RWC Quarter Final: All Blacks - Argentina (09-10-2011, 20:30)

[smartcooky]

If you look at the stats they got a hiding.

If you look at the stats from South Africa v Australia earlier today, you would say Australia got a hiding.... but they won.

It was a very brave and committed effort from Los Pumas; a very good effort from them. The scoreline flattered the All Blacks somewhat.

This game shows that the Pumas will be no walkover when they join the Four Nations next year. They WILL be hard to beat in BA.

33-10 doesn't tell the true story of this match, two tries to one does.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

If you look at the stats they got a hiding.

If you looked at the TV screen....

 

[donmcdazzle]

Compairing test level footy with provincial footy is a lop-sided approach to say the least. Cruden did nothing more in this game than what Slade would have. I'll say again, I don't believe he took any control over his backline because it was a shambles.

Time will tell. If he takes the game against Aussie then I'll eat my words. My point was that he's no cut above Slade as what most were proclaiming before the WC.

I'm basing it on test footy. Slade has been rubbish in every test for NZ so far, that's a fact. Cruden at least looked half decent tonight. His passing was noticibly sharper and he threatened the line once or twice. I don't think there's a huge amount between them, but basing it on the world cup I'd say Cruden has improved from that Aus game, and Slade has looked worse.

 

[Saintjay]

If you look at the stats from South Africa v Australia earlier today, you would say Australia got a hiding.... but they won.

It was a very brave and committed effort from Los Pumas; a very good effort from them. The scoreline flattered the All Blacks somewhat.

This game shows that the Pumas will be no walkover when they join the Four Nations next year. They WILL be hard to beat in BA.

33-10 doesn't tell the true story of this match, two tries to one does.

Agreed and very well said.

If you discount the France game. This was the first proper test of the AB's. Which like the England pool games the best that can be said is a wins a win but the performance was not brilliant.

 

[Black Heart]

I'm basing it on test footy. Slade has been rubbish in every test for NZ so far, that's a fact. Cruden at least looked half decent tonight. His passing was noticibly sharper and he threatened the line once or twice. I don't think there's a huge amount between them, but basing it on the world cup I'd say Cruden has improved from that Aus game, and Slade has looked worse.

Don't agree with that. He runs good lines, puts guys into spaces and at least makes an effort to direct.

Cruden did no directing tonight. He did pass reasonably well but there was no orchestrating on his part what so ever. Nonu ran all the attack which is a worry because as good as Nonu is, he doesn't have a head to control tactically.

 

[beerholder]

Wrong thread. Good match by Pumas.

 

[donmcdazzle]

Don't agree with that. He runs good lines, puts guys into spaces and at least makes an effort to direct.

Cruden did no directing tonight. He did pass reasonably well but there was no orchestrating on his part what so ever. Nonu ran all the attack which is a worry because as good as Nonu is, he doesn't have a head to control tactically.

I'm not sure which games Slade has done any of that in cause I haven't seen it. He drifts across field, passes quite loopily, and hardly ever threatens the line (that one break against Canada excepted, but it was Canada). His field kicking has hardly been orchestral, and the less said about his goal kicking the better.

 

[Ostrayian]

... Yeah, your guy hardly covered himself in glory tonight either

I dont think ive seen him play a decent game on NZ soil yet......must be like a maori curse from his ancestors or something for joining the good guys in gold.

 

[Black Heart]

I'm not sure which games Slade has done any of that in cause I haven't seen it. He drifts across field, passes quite loopily, and hardly ever threatens the line (that one break against Canada excepted, but it was Canada). His field kicking has hardly been orchestral, and the less said about his goal kicking the better.

Then I suggest re-watching them. He did much more against Canada than what you give him credit for. And I've seen nothing of Cruden at test level that convinces me he's a better option than Slade. He played this game very much the same way he did against Aussie last year - by letting Nonu take control. I'm not suggesting he played as poorly as what he did then but I'll come back to what I said before about Nonu's tactical abilities.

 

[donmcdazzle]

I dont think ive seen him play a decent game on NZ soil yet......must be like a maori curse from his ancestors or something for joining the good guys in gold.

I can see him ripping us up in the semi, my worst nightmares are coming true.

 

[Akekir]

My first post, will be classy then.

Gratz to the AB team/fans. The try gave me some hope, but we just not ready to hold the intensity for a whole game on this level.
Still, proud of my team, we did ok (I wanted to play France, damn it).

The 4N will do us a lot of good, with some good practice and rust, we'll do better in the next WC.

 

[RyotoTheDragon]

Agreed and very well said.

If you discount the France game. This was the first proper test of the AB's. Which like the England pool games the best that can be said is a wins a win but the performance was not brilliant.

and they won by 23 points without dan carter and israel dagg. they played a team that defended well but also gave away several penalties. good test for the all blacks leading into the semis

 

[Sam Owen]

I can see him ripping us up in the semi, my worst nightmares are coming true.

I dont think so, he had a really bad game by his standards and has been quiet in the RWC so far. He was in the same club as Slade and Cruden IMO. Quade can turn it on though but at the moment, his on button is hard to find.

 

[donmcdazzle]

Then I suggest re-watching them. He did much more against Canada than what you give him credit for. And I've seen nothing of Cruden at test level that convinces me he's a better option than Slade. He played this game very much the same way he did against Aussie last year - by letting Nonu take control. I'm not suggesting he played as poorly as what he did then but I'll come back to what I said before about Nonu's tactical abilities.

That's such a cop out, Nonu was at first receiver the whole time Slade was on in that game, go watch it again. His performance in that game has reached mythical status, even though all he did was a few nice clearing kicks, let Nonu play first five and didn't cock anything up. Unlike Cruden who made a few errors, noticeably clearing kicks.

However, since then Slade hasn;t really done anything at any level, he looked ok in Super Rugby in like two games. He has been average at best in every AB game this year. I wouldn't even mind if he was just average, but he makes too many mistakes under no pressure.

I watched the Canada game twice and Slade did nothing but shovel, and made one linebreak. His passing is laboured, and has been in every game at the world cup.

 

[donmcdazzle]

By the way, Mils just confirmed how important Dagg is for us. He was pretty bad in his 100th game. Toeava was rubbish too. SBW was good, bit of a toss up for the left wing spot between Kahui and SBW now.

 

[Sam Owen]

My first post, will be classy then.

Gratz to the AB team/fans. The try gave me some hope, but we just not ready to hold the intensity for a whole game on this level.
Still, proud of my team, we did ok (I wanted to play France, damn it).

The 4N will do us a lot of good, with some good practice and rust, we'll do better in the next WC.

Yous guys played really well. Its a shame because some here feel that, because the All Blacks didnt score early, meant that they didnt turn up but what really happened was the Pumas held out on defence very well.

The Pumas is often underestimated by those who have never taken the field against them.

 

[Sam Owen]

SBW was good, bit of a toss up for the left wing spot between Kahui and SBW now.

Yeah I thought so too, when he plays bad I say so. I dont think hes a winger though, Id have Kahui on the wing.

 

[RyotoTheDragon]

That's such a cop out, Nonu was at first receiver the whole time Slade was on in that game, go watch it again. His performance in that game has reached mythical status, even though all he did was a few nice clearing kicks, let Nonu play first five and didn't cock anything up. Unlike Cruden who made a few errors, noticeably clearing kicks.

However, since then Slade hasn;t really done anything at any level, he looked ok in Super Rugby in like two games. He has been average at best in every AB game this year. I wouldn't even mind if he was just average, but he makes too many mistakes under no pressure.

I watched the Canada game twice and Slade did nothing but shovel, and made one linebreak. His passing is laboured, and has been in every game at the world cup.

agree with slade's passing it seems so slow, always in the air for some time. always hoping it doesnt get picked off by the opposition

 

[Black Heart]

That's such a cop out, Nonu was at first receiver the whole time Slade was on in that game, go watch it again. His performance in that game has reached mythical status, even though all he did was a few nice clearing kicks, let Nonu play first five and didn't cock anything up. Unlike Cruden who made a few errors, noticeably clearing kicks.

However, since then Slade hasn;t really done anything at any level, he looked ok in Super Rugby in like two games. He has been average at best in every AB game this year. I wouldn't even mind if he was just average, but he makes too many mistakes under no pressure.

I watched the Canada game twice and Slade did nothing but shovel, and made one linebreak. His passing is laboured, and has been in every game at the world cup.

What point in this WC has Slade needed Nonu to control the backline? Cruden has played one game this year and has already done the same thing he did in his last test. It just reiterates the point I was making. If that tactic works (i.e. Nonu playing first reciever and having Cruden float around somewhere else) then that's fine, I'm all for it. But it worries me that he hasn't yet stepped up into that control room role. Like I said, if he ends up winning the thing, I'll eat my words. But too many people are placing too much emphasis on his provincial rugby.

 

[ranger]

What point in this WC has Slade needed Nonu to control the backline? Cruden has played one game this year and has already done the same thing he did in his last test. It just reiterates the point I was making. If that tactic works (i.e. Nonu playing first reciever and having Cruden float around somewhere else) then that's fine, I'm all for it. But it worries me that he hasn't yet stepped up into that control room role. Like I said, if he ends up winning the thing, I'll eat my words. But too many people are placing too much emphasis on his provincial rugby.

Better than placing emphasis on no rugby, or assumptions of how a guy would play if he wasnt injured. As is the case with the Slade camp.
Kid is avvvveerrage.