[2014 EOYT] New Zealand

[TRF Mr Fish]

While personally I wouldn't pick Coltman I wouldn't completely rule him out. I'm not really sure that Coltman 'tanked' in the ITM Cup - he certainly had a couple of bad lineout throwing performances, but his lineout throwing was no worse than it has been in the past (when the ABs selectors have shown some interest in him).

Behind Coles and Mealamu the hooker is an incredibly open position. Harris certainly has his nose in front to be the 3rd choice hooker, but how the hookers are rated below that are anyones guess. I would add Ben Funnell and Quentin MacDonald to your list of potential hooking options - the ABs selectors have shown interest in Matu'u in the past too but he is injured.

Personally I would go for..... ummmm.... maybe Dixon...

I like Quentin MacDonald, but given he wasn't selected for the Maoris he must either be injured or well down in the pecking order.

Given the replacement hooker is unlikely to get much/any game time it would probably make sense to include one of the guys already in Japan or Europe. The selectors have spent time with Coltman, Harris and Marshall, it would be worthwhile getting a look at Dixon (a player who is at least likely to be starting for his Super team next season, something that can't be said for Marshall, Coltman, Parsons and MacDonald (plus neither Funnell not Taylor are likely to be starting consistently).

 

[goodNumber10]

Slades been called in as injury cover.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...newspaper-sorry-for-calling-All-Blacks-Aussie

Oops!!! That's Americans for you .

 

[Darwin]

James Parsons has been called up (along with Slade, though this has been mentioned already). He's a good player who does the basics right, but you would have to think he his call-up has a lot to do with the fact he is already in the UK....

 

[nickdnz]

Ehh, Parsons would probably be very close to my first choice replacement anyway, but like you say I'm sure him being in the UK has a lot to do with it.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Here's a quick rundown of the NZ hookers based on ITM Cup statistics...

Rhys Marshall (TAR)
Age: 22
Height: 1.84 m
Weight: 104 kg

Carries per minute: 0.088
Metres per carry: 2.260
Tackles per minute: 0.130
Tackle success: 81%
Lineout success (team): 82%

James Parson (NHR)
Age: 27
Height: 1.85 m
Weight: 105 kg

Carries per minute: 0.068
Metres per carry: 1.522
Tackles per minute: 0.122
Tackle success: 91%
Lineout success (team): 85%

Ash Dixon (HWK)
Age: 26
Height: 1.82 m
Weight: 102 kg

Carries per minute: 0.106
Metres per carry: 2.513
Tackles per minute: 0.096
Tackle success: 90%
Lineout success (team): 82%

Codie Taylor (CAN)
Age: 23
Height: 1.83 m
Weight: 106 kg

Carries per minute: 0.093
Metres per carry: 5.512
Tackles per minute: 0.111
Tackle success: 88%
Lineout success (team): 86%

Ben Funnell (CAN)
Age: 24
Height: 1.80 m
Weight: 105 kg

Carries per minute: 0.091
Metres per carry: 2.950
Tackles per minute: 0.135
Tackle success: 92%
Lineout success (team): 86%

Liam Coltman (OTA)
Age: 24
Height: 1.85 m
Weight: 109 kg

Carries per minute: 0.066
Metres per carry: 1.595
Tackles per minute: 0.134
Tackle success: 88%
Lineout success (team): 81%

Quentin MacDonald (TAS)
Age: 26
Height: 1.81 m
Weight: 102 kg

Carries per minute: 0.082
Metres per carry: 3.000
Tackles per minute: 0.057
Tackle success: 85%
Lineout success (team): 86%

Motu Matu'u (WEL)
Age: 27
Height: 1.84 m
Weight: 108 kg

For comparison:

Dane Coles (WEL)
Age: 27
Height: 1.84 m
Weight: 103 kg

Keven Mealamu (AUC)
Age: 35
Height: 1.81 m
Weight: 111 kg

Nathan Harris (BOP)
Age: 22
Height: 1.86 m
Weight: 106 kg

These stats give indications of a few things. Evidently MacDonald is not a very hard worker with the lowest carries per minute as well as the lowest tackles per minute. He's also quite small. Codie Taylor reminds me quite a bit of a younger Dane Coles - he spends a fair bit of time in the backline and probably needs to tighten up his game a wee bit. Marshall is the most well rounded player, making a lot of tackles and carrying the ball up fairly frequently. However he also has the lowest tackle rate. I'm not especially impressed with Parsons, whilst Dixon is a strong carrier but needs to up his workload on defence. Funnell actually has the most impressive stats, in my opinion.

 

[admartian]

I'm a fan of Matu'u myself.

 

[nickdnz]

Matu'u is in some ways a great option in that I think he'd obviously add some real muscle and physicality to a defense I feel is sometimes a little too passive. That said he doesn't excel in many other areas of the game. He's a reasonably solid scrumager, his lineout throwing is fairly consistent compared to other hookers. Looking at his ITM Cup stats they're not particularly remarkable, although there is no doubt it didn't help playing for Wellington. Wellington did have a very solid scrum this ITM Cup (3rd in the competition) and a fairly solid lineout (5th overall). I think it's better looking at his SR stats. He tackled around the 90% mark in 2014 for the Canes (although got limited game time with Coles mainly starting).

The problem with Matu'u is that he doesn't really offer all that much with ball in hand or work at the breakdown. He's not terrible in these areas, but he's also not a world beater. Like I said, it seems with the All Blacks approach which is defend until the opposition cough up the ball, then Matu'u would be great in many ways. He wouldn't be too far from my next pick. It hurts his chances though that he's got Coles in front of him for both Wellington and the Hurricanes.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Matu'u is in some ways a great option in that I think he'd obviously add some real muscle and physicality to a defense I feel is sometimes a little too passive. That said he doesn't excel in many other areas of the game. He's a reasonably solid scrumager, his lineout throwing is fairly consistent compared to other hookers. Looking at his ITM Cup stats they're not particularly remarkable, although there is no doubt it didn't help playing for Wellington. Wellington did have a very solid scrum this ITM Cup (3rd in the competition) and a fairly solid lineout (5th overall). I think it's better looking at his SR stats. He tackled around the 90% mark in 2014 for the Canes (although got limited game time with Coles mainly starting).

The problem with Matu'u is that he doesn't really offer all that much with ball in hand or work at the breakdown. He's not terrible in these areas, but he's also not a world beater. Like I said, it seems with the All Blacks approach which is defend until the opposition cough up the ball, then Matu'u would be great in many ways. He wouldn't be too far from my next pick. It hurts his chances though that he's got Coles in front of him for both Wellington and the Hurricanes.

Did Matu'u even play in the ITM Cup this year?

This is more of an inkling than anything based on intensive observation, but I get the feeling that Matu'u is a bit hit and miss with his tackling. He certainly puts on some good shots, but does he actually make a lot of tackles in a match?

 

[nickdnz]

Did Matu'u even play in the ITM Cup this year?

This is more of an inkling than anything based on intensive observation, but I get the feeling that Matu'u is a bit hit and miss with his tackling. He certainly puts on some good shots, but does he actually make a lot of tackles in a match?

He did play yeah. 8 games. He averaged 8.4 tackles a game in the ITM Cup with around an 80% tackling rate (although I get the feeling it has much more to do with Wellington's defense in general, as in SR he was tackling at 90%). He averaged only 3.2 tackles a match for the Hurricanes, but to be fair it has a lot to do with him getting only 17 minutes on average a game. Although you would obviously expect a fresh player to make more tackles than one on the field for 80 minutes, his tackling would suggest he'd be making around 8-9 tackles per game.

There are probably hookers out there who would make more tackles though I agree, it's more than he's reliable when he is asked to make tackles and is extremely physical in contact. Which is something I think the All Blacks miss at times.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Here's a comparison that includes Super Rugby as well as this year's ITM Cup.

Were it not for Marshall's poor lineout throwing I think he would be the first choice of these players, with Coltman backing up if he was also able to improve his lineout accuracy. Of the players who had a decent number of starts, Coltman are third and fourth respectively in terms of number of tackles made.

Harris wasn't particularly impressive in Super Rugby, based solely on these stats. Obviously the selectors like his fairly physical tackling style - which is similar to the appeal that Matu'u holds. I don't believe Parsons would be in the squad if it weren't for the fact he was already in England - he simply doesn't offer anything above any of the other options (though perhaps he hits a lot of breakdowns?). His lineout throwing is good, certainly better than Marshall's (though Marshall's has steadily improved this season), but elsewhere he's fairly impressive. It will be interesting to see how Funnell goes when starting regularly for the Crusaders next season.

 

[admartian]

Damn, his (Matu'u) minutes really do pale in comparison to the other guys. But I love watching him play.

 

[Horacito]

Can somebody in the name of the lord tell me in which minute happened the action I'm going to describe?:

During the second half, some of the english boys kicks the ball and Dagg takes it (maybe it wasn't him) in the air, and lands in his knees, and as he's sliding out of the field, passes it back to Savea or someone else. It was extraordinary, awesome. I moaned in a rugbystically orgasm, parallized by the beutiness and royalness of that touch. I had Sthendal syndrome for the rest of the match and didn't notice the result, it wasn't important anymore.

Whoever answers this has my full gratitude and eternal friendship.

 

[Larksea]

yeah that was awesome, and it was Dagg. I think it was 3rd quarter and I think it was after the ref had blown for something anyway. I'd find the time for you but I deleted it off mysky >.<

 

[Horacito]

Yeah, I also think it was in the third quarter, and I think it was absolutely useless because te ref already had blown the whistle again. But I want to make a gif out of it, and have been searching the moment in youtube (the match is already there).

I want to put it on a frame or something. Or a gif meme with the phrase: extraordinary gorgeous, but useless. Like a supermodel.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Yeah, I also think it was in the third quarter, and I think it was absolutely useless because te ref already had blown the whistle again. But I want to make a gif out of it, and have been searching the moment in youtube (the match is already there).

I want to put it on a frame or something. Or a gif meme with the phrase: extraordinary gorgeous, but useless. Like a supermodel.

England kicked off from the 22 and the events described by Larksea followed. The kick was called back because substitutions were Being made.

 

[Horacito]

A couple of days ago, I found it: right after Beuden Barrett misses an incredible chance to get some points and Farrel kicks the ball right away, and then Dagg does his magic.

 

[ianw16]

A couple of days ago, I found it: right after Beuden Barrett misses an incredible chance to get some points and Farrel kicks the ball right away, and then Dagg does his magic.

It wasn't too bad, but you need to look at the RL WC SF between England and NZ to see that done to really good effect. Not only did the guy keep it in, he threw a pass which was caught by someone who then scored a try. Unbelievable stuff.

 

[Shaggy]

An interesting article on what two of the Journos think are the top 10 topics of the tour

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/63301442/All-Blacks-top-10-topics-on-tour

It's interesting to compare with what's being discussed on TRF ... we definitely covered 1,2, and 3, and maybe 7, but some of them, like 9 are no go areas for me

 

[Kapa O Pango]

Cruden is the best No.10 option ABs have at the moment.