Geekzone Rugby (Union) Discussion Thread

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#3407829 27-Aug-2025 12:44

I love the game and played for a number of years, but every time I see one of these I wonder if my enjoyment is built on the long term misfortune of others.

Earbanean

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#3407846 27-Aug-2025 14:52

networkn:

GV27:

Reece had one of his worst hit outs ever in a black jersey. Understandably you have focussed in on Christie first. We all deal with disappointment differently I guess.

Nice troll attempt. What exactly was your issue with Reece this time?

Well, you could start with a really stupid yellow card at a crucial time of the game. Did you miss that? You could continue with not taking a single high ball, or even trying to help Will Jordan in that area.

All eyes on Caleb Clarke playing for Auckland this weekend. I'm sceptical whether he'll have the required match fitness to play the Bok test the following weekend, but I'd love it if he did. The Boks are going to unleash an aerial bombardment and Clarke's our best aerial wing by some distance. He also has test experience, which will be critical playing the Boks. Most of the other potential wing options are very light on experience. Personally I'd go for Love and Clarke as the two wings - assuming match fitness.

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#3407849 27-Aug-2025 15:06

networkn:

RIP Shane Christie.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/former-maori-all-black-shane-christie-dies-in-suspected-suicide-death-sparks-rugby-head-knocks-appeal/7XDYIERDCJALXLCSYPZVCTYHCQ/

That's sad to hear. A talented rugby player obviously affected by CTE in later life. Doesn't excuse his antivax stance, but perhaps makes it easier to understand his why. Condolences to his family and loved ones.

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#3407863 27-Aug-2025 17:17

Earbanean:

Well, you could start with a really stupid yellow card at a crucial time of the game. Did you miss that? You could continue with not taking a single high ball, or even trying to help Will Jordan in that area.

All eyes on Caleb Clarke playing for Auckland this weekend. I'm sceptical whether he'll have the required match fitness to play the Bok test the following weekend, but I'd love it if he did. The Boks are going to unleash an aerial bombardment and Clarke's our best aerial wing by some distance. He also has test experience, which will be critical playing the Boks. Most of the other potential wing options are very light on experience. Personally I'd go for Love and Clarke as the two wings - assuming match fitness.

Heh, crucial time of the game? That's a weird thing. Any time you get a yellow card you are putting your team under pressure. 3 Players were given yellow cards that match. We were penalised off the park due to poor discipline throughout the team.

He didn't take a single high ball, neither did Jordan. Reece was given decent ratings by multiple pundits which was docked due to the yellow card (fair, it was dumb), but his overall workrate was good, he made multiple crucial tackles, that were missed by other players and competed over the ball, when other players were found out of position.

You lament the lack of experience, previously didn't want Love at 10 because he'd get confused from his usual position of 15 and then suggest Love (Inexperienced) play wing against probably the toughest opponnent we will face this year.

Earbanean

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#3408010 28-Aug-2025 08:29

networkn:

You lament the lack of experience, previously didn't want Love at 10 because he'd get confused from his usual position of 15 and then suggest Love (Inexperienced) play wing against probably the toughest opponnent we will face this year.

I agree totally, ideally we wouldn't want Love there. However, that's how desperate we are right now. We have no fit experienced test quality wings available. Coming off the end of last year, Mark Tele'a and Caleb Clarke were the incumbents and looking good. Now, for differening reasons, neither are available - and we're suddenly aware the cupboards are bare.

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#3408035 28-Aug-2025 09:21

networkn:

Heh, crucial time of the game? That's a weird thing. Any time you get a yellow card you are putting your team under pressure. 3 Players were given yellow cards that match. We were penalised off the park due to poor discipline throughout the team.

He didn't take a single high ball, neither did Jordan. Reece was given decent ratings by multiple pundits which was docked due to the yellow card (fair, it was dumb), but his overall workrate was good, he made multiple crucial tackles, that were missed by other players and competed over the ball, when other players were found out of position

The first two ratings I've seen are a 5 and a 3 from a casual Google. I guess if that's the kind of performance you're prepared accept for multiple seasons in a row, then yea, it probably is decent with that context in mind.

And his workrate doesn't matter if he's going to get himself sent off and kill our momentum in the final ten mins of the game, or if he isn't actually working hard as a winger. We don't need another 6 out there getting involved at rucktime, we need actual wingers.

We had the excuse last year that were needed time to bed in coaches and blood in new players. Well look at us now.

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#3408041 28-Aug-2025 10:08

GV27:

The first two ratings I've seen are a 5 and a 3 from a casual Google. I guess if that's the kind of performance you're prepared accept for multiple seasons in a row, then yea, it probably is decent with that context in mind.

And his workrate doesn't matter if he's going to get himself sent off and kill our momentum in the final ten mins of the game, or if he isn't actually working hard as a winger. We don't need another 6 out there getting involved at rucktime, we need actual wingers.

We had the excuse last year that were needed time to bed in coaches and blood in new players. Well look at us now.

I assuming 2 points deducted for the yellow card, that would make him a 7. Amongst the best performers. You seem to have forgotten Caleb Clarke had 2 matches in a *row* he did the exact same thing and was yellowed. I don't recall you having much to say about that.

The ball barely went near the edge the whole match. Should wingers stand out there flapping their wings like Reiko does, or go where the ball is and contribute there? I know which I prefer. He is a winger, but at the end of the day, not all games suit wingers. This was one of those.

He has been far better this year than last. As for killing our momentum... We were on defense, we didn't HAVE momentum. It was a dumb thing to do, but he was one of 3 players who got yellow cards and 'killed our momentum'. You can not like the guy, that's fine, but at least be reasonable in your assessments. I'd imagine you'd have a fair number of Auckland players who are underperforming to worry about, before worrying about the other players.

networkn

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#3408044 28-Aug-2025 10:11

Earbanean:

I agree totally, ideally we wouldn't want Love there. However, that's how desperate we are right now. We have no fit experienced test quality wings available. Coming off the end of last year, Mark Tele'a and Caleb Clarke were the incumbents and looking good. Now, for differening reasons, neither are available - and we're suddenly aware the cupboards are bare.

You have discarded Reece as an option, and replacing Reece who is fit and experienced, with a guy who has almost zero experience at test level AND as a winger, seems.. Irrational.

Love should in my mind be tested at 10, but probably not against the Boks in a must win game.

I'd probably (relunctantly) go with Love at 15, BB at 10, Jordan at Wing along with Reece (my first choice) or Reiko (far second choice). Assuming Clarke unfit. If he's fit I'd replace Reece with Clarke (For the fact despite the fact he is very average on attack, he is decent under the high ball).

One other thing I hope they fix this week and next, is BB's touch finders. He is alarming inaccurate at finding touch. Many of his kicks weren't out and allowed Argentina quick counter attack.

Earbanean

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#3408049 28-Aug-2025 10:37

networkn:

You have discarded Reece as an option, and replacing Reece who is fit and experienced, with a guy who has almost zero experience at test level AND as a winger, seems.. Irrational.

Reiko Ioane is fit and experienced too. By your logic it would be irrational to replace him - but I think a lot if us agree he should be replaced. It's obviously not ideal playing rookies against the Boks, but sometimes you have to do it. Think de Groot and Lomax a couple of years ago. Reece is a brilliant Super wing, but just isn't a test wing.

networkn

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#3408054 28-Aug-2025 10:53

Earbanean:

Reiko Ioane is fit and experienced too. By your logic it would be irrational to replace him - but I think a lot if us agree he should be replaced. It's obviously not ideal playing rookies against the Boks, but sometimes you have to do it. Think de Groot and Lomax a couple of years ago. Reece is a brilliant Super wing, but just isn't a test wing.

Reiko's history at test level is far worse than Reeces IMO. At least Reece can go a whole game and not drop the ball. My view of RI is that other than about 8 months when he clicked at Center (When the Irish were here), the last really seriously good matches he played was when he was at Wing.

We will just need to agree to disagree it seems.

Earbanean

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#3408056 28-Aug-2025 11:06

networkn:

Reiko's history at test level is far worse than Reeces IMO. At least Reece can go a whole game and not drop the ball. My view of RI is that other than about 8 months when he clicked at Center (When the Irish were here), the last really seriously good matches he played was when he was at Wing.

We will just need to agree to disagree it seems.

I think on Ioane we can agree to agree. I'm not sure why you needed to outline how bad he is, because a lot of people here (me included) have been saying the same thing for quite some time. However, him being worse than Reece doesn't inherently make Reece a good test player. You're setting that bar pretty low. IMO they should both go. Although that can only happen if there are better replacements, and I'm not sure there are at the moment.

Maybe we should talk about halfbacks... That one is even harder at the moment.

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GV27

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#3408059 28-Aug-2025 11:21

networkn:

You can not like the guy, that's fine, but at least be reasonable in your assessments. I'd imagine you'd have a fair number of Auckland players who are underperforming to worry about, before worrying about the other players.

I am being reasonable. His form was patchy at best last year and he was selected ahead of other players who were better or who could have been blooded. Here we are this year and things aren't better.

Auckland doesn't come into it.

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#3408062 28-Aug-2025 11:33

Earbanean:

I think on Ioane we can agree to agree. I'm not sure why you needed to outline how bad he is, because a lot of people here (me included) have been saying the same thing for quite some time. However, him being worse than Reece doesn't inherently make Reece a good test player. You're setting that bar pretty low. IMO they should both go. Although that can only happen if there are better replacements, and I'm not sure there are at the moment.

Maybe we should talk about halfbacks... That one is even harder at the moment.

It pains me to say I'd rather have Reiko and Reece against the Boks than Love in an unfamiliar position. I rate Love, but it's a bridge too far when we likely won't have our first choice in many other positions. I believe however, that Reiko will go back to center to replace Proctor, unless ALB is fit.

I am not even sure now which halfbacks are fit. Christie (Who I didn't think played badly against Argentina last week, but is generally too slow for my liking and the AB's game plan) will start. Defence has been mentioned as his strength, but it's pretty hit and miss considering the week prior he made 5 tackles and missed 4 of them! Fakatava and Preston are apparently fit to play. I rate Preston, but it's a hell of a risk to play him against the Boks who will have focused everything on beating us at Eden Park (which I am loathe to say, isn't actually that unlikely right now, which will have the Anti Robertson brigade frothing at the mouth I am sure).

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#3408063 28-Aug-2025 11:41

GV27:

I am being reasonable. His form was patchy at best last year and he was selected ahead of other players who were better or who could have been blooded. Here we are this year and things aren't better.

Auckland doesn't come into it.

Same must be said of Reiko, Christie, yet... Crickets. Reasonable is applying the same rules and expecting the same standards for everyone. If you don't think Reece isn't better than last year, I am not sure what to tell you.

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#3408087 28-Aug-2025 13:18

I can’t fault Reece’s work rate or ability to create magic. I remember thinking in the last game that I didn’t even hear his name for the first quarter of the game. But then, Ioane was in the same boat and, to some extent Jordan, until his yellow card of course.

I believe that now internationals specifically have a TMO and a Foul Play Referee, the ABs need to clean up their act. Little off-the-ball actions are now being picked up and punished, particularly when the host broadcaster shows something untoward over and over again. In the past a try being scored wiped a possible yellow card in the lead up. Not any more card awarded regardless).

At this point in Fozzie’s tenure, there were already calls for him to be replaced. Currently, his record was slightly better than Razor’s is……..

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