All Blacks backs are the real problem

Roar Rookie

By Eugene, 14 Aug 2009 Eugene is a Roar Rookie

Tagged:: All Blacks, Conrad Smith, International Rugby, Richard Kahui, Rugby Union, Sonny Bill Williams, Tri Nations

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I’m a true All Black supporter from Namibia. We do have an average fan base here, but we are outnumbered by far by public enemy No 1: Bok supporters!

Not a problem. Have been down to Cape Town to watch the 19-0 humiliation. What a day!

My problem is that we have been beaten twice in a row by them and that does not go down well – they just make sure that we never forget that.

A few questions:

1. What is the state of Richard Kahui’s injury? Our current centres are too predictable, Nonu’s threat has been neutralised.
2. Sonny Bill Williams: are we going to tie him down? We need him.
3. Our wings are pathetic! Need I say more on them?

What happen to being to the creativity of our backs? The current crop, excluding Conrad Smith, do not possess that quality.

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The Crowd Says (19) | Page 1 of Comments

ohtani's jacket said | August 14th 2009 @ 1:49am | Report comment

I’m starting to wonder if these South African/Namibian All Black fans are actually Greg.

1) Kahui is out for the season and won’t be back until next year’s Super 14. Smith is a centre, so you contradicted yourself by saying our centres are too predictable. Nonu has never been a threat at Test match level and was neutralised in last year’s Tri-Nations as well.

2) Sonny Bill Williams? Why?

3) They’re OK. Much like the centres, Australia and South Africa’s haven’t been any better.

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- Eugene said | August 14th 2009 @ 8:09pm | Report comment
  
  Sorry O! Truly Namibian – no SA ties , except for historical heritage & respect for their rugby.
  1. I did exclude Smith in my opinion, didnt’ I?
  2. Rather make a bad signing – that i can live with, but having him mesmerizing defences in other colours other than ours – No! I suggest we have a look at him next year this time…
  3. Because SA & Aus centres and wings are average (your opinion), doesn’t mean ours should also be!
  Their (SA & Aus) level is of no concern of mine, the issue at hand now is the level of our backs
  We have been the trendsetters for the past years. Opposition has planned their gameplan around our strength, but that has changed… We plan on curbing their strenghts, as a result doesn’t play to our strength!
  Our wings are poor! Masaga, that’s one guy that can create something out of nothing, except for his “frailties” under the high ball, but Rococoko wasn’t better either… He had been served us well in the past. The emphasis is on “past”!
  
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  - ohtani's jacket said | August 15th 2009 @ 2:26pm | Report comment
    
    OK, Eugene, I apologise for insinuating that you were Greg.
    
    Rokocoko’s handling skills are letting him down. He needs to practice catching and passing until he can do it within an inche of daylight. People always say that professionals should be able to catch and pass, but real professionals never stop practicing the basics. If he’s training well, then it’s a mental thing that’s causing him to drop the ball or throw a loose pass. I assume he’ll be dropped for the next Test since Henry seems to want Corey Jane on the wing in Sydney. If Rokocoko is to prolong his Test career, he probably needs to earn a recall. I’d suggest he works at becoming a finisher like Howlett was in his last season.
    
    Sivivatu’s only just come back from injury, so we can’t expect him to be at his peak form. He had flashes of brilliance in Durban, but the back three weren’t prepared to handle the Boks’ tactics defensively. The problem with Masaga, Gear or Ranger is that they’re no more likely to handle the kick and chase game than the current wingers are and therefore Henry will try and cover one wing with a fullback.
    
    I’d be interested in seeing Henry try Carter with a genuine second five (doesn’t necessary mean McAlister), but really someone needs to step up at halfback, and we need better support of the ball carrier and quicker ball from the breakdown.
    
    The thing that worries me the most about the backs is Muiliana, who looks ready for the gluehouse on present form.
    
    Reply
    - ohtani's jacket said | August 15th 2009 @ 8:57pm | Report comment
      
      glue factory!!!
      
      Reply
SA Aussie said | August 14th 2009 @ 8:07am | Report comment

Your forwards have to earn the right to swing the ball wide

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Anita said | August 14th 2009 @ 11:00am | Report comment

Who’s Greg?

1) See ohtani’s jacket’s reply. Nonu has to go. Luke McAlister needs to use his Force and play up with Conrad.
2) But let’s not rush him like Daniel Carter and Luke McAlister
3) They are crap. Why not Hosea Gear and Lilia Masaga? Joe Rockoco is overrated and error prone. What happened to Rene Ranger?

Anita

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AussieWallaby said | August 14th 2009 @ 1:01pm | Report comment

Finallly someone admits Rokocoko is overrated!!! He was never good from day 1….the reason he has all those tries was because 80% came across weaker nations.
He had 3 against the Wallabies once but mind you they were all 5meter walk in (rugby league) like tries.
Nonu is a big coconut tree on the loose…people know what to expect so its not that hard to nullify him.

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Jerry G said | August 14th 2009 @ 1:11pm | Report comment

Rokocoko’s stats.

v Aus, 12 tests, 5 tries.
v Eng, 5 tests, 5 tries
v Fra, 10 tests, 8 tries
v SA, 12 tests, 9 tries
v Wales, 5 tests, 6 tries
v Argentina, 1 test, 1 try

v Everyone else, 11 tests, 10 tries.

Ireland is the only major nation he’s not scored a try against (that statement may piss off some Scottish fans), so unless you reckon ‘the weaker teams’ is everyone but Australia and SA, basically you’re talking out your arse. He doesn’t have the same strike rate against Aus, to be fair, but he’s performed against pretty much everyone.

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- QC said | August 14th 2009 @ 1:31pm | Report comment
  
  Snap see below
  
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QC said | August 14th 2009 @ 1:28pm | Report comment

Aussie you may want to see the below Stats
Joe has definately lost his form but you are being overly harsh considering Joe has scored 44 tries in 57 matches 9 of these tries coming against South Africa. As for tries against the Wallabies he’s scored 5 times and the threee times once you refer to I assume your talking about the Hat Trick he scored in 2003 along with the hat trick he scored against france in the same year and England the following year.
As for your 80% remark it shows how litle you researched your statement as 20.45% of his Tries came against SA, 5T – 11.36% against Australia, 8T against France 18.18%.
They only side in the current top 5 he has not scored against being Ireland.
So basic maths tells me that Joe 49.99% record of scoring tries against top class competition.
I think the stats speak for themselves here’s the link

http://stats.allblacks.com/asp/Profile.asp?ABID=1034

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Anita said | August 14th 2009 @ 1:33pm | Report comment

I don’t think summing up Joe’s PAST stats will win us the game NEXT week. Joe is a good player, but lost his form. If we want to win the game against the Wallabies next week we *have* to make chances in our backline.

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QC said | August 14th 2009 @ 2:10pm | Report comment

Anita I think if you reread my comment you will see in the very first lines I agreed he has lost his form. When summing up the stats we are highlighting how far off the mark Aussie is with his summations and is not only doing a discredit to Joes record but also to his/her own arguments because it clearly wasn’t a factual opinion but one purely that of his own.

Until Henry makes the call to cut him we can only hope that some of that form comes back sooner rather than later. I’m not holding much hope for it and I have personally been rather disappointed that Auckland after such an awful season still mangaed to get the most players into the All Blacks.

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AussieWallaby said | August 14th 2009 @ 2:49pm | Report comment

QC – I agree the comment wasn’t factual but the general point was that he is a non factor in games! So what if he has scored those tries….When he faces a bit of pressure, he crumbles!!!
WC 2003 semi is a clear example where he got SHUT DOWN!!! Henry is a pathetic coach – why anyone would persist with a coach who choked during 07, GOD KNOWS? NZ were even more hot favorites in 07 than they were in 03….a quarter final exit for a team that lives and dreams rugby is a disgrace in anyone’s books.

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QC said | August 14th 2009 @ 2:57pm | Report comment

I’m sorry but from 57 games he’s played he’s been in a winning team 46 times.(80.7%)
Whats the go with the NZ coach bashing all of a sudden. You have been proven to be wrong in your argument now you have resorted to berating the coach.
I believe Australia exited the world cup at the same point did they not in 07?
Australia hasn’t beaten NZ in it’s last four attempts, has not held any trophy of significance since 2002 so I find it a bit rich that you have gone on such an attack after not only I but another argued how false your statement was.
What is a disgrace is your poor researching and letting your own bais cloud your judgement.
yes Joe is in a form slump I’ll give you that but a guy with his record can hardly be called a choker

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