Get your questions in for Issue 29 of Coach's Corner

Yes but not to the extent that Pipi was used. He was bloody good too as I remember. Cheers

Not many defensive line outs picking off a Will Skelton throw on the arc.

I’m pretty sure Giteau was considered an in-emergencies scrum half, too

and I see that another web site Planet Rugby has Akira in their team of the tournament.

I have found the last few weeks of media push about SA slowing the game down very interesting and to be honest very amusing. To me, SA slowing the game down is just a smart test team playing to their strengths while taking away (Speed of play to get over the advantage line) the strength of your opponent. Is this not what you would expect of a Test Team? IMO all the loud noise is just the external propaganda machine trying to influence the game.

Hi Nick, incredibly late for this so understand it won't be included for Friday. My question is; what will Tolu Latu add to the team? I have no idea how he has been performing for Stade and thought his games for the Wallabies and Tahs were okay without being exceptional. What have I been missing that would make him such a key selection over someone like Fainga'a?

Hi Nick, Been off to think like a geek and came up with few curlies for you for EOYT. 1) Gits law is diluted now and possibly dissolving over the next two years. The likes of the experienced players versus the young’ns. How do you assess the likes of McMahon’s short-run, experience, and hype when trying to find a spot in the team after last week’s bland performance. 2) Conversely JP a young’n, with special stuff in the tank but still not quite there! Overplayed and missed the impress button. 3) What are the decision criteria a head coach takes onboard when allocating spots in the squad? 4) And who would you put in the squad and why?

The potential 50/22s certainly impacted the ABs when Steyn came on. You saw Reiko tearing back to try and stop one after Steyn had kicked a couple that way. Nick Mallett on Rugby Pass repeatedly pointed out the ABs had dropped 3 back to cover the kicks which left more space in the front line. Do you think this is an example of exactly why the 50/22 was introduced? The ABs certainly seemed paranoid about the kicks in that second half.

Hi Nick - All Black lack of power, lost the ball 1 in every 5 collisions, and your colleague Geoff said: "...Akira Ioane lacked presence on the ball. Ioane resorted to old habits – jersey grabbing on defence, and on attack stopping prior to contact, halting his own momentum and making timing difficult for his support players." In a collision role in a collision sport, the words "stopping prior to contact" certainly stopped me in my tracks! How much damage to the All Blacks cause did this do? I know it's been talked about a lot but whither Akira? I am not seeking to double down on a player who is feeling pressure. I'd like to understand the pros and cons that the experts are seeing, because as a mug punter I'm simply confused. The All Blacks don't do Bernard Foley scenarios.

Hey Nick i have a question / request. I'm starting to think that JoC is not the answer to the question of what happens if QC goes down - would it be possible to get abit of a rundown on the young no.10 candidates around Australia - i'm thinking that we haven't yet seen the long term solution for no.10 - NL had one foot in the door after the French series but i'm not so sure any more - i'm thinking the no.10 fix will be a bit like Len Ikitau at no.13 - a bolter from the blue is still somewhere out there - which brings me to DR's only real major blemish this year - instead of only having NL as a young no.10 he should have had two or three of em' - big opportunity lost imo.

Yes it looks like our main weakness right now as we have improved in other areas e.g cleanout, game management, defence.

Mz, We need someone who can punch through and JO is not that player. He tends to go lateral. HP or Hodge would be better or even try MK, IK, Jordan or PS. Even TK if he was up to scratch. We do not need another playmaker outside Quade. The last two outings by JO off the bench has not been impressive to say the least. I think it is time to bring NL onto the bench instead though he doesn’t cover as many positions as JO.

Need to add another post a week for that. It'll be amusing no doubt.

I've always wondered if the hooker can't throw in well, why someone else in the pack can't throw in if they are better.

Piri Weepu played both scrum and fly half well at test level. So your suggestion is not right out of left field.

My main worry is our LO. We really need improvement there to be able to compete at the top level.

Yes Nick, and one is Quade, playing with such composure. Keeping the rush defence guessing with deft kicks, off loads and passes. Adjusting his depth and the crisp quick ball provided by the clean out team and Nick helps and of course having the option of SK, MK and LI always at hand. That's without counting on the options of carries by a fistfull of forwards. AK out wide and Hodge ready for a charge at the line. Cheers.

Yes you’ll never convince Jacko any team is better than his beloved ABs or his Reds or that BT ever makes a mistake in selection. :silly: . It’s because some of the good AB players were not available but then that’s not the case for the other teams is it?

Eliot Daly didn’t convince either. Maybe the wings are 13.5 now.

Nick, I was referring to the 1st game but no matter. The difference in the Boks v AB's in their first game I thought was significant, maybe you didn't? Did you think they showed a similar level of commitment in the Wallabies last game and the 1st AB's game?