Bledisloe #2
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If they were experimenting you’d think they’d have Bender on the bench in case of emergency. That he’s out completely in such a crunch match surely suggests he’s still injured. But dropping Rieko as well is what’s really perplexing. We’re left with two starting wingers as green as the Eden Park turf and a backstop on the bench with the Hex Factor. It’s like they’re playing Russian Roulette with five bullets in the chamber.
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If they were experimenting you’d think they’d have Bender on the bench in case of emergency. That he’s out completely in such a crunch match surely suggests he’s still injured. But dropping Rieko as well is what’s really perplexing. We’re left with two starting wingers as green as the Eden Park turf and a backstop on the bench with the Hex Factor. It’s like they’re playing Russian Roulette with five bullets in the chamber.
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If they were experimenting you’d think they’d have Bender on the bench in case of emergency. That he’s out completely in such a crunch match surely suggests he’s still injured. But dropping Rieko as well is what’s really perplexing. We’re left with two starting wingers as green as the Eden Park turf and a backstop on the bench with the Hex Factor. It’s like they’re playing Russian Roulette with five bullets in the chamber.
@MrDenmore said in Bledisloe #2:
If they were experimenting you’d think they’d have Bender on the bench in case of emergency. That he’s out completely in such a crunch match surely suggests he’s still injured
Was implied that the hammy still wasn't right in an article in the Herald. Would also explain why he has looked slow (whether that is due to lack of confidence in it, or it still is giving problems physically).
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@Snowy said in Bledisloe #2:
@Daffy-Jaffy said in Bledisloe #2:
SouthernMann had the good oil!
Yes, but he keeps naming the team on a Wednesday FFS. All the rules have gone out the window.
I'm going for a lie down.Was going to complain about this, but @Snowy beat me to it. It upsets the natural order of things.
also, thanks @SouthernMann good consistent oil, cheers
@nzzp said in Bledisloe #2:
@Snowy said in Bledisloe #2:
@Daffy-Jaffy said in Bledisloe #2:
SouthernMann had the good oil!
Yes, but he keeps naming the team on a Wednesday FFS. All the rules have gone out the window.
I'm going for a lie down.Was going to complain about this, but @Snowy beat me to it. It upsets the natural order of things.
also, thanks @SouthernMann good consistent oil, cheers
It’s called sauce. Get it right.
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@MrDenmore they are either grasping at straws, or this is all part of some grand plan....
@canefan I think Chris B probably got it right. It was a grand plan hatched on the presumption that the Bledisloe would be tucked away after the Perth match. Had that been the case this selection would have looked smart. It now looks desperate. But as others have pointed out who the wingers are is immaterial if the front five aren’t winning the ball
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@nzzp said in Bledisloe #2:
@Snowy said in Bledisloe #2:
@Daffy-Jaffy said in Bledisloe #2:
SouthernMann had the good oil!
Yes, but he keeps naming the team on a Wednesday FFS. All the rules have gone out the window.
I'm going for a lie down.Was going to complain about this, but @Snowy beat me to it. It upsets the natural order of things.
also, thanks @SouthernMann good consistent oil, cheers
It’s called sauce. Get it right.
@Crucial said in Bledisloe #2:
@nzzp said in Bledisloe #2:
@Snowy said in Bledisloe #2:
@Daffy-Jaffy said in Bledisloe #2:
SouthernMann had the good oil!
Yes, but he keeps naming the team on a Wednesday FFS. All the rules have gone out the window.
I'm going for a lie down.Was going to complain about this, but @Snowy beat me to it. It upsets the natural order of things.
also, thanks @SouthernMann good consistent oil, cheers
It’s called sauce. Get it right.
I believe the young ones call it "awesome sauce" these days.
https://www.dictionary.com/e/slang/awesomesauce/
A young employee of mine said it and I actually thought she read the Fern for a minute.
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@rotated said in Bledisloe #2:
Oh and welcome back SBW.
Yep. We def. need physicality, off-loading, ball skills, discipline, leadership,. ball retention and rugby nous in the midfield.
@Victor-Meldrew said in Bledisloe #2:
@rotated said in Bledisloe #2:
Oh and welcome back SBW.
Yep. We def. need physicality, off-loading, ball skills, discipline, leadership,. ball retention and rugby nous in the midfield.
Love the description. Not sure who that player is though.
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@canefan I think Chris B probably got it right. It was a grand plan hatched on the presumption that the Bledisloe would be tucked away after the Perth match. Had that been the case this selection would have looked smart. It now looks desperate. But as others have pointed out who the wingers are is immaterial if the front five aren’t winning the ball
@MrDenmore you have to win the battle up front before you spin it to the backs!
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@Victor-Meldrew said in Bledisloe #2:
@rotated said in Bledisloe #2:
Oh and welcome back SBW.
Yep. We def. need physicality, off-loading, ball skills, discipline, leadership,. ball retention and rugby nous in the midfield.
Love the description. Not sure who that player is though.
@ACT-Crusader said in Bledisloe #2:
@Victor-Meldrew said in Bledisloe #2:
@rotated said in Bledisloe #2:
Oh and welcome back SBW.
Yep. We def. need physicality, off-loading, ball skills, discipline, leadership,. ball retention and rugby nous in the midfield.
Love the description. Not sure who that player is though.
Irony is sometimes spelt "Sonny Bill Williams".
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@canefan I think Chris B probably got it right. It was a grand plan hatched on the presumption that the Bledisloe would be tucked away after the Perth match. Had that been the case this selection would have looked smart. It now looks desperate. But as others have pointed out who the wingers are is immaterial if the front five aren’t winning the ball
@MrDenmore said in Bledisloe #2:
@canefan I think Chris B probably got it right. It was a grand plan hatched on the presumption that the Bledisloe would be tucked away after the Perth match. Had that been the case this selection would have looked smart. It now looks desperate. But as others have pointed out who the wingers are is immaterial if the front five aren’t winning the ball
Cue the tight 5 (apart from Sam) getting shown what for again, while the wingers romp in 20 or more points between them.
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It's almost like they've dropped Reiko because Tuipulotu coming into the tight five would mean "too many Blues" at Eden Park...
@Donsteppa said in Bledisloe #2:
"too many Blues"
Hmmm, being a Blues supporter, that is actually a thing.
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@Daffy-Jaffy said in Bledisloe #2:
SouthernMann had the good oil!
Yes, but he keeps naming the team on a Wednesday FFS. All the rules have gone out the window.
I'm going for a lie down.@Snowy said in Bledisloe #2:
@Daffy-Jaffy said in Bledisloe #2:
SouthernMann had the good oil!
Yes, but he keeps naming the team on a Wednesday FFS. All the rules have gone out the window.
You know what's worse than naming the team on Wed? Not naming the team at all. That happened last week, and we all know the result of that mistake.
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@Chris said in Bledisloe #2:
2 things stand out they are determined to stick with the BB and RM starting combo
And the twin open sides in Ardie and Sam
Points to trying to play the game at extreme pace with Todd on the bench again 3 open sides in the 23.Based on first half rewatch RM was fine on Saturday, and BB mixture, so no problem with Beau'unga.
Laulala is good at scrumtime (only three in first half) and more mobile than Owen, so makes sense. Bigger issue is that Ofa on bench at LH will probably struggle bigtime with Tupou who is six inches shorter. Need Moli or Karl T in RWC squad.
Cane/Savea is predictable, given TWM's obstinence, but nether has the instincts of an enforcer to punish/discourage jaywalking around rucks/scrums/etc.. That concerns me. Also Todd on bench seems waste. SOS Squire?
Not sure what quite to make of Reece/Jordie. Rieko was fine on Saturday, even though Benda off pace. On balance, I imagine they felt need to test Reece at top level. Maybe between him and Jordie for 14 backup?
@pakman said in Bledisloe #2:
Laulala is good at scrumtime (only three in first half) and more mobile than Owen, so makes sense. Bigger issue is that Ofa on bench at LH will probably struggle bigtime with Tupou who is six inches shorter. Need Moli or Karl T in RWC squad.
Ofa has more experience than Moli at LH at this point. Moli was injured all of 2018 and only started playing regularly at LH for the Chiefs when he returned this season. We will get a better idea of the scrum battle when it is 8 vs 8.
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Well we are going to get answers on a lot of players after Saturday.
Bridge, Reece, Tuipulotu, Hemopo, SBW, Ofa as a loosehead.
I'm not sure we are going to like all the answers.
@KiwiMurph said in Bledisloe #2:
Well we are going to get answers on a lot of players after Saturday.
Bridge, Reece, Tuipulotu, Hemopo, SBW, Ofa as a loosehead.
I'm not sure we are going to like all the answers.
Happy with Reece and Bridge - they looked Ok so far in Black.
Opportunity for Ofa, Pat T & Hempopo to step up. And for SBW not to fcuk up too much
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@Dice said in Bledisloe #2:
4th midfield combination in 4 tests this year.
And it will be a different one against Tonga. 5 for 5, a full set.
