All Blacks v Wallabies - Bledisloe 1 (7/8/2021)

[Alex Anghel]

you could also argue Paps deserves to start ahead of Ardie, he's had a great season

What can I say? This is favouritism vs in form type of choosing, in a Steve Hansen latter years manner...

 

[Umaga's Witness]

Paps has been great, was last season too but it was less obvious because people werent primed to notice him and because there were other sevens playing very well too. But paps hasnt played better than ardie has at 7, excepting that the last game ardie had hardly had any game time over the last couple of months. When ardie has played at seven this year (only a few times) he has been an absolute star, best in the field, as he almost always is at seven. Luke has played better than ardie at 8 though.

 

[Umaga's Witness]

What can I say? This is favouritism vs in form type of choosing, in a Steve Hansen latter years manner...

But tests are different to super rugby too. Ardie has played a lot of top quality tests, mostly at 7. If it was based on super rugby nonu would almost never have made the all blacks.

not saying paps didnt excel in the first test, he certainly did, but thats one test against weak opposition and ardie has a lot of credit in the bank.

 

[Umaga's Witness]

@Umaga's Witness De Groot already schooled Topou in SRTT so i dont know what theyre basing some of these selections on

Ahh yeah, i think i remember that

 

[Kiwiwomble]

But tests are different to super rugby too. Ardie has played a lot of top quality tests, mostly at 7. If it was based on super rugby nonu would almost never have made the all blacks.

not saying paps didnt excel in the first test, he certainly did, but thats one test against weak opposition and ardie has a lot of credit in the bank.

I'd love for someone to go back and look at that, he's played a lot at 8 for the abs and a lot off the bench…I honestly don't know how many great games he's started for the abs, I think for me he's falling into a dmac group, very happy for him to be in the team but I think he's better off the bench

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

I'd love for someone to go back and look at that, he's played a lot at 8 for the abs and a lot off the bench…I honestly don't know how many great games he's started for the abs, I think for me he's falling into a dmac group, very happy for him to be in the team but I think he's better off the bench

10 starts at 7, 5 at 6, 9 at 8 and 18 bench appearances by my count.

 

[Umaga's Witness]

I'd love for someone to go back and look at that, he's played a lot at 8 for the abs and a lot off the bench…I honestly don't know how many great games he's started for the abs, I think for me he's falling into a dmac group, very happy for him to be in the team but I think he's better off the bench

And several people ive heard say hes better iff the bench; but heres the thing, the majority of his appearances iff the bench have been at openside flanker. Its not that hes coming iff the bench that makes him successful, its that hes playing openside. And you also hear it more recently (last few years) that he should be on the bench, because over the last few tears hes predominantly started at 8 or 6, and its always been a marginal call whether he is better than other options in those positions, in reality he has been picked because they want the best players in the field. He plays amazingly at openside fir the all blacks and the canes, so foster and hansen simply dont thunk they can leave him out if the team, despite the fact hes not amazing in other positions. And now cane isnt there, theyre still not playing him at seven. But there is nothing mire dalton can have dine to earn his spot, so in retrospect im glad in a way that he has been given the chance. I hope ardie has an amazing game at 8, but im not banking on it.

 

[Larksea]

Stood down for one week for having a few beers, when Sevu Reece only gets two for turning a woman's face into mince meat

no excuse for what he did but "turning a woman's face into mince meat" is probably not an accurate description of what happened.

I'd also say that Sevu paid much more than just 2 games or whatever. It seemed pretty clear that he was not getting a super contract for a while because of it. Chiefs didn't sign him despite the fact he was tearing up NPC for Waikato. Sure the crusaders eventually picked him up, I think because they had an injured player? But he was stuck in the wilderness for some time before that and it was pretty obvious it was because of his off field history.

 

[Larksea]

I really liked what I saw from Bower on defence, he was shutting down space and making dominant tackles. Scrum is always going to be a work in progress when you are starting out at test level but I dont think the coaches would be starting him if they were concerned about how he was progressing in training. I think arm chair selectors like us miss the fact that the coaches get to see how players are progressing in the gym and on the training field and have much better coverage of their gameplay while we only see what the TV coverage will show us.

 

[Umaga's Witness]

I really liked what I saw from Bower on defence, he was shutting down space and making dominant tackles. Scrum is always going to be a work in progress when you are starting out at test level but I dont think the coaches would be starting him if they were concerned about how he was progressing in training. I think arm chair selectors like us miss the fact that the coaches get to see how players are progressing in the gym and on the training field and have much better coverage of their gameplay while we only see what the TV coverage will show us.

Plus we watch all 15 players at once, and with only half a thought about how well they are performing as individuals, mostly we are just watching how the team is performing.

the coaching team have ist companies helping them with their analysis, do reviews, are looking at it from an analytical perspective with certain things in mind.

still, i can confidently say bower had a bad game last time out because he gave away too many penalties. Doesnt mean he will this game though, and the coaches have a better view if that than i do.

he is clearly a very fit prop and a pretty good scrummager, so he ticks the two boxes they are looking for in a prop. Ethan is similar, but bower is slightly ahead on both those aspects. De groot makes strong runs and tackles, but those attributes are a tier below in terms of what these coaches are looking for.

 

[Umaga's Witness]

10 starts at 7, 5 at 6, 9 at 8 and 18 bench appearances by my count.

How did you find that out?

 

[OneBlackEye]

no excuse for what he did but "turning a woman's face into mince meat" is probably not an accurate description of what happened.

I'd also say that Sevu paid much more than just 2 games or whatever. It seemed pretty clear that he was not getting a super contract for a while because of it. Chiefs didn't sign him despite the fact he was tearing up NPC for Waikato. Sure the crusaders eventually picked him up, I think because they had an injured player? But he was stuck in the wilderness for some time before that and it was pretty obvious it was because of his off field history.

Don't feed the trolls!

He'll be moaning about the haka and kiwi crowds not being quiet for kicks next.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Don't feed the trolls!

He'll be moaning about the haka and kiwi crowds not being quiet for kicks next.

Just not big on woman bashers, as controversial as that may be. I didn't mean Reece, anyway (though he is a grub), but Frizell


In happier news: Sky Sports have announced at the last minute that they're showing this game, so we can actually watch this up north

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Rettallick goes straight off his feet at that second ruck. No pen To Wallabies.

Wallabies hooker having a shocker at the line out.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Wallabies hooker having a shocker at the line out.

Death, taxes etc

 

[Gavin]

Retallick absolutely smashed Hooper who was on his knees at the side of a ruck, well after the ball had gone. Came in from some distance as well with speed.

Not even looked at by the referees

Loads of mistakes from both sides, probably expected

 

[Alex Anghel]

Great try by Australia!

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Wow. What a try.

Edit: yeah that's forward, what a shame.

 

[Reiser99]

Oh dear...

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Great intercept try from Mo'unga.