Geekzone Rugby (Union) Discussion Thread

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Networkn
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#3265593 28-Jul-2024 17:34

GV27:

There really hasn't been an ABs squad 'filled' with Blues players, unless you want to count the the mid 1990s. Not in the way we've seen squads filled with Crusaders in the intervening years since, anyway.

Just not sure why you'd select almost exclusively from the squads that were defensively outclassed (also at scrum-time) by one team and pass over the players who made that happen. Maybe the rest of the country doesn't like winning as much as we do up here? Each to their own, I guess.

If you are worried about defense, then there should be no Auckland wingers included ;) Both seem to be using Social Distancing as a defensive directive.

networkn

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#3267829 3-Aug-2024 11:35

This has some interesting perspective.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/350361877/ex-all-black-sam-whitelock-reveals-saga-almost-cost-coach-ian-fosters-job?cx_testId=48&cx_testVariant=cx_1&cx_artPos=4#cxrecs_s

Handle9

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#3267875 3-Aug-2024 19:12

networkn:
This has some interesting perspective.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/350361877/ex-all-black-sam-whitelock-reveals-saga-almost-cost-coach-ian-fosters-job?cx_testId=48&cx_testVariant=cx_1&cx_artPos=4#cxrecs_s

Passages like this are why I find most sports books a waste of time. Instead of saying what he thinks he hides behind platitudes and cliches. Rugby books are the worst, really the only one I’ve read from an All Black that was interesting was Anton Oliver’s book. He was happy to have an opinion and stand behind it instead of saying everyone was wonderful.

Earbanean

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#3269443 8-Aug-2024 11:13

Earbanean:

He has been the best centre this year - but mainly because ALB and Goodhue have been out pretty much the whole year. Big strong fast centres are nice, but organisation and distribution skills, like Conrad Smith, are more important against test defences. That's why Nonu and Smith were such a complimentary and effective midfield combination. That's why Wayne Smith and I both like Barrett and ALB as a combination. There's not enough time left this season to make the change, but maybe next year. Although, that's getting pretty close to the big dance.

Finally I get my way. After many many months of begging for ALB at centre alongside Jordie, it's taken Razor to finally get it right.

People rightly talked about Proctor's performance vs Fiji, but ALB was equally good and comes with a heap more experience.

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#3269454 8-Aug-2024 11:41

Handle9

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#3270466 11-Aug-2024 00:35

Well that was crap in a myriad of ways.

Hammerer

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#3270468 11-Aug-2024 02:52

“Not good enough.”

Bring back Foster? Not a real suggestion - just some empathy for how difficult it is for our coaches to produce a win.

It was a great reality check. The scale of the fail should impart some humility and produce more accurate assessment from us all. That will probably serve us well in future games.

A positive for me is that the Barretts interview well.

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Handle9

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#3270469 11-Aug-2024 03:48

Hammerer:
“Not good enough.”

Bring back Foster? Not a real suggestion - just some empathy for how difficult it is for our coaches to produce a win.

It was a great reality check. The scale of the fail should impart some humility and produce more accurate assessment from us all. That will probably serve us well in future games.

A positive for me is that the Barretts interview well.

It's 4 games in a row with terrible exits, poor lineouts and early scum engagements. We've managed to take a strong forward pack and make it mediocre. We don't look well coached at the moment.

I hope Ethan Blackadder sends Angus Gardiner a Christmas card. He was extraordinarily lucky not to get a yellow card.

networkn

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#3270476 11-Aug-2024 09:19

Handle9: Well that was crap in a myriad of ways.

You are not wrong! Disappointing in so many ways.

networkn

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#3270477 11-Aug-2024 09:23

Handle9:

It's 4 games in a row with terrible exits, poor lineouts and early scum engagements. We've managed to take a strong forward pack and make it mediocre. We don't look well coached at the moment.

I hope Ethan Blackadder sends Angus Gardiner a Christmas card. He was extraordinarily lucky not to get a yellow card.

Agree on the yellow, agree on the terrible exits.

We got 14/14 of our own lineouts until they changed hooker (quite the contrast from 2 matches ago).

Our replacements didn't add impact, if anything they removed it.

networkn

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#3270486 11-Aug-2024 09:50

What we are missing among other things, is the self belief that the AB's had under Richie.

I can't yet see what it is, but behind the scenes lots is changing for the way we want to play (reportedly). I suspect the players are getting too much in their heads, and it's causing them to be indecisive and failing to mesh as combinations. Communication seems lacking on field.

It reminds me a little of Carter before the '15 RWC.

There are a lot of coaches in that group, and I think the message needs to be clearer and simpler.

GV27

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#3270513 11-Aug-2024 12:24

networkn:

What we are missing among other things, is the self belief that the AB's had under Richie.

We're missing players picked on form.

GV27

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#3270514 11-Aug-2024 12:25

Hammerer:

“Not good enough.”

Bring back Foster? Not a real suggestion - just some empathy for how difficult it is for our coaches to produce a win.

It was a great reality check. The scale of the fail should impart some humility and produce more accurate assessment from us all. That will probably serve us well in future games.

It's difficult if you ignore the best attacking and defending players when selecting your teams, but I don't have much sympathy if people don't like the outcome.

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#3270515 11-Aug-2024 12:28

Unable to watch the game live, so have just finished watching the replay knowing the result.

The ABs weren’t as bad (IMO) as some of the reporting led me to believe. The big thing to me was they still seem to be playing SuperRugby style rugby, possibly made worse by their previous opponent also playing that style of rugby. I don’t think they respected Argentina enough to play Test Match rugby from the get-go.

Three of the Argentinian tries were from ABs players ‘passing to nobody’ (Lienert-Brown, Reece and Savea). Great, spectacle-wise, if you’re way ahead on the scoreboard, not so great when it lets your opponent back into the game, and in Savea’s case, lost them the lead and the game.

Gus Gardner had a good night with the whistle. I’m glad common sense prevailed in reviewing the possible yellow card, despite the TMO trying to force his POV.

Three gold medals overnight at the Olympics means this loss will be memory holed pretty quickly.

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

itxtme

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#3270516 11-Aug-2024 12:33

Handle9:
We don't look well coached at the moment.

I hope Ethan Blackadder sends Angus Gardiner a Christmas card. He was extraordinarily lucky not to get a yellow card.

Razor is not going to polish a turd, work needs to be done for sure. Imagine inheriting a team of wingers, its going to take time. ALB running out of the line cost us big time. Reece smacking the ball back cost us big time. Dmack throwing the ball in goal cost us big time.

This is not the first time Dmac has struggled under pressure. The difference today versus the test prior was the bench had little effect and thats not the AB way.

And the yellow was no worst than the Ardie contact. At least he was consistent.

BB to bench, he is best from here. Hopefully NZRU can get Mo'Ongua back

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