Is Robbie Fruean Deserving?

[Te Puke Thunder]

Is Robbie Fruean the unluckiest player of them all to miss out on selection? He will probably win the ITM Cup Player Of The Year Award. He's been in devasting form and is starting to show the potential he was earmarked for when he won the IRB U19 Player Of The Year Award back in 2007.

So he missed out to Toeava. I can see the logic in that, Toeava has been there for a few years now and can play anywhere in the backline except Halfback and First Five. Fruean is a specialist Center and is yet to experience top flight rugby.

The three wise men have blow-assed about certain selections being based solely on form (like SBW, Elliot and Donald). Based on form Fruean should have been first on the list.

SBW deserves his spot, he could do with a little fine tuning but he looks like the real deal. They were always going to pick him, though I doubt he will upsurp Ma'a Nonu from Second Five.

It was also good to see the likes of a deserving Hosea Gear back in the mix after his form this year. Rene Ranger was unlucky, I think they could have left an aging Rokokoko out for him.

Fruean is still young and will get his chance. Maybe he's a victim of the current depth in NZ's mid-field department. Still, I feel if anybody derserved to be there it was him.

 

[Ninja]

Fruean is one of my favourite players. He definitely deserves to be in there. Based on form, he should've made it. But Ted chose his "special project" Toeava instead after only 1-2 games back from injury. But I guess they chose Toeava based on test experience and because he's a utility. Hopefully Robbie makes the World Cup team. Fingers crossed...

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I think he's VERY unlucky to not get a spot.

 

[Hurricane Nate]

Argh no big deal he's still young. After him and SBW carve up the S15 they'll both make the ABs as a package fore shore, as the back up to Nonu and Smith of course. Centres lookin deadly alright.

 

[woodward]

In my opinion ice is a superior player.

 

[lynam1104]

Robbie doesn't have long to play he will have to retire early so it would be best to get him in early.

 

[Teh Mite]

Welcome to the club New Zealand. The club where you have the media darlings getting selected ahead of the more deserving players.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Why will he have to retire early?

 

[Muzzy]

he has some kind of heart problem

the way i see it Fruean has proved worthy of a spot but Toeava and SBW need this tour to show what they can do and this is the only time they can be tested. i think its a good thing they went with Toeava since they've been developing him since the last world cup, i think its a bit unfair SBW made the team ahead of Fruean off the hype, but SBW does have mad potential to do well and he always seems so eager to learn from his mistakes so i can't be too mad

oh and btw Te Puke Toeava can play first five

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Surely Freuan needs the tour to show what he can do as well? Being uncapped and all?
Shame about the heart problem, truckloads of talent and potential there

 

[smartcooky]

The only thing I see against Robbie is some missed tackles, not because of poor technique or anything like that, more that his defensive lines sometimes aren't quite right. Centre is a very tricky position to play defensively. Good ones will tell you that there can sometimes only be a matter of a metre between a good alignment, and one that will turn you into little more than a traffic director!!

How many times have we ended up playing players out of position at centre at a world cup....???

1999 - Christian Cullen (despite the fact that Alama Ieremia had played well at centre all year.... thanks Mr Hart!!!)
2003 - Leon MacDonald (despite the fact that Tana Umaga was fit and available... thanks Mitch!!!)
2007 - Mils Muliana

 

[nickdnz]

Robbie doesn't have long to play he will have to retire early so it would be best to get him in early.

In actual fact, that's just speculation. His heart issue, providing it is well managed, could well mean he could play well into his thirties, and live well into his 90's. He suffers from rheumatic fever, which is very sever when untreated, but with the proper medical care he could have a great long career. One of the real downsides, is that his joints will feel more sore for longer, but I think many people have this idea that he is likely to have heart failures while on the field, and providing he is properlly medicated, that is unlikely to happen.

 

[lynam1104]

I didn't know that there was a chance of him playing for a longer period of time, i thought he wouldst just have to retire in his mid twenty's. I haven't seen much of him but from what i have seen he is great and could be a really good player for NZ.

 

[Tomsey]

He is too big to be a centre. Thats probably why they didn't select him...

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Despite being shorter and lighter than SBW!

 

[Shaggy]

Sure he's deserving and unlucky ... he's also got Smith, Kahui, Toeava, and possibly Ranger, (when all are fit) all ahead of him in the pecking order ... would have liked to see him get a go on tour, but I am pleased to see Toeava back.

 

[Dizzy]

This was the ideal time for Fruean to show what he's made of... After this tour the All Blacks only get a short tri nations period to work with before the World Cup and personally I don't think that'll be enough time for Fruean, especially when this tour will potentially be the decider for the World Cup squad.
I hope we can get passed the Aussies in Hong Kong, I really want us to set a new record for winning streaks.

 

[dan the man]

Pretty unlucky... He's couldn't have done anything better really, it just so happens that there is a log jam of talent in the centres... The decision not to take Rene Ranger meant that they needed a utility back. Personally i thought that Slade would have got the nod. He can cover just as much as Toeava, and with Weepu out another goal kicker would've been nice.
Fruean will be around for a while i'd say, even with his heart stuff. It's hard to see anyoe making the World Cup Squad that hasn't played already this season or who is on this tour.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Completely forgot about that match!
Next weekend isn't it?
International rugby starting a week earlier than I thought

 

[Darwin]

I can give three reasons why Fruean hasn't been selected:

1: Defense. As Smartcooky has already mentioned in this thread, and I have alluded to in several other threads, his defense is not that good. Generally he is ok 1-on-1, but he doesn't tend to read the opposition attacks well, and as such, he can get caught out of position defensively. He hasn't been exposed that badly for Canterbury, but he was exposed more than a few times for the Crusaders, and I have no doubt he would be exposed by the higher quality players at international level.

2: Super 14 form. Though he has been very good during the ITM Cup, his form during the Super 14 can probably only be described as average. This poses an interesting question for the selectors: Is his dramatic improvement due to an improvement in his game, or is it due to the drop in quality in the opposition? (i.e is he a 'flat track bully'?). While I personally believe that it probably a combination of the two, I don't think we will really know for sure until next years Super 15.

3: Quality of competition. There are a large number of quality midfield backs in the country, many that have been performing at a high level for years. For example, Toeava has had a number of outstanding Super Rugby seasons behind him, and was brilliant at times for the AB's last year. Though he's only played less than a game and a half of the ITM Cup so far this year, his form has been as impressive as Fruean's (if not more impressive!). Fruean would certainly have gone close to making squad, but I would imagine Rene Ranger is still rated ahead of him, while the likes of Ben Smith and Benson Stanley would probably rated very similarly to him in terms of midfield backs. Whether Fruean deserves to be on tour ahead of SBW is possibly an interesting debate - personally I would pick neither of them though!