Geekzone Rugby (Union) Discussion Thread

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Networkn
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#2757729 10-Aug-2021 09:52

Handle9:

Havilli was really quite poor in the first quarter.

Along with 29 others.

On the plus side, what I have heard from every AB's interview all week is how they are looking at discipline. I am not saying it's magically going to get fixed, but they are being critical of themselves. Usually, it's something they discuss in passing, but *hopefully* they can address it somewhat.

I am not that hopeful, but addressing it front on is at least a start.

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Jas777

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#2757956 10-Aug-2021 13:24

Was always going to be a high penalty count with Paul Williams as the referee. He also tends to penalise the team that is perceived as being the dominant team or a team so he can't be accused of being biased.

As for the game, to me it felt like a game being played that didn't mean much because of another event being on (The Olympics).

Now that they are the focus I think the performances will rise. Though if you take Sam out (Brodie isn't back to his best yet by a long way) the tight five is looking the weakest it has been in 10 years.

But in saying that the Boks attacking play is so boring any dominance they have in tight five will be wasted. 10 to 15 minutes to get 6 points can be undone in 1 by a counter attack try.

Handle9

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#2757989 10-Aug-2021 14:44

networkn:
Handle9:

Havilli was really quite poor in the first quarter.

The other 29 didn't have two turnovers and a charge down.

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#2758666 11-Aug-2021 16:15

Troy Bowker is a lovely human being. This could be very entertaining.

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#2760077 14-Aug-2021 19:05

So it turns out back to back tests in Auckland isn't very popular.

clinty

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#2760086 14-Aug-2021 21:20

Handle9: So it turns out back to back tests in Auckland isn't very popular.

Pretty sure I saw 25,000ish as the crowd total on the big screen at some point.

Not too bad for a back to back game, scheduled at the last minute

Enjoyed the game - the Aussies are certainly bringing it - Kelloway is going to be a handful going foward

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#2760114 14-Aug-2021 23:56

clinty:
Handle9: So it turns out back to back tests in Auckland isn't very popular.

Pretty sure I saw 25,000ish as the crowd total on the big screen at some point.

Not too bad for a back to back game, scheduled at the last minute

Enjoyed the game - the Aussies are certainly bringing it - Kelloway is going to be a handful going foward

Clont

Half full for a Bledisloe test is pretty mediocre.

The first half was fun, the second half got boring. When Australia stop shooting themselves in the foot they'll be a good side. I hope Lolesio develops, they've got a decent pack and McDermott, Banks and Palesami look like a keepers.

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#2760131 15-Aug-2021 06:29

clinty:
Handle9: So it turns out back to back tests in Auckland isn't very popular.

Pretty sure I saw 25,000ish as the crowd total on the big screen at some point.

Not too bad for a back to back game, scheduled at the last minute

I read it was the smallest ever crowd for an All Blacks test at Eden Park.

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#2760145 15-Aug-2021 09:47

That was some performance from the AB's compared to last week! With a record win over the Wallabies, hopefully it will shut up some of the Foster haters. He clearly knows how to get what he needs from the team. Some questions will remain why they are inconsistent, but there was some insight this morning around last weeks performance in the Herald this morning.With the Blesisloe safely away in the cupboard, hopefully NZR will sign off on his contract extension and remove the uncertainty created by delaying the decision.

Discipline, whilst not perfect, was certainly considerably better. During the game, you could see the players self correcting off-side lines, which was good to see.

Akira Ioane had his best test (and possibly best ever game) last night. He was excellent. Pretty much all the forwards had good games. Papalii probably needs a game or two more to hit his straps in test Rugby. Laulalas scrummaging is a very mixed bag. The defense coach needs to spend more time with our full backs. Whilst it's good we can attack from fullback, the number of fixable defensive mistakes is pretty high. That kick from MacKenzie at 58m, was an absoloute screamer though, seriously wow.

I really hope our other centers are fit and healty soon so we can get Reiko out of the midfield. That experiment, at least at test level, needs to be over.

Still plenty to work on, I still feel we could be more imposing physically, and will need to be against SA etc.

Michael Hooper is a class act on and off the field. Some of his tackles and intelligent defense was really fantastic.

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#2760226 15-Aug-2021 15:18

Why would one good performance justify Foster being retained? A consistent level of performance is the issue, as it has been for 4 years.

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#2760255 15-Aug-2021 15:46

Handle9: Why would one good performance justify Foster being retained? A consistent level of performance is the issue, as it has been for 4 years.

ROFL. It hasn't been one good performance.

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#2760257 15-Aug-2021 15:50

networkn:
Handle9: Why would one good performance justify Foster being retained? A consistent level of performance is the issue, as it has been for 4 years.

ROFL. It hasn't been one good performance.

I guess I missed the consistent string of good performances. They don't exist.

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#2760299 15-Aug-2021 17:37

It was interesting, and apparently more successful, when they made a double change bringing on the Barrett brothers to replace Mo’unga and McKenzie. Jordie is a better fullback than winger and the Wallabies took a while to adjust from Mo’unga’s style to B.Barrett’s at First Five. McKenzie received plenty of ‘attention’ from the Australians early on, maybe because of his stature, more than one contact to the head. Nothing punished. Mo’unga was able to display his magic.

Hooper is a good player and leader. He never gives up but additional to that he does a lot of play ‘off the ball’. Plenty of running obstructive lines, jersey pulling and shoves well away from the ball. International rugby runs on the finest of margins and anything you can do (and get away with) to gain ascendency I guess. He is by no means the only one, but his prominence on the field makes it easier to spot.

Reece seems to be targeting the ball in almost every tackle, even when stopping the player is more important. It’s impressive when the strip comes off, but left the ABs exposed when the attacker wasn’t brought to ground. However his intercept try was superb fingertip stuff. In fact it was probably a 14 pointer, because if he had missed it, there is a good chance the Wallabies would have scored.

Glad to see ‘Guzzler’ get a try.

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

Handle9

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#2760301 15-Aug-2021 17:39

Dingbatt:

It was interesting, and apparently more successful, when they made a double change bringing on the Barrett brothers to replace Mo’unga and McKenzie. Jordie is a better fullback than winger and the Wallabies took a while to adjust from Mo’unga’s style to B.Barrett’s at First Five. McKenzie received plenty of ‘attention’ from the Australians early on, maybe because of his stature, more than one contact to the head. Nothing punished. Mo’unga was able to display his magic.

Hooper is a good player and leader. He never gives up but additional to that he does a lot of play ‘off the ball’. Plenty of running obstructive lines, jersey pulling and shoves well away from the ball. International rugby runs on the finest of margins and anything you can do (and get away with) to gain ascendency I guess. He is by no means the only one, but his prominence on the field makes it easier to spot.

Reece seems to be targeting the ball in almost every tackle, even when stopping the player is more important. It’s impressive when the strip comes off, but left the ABs exposed when the attacker wasn’t brought to ground. However his intercept try was superb fingertip stuff. In fact it was probably a 14 pointer, because if he had missed it, there is a good chance the Wallabies would have scored.

Glad to see ‘Guzzler’ get a try.

Both Reece and Havilli have missed a lot of tackles in the Bledisloe games. It'll bear watching.

I don't think they'll play Reece against the Springboks anyway.

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#2760352 15-Aug-2021 21:19

There are reports out of Australia that RA will revise the Giteau run to allow selection of more overseas players. It would leave NZ as the last man standing in the Southern Hemisphere. It's really only a matter of time until that changes.

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