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Bledisloe # 3 - Saturday 31st October, ANZ Stadium

liquor box

liquor box

Peter Sullivan (51)
Seb V said:
I disagree. I think there is a clear difference in the level of basic skills across the board from our players compared to the AB's. Maybe a bad crop is a little harsh but we certainly don't have a solid crop to work with. Coach after coach it's the same result - which is a pretty good indicator the coach ain't the problem, the players are.
Click to expand...

Maybe we just need to accept that we are not on the same level as the All Blacks.

I think we are probably the equivalent of a Japan or Fiji versus a team ranked 3-8 in the world. We wont win many of the matches but will win every now and again. We need to be reasonable with our expectations.
 
Lorenzo

Lorenzo

Colin Windon (37)
liquor box said:
Maybe we just need to accept that we are not on the same level as the All Blacks.

I think we are probably the equivalent of a Japan or Fiji versus a team ranked 3-8 in the world. We wont win many of the matches but will win every now and again. We need to be reasonable with our expectations.
Click to expand...

They have better players to select from, for sure.

But that doesn't mean we aren't shooting ourselves in the feet as well. Both things can be true.
 
KOB1987

KOB1987

John Eales (66)
liquor box said:
Maybe we just need to accept that we are not on the same level as the All Blacks.

I think we are probably the equivalent of a Japan or Fiji versus a team ranked 3-8 in the world. We wont win many of the matches but will win every now and again. We need to be reasonable with our expectations.
Click to expand...
I don’t think we are quite at that level, yet. The rankings have us 6th, in amongst the likes of Scotland and Wales, and a sliding Ireland. That’s about right, we aren’t the tier 2 nation that gnostic alludes to, but something needs to be done to get more kids playing rugby over league and Aussie rules.
 
Th0mo

Th0mo

Herbert Moran (7)
Seb V said:
I think the fact Harrison played for a very underperforming Tahs gives most people the impression he isn't ready for test rugby. and then the fact Lolesio was part of a winning Brumbies and a great grand final performance we had the opposite thoughts.

I think the reality is their skills and form are only shades apart. Lolesio certainly deserved to start ahead (for his GF performance) but now that he has and failed miserably, maybe it's not the best idea to throw Harrison to the wolves also.
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This was my concern with Lolesio. Harrison has a lot more experience playing behind a pack that struggled for parity. Right before the injury vs tahs I remember thinking he has been found out.

That said he wasn't terrible the defenceman issues seemed to be the system and I'd place more blame on 14 and 15 and think Simone at 12 was a bigger disappointment but not sure why he was there.
 
Lorenzo

Lorenzo

Colin Windon (37)
i'd love it explained to either the captain or the 10 that kickoffs don't solely exist to gift the pill back to the oppo team with decent field position.

what's the purpose of the kickoff that lands 25m out yet is invariably fielded by their established pod (that we are unable to compete with becuase they are either lifting or sheparding)?

maybe try the 10m kick off, or another variation we have a chance of recovering. maybe something genuinely deep that they can only really kick in to touch? maybe some other variation that the opposition isn't clearly set up for?
 
drewprint

drewprint

Dick Tooth (41)
At some stage, when I can muster up the courage, I’ll do my usual rewatch and pay closer detailed attention to player efforts etc. But super top line opinions formed while I was covering my eyes and peeking through my fingers in horror:

Wilson tried hard and did ok.
Hanigan totally anonymous.
Filipo tried way to hard to make amends for his early yellow and kept going for the miracle plays. He was in his own head big time.
Contrary to some others I thought DHP did ok. Certainly better than Banks or others would have been.
Tate and McReight looked good off the bench.
And so did Simmons!
 
formerflanker

formerflanker

Ken Catchpole (46)
Seb V said:
I also don't understand hiding him at the back, he got caught out on defense twice which would have hurt his confidence even more. He is just as good at defending as JOC (James O'Connor) so they should have played him the same way.
.
Click to expand...
Some say the Lolesio's best position is 12. That spot requires stern defence so yes, he should have been trusted in the first line of defence.

Imagine the mixed messages he got when told "You are up to Test rugby, in fact you will be playing the ABs. Except we don't rate your defence and we'll try and hide you at FB."
The kid was in two minds before he ran on.
 
SamoanNo8

SamoanNo8

Jimmy Flynn (14)
Did Simone bring any of the play-making abilities we thought he had? Did it ever look as though he was making it easier for Lolesio?

If not, makes you wonder whether we are just better off picking an abrasive 12 e.g. Paisami.
 
formerflanker

formerflanker

Ken Catchpole (46)
drewprint said:
At some stage, when I can muster up the courage, I’ll do my usual rewatch and pay closer detailed attention to player efforts etc. But super top line opinions formed while I was covering my eyes and peeking through my fingers in horror:

Wilson tried hard and did ok.
Hanigan totally anonymous.
Filipo tried way to hard to make amends for his early yellow and kept going for the miracle plays. He was in his own head big time.
Contrary to some others I thought DHP did ok. Certainly better than Banks or others would have been.
Tate and McReight looked good off the bench.
And so did Simmons!
Click to expand...
All good comments except for the "Hanigan totally anonymous" bit. I definitely saw him - he packed at 8 late in the game and I thought "oh no". He also may have made one impact at 79 minutes.
 
Lorenzo

Lorenzo

Colin Windon (37)
is putting a weak defender at 15 really "hiding" him anyway? as we saw on more than a couple of occasions, 15 is a fairly important position for defending. Perhaps being a competent defender should be a prerequisite for selection.

lol, just kidding
 
Joe Blow

Joe Blow

John Hipwell (52)
SamoanNo8 said:
Did Simone bring any of the play-making abilities we thought he had? Did it ever look as though he was making it easier for Lolesio?

If not, makes you wonder whether we are just better off picking an abrasive 12 e.g. Paisami.
Click to expand...
Hard to do with a pack going backwards
 
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Joe Blow

Joe Blow

John Hipwell (52)
formerflanker said:
Some say the Lolesio's best position is 12. That spot requires stern defence so yes, he should have been trusted in the first line of defence.

Imagine the mixed messages he got when told "You are up to Test rugby, in fact you will be playing the ABs. Except we don't rate your defence and we'll try and hide you at FB."
The kid was in two minds before he ran on.
Click to expand...
JOC (James O'Connor) also goes back in defence to become our second fullback. Problem was that Lolesio has nowhere near JOCs pace or positional awareness back there and he was exposed several times. He was all at sea back there. I have concerns about his lack of pace.
 
Lorenzo

Lorenzo

Colin Windon (37)
Joe Blow said:
JOC (James O'Connor) also goes back in defence to become our second fullback. Problem was that Lolesio has nowhere near JOCs pace or positional awareness back there and he was exposed several times. He was all at sea back there. I have concerns about his lack of pace.
Click to expand...

He was Timana Tahu levels of clueless. Even when he got contact he struggled to complete (1st half, cant find it again quickly, but they had a break down their right and he made contact near touch but the player bounced off).

Has he defended well at 15 in Super rugby?
 
Joe Blow

Joe Blow

John Hipwell (52)
Lorenzo said:
He was Timana Tahu levels of clueless. Even when he got contact he struggled to complete (1st half, cant find it again quickly, but they had a break down their right and he made contact near touch but the player bounced off).

Has he defended well at 15 in Super rugby?
Click to expand...
Let’s not forget that JOC (James O'Connor) is an experienced test 15. It’s a tough ask for Lolesio to mimic his game......assuming that this is what was asked of him.
 
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