New Zealand Rugby Team Watch
- Thread starter Hugh Jarse
- Start date
Dan54
David Wilson (68)
Don't give a stuff what NH or anyone thinks of me as an AB fan, I am quite happy to admit I was trying my hardest to get team announcement as soon as I could aeneas, was laughing to son about it ( he lives in Italy) and he said yeah well you want to be around here when a big announcement made in soccer, it's no different, hell when David Beckham went to play soccer in Spain the networks paid millions to have his medical live!! have a look how every tv station here in aus show Hayne catching a ball in NFL, and good on them people are interested.
zer0
John Thornett (49)
I don't think there's much wrong with having live coverage. Especially as the second network was probably FtA (?). I believe the namings have always been widely broadcast. Just instead of having all of Otorohaga crammed around the one working radio for a hundred miles everyone just watches it on TV.
What I do take umbrage with, however, is the amount of waffle that was spat out before hand. Why someone couldn't have just got up and said "right the team is X, Y, Piutau, Z", I don't know. There was also probably plenty of post-announcement waffle as well, but I changed channel once the actual announcement was done.
What I do take umbrage with, however, is the amount of waffle that was spat out before hand. Why someone couldn't have just got up and said "right the team is X, Y, Piutau, Z", I don't know. There was also probably plenty of post-announcement waffle as well, but I changed channel once the actual announcement was done.
ACT Crusader
Jim Lenehan (48)
Very good squad and no complaints from me at all.
I think it was a fairly simple equation, they would take Barrett and Slade (over Dagg and Lima) so they could take the two extra out and out wingers (Naholo and NMS).
I don't think the likes of NMS is any chance to play fullback ahead of Bender, Barrett or Slade. He is there as a winger in my view. A damn good one at that. Somewhat like Jane who under the cartel and Shag did not fit their AB fullback mode.
I think it was a fairly simple equation, they would take Barrett and Slade (over Dagg and Lima) so they could take the two extra out and out wingers (Naholo and NMS).
I don't think the likes of NMS is any chance to play fullback ahead of Bender, Barrett or Slade. He is there as a winger in my view. A damn good one at that. Somewhat like Jane who under the cartel and Shag did not fit their AB fullback mode.
Dismal Pillock
Michael Lynagh (62)
hard to complain, coaches know best, get behind the team, etc etc
Woodcock: surely cannot start the big games. although if its pissing down might bring the game back to his pace
Mealamu: sounds fine if you think of him coming on in the last 20 for a guileful hand on the rudder. (wonder if selectors were worried maybe Hika Elliot comes on in last 20, too keen to impress, gives away crucial penalty, game over, NZ on the plane home?) Might not be so flash if Coles goes down and Mealamu has to start vs say, Englands beefy boys. Who knows. Thats why we watch. What happens next.
Taylor: if you'd told me at the end of Supr 15 Hika Elliot wouldnt even make the 31 and instead there's some Cantab bench guy i wouldve said ok, thats it, Elliot is in the Mongrel Mob. But maybe theyre looking at it as ok, if we dont stuff it up, this will take 6 long weeks. Some guys will hardly play at all. And with the dirties holding tackle bags all day every day do we want a nice young malleable new boy or um er that guy
Slade: at first I thought jesus, get that safe shit out of here but now, with the firepower theyve gone with out wide, I'm thinking GOAKICKING. Can you ever have too many goalkickers in NH bog and squat rugby? Slade is an absolute natural goalkicker iHomo. Do NZ want another L.Mca****ster kicking scenario?
SBW: fucking joke. Contractual obligation? LOT to prove.
Naholo: pretty insane choice but jailbreak-wise goddamn it, JUST BEAUTIFUL
Savea: wakey wakey cake boy
Milner-Skudder: hope just once the coaches open the throttle and go with Fekitoa and Nonu in the centres and put Skudder at 15 with Savea and Naholo on his wings
Woodcock: surely cannot start the big games. although if its pissing down might bring the game back to his pace
Mealamu: sounds fine if you think of him coming on in the last 20 for a guileful hand on the rudder. (wonder if selectors were worried maybe Hika Elliot comes on in last 20, too keen to impress, gives away crucial penalty, game over, NZ on the plane home?) Might not be so flash if Coles goes down and Mealamu has to start vs say, Englands beefy boys. Who knows. Thats why we watch. What happens next.
Taylor: if you'd told me at the end of Supr 15 Hika Elliot wouldnt even make the 31 and instead there's some Cantab bench guy i wouldve said ok, thats it, Elliot is in the Mongrel Mob. But maybe theyre looking at it as ok, if we dont stuff it up, this will take 6 long weeks. Some guys will hardly play at all. And with the dirties holding tackle bags all day every day do we want a nice young malleable new boy or um er that guy
Slade: at first I thought jesus, get that safe shit out of here but now, with the firepower theyve gone with out wide, I'm thinking GOAKICKING. Can you ever have too many goalkickers in NH bog and squat rugby? Slade is an absolute natural goalkicker iHomo. Do NZ want another L.Mca****ster kicking scenario?
SBW: fucking joke. Contractual obligation? LOT to prove.
Naholo: pretty insane choice but jailbreak-wise goddamn it, JUST BEAUTIFUL
Savea: wakey wakey cake boy
Milner-Skudder: hope just once the coaches open the throttle and go with Fekitoa and Nonu in the centres and put Skudder at 15 with Savea and Naholo on his wings
zer0
John Thornett (49)
Well, if they're aiming to retake the RWC record for beating up on the cripples, then we do have Namibia in the group.
Teh Other Dave
Alan Cameron (40)
You get the feeling that's their ideal backline, and the backline that Hansen has been building towards in all the foxing that occurred during the southern winter. Perfect to torment teams with an inaccurate kicking game (vis. Australia).
waiopehu oldboy
George Smith (75)
Posted on the RWC Squads thread that I have issues with some selections but at least they're logical:
Laulala IMO did everything asked of him BUT I can understand them picking Franks as he could potentially play TH v Namibia, LH v Georgia & cover one or the other v Tonga.
In the absence of a genuine 6/ lock or lock/ 6 I'd have taken Thrush BUT clearly either of Vito or Kaino will be adequate v Namibia, Georgia & probably Tonga if need be, either starting or finishing.
Even the selection of SBW makes some kinda sense as if he does actually get his shit together he's capable of destroying just about any D in the comp. I would've taken Crotty, but as with Franks & Vito/ Messam can understand why Shag & co made the call they did.
What doesn't make sense to me, however, is the Naholo selection as I just can't see what he offers that you're not already getting from Savea (after he's dropped a coupla or three kg) & NM-S. I'd have taken Piutau as he's a genuine fullback option & can kick us out've trouble almost as well as Dagg (who I accept is so far behind where he needs to be he couldn't possibly have been picked).
The flow-on effect of picking Naholo is that you then need another utility, in this case that appears to be Slade & at the expense of a genuine 5/8 in Sopoaga. I'd have taken them both & left out Barrett who's clearly injured IMO & playing nowhere near well enough to be selected.
Laulala IMO did everything asked of him BUT I can understand them picking Franks as he could potentially play TH v Namibia, LH v Georgia & cover one or the other v Tonga.
In the absence of a genuine 6/ lock or lock/ 6 I'd have taken Thrush BUT clearly either of Vito or Kaino will be adequate v Namibia, Georgia & probably Tonga if need be, either starting or finishing.
Even the selection of SBW makes some kinda sense as if he does actually get his shit together he's capable of destroying just about any D in the comp. I would've taken Crotty, but as with Franks & Vito/ Messam can understand why Shag & co made the call they did.
What doesn't make sense to me, however, is the Naholo selection as I just can't see what he offers that you're not already getting from Savea (after he's dropped a coupla or three kg) & NM-S. I'd have taken Piutau as he's a genuine fullback option & can kick us out've trouble almost as well as Dagg (who I accept is so far behind where he needs to be he couldn't possibly have been picked).
The flow-on effect of picking Naholo is that you then need another utility, in this case that appears to be Slade & at the expense of a genuine 5/8 in Sopoaga. I'd have taken them both & left out Barrett who's clearly injured IMO & playing nowhere near well enough to be selected.
ACT Crusader
Jim Lenehan (48)
oldboy - I heard Naholo's speed work at training was off the charts. add that to his very good skill set and in my view it sets him apart from the other wing options. I didn't think they would select him but am quietly excited to see him in there. He did some pretty phenomenol things this Super season and whilst a little nervous in the Argies test, he showed huge upside with his play.
He may not make the first choice XV and that's fine, we still need someone to fill the role for the pool stages.
He may not make the first choice XV and that's fine, we still need someone to fill the role for the pool stages.
Hawko
Tony Shaw (54)
When discussing the back three the elephant in the room is Savea. His defense this year has been worse than awful, he has a tackle completion rate around 50%, and he's supposed to be an experienced, committed player, not a newbie on training wheels.
I suspect that if Naholo is fit then NZ will go into the QF match with a back three of Naholo, Ben Smith and Milner-Skudder. God help whoever they meet!
The issue that perplexes me is that on form this year you would pick Carter and Sopoaga at 10 and you would choose from Barrett and Slade for your flexible back-up. NZ chose Sopoaga to start against SA away not Barrett. He had a wonderful debut. Why on earth would you choose Barrett now as second best 10 to Carter?
And while we are using season form, especially international form, to advise their selection process can someone please confirm to me that Barratt and Slade had better international form this year than Piutau, because I didn't see it.
I was mightily pissed that Hanson and Horwill didn't get chosen, on form they deserved it over Douglas and McMahon. But the NZ selectors have made far worse decisions than us and have left a number of players with a very bitter taste in their mouths. Sopoaga especially should immediately start scouting for a French team, he has no future under Hanson, and now he's NZ capped he can't play for anyone else.
USARugger
John Thornett (49)
Barrett covers 15 as well as 10 and Sopoaga had a shocker at the tee v. South Africa.
Slade also offers more positional balance to the squad with Naholo now being included, as well as a very solid goal-kicking option.
Shag has more or less always held to playing guys back into form who have performed in the past, his selections here are a reflection of that philosophy.
Slade also offers more positional balance to the squad with Naholo now being included, as well as a very solid goal-kicking option.
Shag has more or less always held to playing guys back into form who have performed in the past, his selections here are a reflection of that philosophy.
teach
Trevor Allan (34)
Carter and Slade are gone next season, so he will be right up there and will get more opportunities. Plus I bet he will be on sponsorship duties in the UK with his boots in his bag.
I think Shag has made the right call, even though I picked Sapoaga. Imagine the difficulties Fekitoa, Barrett, Naholo and Skudder could cause a team in the last quarter.
Dan54
David Wilson (68)
I agree with you teach, although I like the look of Sopoaga too, I can see where Shag coming from with saying they felt they could only take one specialised 10, as they feel they need cover with 3 9s. As for the Naholo vs Piutau selection, from what I understand Naholo offers so much more out and out pace. I pretty sure the selectors got a pretty good idea which players fit into the team that will play the pattern they want.
waiopehu oldboy
George Smith (75)
I'm not saying that Naholo for Sopoaga is the worst selection in AB history, just that in terms of this squad it's the one that makes the least sense, and that a goal kicking 5/8 (who kicked 5/7 on debut so hardly a shocker @USA) will likely win you more RWC matches than a try scoring winger.............
......... nek minnit Naholo runs 85m & beats 11 defenders to win the GF making Shag & co retrospective geniuses
......... nek minnit Naholo runs 85m & beats 11 defenders to win the GF making Shag & co retrospective geniuses
Stephen Donald is now one step closer to going to the RWC again!
Only 25 steps to go give or take.
Edit: at this stage it doesn't sound like the injury is too serious. Hopefully for Slade it isn't. It would be horrible to go home from a second RWC with an injury. This time around he hasn't even made it to the start of the tournament.
Only 25 steps to go give or take.
Edit: at this stage it doesn't sound like the injury is too serious. Hopefully for Slade it isn't. It would be horrible to go home from a second RWC with an injury. This time around he hasn't even made it to the start of the tournament.
Highlander35
Steve Williams (59)
ACT Crusader
Jim Lenehan (48)
Only a rolled ankle for Slade. But we are in the silly season I guess, every little ingrown toe nail will be reported as an "injury scare"......
Despite playing well in attack against the Boks, I think there is also defensive concerns with Lima. This is one area that Barrett has improved out of sight for me. He is pretty robust in the tackle these days and his timing is a lot better.
The whole thing with Barrett is that his role is primarily as the 10/15 bench option. Hansen values these guys (Barrett/Slade) so he can play a genuine midfielder (Fekitoa, SBW, Crotty) off the bench. Has worked well in the past and I can't see him walking away from that successful formula
Despite playing well in attack against the Boks, I think there is also defensive concerns with Lima. This is one area that Barrett has improved out of sight for me. He is pretty robust in the tackle these days and his timing is a lot better.
The whole thing with Barrett is that his role is primarily as the 10/15 bench option. Hansen values these guys (Barrett/Slade) so he can play a genuine midfielder (Fekitoa, SBW, Crotty) off the bench. Has worked well in the past and I can't see him walking away from that successful formula