Karl
Bill McLean (32)
Unlikely to get reinjured if the surgeon did a good job. ACL grafts are usually stronger than before.
Except for games of touch footy right....
Unlikely to get reinjured if the surgeon did a good job. ACL grafts are usually stronger than before.
SBW is not a typical NZ 12. Neither is Nonu.
Cruden @ 10 and DC at 12 has a more NZ look about it.
SBW can do the one handed flicks and showboating but he is not what I would call a "deft" player - which is the style the Kiwis traditionally look for at 12 - thats why they call it "second five". Nonu being a successful aberration in that department may tempt them to think this is the new paradigm and go for SBW.
I would rather face SBW at 12 than 13.
SBW does not suit Smith's style of play, despite Smith's ability to adapt to almost anything: IMO the ABs will build their back line around Smith and, to a lesser extent, Carter - depending on how Carter travels from here on in.
I can't really see a reason to pick SBW ahead of Nonu that is connected with the playing of the game but there might be other considerations.
I think Smith is not a typical AB 13 though, so in my opinion having a backline or Cruden, Carter and Smith wouldn't be the best for them.
Smith is somewhat like Aaron Mauger except a 13 instead of a 12.
I think his ball playing and decision making from 13 makes having a big ball crashing, offloading 12 like SBW or Nonu the best option.
If they were to pick someone like Fruean at 13 then I would agree that Cruden and Carter at 10 and 12 could be the best option.
Smith is very Similar to Bunce, IMO, a pretty typical AB.
I don't care how big or how fast any other 13 in the world is: my first pick would always be Conrad Smith. I cannot recall every seeing a 13 who ran better lines than Smith does in attack and defence.
I think the NZ trend recently has been away from their historical approach: i think their recent history is the opposite of their instinct.
Nonu is a lot of brute force and a bit of skill developed over the years.
SBW is not mere brute force - he's a 13 because he likes to be, and his game depends on being, able to go either way so he needs a bit of separation from the pigs. The problem with him at 12 is that he injects a lack of structure - it works at s. 15 and it is his arguable strength at all levels - but it has been the hallmark of the ABs for the parts of my life I can remember that they develop and maintain structure: they have been vulnerable when they have ignored structure, IMO. I think this is why they (used to) say in NZ that we were smarter rugby players: we played without structure and made it up as we went along. Deans interpretation ("play what's in front of you") shows that they don't really get what Ella and Co did to them - and Deans played them!!
I don't care how big or how fast any other 13 in the world is: my first pick would always be Conrad Smith. I cannot recall every seeing a 13 who ran better lines than Smith does in attack and defence.
In one effort last night Smith showed why he is first picked: catch above shoulder from his right pass to left cleaned up with ribs exposed, try in corner to whoever.
Prior to 2002 umaga played 13 or wing.
Bunce too was a 13 when he played for NZ but a 12 for Samoa. He played his last test in 1997 so he's not under your 15 years either.
Alatini last played a test in 2001. Frankly I can't even picture him so I think he is not worthy of bein mentioned in the breath as bunce.
SBW has only played 12 against serious opposition "experimentally" - ie when others we rested or when they were using a test to look at him.
Smith is playing as well as ever despite RWC 2011.
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what he did last nigh in that catch and pass - the only other current bloke who could do that is you avatar and i havent seen him at his best for a little whileSmith is the kind of centre that makes the guy beside him look better because of the support lines he runs.
Yes Bunce played centre for the ABs but his first test was at 12 for the ABs. And IMO he probably wouldve stayed there but we lacked depth at 13.