All Blacks Northern Tour 2018

[Dan54]

ESPN stats show in the Blues-Lions game Akira (playing blindside flanker) made the most tackles in the Blues team with 15 tackles (zero missed), had 10 runs for 52 metres, 2 clean breaks and 3 defenders beaten. I remember that game vividly (it's the biggest Blues win in the last 15 years) and Akira had a very strong game.

On your second bold point need I remind you of the semi final between Wellington and Auckland - Akira powered over for the line for 2 tries, set up a 3rd try and got named man of the match.

I also remind you in semi final of Akira just running past Ben-Nicholls (I think that's his name) as he scored his try for Wgton. I actually watched him quite a lot in Lions game as I was a real big fan, and he made a few tackles (a few were ones he was second man in), but was game where I first got real disappointed in him for dodging all the tough work in mauls etc. It's not his ability to tackle is his problem, just at this stage he is fairly selective on who he tackles,stats don't tell you what kind of tackles he made against Lions, and by that I mean I can't recall him tearing across the field to make a tackle, and if someone goes through the line near him he just seem to refuse to turn and chase, I made a point on here (can't remember which M10 game) where the line was breached next to him, and he was the last player back, and he actually jogged slowly all the way back. Those are the moments in the game where I think it is held against him, he goes so bloody well and then just seem to completely switch off for a while. I can't remember seeing him grab someone and drive into a ruck or maul. He has been in training in AB squads twice now and hasn't as yet been picked to play, does this not send messages that perhaps he not putting in hard enough while there. As i say he will get there when his head comes right!

 

[KiwiM]

He has been in training in AB squads twice now and hasn't as yet been picked to play, does this not send messages that perhaps he not putting in hard enough while there. As i say he will get there when his head comes right!

I believe my overall point is that the AB selectors are getting it wrong.

I'm not saying Akira is the finished article, he still has improvement in him but the guys they are picking at the moment just aren't getting the job done. This isn't 2015 where our loose forwards were stacked.

We've got a problem in the loose forwards and they've tried a ton of mediocre players and they've yet to give Akira a shot.

Even Henry called the ABs out on it. Even Fox the AB selector has come out and admitted Akira showed the AB selectors up with his performances in the Mitre 10 Cup Semis and Final.

Look at the AB selection record over the past couple of years to essentially replace Kaino and it's fail after fail. They've tried numerous options and they are still no further ahead of where they were.

• Elliot Dixon - complete fail. Barely played and was discarded quickly.
• Steve Luatua - very poorly managed. They ended up picking Dixon over him in 2016 which was the catalyst for Luatua to head overseas. He was in career best form right when he was heading overseas.
• Vaea Fifita - up to this point has been a fail. Has been in and out of the side.
• Frizell - jury is still out - I don't mind them picking him if they see high potential (except for the fact he is a poach) but looks very raw at this stage.
• Liam Squire - In my mind he is a selectors favourite that somehow is locked in to the number 1 6 shirt with no true performances to back it up. He looks fine running amok against mediocre sides like last year's Boks and the post-2015 Wallabies but pit him against some real packs and he goes missing (see the last two weeks). The same thing happens in Super Rugby - when it comes to the crunch he goes missing or he goes thug-mode and resorts to cheap shots and high shots.
• Jordan Taufua - unfortunately injury has robbed him of a chance to show his stuff in black but i'm very skeptical. If he was slightly taller and bigger he'd be great as I love his attitude but to me he looks entirely too small for test rugby. To me he's made to look better than he is by playing in the most stacked forward pack in Super Rugby - I've yet to see him really stand up against a quality pack even in Super Rugby - in fact in the business end of Super Rugby this year Samu actually outplayed him, Taufua was disappointing and we've seen Samu have very little impact in test rugby - I think that's quite telling.

 

[zer0]

It's interesting how all of the scrutiny is on Akira's defensive game when he's playing in the offensive position of #8. Yet there's nowhere near the same standard of scrutiny applied to L.Whitelock's non-existent running game when he's selected at #8.

 

[Dan54]

I believe my overall point is that the AB selectors are getting it wrong.

Ok I can accept you think the AB selectors are wrong and you are right Kiwi, but I quite happy for them to not pick someone they have obviously watched closely, had in camp to see how he trains etc until they have got him to the stage where they think he won't be a liabilty on the field. I keep reading where different players are the coaches favourites, well of course when I coached teams I picked my favourites, you know why? Because most coaches favourite players are the ones that play the game how they want and help them look good by winning a lot!!

 

[KiwiM]

Ok I can accept you think the AB selectors are wrong and you are right Kiwi, but I quite happy for them to not pick someone they have obviously watched closely, had in camp to see how he trains etc until they have got him to the stage where they think he won't be a liabilty on the field. I keep reading where different players are the coaches favourites, well of course when I coached teams I picked my favourites, you know why? Because most coaches favourite players are the ones that play the game how they want and help them look good by winning a lot!!

So would I if their track record of selecting the right loosies was good. As per my post above - in the last few years their track record of selection in this area is not flash.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Ok I can accept you think the AB selectors are wrong and you are right Kiwi, but I quite happy for them to not pick someone they have obviously watched closely, had in camp to see how he trains etc until they have got him to the stage where they think he won't be a liabilty on the field. I keep reading where different players are the coaches favourites, well of course when I coached teams I picked my favourites, you know why? Because most coaches favourite players are the ones that play the game how they want and help them look good by winning a lot!!

Just like Cheika at the Wallabies.... ahhhh, forget the winning a lot bit.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

OK so we're a bit thin on locks, loosies & midfielders for Italy, reckon we might see:

(15-1) JBar, Naholo, AL-B, Laumape, Ioane, Mo'unga, TTT, Read (c), Papali'i, Fifita, SBarrett, Pat T, Laulala, Coles, Ofa

 

[RubixCube]

Jamie Heaslip or Ryle Nugent?

No I think they are talking about Donal Lenihan, but would depend on what feed you were watching. BEIN had Leneihan and Shane Horgan which is what I watched in Sydney.

 

[Dan54]

Just like Cheika at the Wallabies.. ahhhh, forget the winning a lot bit.

BR do you really don't think Chuckles is picking who he thinks give him the best chance of winning? He no doubt picking the players he thinks are going to play the game plan that he wants the team to play, so once again they should be his favourite players.

I would perhaps add BR, I not sure that I of opinion the Wallabies haven't got worse, just haven't improved like the rest of the tier 1 nations. I also believe that is why Ireland , England and Boks are back to giving the ABs so much trouble. I really believe the standard of coaching etc has improved the last few years, the same thing happened late 80s after ABs had a few years of dominating in all their tests, other teams catch up, Aussie had the players etc in those days to be a leader, just don't think they do now.

 

[Dan54]

OK so we're a bit thin on locks, loosies & midfielders for Italy, reckon we might see:

(15-1) JBar, Naholo, AL-B, Laumape, Ioane, Mo'unga, TTT, Read (c), Papali'i, Fifita, SBarrett, Pat T, Laulala, Coles, Ofa

Wouldn't argue with that team WOB, obviously a few boys need to rest and others looked at.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Match officials confirmed:

Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Pascal Gaüzère (France), Sean Gallagher (Ireland)
TMO: Andrew McMenemy (Scotland)

Can't say I know much about any of that lot except Gauzere.

 

[KiwiM]

Damian McKenzie, Jordie Barrett, Anton Lienert-Brown, Ngani Laumape, Waisake Naholo, Beauden Barrett, TJ Perenara, Kieran Read (c), Ardie Savea, Vaea Fifita, Scott Barrett, Patrick Tuipulotu, Nepo Laulala, Dane Coles, Ofa Tuungafasi. Reserves: Nathan Harris, Karl Tu'inukuafe, Angua Ta'avao, Brodie Retallick, Dalton Papalii, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Richie Mo'unga, Rieko Ioane.

They've wasted a chance here.

They could have seen what Mounga starting at 10 and BB at 15 looks like - similarly they could have seen what Papalii looks like starting at 6.

 

[zer0]

Seems pig headed stubbornness is winning out, unfortunately. Guess our best hope is that the Boks and Pumas do a job on Hansen next year and force his hand.

EDIT: And that Folau will hopefully spend all of Super Rugby and the Bledisloe jumping over McKenzie, just like Kearney did.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Has JBar ever actually played 14 before?

 

[Hawko]

Has JBar ever actually played 14 before?

He's pretty much playing second fullback, a configuration the NZ team has been playing for a long time now. Ben from Accounts is not a conventional winger but has played there all year. All the NZ fullbacks except Damien would have the skills to play there - he'll play in the style of Adam Ashley Cooper.

Not starting Mounga against a third tier team is a pretty strange selection. Maybe Shag is worried Mounga and Laumape will go too well and he'll be forced to move Barrett.

I would assume that Jordie Barrett will kick as he's a far better kicker than Bogan.

 

[Up the Guts]

Mo'unga and Laumape would be in my AB 1st XV but what do I know

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

He's pretty much playing second fullback, a configuration the NZ team has been playing for a long time now. Ben from Accounts is not a conventional winger but has played there all year. All the NZ fullbacks except Damien would have the skills to play there - he'll play in the style of Adam Ashley Cooper.

Not starting Mounga against a third tier team is a pretty strange selection. Maybe Shag is worried Mounga and Laumape will go too well and he'll be forced to move Barrett.

I would assume that Jordie Barrett will kick as he's a far better kicker than Bogan.

I'm somewhat familiar with the dual-fullback structure but previous 15/14's such as Jane & Dagg all played at least some 14 at Super Rugby level first rather than just being biffed straight in. It might be "only Italy" but unless he's been secretly training there since his last outing there's still some differences between the two positions that could cause him some issues (as happened to Dagg when first tried at 11). To me it just looks like Shag & Co. are so determined to have DMac at 15 they're prepared to play someone else out of position & hope for the best. And unless it's near half-way, Beaugan will do the kicking even if he's having one of his off nights, didn't give up the tee in Wellington so unlikely to do so here IMO.

 

[Willin1]

People say "it's just one game" but it's actually 2 losses and lucky not to be 3.

This, in a year where we expect to see the ABs fine tuning combinations and tactics, they seem to be going backwards.
Hanson's stuck on BB at 10 but the backline too often looks disjointed and lacking direction when he's there. His best rugby has been from 15. DMac does some good things but spends too much time running across field with teammates looking on wondering Wtf they're supposed to do, and can be a liability.

Not starting RM against the Italians means going in the WC with our only true specialist 10 being undercooked. Surely the need to develop him for the WC would have dictated that selection?!

My WC prediction is an early exit with Hanson mumbling "we did our best" while endorsing Foster as his heir. The NZRFU's next cab off the rank policy will probably see that happen rather than chasing Schmidt's signature.

 

[KiwiM]

People say "it's just one game" but it's actually 2 losses and lucky not to be 3.

Lucky it's not 4 losses really (Boks in SA, England at Twickers).

 

[Dan54]

Lucky it's not 4 losses really (Boks in SA, England at Twickers).

Well if you want to follow that kind of reasoning, I suppose it could just as easily been no losses as there bugger all in the losses to Boks and Ireland, and any year there could of been more losses or wins. But if you want to be negative I suppose..............