RWC Week 1: France v All Blacks
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@BerniesCorner said in RWC: France v All Blacks:
The thing is we have some pretty good players
Disagree.
We lack depth in a whole raft of areas - midfield, halfback, lock to name a few. The only area where we seem to have an abundance of talent is 11, 14 & 15 - and after BB & Jordan's performance tonight even that looks pretty thin.
@Victor-Meldrew said in RWC: France v All Blacks:
@BerniesCorner said in RWC: France v All Blacks:
The thing is we have some pretty good players
Disagree.
We lack depth in a whole raft of areas - midfield, halfback, lock to name a few. The only area where we seem to have an abundance of talent is 11, 14 & 15 - and after BB & Jordan's performance tonight even that looks pretty thin.
Look Jordan had a stinker, but he has loads of credit in the bank.
As I said in a previous thread Beauden Barrett has 113 caps now. HIs first 70 were fairy tale stuff.
The last 40 or so. Absolute trash.
He is one of my favourite Allblacks of all time (I've backed him at 100/1 for top try scorer), but he is a massive problem. Not only because he is playing crap, but because accommodating him omits other players we could do with and he gets in Mo'ungas way.
Get Jordan to fullback and have a power winger in 11 or 14 with Telea on the opposite side.
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France missed 32 tackles tonight. Not often that happens to an Edwards coached defence. NZ couldn’t capitalise on this, especially in the first half.
France got pumped by NZ in the pool game in 2011 and lost to Tonga. They ended up losing by a point in the final, after a mutiny against their coach.
Strange things happen at world cups
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@mencey said in RWC: France v All Blacks:
This is now just becoming embarrassing. I now live in Canada and I have neighbours who don't know shit about Rugby telling me that the All Blacks are not the same team anymore.
Foster may be a great bloke and all that but he should never have been given the job in the first place. We have just gone to shit under his tenure. We won't get out of the quarters if we are even lucky enough to get out of this pool.
Some of the players should have gone to Japan for good for the payday already. Where is the backup game plane if things are not working? This nonstop kicking the ball away is just a joke.
Richie and Dan must be in total disbelief in the stands. That is the second game in a row that was just sickening to watch. The French can play way better that that. Thank F### they didn't or we would have been in for another hiding.
I haven’t particularly been looking forward to this WC as I knew we weren’t going anywhere but the match at Twickenham and now this defeat has confirmed my worst fears.
All I can say is, I hope Razor can turn things around next year and make me want to watch this team play without a sense of how badly we could lose when I am watching. I am not a Crusaders fan but you have to give it to that man Scott Robinson. His record speaks for itself as does Fosters I am afraid to say.
I wish that I still drank as I could at least drown my sorrows. Yes this is negative but how else are you supposed to feel. My old man was Irish born so that’s who I now hope win if we can’t produce an absolute miracle. Enough said.
Where in Canada?
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France missed 32 tackles tonight. Not often that happens to an Edwards coached defence. NZ couldn’t capitalise on this, especially in the first half.
France got pumped by NZ in the pool game in 2011 and lost to Tonga. They ended up losing by a point in the final, after a mutiny against their coach.
Strange things happen at world cups
@stodders said in RWC: France v All Blacks:
France missed 32 tackles tonight. Not often that happens to an Edwards coached defence. NZ couldn’t capitalise on this, especially in the first half.
ABs finished ahead on lots of things carry metres, rucks, ruck speed etc etc
Key ones we lost: penalties (4-12 I think?) and kicking metres was way behind
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Going forward - discipline and handling needs to be so much better. Every time NZ looked like they were stretching France, they either dropped the ball or got isolated and pinged. You can’t let teams like France, Ireland and SA have 12 penalties to play with.
France were blowing hard at times. NZ let them off the hook with poor execution and lack of discipline. Both are fixable.
JB and SF returning will be a big boost. BBBR returning and starting with SB will add some ballast and power.
BB has to be on borrowed time now. Wouldn’t surprise me if DM gets a run at FB in Italy test.
CR to take his chance and force himself onto the bench by QF.
If TL returns by end of the pool, that’s quite a lot of changes/improvements from the 23 seen tonight.
@stodders said in RWC: France v All Blacks:
Going forward - discipline and handling needs to be so much better. Every time NZ looked like they were stretching France, they either dropped the ball or got isolated and pinged. You can’t let teams like France, Ireland and SA have 12 penalties to play with.
France were blowing hard at times. NZ let them off the hook with poor execution and lack of discipline. Both are fixable.
JB and SF returning will be a big boost. BBBR returning and starting with SB will add some ballast and power.
BB has to be on borrowed time now. Wouldn’t surprise me if DM gets a run at FB in Italy test.
CR to take his chance and force himself onto the bench by QF.
If TL returns by end of the pool, that’s quite a lot of changes/improvements from the 23 seen tonight.
Impressive use of initials.
But stop giving me hope.
It may be a stages of grief thing but my mindset is changing.
My expectation has gone and I'm now just going to watch the footy and enjoy the event. I'll still watch with hope, but no expectation.
Is this what normal fans feel like?
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Its a pity Stevenson and/or Jordan did not get more minutes at 15 previously.
We also severely lack a Levi Aumua type at 12. It's just a necessity in international rugby now. You need someone to cart it up.
Fosters in and out Hokey Cokey selection policy has left a fair few guys not knowing where they stand. Roigard, DMAC, Jacobsen, Finau...I could go on. It's all over the place and has been for a few years. Perofeta (1 minute against Ireland), Sowakula, RTS, Ennor. Rightly or wrongly loads of blokes got messed around. Faingaanuku was in the wilderness for a longtime too.
We looked magic against Argentina with DMAC and then foster just ripped it all up.
I cannot get my head around his tenure at all. He is all over the place.
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We've got one last throw of the dice.
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@voodoo said in RWC: France v All Blacks:
It’s pretty wild how dependent we have become on Frizell, Scott B and Jordie B, 3 of the dumbest blokes playing rugby
Are you picking on Frizell for his off field antics ?
The Barrett reference is pretty self explanatory though !
@MN5 said in RWC: France v All Blacks:
@voodoo said in RWC: France v All Blacks:
It’s pretty wild how dependent we have become on Frizell, Scott B and Jordie B, 3 of the dumbest blokes playing rugby
Are you picking on Frizell for his off field antics ?
The Barrett reference is pretty self explanatory though !
I could be being unfair to on-field Frizz to be fair
Still - 3 blokes who know one way and that’s straight up the guts. Shows that at the end of the day, rugby often doesn’t have to be that complicated.
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No team plays like the ABs (and that is not a compliment). It is the height of arrogance to think that you have achieved some new paradigm in rugby while the rest of the best play what I call the ‘European’ way….and win
@pjay no team used to play like ABs either, but back in 2015, the players available were better and could execute the game plan. There wasn’t a team around that was close to them.
Trouble is, you have to cut your cloth accordingly. First Hansen, then Foster have been trying to do the same thing with a good, but not great, crop of players. Sometimes they are able to execute to the same standard, but because they lack the quality, discipline and focus of that 2015 crop, they drop the ball more often. The basics are just not executed as well.
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It’s too late for this team to change, the die has been set. We may fluke a win over a top team, but we go no further then the semis.
We lack balance in the loosies (with or without Cane). Ditto the backs… accentuated when we play ridiculous aerial tactics.
Our props in particular are nowhere near world class.
All set piece is currently a weakness for us. This is majorly concerning.
Which leads on to… we are lacking in game fundamentals. Tactics that support territorial advantage, building phases of pressure etc. It appeared we had moved on, but alas we’re still playing Fosterball.
Relying on miracle plays won’t win a World Cup.
How much lasting damage has been inflicted upon the ABs over the last 4-6 years under a declining Hansen and a grossly under qualified Foster. Probably a nice guy. Nice guys finish last.
We were out-coached/out-tacticed again today.
I’m now nervous about Italy.
Best thing that could happen is that the team develops a siege mentality, like they did when they saved Foster’s skin in SA, backs to the wall, and galvanise.
I hope I am wrong about most of this (but I suspect not).
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@stodders said in RWC: France v All Blacks:
Going forward - discipline and handling needs to be so much better. Every time NZ looked like they were stretching France, they either dropped the ball or got isolated and pinged. You can’t let teams like France, Ireland and SA have 12 penalties to play with.
France were blowing hard at times. NZ let them off the hook with poor execution and lack of discipline. Both are fixable.
JB and SF returning will be a big boost. BBBR returning and starting with SB will add some ballast and power.
BB has to be on borrowed time now. Wouldn’t surprise me if DM gets a run at FB in Italy test.
CR to take his chance and force himself onto the bench by QF.
If TL returns by end of the pool, that’s quite a lot of changes/improvements from the 23 seen tonight.
Impressive use of initials.
But stop giving me hope.
It may be a stages of grief thing but my mindset is changing.
My expectation has gone and I'm now just going to watch the footy and enjoy the event. I'll still watch with hope, but no expectation.
Is this what normal fans feel like?
@booboo Boks won a World Cup after losing 23-13 in first game to NZ in 2019.
England made the final in 2007 after losing 36-0 to the Boks in the pool.
NZ lost. Challenge now for the coaches is to build up to Italy and win, then build up to QF. If they are 5% better than they were tonight (they weren’t far off), they have a decent chance.
Foster has nothing to lose now. Throw the dice man. Give DM a run at FB. Along with JB, they have 2 siege gun boots. What exactly would the ABs lose dropping BB for DM? I know they say form is temporary, class is permanent, but world cups rarely provide fairytale endings.
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@MN5 said in RWC: France v All Blacks:
@voodoo said in RWC: France v All Blacks:
It’s pretty wild how dependent we have become on Frizell, Scott B and Jordie B, 3 of the dumbest blokes playing rugby
Are you picking on Frizell for his off field antics ?
The Barrett reference is pretty self explanatory though !
I could be being unfair to on-field Frizz to be fair
Still - 3 blokes who know one way and that’s straight up the guts. Shows that at the end of the day, rugby often doesn’t have to be that complicated.
@voodoo said in RWC: France v All Blacks:
@MN5 said in RWC: France v All Blacks:
@voodoo said in RWC: France v All Blacks:
It’s pretty wild how dependent we have become on Frizell, Scott B and Jordie B, 3 of the dumbest blokes playing rugby
Are you picking on Frizell for his off field antics ?
The Barrett reference is pretty self explanatory though !
I could be being unfair to on-field Frizz to be fair
Still - 3 blokes who know one way and that’s straight up the guts. Shows that at the end of the day, rugby often doesn’t have to be that complicated.
I think the wankfest over Frizzel and Blackadder sums up ABs rugby at the moment.
Massive hope and blind faith in two guys who have really done fuck all at the highest level.
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@booboo Boks won a World Cup after losing 23-13 in first game to NZ in 2019.
England made the final in 2007 after losing 36-0 to the Boks in the pool.
NZ lost. Challenge now for the coaches is to build up to Italy and win, then build up to QF. If they are 5% better than they were tonight (they weren’t far off), they have a decent chance.
Foster has nothing to lose now. Throw the dice man. Give DM a run at FB. Along with JB, they have 2 siege gun boots. What exactly would the ABs lose dropping BB for DM? I know they say form is temporary, class is permanent, but world cups rarely provide fairytale endings.
@stodders problem is I dont think we have the composure and smarts to win this thing.
I also dont think Foster has it in him to adjust things, even though from the outside, they seem like simple changes
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@voodoo said in RWC: France v All Blacks:
@MN5 said in RWC: France v All Blacks:
@voodoo said in RWC: France v All Blacks:
It’s pretty wild how dependent we have become on Frizell, Scott B and Jordie B, 3 of the dumbest blokes playing rugby
Are you picking on Frizell for his off field antics ?
The Barrett reference is pretty self explanatory though !
I could be being unfair to on-field Frizz to be fair
Still - 3 blokes who know one way and that’s straight up the guts. Shows that at the end of the day, rugby often doesn’t have to be that complicated.
I think the wankfest over Frizzel and Blackadder sums up ABs rugby at the moment.
Massive hope and blind faith in two guys who have really done fuck all at the highest level.
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@MN5 Frizell has shown he can do his job. The AB back row needs someone who runs hard and moves bodies. He does that.
Blackadder - I think he’s a good guy to have on the bench.
