skills.

 

[The Red Baron]

By the looks of that AB team, it seems that Hanson is attempting to play a number of players into form against the French. Dagg, Nonu and A Smith all spring to mind. I would have liked to have seen B Smith at fullback, with Ranger on the right wing - and with Dagg warming the bench.

Good to see Coles get a start, he has been the form NZ hooker this year. Worried about Crockett though, didn't he get stamped "not for test rugby"? At least Ben Franks is on the bench for when Crockett turns to custard.

 

[Bullrush]

Conrad may be the best 13 in the world right now but

1. For how much longer? He's 31 now and will be 34 come the next RWC. Will he still be the best 13 by then?

2. How do we know how good Ranger really is unless we play him? He's been knocking on the door for a couple of years now and at 26, he's no spring chicken either. We should find out now if he's good enough.

3. Not by Super Rugby form. He's been solid but nothing outstanding - not compared to Ranger. I know he'll probably go up a gear come the Tests but what if he doesn't?

I think we got lucky to some extent with full-back. Dagg happened to come thru at just the right time to take Mils' place.

If Rene goes, who will be next in line? We struggled for a number of years at centre after Bunce retired and I can see it happening again.

But I am pretty biased......Ranger is probably my fav player on the planet at the moment....

 

[Braveheart81]

Ranger was awful last season though.

He had a breakout year in 2011 and then failed miserably in 2012.

He's only put himself back in the frame this year.

I think it's probably the right call that he's now on the bench for the All Blacks. I can't really see where he could or should have been selected previously.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

If Rene goes, who will be next in line? We struggled for a number of years at centre after Bunce retired and I can see it happening again.

Kahui - I reckon he's a wonderful 13 on his day: but I'm not clear why he has not lived up to his potential yet.
I really think Ranger is a winger who can play in a number of positions.

 

[teach]

Kahui - I reckon he's a wonderful 13 on his day: but I'm not clear why he has not lived up to his potential yet.
I really think Ranger is a winger who can play in a number of positions.

Kahui is gone. He won't be back in black.
Disappointing to see Ben Smith is not starting at Fullback. would have given Dagg a rocket to see the form NZ fullback starting.

 

[Bullrush]

Ranger was awful last season though.

He had a breakout year in 2011 and then failed miserably in 2012.

He's only put himself back in the frame this year.

I think it's probably the right call that he's now on the bench for the All Blacks. I can't really see where he could or should have been selected previously.

He let himself down last year with some poor discipline. His play was still very good but he let a hot head get the better of him on a couple of occasions which over-shadowed some of the great plays he made.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Ranger was awful last season though.

He had a breakout year in 2011 and then failed miserably in 2012.

He's only put himself back in the frame this year.

I think it's probably the right call that he's now on the bench for the All Blacks. I can't really see where he could or should have been selected previously.

Braveheart81 "Ranger", "2011", "2012", "All Blacks" could be used interchangeably with quite a few players, years, and teams and would still be a correct statement.

How often do we see this sort of career progression in rugby (or other sports for that matter)?

 

[Braveheart81]

Braveheart81 "Ranger", "2011", "2012", "All Blacks" could be used interchangeably with quite a few players, years, and teams and would still be a correct statement.

How often do we see this sort of career progression in rugby (or other sports for that matter)?

Regularly.

I guess it shows that part of form isn't something that is necessarily controllable for a player. You might do everything the same and work just as hard but don't pull it together on the field.

The players who can play consistently well season after season are some of the games greats. Most players have their ups and downs.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Almost like the standard hollywood hero movie script, the template for sports stars typically goes:
a. breakout year is such because no one has "done their homework" on said player.
b. Second season, said player is no good, because opposition have now "done their homework", and the said player is reliving past glories of breakout year, and relying on natural talent. Said player eventually realises that they must also "do some homework", and starts to "hit the books" in the off season.
c. Third season (sometimes fourth) Benefits of said player "doing their homework" are reaped, and a mature career develops.
d. Onwards. Career progresses with some ups and downs. Homework is being regularly updated by both said player and opposition.

Some players never make it to stage c for a variety of reasons.

 

[Dan54]

Bull, don't think I am knocking Ranger, who I would be quite keen to see tried at 12 sometime. I don't really think saying he has to be played in case Smith gets injured carries too much weight as I believe Ben Smith will end up there, and Charlie Piatau will end up 14 or 15. Mind you I also believe that Ranger will get run before end of this series. Also he still not clear of his french contract as yet so..........

 

[Dan54]

Can I also add, I can't wait to see how this line up goes tomorrow!!!!!

 

[Ash]

Kahui - I reckon he's a wonderful 13 on his day: but I'm not clear why he has not lived up to his potential yet.

You simply need to look at how much Kahui has played over his professional rugby career. The colloquial NZ term is "food bill".

Kahui is a walking injury, sadly. His body can't take the way he plays. If you want an Australian example, think Hugh McMeniman.

 

[Bullrush]

Can I also add, I can't wait to see how this line up goes tomorrow!!!!!

I'm glad Coles got a start. I've always been a big Mealamu fan but his time is almost up I reckon. Hopefully we start to see a few more hookers starting to push Kev, Hore and Coles for EOYT duties.

 

[Dan54]

Quick change of subject to any kiwis on here tonight, Weight Of The Nation is plaing on Foxtel Sport on Sat morning at 8am, if you haven't seen it, worth recording and having a look. I really enjoyed it last night, and just may put it on IQ to watch again!! Real interesting to see planning etc for ABs that went on for 2011