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8.35am kickoff on Sky Sports 1
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Help Support The Rugby Forum :
All Blacks v Fiji at Carisbrook. 22/07/11, 7.35pm (NZT).
- Thread starter Darwin
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Much obliged.
Ben Smith has been very impressive
The most impressive aspect for me is some of the kicks he comes up with from the back. Often from pretty poor situations he would get the highlanders into very very good field position. The kind of kicks you would call a fluke if he didn't come up with them so dam often.
His Running ability and handeling skills are very impressive. His Running may not quite be up to Toeava or Dagg but he comes up with a lot less errors. Stats suggest that Smith may be as much as half as likely to turn the ball over than Toeava.
His main asset as a runner I think is his determination. He puts a huge amount of effort in when he has his hands on the ball and it takes defences by suprise. They see a skinny white guy with the ball and dont give him the respect needed on defence.
my one reservation about Smith is his defence, to me he did at times look a bit vulnerable on defence towards the mid-end of the highlanders season. I wouldn't say he was bad but defence is very very important, more so in test rugby that many other areas of the game. Even if he's not "bad" As far as defence goes I'd rather have a Toeava, Rokocoko or Kahui in that area.
The most impressive aspect for me is some of the kicks he comes up with from the back. Often from pretty poor situations he would get the highlanders into very very good field position. The kind of kicks you would call a fluke if he didn't come up with them so dam often.
His Running ability and handeling skills are very impressive. His Running may not quite be up to Toeava or Dagg but he comes up with a lot less errors. Stats suggest that Smith may be as much as half as likely to turn the ball over than Toeava.
His main asset as a runner I think is his determination. He puts a huge amount of effort in when he has his hands on the ball and it takes defences by suprise. They see a skinny white guy with the ball and dont give him the respect needed on defence.
my one reservation about Smith is his defence, to me he did at times look a bit vulnerable on defence towards the mid-end of the highlanders season. I wouldn't say he was bad but defence is very very important, more so in test rugby that many other areas of the game. Even if he's not "bad" As far as defence goes I'd rather have a Toeava, Rokocoko or Kahui in that area.
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how many times have you seen him play? no ones claming he is the second coming but he easily deserves his shot
Darwin
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Shame, noticed him miss some didn't know it was that bad. He's got a lovely way of riding a pass, hope he improves. He's only 23 he's got plenty of time. Might have done him some good atleast giving him a bit of game time in test rugby in the Tri-nations?
The thing is, why do you need an attacking threat in 13 when you have so much else where? You need a rock like Smith in 13 to allow others who are much better at attacking to do their thing. Fruean isn't that brilliant. He isn't on the same level as people like Dagg, Maitland, Roks, Gear, Mils, Ranger, Nonu and Kahui who are much better at attack and they also have a defensive game. Benefit of Fruean though is he has amazing hands in terms of handling and brilliant passing on both hands.
No offence but this is why England aren't very good. They need a midfield that works and Hape and Tindall don't cut it. You can't just stick big guys in the centre with little direction like Fruean. You need decision making and to be smart which is what NH centres lack, apart from BOD.
Yeh I know our midfield isn't anything good/special now, wish M.Cat was still around, used to play very wel next to Wilkinson. Flutey offers that when he's inform, not to the extent that C.Smith does though. But that's a different debate 
.
But your talking about established test players, I was just talking about giving him the last 20min in a game in the Tri-nations for the experience, but it's to close to the WC for that at the moment I think? I agree that NZ have more complete players at those positions though. Just think Freaun might benefit. Looking forward to him playing next Super15.
.But your talking about established test players, I was just talking about giving him the last 20min in a game in the Tri-nations for the experience, but it's to close to the WC for that at the moment I think? I agree that NZ have more complete players at those positions though. Just think Freaun might benefit. Looking forward to him playing next Super15.
No ****.
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Have the NZRU missed a couple of tricks here?
Firstly, they have scheduled this match for 7:35 pm on a Friday night in Dunedin. At a stroke, that rules out any potential fans from Southland or Canterbury travelling to the match. There simply isn't enough time to finish work and be in Dunedin in time for the game. Even getting there form South Canterbury or North Otago would be a stretch.
Secondly, the NZRU have been copping flak from fans about night matches and no Tests or Super Rugby in the daytime on a Saturday. The old chestnut they drag out is that "TV dictates the scheduling of games", and we "have to schedule our matches for the European TV audience".
However in this case, who in Europe is going to watch the All Blacks v Fiji at 8:35 am on a Friday morning? Most workers in England are either already at work, or commuting to work at that time of the morning and kids are on their way to school. I suppose there are always the unemployed and "stay-at-home" mums as a target audience.
My point is that, here was an opportunity for the NZRU to schedule a Saturday, 2:30pm kick-off, effectively saying to its fans "OK, so you say that the reason you don't go to rugby is because it is at night time, and that you would go if they were on a Saturday afternoon. Well here is your chance to put your money where your mouth is! Pack out the stadium to prove your point, or else shut up about daytime rugby"
Perhaps they were afraid that just that might happen.
Firstly, they have scheduled this match for 7:35 pm on a Friday night in Dunedin. At a stroke, that rules out any potential fans from Southland or Canterbury travelling to the match. There simply isn't enough time to finish work and be in Dunedin in time for the game. Even getting there form South Canterbury or North Otago would be a stretch.
Secondly, the NZRU have been copping flak from fans about night matches and no Tests or Super Rugby in the daytime on a Saturday. The old chestnut they drag out is that "TV dictates the scheduling of games", and we "have to schedule our matches for the European TV audience".
However in this case, who in Europe is going to watch the All Blacks v Fiji at 8:35 am on a Friday morning? Most workers in England are either already at work, or commuting to work at that time of the morning and kids are on their way to school. I suppose there are always the unemployed and "stay-at-home" mums as a target audience.
My point is that, here was an opportunity for the NZRU to schedule a Saturday, 2:30pm kick-off, effectively saying to its fans "OK, so you say that the reason you don't go to rugby is because it is at night time, and that you would go if they were on a Saturday afternoon. Well here is your chance to put your money where your mouth is! Pack out the stadium to prove your point, or else shut up about daytime rugby"
Perhaps they were afraid that just that might happen.
Last edited:
Darwin
AKA Dingo_Darwin
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Have the NZRU missed a couple of tricks here?
Firstly, they have scheduled this match for 7:35 pm on a Friday night in Dunedin. At a stroke, that rules out any potential fans from Southland or Canterbury travelling to the match. There simply isn't enough time to finish work and be in Dunedin in time for the game. Even getting there form South Canterbury or North Otago would be a stretch.
Secondly, the NZRU have been copping flak from fans about night matches and no Tests or Super Rugby in the daytime on a Saturday. The old chestnut they drag out is that "TV dictates the scheduling of games", and we "have to schedule our matches for the European TV audience".
However in this case, who in Europe is going to watch the All Blacks v Fiji at 8:35 am on a Friday morning? Most workers in England are either already at work, or commuting to work at that time of the morning and kids are on their way to school. I suppose there are always the unemployed and "stay-at-home" mums as a target audience.
My point is that, here was an opportunity for the NZRU to schedule a Saturday, 2:30pm kick-off, effectively saying to its fans "OK, so you say that the reason you don't go to rugby is because it is at night time, and that you would go if they were on a Saturday afternoon. Well here is your chance to put your money where your mouth is! Pack out the stadium to prove your point, or else shut up about daytime rugby"
Perhaps they were afraid that just that might happen.
I'm sure they would get almost double crowd at the ground if they had scheduled this match at 2.35pm Saturday. I'm going to the match with a couple of friends, but I know a huge number of people who aren't going to the match for one reason - IT IS TOO BLOODY COLD! It may seem like a poor excuse, but by 7.35pm tonight it is going to be hovering around 0 degrees - no matter how many layers of clothing you have on you are still normally cold (though a few cans of Speights does help). I can understand why people don't want to pay $50 (for the cheapest seats) to sit in a freezing cold stadium, paying for overpriced beer and watching what will in all likelihood be a one-sided game...
Despite all that, I'm actually looking forward to the match as it is the only AB's match I get to go to this year. Hopefully Andrew Hore score the first try, as that will pay for my whole night out
Shaggy
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I'm sure they would get almost double crowd at the ground if they had scheduled this match at 2.35pm Saturday. I'm going to the match with a couple of friends, but I know a huge number of people who aren't going to the match for one reason - IT IS TOO BLOODY COLD! It may seem like a poor excuse, but by 7.35pm tonight it is going to be hovering around 0 degrees - no matter how many layers of clothing you have on you are still normally cold (though a few cans of Speights does help). I can understand why people don't want to pay $50 (for the cheapest seats) to sit in a freezing cold stadium, paying for overpriced beer and watching what will in all likelihood be a one-sided game...
Despite all that, I'm actually looking forward to the match as it is the only AB's match I get to go to this year. Hopefully Andrew Hore score the first try, as that will pay for my whole night out
Come on! ... Cowboy up Darwin! ... zero degrees is shorts and tee shirts weather
... have a good time saying farewell to the Brook
half time nz 32 fiji 0, i guess its still better than the last time they played them lol, fiji's right winger nagusa is having a pretty bad game, i expected fiji to get raped at the scrums though, its one of the best scrums in the world vs the worst scrum in the world. i just hope fiji can get it together in the second half and get something going, they're doing ok in defence and attack but they'll make a little mistake and nz will score off it, maybe fiji should do what samoa did and keep kicking the ball into nz's 22
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Don't quote me on this but I'm sure that "Leave it 7 black" was said for the first time in that first half!
