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New Zealand Rugby Team Watch

KiwiM

KiwiM

Arch Winning (36)
New coaches at the Blues and Canes are leading to players who haven't played for the ABs yet really putting their hands up for ABs consideration

For the Canes Numia, Lakai, Iose, Proctor (should already be capped), Naholo, Love

For the Blues McWhannell, Riccitelli, Funaki and Plummer come to mind. The last two would need to continue their form of recent weeks but they have been seriously impressive at 9 and 10.
 
Dan54

Dan54

David Wilson (68)
@KiwiM , mate think there is almost no chance of Funaki making team, I just don't see it. I don't mind him or Plummer (who I reckon is seriously underestimated) but I think it a bit of a stretch to see either go close.
 
KiwiM

KiwiM

Arch Winning (36)
Dan54 said:
@KiwiM , mate think there is almost no chance of Funaki making team, I just don't see it. I don't mind him or Plummer (who I reckon is seriously underestimated) but I think it a bit of a stretch to see either go close.
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Whilst I don't disagree with you - my question would be why (assuming both continue their form and are allowed to continue to start).

There's paddling pool depth at 10 and Christie is simply not as good of a 9 as Funaki. The 4 halfbacks for 3 spots should be Perenara, Fakatava, Ratima and Funaki
 
Dismal Pillock

Dismal Pillock

Michael Lynagh (62)
KiwiM said:
New coaches at the Blues and Canes are leading to players who haven't played for the ABs yet really putting their hands up for ABs consideration

For the Canes Numia, Lakai, Iose, Proctor (should already be capped), Naholo, Love

For the Blues McWhannell, Riccitelli, Funaki and Plummer come to mind. The last two would need to continue their form of recent weeks but they have been seriously impressive at 9 and 10.
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So used to the tenure tracked bullshit of AB setup (ffs was Cane made AB captain elect when he was still in school?) that it seems jarring to even consider these names.

How nuts would it be if Razor went in with a completely blank agenda. Havili? Tupeaa? The fuck have you knobs done for me lately? Super Rugby Superstar and Test Flop Codie Taylor? Josh Lord? You never even play mate. Tupou Vaai? Work Experience Boy who's never done shit, manning the engine room in a backpedalling scrum, BBarrett, Cane, I cant even see you fluffybunnyz so dont expect me to traipse around the world keeping up with your little "sabbaticals'' (you're not uni professors wft are you even calling it that for).

So why not Mcwhannell etc?

Razor does NOT seem like the kind of company man who will just select guys cos the last guy in charge selected them. Or because he's "scared" of losing his first few tests.
 
Dan54

Dan54

David Wilson (68)
KiwiM said:
Whilst I don't disagree with you - my question would be why (assuming both continue their form and are allowed to continue to start).

There's paddling pool depth at 10 and Christie is simply not as good of a 9 as Funaki. The 4 halfbacks for 3 spots should be Perenara, Fakatava, Ratima and Funaki
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Just opinion mate, I would think Plummer has more chance then Funaki, who I don't see as better than Christie anyway. He played well in a couple of games, and if I thought test packs were going to stand aside and let us run wherever we wanted like Brumbies did, I would think anyone could be our 9. Blues pack were really superb on Saturday I thought. I strongly suspect most 9s would of looekd bloody good playing for Blues on weekend.
I will be surprised if Christie isn't around AB squad this year.
 
KiwiM

KiwiM

Arch Winning (36)
Dan54 said:
Funaki, who I don't see as better than Christie anyway.
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I guess that's where we differ. Funaki in my view is much stronger in contact (look at his work with messy ball and cleaning out), a better runner, has a lower error rate is a more accurate passer and doesn't make the regular bone headed decisions that Christie does. Funaki in my view is an ascending player whereas Christie has reached his limited ceiling.

I agree Christie will be around the ABs this year. Doesn't mean I agree with the decision.
 
Dan54

Dan54

David Wilson (68)
KiwiM said:
I guess that's where we differ. Funaki in my view is much stronger in contact (look at his work with messy ball and cleaning out), a better runner, has a lower error rate is a more accurate passer and doesn't make the regular bone headed decisions that Christie does. Funaki in my view is an ascending player whereas Christie has reached his limited ceiling.

I agree Christie will be around the ABs this year. Doesn't mean I agree with the decision.
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Likewise I don't disagree that Funaki appears on way up, and could well surpass Christie. I will tend to swing his way when he the pack in front of him are not quite so dominant, which is not to downplay how well he going, he can hardly want his pack to go on backfoot to prove a point can he? I do genuinely think we blessed with a few bloody good 9s in the country at moment, and buggered if I know why.
 
Dan54

Dan54

David Wilson (68)
Afosa Aumua is out for 6-8 weeks for the Canes, so hopefully right for super finals and test season.
 
KiwiM

KiwiM

Arch Winning (36)
Dan54 said:
Likewise I don't disagree that Funaki appears on way up, and could well surpass Christie. I will tend to swing his way when he the pack in front of him are not quite so dominant, which is not to downplay how well he going, he can hardly want his pack to go on backfoot to prove a point can he? I do genuinely think we blessed with a few bloody good 9s in the country at moment, and buggered if I know why.
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Funaki hardly got an armchair ride vs Reds and was again highly impressive. 2 try saving tackles. Chased the kick that hit the post which lead to a try.

He's playing consistently well
 
zer0

zer0

John Thornett (49)
Yeah was certainly frustrated with him the last few years but Funaki is greatly improved this season. He and Nock are going well and Christie is the #3 HB for me.

For the AB's, if Robertson is going to go full rejuvenation, which he surely will do, then I don't see why you'd need Christie. Perenara has the experience and defensive ability, and there are better passers or ball runners, even without counting Roigard.
 
Dan54

Dan54

David Wilson (68)
KiwiM said:
Funaki hardly got an armchair ride vs Reds and was again highly impressive. 2 try saving tackles. Chased the kick that hit the post which lead to a try.

He's playing consistently well
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Yep he starting to convince me after last night's game, I thought he went pretty well. Kind of game where I mark how 9s are going.
 
Dctarget

Dctarget

Tim Horan (67)
Trying to bring Richie home early. The Havili experiment has failed. Is this is a lack of faith in McKenzie? Or that they need more than 1 competent flyhalf.

Didn't realise that Damian and Richie are the same age, 29. I thought Damian was years younger. He still seems to be the young prince in waiting.
 
Wilson

Wilson

Phil Kearns (64)
Dctarget said:
Trying to bring Richie home early. The Havili experiment has failed. Is this is a lack of faith in McKenzie? Or that they need more than 1 competent flyhalf.

Didn't realise that Damian and Richie are the same age, 29. I thought Damian was years younger. He still seems to be the young prince in waiting.
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Not sure the Havili experiment is anywhere near done just yet, but I think the major worry they have with Mo'unga is that if he sees out his 3 year contract in Japan he will have served his stand down period and will swap eligibility to Tonga or Samoa, and at that point they'll be shit out of luck. So it might not be case of desperately needing him now, but thinking they'll probably need him by the time 2027 rolls around. Probably more a lack of faith in Perofeta, Cameron and the rest of that generation backing up McKenzie at the moment in that case.
 
Dismal Pillock

Dismal Pillock

Michael Lynagh (62)
KzFVjJ.gif

"He'll still be available for the All Blacks this
year per his sabbatical deal....."
 
Dismal Pillock

Dismal Pillock

Michael Lynagh (62)
Wilson said:
Sam Cane retiring from test match rugby:
https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1789837972671807591

He'll still be available for the All Blacks this year per his sabbatical deal, but from 2025 onward he's full time with Suntory.
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A fair bit left to parse by extrapolation there.

The power summit with Razor mustve been..... delicate.

"Yeah, I'm available to captain the AB's next year....."
"HAHAHA, pass on a konnicha wa to your godfather fat guts Fozzie from me, that useless fat fuck, ok bye now c**t."

Kind of feel sorry for him.............. but not really, given the armchair tenured ride he's had for so long based on pretty much bugger all aside from being a solid defender. He sure wasnt much of a leader. Felt like he floundered away in a lot of test losses as Fozzie's pet. Plus getting sent off in a RWC final, ffs, may as well do the honourable thing for God and Country and throw yourself over the cliffs of Okinawa after that.

Still, suppose he was always on a hiding to nothing following R.McAwe.
 
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Dismal Pillock

Dismal Pillock

Michael Lynagh (62)
Selection day is closing fast, has Razor given any hint where he will go with this?

1st test, quick turnaround:

just pick last years guys. just pick last years guys and a couple of newbies half and half fresh young dudes and a couple of old hands who might be around for RWC 2027 blowtorch the old guard slate and choose whoever he fucking wants go full motherfucking CantaBlacks mode and back himself to bring them around
 
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