Dan54
David Wilson (68)
Shhh Slim, don't you start saying what Shag and Co know, I think he does great stuff , but we all know he does missing for spells!
New Zealand Rugby Team Watch
- Thread starter Hugh Jarse
- Start date
Shhh Slim, don't you start saying what Shag and Co know, I think he does great stuff , but we all know he does missing for spells!
Dan54
David Wilson (68)
Have you heard what Shag said about Fifita? He wants him playing more at 6. Why he back with Wellington.
Frizzell has got more upsides than just running over Akira and mates in Blues team, he seems to be a good long term project.
The most interesting thing I think he said when naming the team was Hemopo has been picked as a 6, not as cover at lock unless needed.
Also he said he wants Laumape to work on his communication with his 10 during ITM cup.
I agree Bridge unlucky, but his time will come, and a couple of things I have learnt with this coaching team is that they will take their time bringing players through, and they are actually quite bloody good at putting out winning teams!
KiwiM
Arch Winning (36)
I think that's exaggerated. Akira's workrate was improved this year. There's no doubt he definitely still has work to do on his defense but he also plays in a garbage team with garbage coaches who just got the broom and a whole new set of coaches (under Tana) have been brought in.
I find it funny that Hansen said today of loose forwards "we want good athletes first and foremost" and then goes and picks Luke Whitelock and leaves out Akira Ioane.
Akira has not played one test match - yet for other loose forwards they seem to hand out test caps/opportunties like candy - Whitelock, Fifita, Frizell, Ardie Savea, Taufua (who would have been capped by now if not for injury)....
I wouldn't mind Akira's omission so much if the ABs were rolling out world class loosies like 2015 with McCaw, Kaino, Read with Cane on the bench but the AB loose forward quality is hardly stellar right now...
Dan54
David Wilson (68)
I hardly think it will be stellar with Akira in it Kiwi, you obviously watch a lot more NZ rugby than the AB selectors, and obviously a fair bit of it in Auckland? the one thing you should probably realise by now Shag and co are not magpies that get all excited by shiny things in the sun!! Because what games I have seen (admittedly only on TV this year), I have never really seen all that much to think Akira is the second coming.
KiwiM
Arch Winning (36)
Apparently i'm not allowed to have a different opinion from the AB selectors? Cos the AB selectors never get it wrong....especially in the loose forwards....like when they selected Elliot Dixon in 2016...that worked out so well...oh wait....
As for the bolded - what would you call Shannon Frizell?
For what's it worth I don't think Akira has reached his full potential yet and can certainly improve in a number of areas, but to me he has the speed, power and strength to be an absolute world class loose forward - heck this season he beat more defenders with ball in hand than any other NZ player in regular season Super Rugby, playing in the worst NZ team (by far) with a rubbish forwards coach and the worst attacking pattern in the whole competition (so much so they brought in a new attack coach and a new forwards coach for next year).
Dan54
David Wilson (68)
Hey Kiwi, of course you allowed different opinion than selectors, I not arguing that by any means, what I was meaning selectors and /or reps of them are at most games, taking note of work rate etc of all players. And I think Frizell is a case in point, he is actually the type of player that works his butt off both on and of the ball!! From the games I have seen he is the type of player that does hit everything. I agree completely that Akira hasn't reached his potential, and obviously so do Shag and co, you do realize they have had him in the squad to try and help him do it I assume. We really I don't think we have much idea as TV watchers what most players really need to get the extra 5% needed to be top quality players. Look at Laumape being sent back to Lions to work on his communication, did we realize that was a weakness of his? It's not straight forward as most think while sitting in front of their TV with a beer in hand.
Brumby Runner
Jason Little (69)
Laumape has been quite weak defensively on his inside shoulder. Whether that is a matter of communication with his inside defenders or not, I don't know, but his weakness there has been very apparent to this TV viewer.
Dismal Pillock
Michael Lynagh (62)
Luke Shitelock as backup #8. Akira Ioane murders everyone in Super Rugby, leads entire comp stats columns all over the shop despite playing in worst team in history of world, so Shag sends him to NPC to work on his game. YOU are supposed to work on his game you lazy fat fluffybunny, YOU'RE THE FUCKEN COACH. You've got a raw diamond, HOW ABOUT DOING SOME OF THE COACHING THING AND POLISH THE C**T.
Akira is fucked. FFS, who knows, by the time RWC rolls around both Read and Whitelock could have fallen off Rodders Cliff and be geriatric plodders. What, saving Akira for RWC 2023? Like fuck, just ask Charles Piutau. C**t will be LONG GONE.
Hansen's order for next cabs off the rank backup to the tenured & unimpeachable Kieran Read:
- Luke Shartlock
- Elliot Dixon's other backup at the Landers, Dick Frizzle
- Elliot Dixon's first alternate backup at the Landers, Hemopo
- Gareth Evans
- George Whitelock
- any other Whitelock
- any another Barrett.
- what's Mex up to these days?
- daylight
- Elliot Dixon
- fuck do we have to?
- Pfitzy
- even more daylight
- any man, woman or child in Canterbury
- Ian Foster
- Cyclo's mum
- Stephen Hawking's cadaver
- Akira Ioane
It does seem like Shag has picked the shiny pebble over the rough diamond.
Derpus
Nathan Sharpe (72)
But why fuck off to Bristol when he can just swim across the ditch and play for the Tahs? i hear they have competitive salaries and are currently looking for a barnstorming number 8.
Dismal Pillock
Michael Lynagh (62)
That would be like John Bonham joining One Direction
Derpus
Nathan Sharpe (72)
Blues =/= Led Zeppelin
Dismal Pillock
Michael Lynagh (62)
I've got the coloured vinyl of it.
Judging by the splatter pattern, I'd say their last meal was a hot dog.
Figures.
My Mum's knee is a bit sore.
waiopehu oldboy
George Smith (75)
Chris Rattue: Big name All Blacks who won't make it at the World Cup (or won't be at their best if they do):
Ryan Crotty
Sonny Bill Williams
TJ Perenara
Kieran Read (!)
Dane Coles
Ben Smith
Nehe Milner-Skudder
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12103357
Bloke is mounting a serious challenge to Gregor Paul & Mark Reason as nz's biggest fucktard rugby writer with some of those calls & hedging his bets on the rest (as he always does).
Ryan Crotty
Sonny Bill Williams
TJ Perenara
Kieran Read (!)
Dane Coles
Ben Smith
Nehe Milner-Skudder
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12103357
Bloke is mounting a serious challenge to Gregor Paul & Mark Reason as nz's biggest fucktard rugby writer with some of those calls & hedging his bets on the rest (as he always does).
waiopehu oldboy
George Smith (75)
^^^^^^^ true that but all of the above are in TRC squad & all but NM-S are what you'd have to call core squad members. I'll be extremely surprised if any of the others are available for RWC selection but not selected. Whether some of them should be in that position would've been a wholly different & far more interesting article. But harder to write as it would require some actual journalism which isn't really Rattue's thing. You watch, if any of the nominated group have a blinder in Bledisloe 1and/ or 2 he'll declare them locked-in certainties for RWC selection. He's that kinda writer, unfortunately.
Dan54
David Wilson (68)
Not sure how this bloke would know, wasn't he never going to watch or support the All Blacks after Robbie Deans missed out on AB job in 2007-8? he really is one of the unfortunate click bait journalists in the so called press these days!
waiopehu oldboy
George Smith (75)
^^^^^^ mate if you can remember something he wrote ~10 years ago I reckon your memory is at least 500 times as good as his........