2014 June Internationals

Discussion in 'Rugby Union Discussion' started by Howe, May 12, 2014.

Page 31 of 32

  1. BoyBlunder BOY Blunder

    Alot of people put their hand up on this tour. I'm not sure how much of this is down to fitness - general fatigue and slight knocks - of the blokes who played in the finals series but either way it's great to see we have people in the wings.

    Questions being asked by the replacement front row, Ben Morgan, Ben Youngs. Still need to work out whats going on in the centres - Eastmond was pretty poor today, and Burrell didn't inspire much when he came on. However facing off against Nonu is never easy and I think we're pretty strong there compared to the rest of the world.
     
    Last edited: Jun 21, 2014
    BoyBlunder, Jun 21, 2014
    #601

  2. Jabba HJ Bots

    Once again Barrett showed how much better then Cruden he is. I'll give Cruden some credit he did play "better" then the last few weeks but still made some brain dead decisions. If you have no leg drive and strength stop taking the ball into rucks because it puts so much pressure on us to try and retain the ball. You really can tell the difference Barrett breaks the line whereas Cruden just gets held and flattened.

    Also noticed how Messam and Crotty offered sfa offensively as I predicted. Great defensively especially Messam but considering how our reserve halfback and tight five replacements wont offer anything offensively it's crucial to pick guys who will break the lines in the 20,22 and 23 jerseys


    My current best AB 23

    1. Woodcock
    2. Coles
    3. Franks
    4. Rettalick
    5. Whitelock
    6. Read
    7. McCaw
    8. Kaino - Showed enough to suggest he should be at 8 and Read at 6 IMO

    9. Smith
    10. Carter
    11. Savea
    12. Nonu
    13. Smith
    14. Jane
    15. Smith

    16. Mealamu
    17. Crockett
    18. Faumuina
    19. Messam - I'd have more faith in Read or Kaino shifting to lock and using Messam if a lock got injured or was exhausted
    20. Vito - Massive impact player, must have on the bench even if he only gets 10 minutes
    21. Kerr-Barlow
    22. Barrett
    23. Dagg


    Ben Smith covers the midfield if we sustain an injury.
     
    Jabba, Jun 21, 2014
    #602

  3. BoyBlunder BOY Blunder

    Read and Kaino that way round is madness imo.
     
    BoyBlunder, Jun 21, 2014
    #603

  4. Jabba HJ Bots

    Kaino and Read played that way for ages iirc. Kaino is a much stronger ball runner aswell
     
    Jabba, Jun 21, 2014
    #604

  5. Notsure SM Green

    Cruden was sensational last night. He was basically involved in all of your tries when he was on the field. Barrett had huge problems clearing his own line when he came on. I can see why you would have Barrett on the bench over Cruden if you wanted impact but Cruden clearly has to start ahead of him.
     
    Notsure, Jun 22, 2014
    #605

  6. HeathDavisSpeed HT Davis

    I can agree with that assessment of their respective performances last night, but Barrett was much better in his minutes in the first two games.

    Mind you, Cruden had been definitely short of a run in Super Rugby since his injury.
     
    HeathDavisSpeed, Jun 22, 2014
    #606

  7. Jabba HJ Bots

    Wouldn't call it sensational, he did nothing off his own back everything was put on a platter and every all black 10 should hit those gaps and make those passes. The bad stuff he does far outweighs his overrated playmaking ability.
     
    Jabba, Jun 22, 2014
    #607

  8. Jabba HJ Bots

    I think you have to look at how they do what they do, Cruden has had 2 completely gash matches starting where we needed a 5/8 to direct us as others struggled but Cruden time and time again got flustered and got caught with the ball. Then once we get some brilliant metres from the forwards and the passes put him into gapping holes we deem him as brilliant?

    If you look at ranking them on the aspects of the game it's hard to see how Cruden is rated so highly

    General Kicking: Carter, Cruden, Barrett
    Goal Kicking: Carter, Cruden, Barrett
    Defense: Barrett, Daylight, Carter, Several winters pass, Cruden
    Direction: Carter, Daylight, Barrett=Cruden
    Decision Making: Carter, Daylight, Barrett, Nightlight, Cruden
    Breaking the defense: Barrett,Cruden,Carter
    Able to go forward once tackled: Barrett, Daylight, Carter, Cruden
    When the 10 drops back to return kicks (run/kick): Barrett, Daylight, Cruden=Carter
     
    Jabba, Jun 22, 2014
    #608

  9. Chewie JA Chewie

    This daylight person looks pretty decent
     
    Chewie, Jun 22, 2014
    #609

  10. Jabba HJ Bots

    That's Colin Slade
     
    Jabba, Jun 22, 2014
    #610

  11. Squeaks ZW Poole

    Would rate Barrett a better kicker than Cruden and there's no way there is daylight between Barrett's and Carter's defence
     
    Squeaks, Jun 23, 2014
    #611

  12. Jabba HJ Bots

    Carter isn't as good as he once was. There is a reason Barrett is cover for 15 currently, he is an exceptional defender
     
    Jabba, Jun 23, 2014
    #612

  13. Bobrad Bitty B Smith


    Fair enough to give Eastmond a game there, and hopefully it's not the end of him.

    That said, I think with a few issues sorted at Glaws and 36 back to playing 12 regularly after injuries and time at 10 this season, he'll be back in the driving seat for me. Shame in some ways he didn't play, I think that at least the defence would have been a little more solid and might have given the coaches the idea of playing Burns/Cipriani with 36 and Tuilagi as the way forwards.
     
    Bobrad Bitty, Jun 23, 2014
    #613

  14. Rego RS Hutchinson


    Barrett is a better goal kicker than Cruden imo. Something about Cruden's goal kicking seems off. Pretty sure stats over the last few years should back this up.
     
    Rego, Jun 23, 2014
    #614

  15. BoyBlunder BOY Blunder

    Well I thought Eastmond had a really good first test. But 36 was so bad last week it would have been outrageous to give him another shot imo
     
    BoyBlunder, Jun 23, 2014
    #615

  16. Bobrad Bitty B Smith

    I agree, it's just a shame that 36's season has been so disrupted. There's a chance he will never quite make it, but he's the right option to try considering the players who will probably be either side of him.
     
    Bobrad Bitty, Jun 23, 2014
    #616

  17. The Boy Brumby ZJ Brumby

    This is where I make my now traditional "Farrell for 12, hoorah!" kind of post.

    Much as I think the boy's a bit of a penis, Cipriani looked good when he came on. Case for him at fly half with Owenaro outside him.

    Burns's turnstyle approach to defence is too blatant to ignore.
     
    The Boy Brumby, Jun 24, 2014
    #617

  18. Hurricane JD Hurricane

    Perhaps Farrell would be a good 12 - but he is so much better than the other two at 10 that it would be a shame not to see him own that position.
     
    Last edited: Jun 24, 2014
    Hurricane, Jun 24, 2014
    #618

  19. Mariner CL Warrington

    I guess it's too late to keep advocating Flood at 10 or 12 :(
     
    Mariner, Jun 24, 2014
    #619

  20. Squeaks ZW Poole

    You must thing he is an absolute star then because it's a known fact that Barrett's defence is his biggest work on, he has really improved on d though
     
    Squeaks, Jun 25, 2014
    #620
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