AB Team Named
It took me all day to find out the AB team, as I was out and about and always just missing the sports news. So here it is, alongside the differences from [my team] selected a couple of weeks back:
1. Tony Woodcock
2. Andrew Hore
3. Neemia Tialata
4. Brad Thorn
5. Isaac Ross
6. Kieran Read [Liam Messum]
7. Adam Thompson [Richie McCaw] - comes off the bench to cover McCaw's injury
8. Liam Messam - I had Liam at 6 with Kaino at 8 - with Kaino injured the excellent Read comes in at 6 and Messum shifts to 8
9. Jimmy Cowan [Piri Weepu] - my 2 halfbacks swap places
10. Stephen Donald
11. Joe Rokocoko
12. Ma’a Nonu
13. Isaia Toeava [Richard Kahui] with Kahui injured the versatile Toeva gets a chance at centre - he has international experience in this position and won't let us down - if he plays well, can he make this position his own when Smith is fit?
14. Rudi Wulf [Isaia Toeva]- comes in to cover Toeva's shift to centre but I have to say he wasn't on my bench - he does have a better kick defence than Masaga
15. Mils Muliaina (c)
16. John Afoa
17. Keven Mealamu
18. Bryn Evans [Kevin O’Neill] - the most surprised rugby player in NZ
19. Tanerau Latimer [Adam Thompson] comes onto the bench to cover Thompson moving to the starting lineup
20. Piri Weepu [Jimmy Cowan] I guess they see Piri as the impacy guy
21. Luke McAllister
22. Corey Jane [Lelia Masaga] clearly they rate Wulf ahead of Masaga, but Wulf wouldn't have made my bench as he is not an impact player - Corey Jane won't let anyone down.
Not a bad lineup really. A good blend of experience and newbies - of course any team without McCaw, Carter and Williams is not going to be there. But when you look at it - we have 4 out of our first string tight 5 with a rookie of some potential locking the scrum with his Super 14 partner. Our loosies are good players and frankly I think its a good blend of flair, solidity and bloody mindedness! Donald has stepped up this Super 14 and is head and shoulders above the other 1st V's in NZ. The rest of the backline is either first choice or experienced contenders.
For me, the points of interest are:
- How will Thompson go? I rate him (being a former loosie myself)
- Could Nonu and Toeva be the surprise package? With Nonu's strength and step with Toeva's speed and swerve - if they can get it right on defence it could be interesting
- How will McAllister go and will he replace Nonu or Donald?
6 comments:
Meh.
This is a journeyman side and it doesn't have a lot of impact. Where are the x-factor players? No one in the loose trio has the impact of a Jerry Collins or even a Jerome Kaino.
What worries me is the the three real x-factor players we have (Carter, McCaw and Williams) are out, but none of the players coming through display any hints of that "Christian Cullen Something Special". They are all just serviceable.
None of our props is better than Carl Hayman was. We have an abundance of halfbacks but not one as good as Justin Marshall or Kelleher. Nonu is good and getting better but is still Umaga-lite. Mils is fantastic, but he's not Cullen.
Where are the X-Factor players coming through? Even Richie can't keep playing at the super-human, much-better-than-Michael-Jones level he plays at forever.
However, I'd love it if this team proves me wrong on the weekend. But I'm still convinced that even at full strength, our 2007 RWC quarter final team could beat this lot.
You've been reading too much Chris Rattue! Have you seen Messam play? He is a game breaker. Woodcock is still one of the best. You're right Hayman is hard to replace. In Ross we have a young athletic lock who is great with the ball in hand. Nonu and Toeva excites me more than Nonu and Smith. Oh and there's that slightly world class guy on the wing...whats his name Joe something? I will grant you Wulf is a bit ordinary but he is safe, works hard and will complement Joe and the best fullback in the world. With genuine impact off the bench in McAllister, Mealamu, Weepu and Jane, I think this is far beyond "journeyman". My only fear is will they gel in time - injuries have meant there are new combos in the mix - that said, the locks have played together for Crusaders, the loosies played together against Scotland last year and the Cowan-Donald partnership has had some time together.
You've been reading too much Chris Rattue! Have you seen Messam play? He is a game breaker. Woodcock is still one of the best. You're right Hayman is hard to replace. In Ross we have a young athletic lock who is great with the ball in hand. Nonu and Toeva excites me more than Nonu and Smith. Oh and there's that slightly world class guy on the wing...whats his name Joe something? I will grant you Wulf is a bit ordinary but he is safe, works hard and will complement Joe and the best fullback in the world. With genuine impact off the bench in McAllister, Mealamu, Weepu and Jane, I think this is far beyond "journeyman". My only fear is will they gel in time - injuries have meant there are new combos in the mix - that said, the locks have played together for Crusaders, the loosies played together against Scotland last year and the Cowan-Donald partnership has had some time together.
So, France 27 All Blacks 22.
A bad week for Henry to be reappointed, to be sure. But then, I don't blame him. He did what he could with what was clearly a journeymen side lacking impact.
As for the newbies, most blended into the background. Of Messam, I came away thinking "Decent player, with a few mistakes: serviceable." Of Jane, I thought "Above average and good on attack, but nothing mind-blowing".
Key word being: serviceable.
Other thoughts from the game... when did Tony Woodcock decide he wanted to play centre?
How much is the loss of Carter hurting us and will Henry make the bold move of going with McAlister at number 10 for the coming match?
Or will McAlister start in place of Nonu who had the worst game I've seen him play in the black jersey.
At least Ali Williams should be back. But Rattue is starting to sound prophetic! ;-)
Rhett, Rhatt, Ratt, Rattue...
Rugby is a team game and this was not a loss that had much to do with individual skill level. Apart from one thing: experience. The French blew them off the park in the first 30mins with their physicality and I suspect the better physical presence the AB's supplied in the second half was the first step in learning some important lessons about the difference between franchise and test rugby. The French played an excellent first half and the bringing back of the rolling mall was really their trumpcard - the team pattern they selected was perfect for an oppositiion now unfamiliar with that weapon. It wouldn't have mattered who was on the park really. The AB's will adjust to the new rules one would think and reintroduce the mall themselves.
But because its a team game you need to analyse it at that level. So the lineouts - more than a pass mark in the first game of the season. Won almost all of our ball and stole some from them. Isaac Ross showed out well in his specialist department.
Scrums were below average. Not helped by some lenient referreing on the French boring in and lifting the front row. Hard to know what went wrong here apart from that - something to watch next week.
The breakdown was difficult to call - in the first half the French were very committed to the breakdown and our whole forward pack was absent. The French slowed the ball down well (which is illegal just quietly) but didn't really let the ball go wide - plucking turnovers from mauls and pick and go rucks is not the easiest thing to do. Our defence got a lot better and really you didn't see the French look like scoring after that first 30 minutes. So the defence improved and the pick and go at least was contained with improving aggresssion and accuracy on defence. A number of times the French were driven back in the tackles with our loosies leading the charge there. Messam was exellent on attack and defence - he brought a lot of game and just needs time at that level. Read got better - he lacks a little physical presence for that level. Thompson went the way of all open sides who are left to suffer without support from their pack. Hard game to judge that trio though with the tight five not being at their best with the exception of the superb Brad Thorn. As for Woodcok what was he doing? We needed him in the tight not stuffing up our backline.
The backline was ordinary. Cowan was not effective. My boy Piri showed why he should have started. Donald was OK without being brilliant. I didn't feel like he gave his outsides any space although the French rushing defence was most of the problem there. The midfield was disappointing. We really missed the second kicking option and Nonu and Toeva didn't click. Don't know if I'd give them a second chance if Smith is fit. He seems to bring the best out in Nonu. Jane was better than serviceable, he was outstanding on attack and with kick returns. Mils had a blinder. Joe was quiet but took a few chances to stretch out. I'd keep him on. The big issue for the backs was cohesion. Passing was laboured and their timing was off.
No, I don't put this down to "journeymen". I'd call it a lack of cohesion and inexperience combined with traditional first test rustiness. For sure we miss the stars but this team could have won the game. They didn't deserve to, but they came back from 17-3 down and but for an intercept try had all the momentum in their favour. While I'm gutted they didn't win, I'm prepared to be proud of the comeback effort and give credit for the guts, adaption and emerging combination that put them in that position.
If Williams is available he must come in. Weepu should start with Leonard on the bench. On balance Smith should come back, more for the combination than the skill factor.
We've alwasy struggled with rush defence. I can remember the Saffas using it from time to time. I wish someone in the coaching staff would devise a plan because teamsa re going to keep using it against us.
As for the loosies, after the game Grant Fox commented on how they are all lean, rangy guys, and we missed the impact of a Kaino-type player in the loose.
I'm not faulting the passion... the only player I would accuse of that from time to time is Nonu, who I think can be a lazy runner. I can't recall him getting up a head of steam once last night to take up a good crash ball.
I agree Weepu should start. I didn't think Cowan was terrible though. But Donald... he is a kind of player who is abotu 60-70% in my books. Steady but average. I believe I brought a word of knowledge last season when I called him a "David Hill"-like figure.
But hey, at least we probably got Carter for the Blues, eh? $400k a season!
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