Geekzone Rugby (Union) Discussion Thread

Forums › Sports › Geekzone Rugby (Union) Discussion Thread

1 | ... | 410 | 411 | 412 | 413 | 414 | 415 | 416 | 417 | 418 | 419 | 420 | ... | 642

11277 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2725076 10-Jun-2021 23:57

Good to see the NZ rugby press back to their sycophantic best. Gregor Paul has anointed Aaron Smith as the best half back in the world again (even though he hasn't played a test this year) and the usual Mo'unga slurping continues.

Super rugby is dramatically different to test rugby and NZ certainly didn't show any evolution in their game last year. It's all rather funny.

tukapa1

725 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2725085 11-Jun-2021 04:58

networkn:

tukapa1:

The same team as Faingaanuku, Ennor and Havili funnily enough.

Asofa Aumua and Kurt Eklund are apparently not up to it...

I wondered how long it would take..

So, you want to let Taylor go from that list? Replace him with Asofa or Kurt?

I asked who else you guys thought might be a decent option in the centre, and instead of offering some choices, you get upset over my choices?

/me smdh

Of your list of five I would say that Codie Taylor would be the fourth priority for re-signing.

It's clear that Sam Can will be the first priority as he is the captain, not that I would have him in my starting team.

Ardie Savea will be 2nd priority because nobody else in the country comes close to what he offers in the 7 jersey.

Weber will be third priority due to the unknown around TJ. Aaron Smith is still the number one halfback, he is 32 years old. Weber is 30. TJ is 29. Bryn Hall is a 29 year old journeyman and should be nowhere near the AB's. The next priority should be a young halfback and Folau Fakatava is that person.

If there's not enough $$ left to offer Taylor what he thinks he is worth then do what they did to Laumape, one of the best 12's in the country right now, and give him an offer that reflects the fact there are other options and see where his allegiances lie. If he wants to be in the All Blacks he will stay. It's not like we don't have young players coming through that can't take his place (and yes that is Aumua). Eklund is a year younger than Taylor. Plus there is Liam Coltman who has been in the AB setup previously.

There is no room in my team for D Mac, so he would be my lowest priority.

I don't get upset at your suggestions, they aren't that important to me, but they do provide me with light entertainment due to the repetitive and predictable nature of them.

Personally I would have had Laumape at 12 but that's not going to happen now so it will probably default to Havili. ALB showed how well he is playing in the 13 jersey last week.

My starting XV

Props - pick two of Karl Tu’inukuafe, Ofa Tuungafasi, Nepo Laulala, Joe Moody

Hooker - Dane Coles

Locks - Scott Barrett, Tupou Vaa’i

Loosies - Ardie Savea, Hoskins Sotutu, Sam Cane (this won't happen but with the selectors loyalty to Sam Cane you can't leave him out)

Halfback - Aaron Smith

First five - Richie Mounga until Barrett gets back into the mix

Second five - David Havili

Centre - Anton Lienert Brown

Wings - Caleb Clarke and then pick one of George Bridge, Sevy Reece or Will Jordan

Fullback - Jordie Barrett

There you go - I've offered some choices.

Handle9

11277 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2725086 11-Jun-2021 05:23

A 30 year old halfback who has played 7 tests in 6 years is a higher priority than McKenzie. Odd logic.

Does anyone go to a game excited to watch Brad Weber?

networkn

Networkn
32255 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2725141 11-Jun-2021 10:00

Handle9: A 30 year old halfback who has played 7 tests in 6 years is a higher priority than McKenzie. Odd logic.

Does anyone go to a game excited to watch Brad Weber?

I don't think anyone is saying Brad Weber is setting the world on fire, but we have much less depth at Half Back than we do at Full Back, not to mention that on form, MacKenzie would likely be third choice at best.

tukapa1

725 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2725250 11-Jun-2021 12:40

Handle9: A 30 year old halfback who has played 7 tests in 6 years is a higher priority than McKenzie. Odd logic.

Does anyone go to a game excited to watch Brad Weber?

It's a result of TJ going away and not having any idea about what's going on with him. There is nobody else. Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi has been well off the pace and Fokotava is an up and comer but not Number 2 yet.

networkn

Networkn
32255 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2725251 11-Jun-2021 12:43

tukapa1:
Handle9: A 30 year old halfback who has played 7 tests in 6 years is a higher priority than McKenzie. Odd logic.

Does anyone go to a game excited to watch Brad Weber?

It's a result of TJ going away and not having any idea about what's going on with him. There is nobody else. Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi has been well off the pace and Fokotava is an up and comer but not Number 2 yet.

Not to mention he is not eligible for the AB's this season and hasn't made his intentions about who he would play test rugby for clear as yet to my knowledge. He was considering playing for Tonga.

networkn

Networkn
32255 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2725252 11-Jun-2021 12:44

tukapa1:

I don't get upset at your suggestions, they aren't that important to me, but they do provide me with light entertainment due to the repetitive and predictable nature of them.

And yet, your replies are frequently snarky. Doesn't make for much of a discussion.

Personally I would have had Laumape at 12 but that's not going to happen now so it will probably default to Havili. ALB showed how well he is playing in the 13 jersey last week.

There you go - I've offered some choices.

Right, which is a decent way to respond, because it encourages discussion.

I don't get the outrage over Laumapes treatment. He was inducted into the AB's, obviously was given some work ons, and the selectors felt he wasn't heading in the direction they wanted. When it came time for Salary negotiations, they offered him what they could justify given his evident pecking order placement and likely value to the AB's for the next little while. He wasn't happy and has moved on. I had hoped he would be the next Maa' Nonu given his physicality, but defenses did manage to work him out and remove him from games a bit.

For me, his biggest benefit is his crash ball gain line, getting over the advantage line, take that away and he is behind a number of other centres for distribution, defense and general play. You are likely a bigger canes fan than I am (I like them as a team well enough), but I can't really remember anything special about Laumape in an AB's jersey. He was pretty anonymous. He was pretty sensational for the Canes at SR level for a couple of seasons, but was less fantastic this season I think.

Re Hookers, I'd say on form Codie Taylor is our best rake presently. Coles at his best is probably better, but has struggled due to injury. Aomua is fantastic, but has barely been tested at test level and whilst I do think he has potential for the future, is not someone I would promote to starting hooker if Taylor and Coles weren't available. In my opinion, there is still quite a considerable gap between our first two choice hookers and our next best. Amoua should be our third Hooker with an eye towards a couple of years from now. We should give him some game time for sure. It's worth noting that after getting a call up to the AB's, he turned up to the Canes the following season unfit to play and had to be managed back to fitness. I imagine that won't have sat well with them.

I am somewhat surprised (or not) that Whitelock isn't present at lock. V'aia again, looking toward the future is promising, but on current form only, Whitelock has reinvigorated himself and is playing very well. There aren't many locks with his work rate, he is very dependable at lineout time.

Hatch

Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Hatch (affiliate link).

networkn

Networkn
32255 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2725255 11-Jun-2021 12:56

I would say, I do agree that Steve Hansen went too far through the RWC cycle before getting the younger players in his squad some game time, which meant they were possibly a bit undercooked for the RWC.

I was thinking about RWC 2019 and other than a couple of selection errors (I think it was clear what he thought it would bring but it didn't work out that way), we were mostly beaten at the collision against England. If we had made the final against South Africa, I think we almost certainly would have beaten them. I think based on how England played in the final, Eddie Jones preparation was primarily to beat the AB's, and I feel the team buttoned off after that. They didn't seem to have anything in the tank mentally for the final.

Dingbatt

6744 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#2725257 11-Jun-2021 13:08

networkn:

Dingbatt:

Yep, I guess NZ doesn’t have any other world-class hookers. Who does Taylor play for again?

So from that list you think we should drop Taylor then?

Yes. You were positing that if they had to choose 4 out of the 5, who would miss out. I would suggest that since McKenzie is the second best First Five-Eigth in the country at the moment, they need him for injury cover for Mo’unga. They have multiple Hookers still on contract.

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

networkn

Networkn
32255 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2725261 11-Jun-2021 13:22

Dingbatt:

Yes. You were positing that if they had to choose 4 out of the 5, who would miss out. I would suggest that since McKenzie is the second best First Five-Eigth in the country at the moment, they need him for injury cover for Mo’unga. They have multiple Hookers still on contract.

There is a gulf between 2nd and third choice Hooker, and Beauden Barrett would be that cover you are talking about. I'd suggest MacKenzie will play Full Back if he plays for the AB's this season, unless something bad happens to either of the other two choices, and as fullback he is possibly third best choice.

I don't think Dmac's time at 10 was particularly successful for any team. To do what he does best, he needs more space than 10 gives him. He is less mercurial than he was but not that much less. With an eye to the future, Josh Ioane would be the heir apparent to the 10 jersey at this stage would he not?

networkn

Networkn
32255 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2725268 11-Jun-2021 13:32

TJP has signed with NZR, so in theory he has eligibility for the AB's this season, as he was on an approved Sabatical. He hasn't played any Rugby in NZ this season, and from what I can understand, playing in Japan wasn't particularly taxing. I guess at the end of the day, they bring him into the environment and see how he copes. Perhaps he spends some time with the squad and then goes back on the bench when they think he is ready. Maybe his passing accuracy improved in Japan, that would be nice :)

Handle9

11277 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2725306 11-Jun-2021 14:37

networkn:
Handle9: A 30 year old halfback who has played 7 tests in 6 years is a higher priority than McKenzie. Odd logic.

Does anyone go to a game excited to watch Brad Weber?

I don't think anyone is saying Brad Weber is setting the world on fire, but we have much less depth at Half Back than we do at Full Back, not to mention that on form, MacKenzie would likely be third choice at best.

Who are the 2 dual playmaker fullbacks ahead of him?

Weber is a decent player but not even close to the value of McKenzie. McKenzie and Savea would get the highest contract offers internationally and it's not close.

Dingbatt

6744 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#2727557 12-Jun-2021 09:26

I was glad to see Laumape go out on a high in the Hurricanes/Reds game last night. However, I believe the game itself was blighted by some pretty average officiating.

While I concede I am biased, if McKenzie’s brushing contact with the head 2 weeks ago was red, there is no way Lomax’s was only a yellow. Ngunu’s yellow card for an offside tackle was ridiculous because there was another tackler involved as well (so just a penalty). Hegarty’s yellow was also no more than a penalty. Laumape was in no position to gather and ground the ball, it having bounced up and away from him. But once again, with my Chiefs eyepatch on, maybe it is no different to Tiatia’s yellow card two weeks prior that initiated the path to the first NZ loss in the SRTT in that it was fingertip stuff. So karma….
Sitting down to watch the Highlanders/Brumbies over brunch……

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

networkn

Networkn
32255 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2727560 12-Jun-2021 09:56

Dingbatt:

I was glad to see Laumape go out on a high in the Hurricanes/Reds game last night. However, I believe the game itself was blighted by some pretty average officiating.

While I concede I am biased, if McKenzie’s brushing contact with the head 2 weeks ago was red, there is no way Lomax’s was only a yellow. Ngunu’s yellow card for an offside tackle was ridiculous because there was another tackler involved as well (so just a penalty). Hegarty’s yellow was also no more than a penalty. Laumape was in no position to gather and ground the ball, it having bounced up and away from him. But once again, with my Chiefs eyepatch on, maybe it is no different to Tiatia’s yellow card two weeks prior that initiated the path to the first NZ loss in the SRTT in that it was fingertip stuff. So karma….
Sitting down to watch the Highlanders/Brumbies over brunch……

100% agree. It was red, and I fully expect Lomax to be cited. Not to mention failing for the first 10 minutes to penalize the Hurricanes once for being offside when they offside pretty much the whole time.

We really don't have a single test level referee in NZ any more. The whole way through both competitions NZ referees have been the weakest link. I will say though, once the TT competition started, the AU referees were a lot worse than when they were refereeing AU teams only, and I think that's just how much faster the games are played in NZ.

afe66

3181 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#2727628 12-Jun-2021 11:05

I really enjoyed the highlanders game.
We won't make the finals but we played well.

1 | ... | 410 | 411 | 412 | 413 | 414 | 415 | 416 | 417 | 418 | 419 | 420 | ... | 642