Geekzone Rugby (Union) Discussion Thread

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Networkn
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#2918711 26-May-2022 09:32

JPNZ:

Yeah sorry put position in there accidentally. I was meaning top 10 forwards and backs. I don't think NZ would have any players make a Top 10 best forwards in the world currently. Ardie would be the closest.

I think the Irish are going to show us up in a game or two the same way England did in the world cup.

On current form I'd say Savea easily makes it, Whitelock and Rettalick if they can get back to their best are comfortably there. In props, Joe Moody, but again on current form....

I don't think we are going to get owned at home by Ireland. Anything can happen, but I think it's probably a bit pessimistic. I hope we don't at least.

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#2918712 26-May-2022 09:34

Gilbert got 5 weeks from the starting position of 10 weeks. He is probably pretty fortunate it's not longer IMO.

Hoopers comments were mildly amusing.. 'I understand these thing sometimes happen in games, I was disappointed it happened to me'. Weird phrasing. Would he have just shrugged as if it was ok so long as it was someone else (I am not genuinely suggesting he would, but the phrasing is weird).

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#2918945 26-May-2022 14:19

I wasn't aware that Mike Cron had returned to work with the All Blacks. I am unsure if that is a supporting role to Forwards Coach Greg Feek.

Cron is probably one of the undisputed top coaches of forwards and scrums and the period of dominance in our forwards was overseen by him.

I saw this

https://www.1news.co.nz/2022/03/03/nzr-give-foster-strong-support-after-2021-review-ceo-says/#:~:text=New%20Zealand%20Rugby%20CEO%20Mark,finish%20to%20the%202021%20season.

Which I had read previously, but I can't find said subsequent review discussion by Foster, is anyone else's google-fu better than mine?

Actually, I think this is it:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/127232137/ian-foster-reflects-dissects-and-says-the-all-blacks-will-find-the-answers

He does make a lot of sense in his comments, there are some interesting insights into reasons some of the forwards didn't front in the end of year tour.

I guess there is talk and then there is do, but at least if you are aware of the issues, you have a chance to do something about it?

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#2919123 26-May-2022 17:44

I am a little surprised just how changed the Blues team named this week are. With nothing to lose, resting the key players was on the cards, and sensible, but it's quite changed. I guess if there was ever a time, it would be when there was nothing to lose! Their 10 was previously a rising cricket and is basically untested at this level :)

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#2919379 27-May-2022 11:19

Another player to leave NZ shores for rugby overseas, a bit sad he is a great finisher

"Hurricanes finisher Wes Goosen is leaving New Zealand at the end of the Super Rugby Pacific season to take up a contract with Edinburgh in Scotland."

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#2919394 27-May-2022 11:54

JPNZ:

Another player to leave NZ shores for rugby overseas, a bit sad he is a great finisher

"Hurricanes finisher Wes Goosen is leaving New Zealand at the end of the Super Rugby Pacific season to take up a contract with Edinburgh in Scotland."

He has been a great Hurricane and NZ Rugby player. He looked like he may well have been in the conversation a few times for the AB's, but I think there was a bit of a log jam in front of him at the times.

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#2919778 28-May-2022 17:15

Wow! The Chiefs/Drua game ended up being a lot closer than I would have liked (35-34).

But leading by 22 with ten minutes to go, you could see a lot of Chiefs players hit the wall with exhaustion. Falling off tackles and tired kicks. And the Drua pounced.

I have to ask though, if a penalty try is awarded (64th minute), why no yellow card?

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#2919835 28-May-2022 21:00

What a fantastic result for Moana Pasifika.

In the past that first half red card would have been the end of them, but not tonight.

Great result for the competition.

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#2920295 30-May-2022 09:18

Crusaders result wasn't as good as I would have imagined. They are still struggling to get the fluidity and stability in their gameplay. Too many last passes not going to hand or mistakes being made at critical times. Set piece quite variable. Not sure what to expect next week, but hopefully the big red engine powers up for finals.

The Blues are having quite a remarkable run. Another last gasp win, but they are winning. They really seem to be getting the rub of the green at the moment both in general play and with referees. Hard to know what Highlanders side will turn up next week, but with home advantage and most of their big players coming back next week I expect them to get by the Highlanders reasonably comfortably.

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#2920320 30-May-2022 11:19

Luke Romano must be the form NZ lock of the tournament at the moment. The move north has done him wonders along with the responsibility of being a leader in that pack.

None of the other locks in the country are really doing much at all.

The two youngsters (Vaa'i and Lord) haven't taken off as well as I would have hoped, Retallick of short of a few gallops and Whitelock is just going through the motions these days. Not sure what the answer there is. Props are a concern and with the Hookers there is daylight between Taukei'aho and the rest.

Forwards are a real issue at the moment and could well be our weak point at the RWC next year.

Got some promise in the backs, if they can get ball.

We are going to need to knock over more penalties to have a chance of winning so I think Jordie will bear starter to maximise the use of that prodigious boot. That will put Jordan on the wing.

Midfield will be interesting. Tupaea and Ioane could be worth a shot in there.

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#2920328 30-May-2022 11:47

Predictable top 8 has taken shape for the quarter finals..

2-Crusaders v 7-Queensland Reds, Friday, June 3, Orangetheory Stadium, 7.05pm

3-Chiefs v 6-NSW Waratahs, Saturday June 4, FMG Stadium Waikato, 4.35pm

1-Blues v 8-Highlanders, Saturday June 4, Eden Park, 7.05pm

4-ACT Brumbies v 5-Hurricanes, Saturday, June 4, GIO Stadium, 9.45pm

IMO, Crusaders v Chiefs & Blues v Brumbies

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#2920340 30-May-2022 12:27

Luke Romano is having a crazy couple of years to be honest. His form in the below competitions was off the charts. He was definitely forward of the Mitre10 and likely contender for Player of the Tournament. I think Robertson was probably right to move on from him, as despite how great he can be, whilst he is there, they weren't really developing new blood with him Whitelock there who is (was?) one of the form test locks, they probably felt there wasn't room for him. Plenty of room for him at the Blues and he has likely got a lot more game time than he might otherwise due to a shortage of locks in the Blues ranks presently. Before the Blues kicked off, I said to my son that winning that game against the Warratahs would likely come down to force of will of Romano, and he was so key to the good parts of the performance....

I agree that locks are a bit of a problem, but like many all Blacks in the past, as they get a bit older, they tend to save their best for test season. I do think Whitelock looks pretty tired, but I've yet to see him have a 'bad' game. He certainly has many very decent games. I've yet to find a good source of stats for Super Rugby 2022, but I believe last time I saw an article, his stats looked pretty decent.

Really not sure what we are doing about Props. There aren't any really props putting their name up as first on the team sheet right now. There are some players who are having good games, or that part of their game is very strong, but none where you'd go... Wow, this person is an absolute must-have.

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#2920464 30-May-2022 16:04

I agree with Gregor Paul that the Super Rugby competition needs to see a few more matches played in Fiji or Samoa/Tonga next year.

I sort of understand why it was limited this year, but moving around getting pasted week after week isn't really the ideal situation for the new sides. If necessary, the top teams in the competition should probably be required to travel a bit more if that is the only way to make it happen.

I am really hoping that next year the Crusaders will play in Fiji, and that it's possible to go over and support them over there.

Equally I'd agree with Liam Napier that Highlanders being in the top 8 is laughable. 4 Wins and 35 points below the top team, is no-ones definition of a decent season. If Tony Brown hadn't of already resigned, I suspect he would be facing a pretty tough review process. Having said that, we have 5 NZ teams and each week there will be a winner and loser. It's not hard to end up at the bottom half of the table after a couple of relatively minor losses, though I can't see many Highlanders fans feeling like they don't deserve their current ranking.

I feel like the format of the finals should be reduced to 6 with the top team having a bye in the first round of finals. Problem is, it's a curse and a blessing to get a bye.

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#2920855 31-May-2022 12:37

I saw an article yesterday where Foster said the two big work ons for the AB's was speed and skill. That he felt the AB's had been ahead of the pack in that area for the longest time and that now other teams were catching up. There is probably truth in that, but for me, the forwards and our set-piece should be our big focuses. I have seen him mention it in the past, but I am wondering he feels that either the forwards can't be fixed and so is developing a different plan in the hope that if our forwards can't compete, we can just blow other teams from the park with speed and skill.

Or perhaps he feels like they are coming along OK and forwards won't be the problem it seems to be as time goes on.

The games that seem to have caused the most angst among fans were the 2 we lost to Ireland and France. I can't really recall those matches in detail, but I felt we looked tired and slow. I am not sure how many tries we blew due to skills failure or whatnot, but I didn't think that was the deciding factor in the game.

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#2921173 1-Jun-2022 08:21

No surprises to read yesterday after his 12 month extension to the end of 2023 and the world cup that Richie Mo'unga is off to Japan for 2 years. Beauden is also retiring at the end of 2023 world cup so you'd hope some decent 10's start performing next year or the All Blacks are going to be in some rebuild phase for a couple of years.

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