NZ rugby has enough talent to turn this around

ABs have just struggled with the rush defence since England at the world cup ,now made harder when a team like SA whos forwards play a 40 minute game.....

Sinclair I think Foster will coach his last ABs match this weekend so Id love to see some real changes but no matter what happens Ill wake up a ABs supporter on sunday morning.

From memory the Blues, Tahs and Chiefs showed the Crusaders up as sloppy thru the year too NH. Why do people always just select 1 game or 3 games from a long career etc to prove some fabled point? According to his last game Don Bradman was a batting bunny but is that what you would say he was? I certainly wouldnt.

Cheers Tim, it was good thanks and relieved to get one over the Mighty Foe. Strangely, I had no warm gloating feeling inside as I felt almost a discomfort at seeing an All Black side low on confidence. I saw no high fives, arse slapping, g'd up behaviour on the field from the men in black. It is the weirdest thing, as if everyone is playing out of position so was the disjointed nature of the performance. Having said that, I fully expect a blacklash of note at Ellis Park with RM at 10 and things just clicking for New Zealand. For a moment, let's put the on-field issues to the side, South Africans are very happy to have your boys visiting for a mini series, Mbombela was absolutely electric and it was because of the special rugby relationship our countries share. Everyone is talking about the game coming up at the citadel of SA rugby. Sold out weeks ago with 60k in attendance. I hope the boys are enjoying the tour, seeing some sights after 4 long years since their last visit. To Saturday!

Pretty much sums up my view, as well. I think we can disagree with a coaching decision etc. or whether a player is doing the job well enough without putting the boot in. There is a place for strong but respectful disagreement/commentary. I also saw an earlier comment of yours and thread off it re the impact of press and fan expectations, abuse etc. and agree with your general point, noting several former international players have said that whilst they weren't going to talk about it at the time, the barbs did wound, not just sting. I understand the frustration and the passion but at the end of the day, for fans/supporters this is actually just a game; I absolutely love it and can't easily imagine a life without rugby but even so, most of my time is spent doing other things. We can well do with keeping some perspective.

When Jordie starts Jordan plays wing and Sevu usually doesn’t play at all . I see Jordie as our backline weakness, he’s a good player but that’s it, not offensively dangerous like Jordan is at 15. And Jordie is less good in any position other than 15, so it comes down to, does Jordie bring more than Caleb Clarke, or most likely Sevu Reece, who plays wing if Jordan goes back to 15. What Jordie brings is commitment and accuracy under the high ball he gives it 100 but he’s not an incisive runner nor astute kicker, despite having a long boot. When Jordie plays at the expense of Reece, who brings pace, smart finishing, astute decision making, high work rate, we lose more all round and offensive/attack wise with Sevu not starting imo. If we aim to play a more open style - and its clear we can’t match NH type tight style nor is it our DNA to play that way - we have to play our best runners/attackers, in their best positions. Once ALB returns, I think our backline play will become more settled because the backline rugby nous and composure increases. Even though I’d prefer ALB at 13, I think Reiko has to start 13 for his offensive threat and maybe ALB at 12 sets him up better. Beauden has tried hard, put his body on the line and done nothing wrong but he’s also not shown great game management under pressure, we need to try something different in Ritchie’s stepping and jinking runs and wide passing. I’d like to see us use the short grubber, to put doubt in the line speed commitment being thrown at our predictable, repetitive attack pattern. Given our weakness taking high balls I’d also like to see tap backs of those to supporting players rather than going for the catch (including short from our own kick offs) - ball might not always fall kindly but we’re flat out losing the aerial catch contest anyway. Bower has established himself, some of De Groot, Newell, Ross even Lomax should prove to be better, younger versions of Tavao/Tungfasi/Laulala, I don’t think experience there counts for much when those guys are being found lacking in mobility, skills and discipline, plus Moody will be back sometime too. Unfortunately, Akira doesn’t bring the hard edge he’s capable of, to the big games imo. If we’re gonna accept a loosie that prefers playing the wide channels then Sotutu is a better bet, for his better lineout work, greater skill set and mobility and greater composure imo, than Akira. It’s one thing to have big bodies on the field but they have to perform and Akira doesn’t stand up to the toughest players/teams. imo Akira should have been told he’s playing for his AB place, to motivate him to lift to next level, or not if he can’t find the mongrel that Kaino found after being dropped. Imo right now there’s more promise in Vaai at lock, with Scott Barrett taking over 6. Sam Cane (sorry for him and all he’s gone thru for black jersey) is on borrowed time, if Ardie was to take 7, Sotutu comes in at 8, very good off back of scrum and obviously his mobility. You get a lineout of 2 locks plus 6 and 8 jumpers, Ardie the surprise ball or running off the back. It means instead of purposeless, unproductive kicks down the middle and up and unders that don’t suit our skill set, we can actually pin the touchline for field position and also use our lineout to attack opposition throw ins. Hard decision to not start Papalii though, probably a future AB captain but bench players maybe play 30 minutes to starters 50, so only starting from bench isn’t so big a thing and actually a specialist position imo where player must bring instant impact and accuracy and pace of fresh legs, saw that from Papalii in SR final.

Hard to believe that before the Boks beat the ABs last year they had only won 1 of the last 10 games against the ABs. Now they could beat them twice in a row! :shocked: that hasn’t be done since 2009. How quickly things can change. Expectations are high, the Boks only have 36% win ratio out of all the games they’ve faced the All Blacks, what’s crazier is that’s better than any other team to face the All Blacks. Like Ireland have only won 5 from 30. The All Blacks still overall have a 77% win ratio. Since the ranking system began in 2003 the ABs have been number 1 for over 80% of that time. Won 10 of the 16 trophies from the Tri Nations, 7 of the 9 Rugby Championships.. So, yeah we like to maintain our standards. As soon as we start to accept mediocrity, we’re as good as doomed. Foster is trying his best to serve up mediocrity, but he forgets that NZ rugby is far to smart to start accepting this and fall for his BS. Win or lose at Ellis Park, his days are numbered.

See the Boks name their team on Tuesday.. I like that :thumbup: here we are, this is what we’re bringing. Get ready! Where as the ABs, foster will be shuffling around with this player, move that player here. BB might not start? We’ll see, good to give Mo’unga a run. I like what Marshall said this week. No point coming out and not go for broke, the ABs have nothing to lose, like a heavyweight boxing match, can’t go out trying to jab your way to a victory. Have to to start swinging to get that KO punch. Honestly, he’s right. The ABs have to start having a go. Nothing to lose. I’m not expecting the ABs to win. At this point I’m just looking for real improvement.. Not Fozzy improvement.

i dont think SA moving joining us in the shorter/smaller comp fixes much tbh

Good luck to Australian roar commentators who repetitively commented that they don't need South Africa in super rugby. Enjoy the mediocrity

Good read. I can't believe that Aaron Smith isn't getting more criticism. He has been an excellent player but this season hasn't been great IMO. As someone else on here pointed out against the box he passed 54 times and ran.... 0 times. You need more from a 9 than that. 9/10 are the key decision making positions on the team. You can't tell me that the right option was to pass all those times. There definitely opportunities to put in a few runs. It is putting a lot of pressure on 10 (either Mo'unga or Barrett). I thought he was off colour the last 2 loses last season too. Highlanders finished very far behind the rest of the kiwi teams too. He was good the first game v Ireland but nothing much else this year. Reminds me of another of my favourite players George Gregan towards the end of his career. He put the running game on the shelf. Smith still looks sharp to me if he just looked to dart a few more times the ABs would benefit.

some of the names are silly - like makalio ioane zullivan at 10 :) nz are lacking big 2nd rowers - the tall timber as they are called the ones with experience are injured almost always - like ppp and Bird. the maori guy Dickson i think looked good - but i think they shud look at selby rickett as a 6 following the current world trend. other than DMAc there is no other proper 10 - unless the crusaders rookie is considered ioane was so -so in maori matches - and why will anyone think of zullivan as a 10 for allblacks i beyond me -- unless its like the higjlanders putting their wing at 10 !!! it seems none of the teams are working on the 12 13 combo at super level - except for crusaders having Havili and goodhue. it seems muddled thinking even in this test when Quinn came on at 13 !!! seems everyone is on the " good players can play anywhere " bus - rather than specialists for positions. i think they shud look at Reyasi in the backs - he is tall quick can jump and pass and has a big left boot. so much more than clarke for eg. zarn sullivan also has a big boot from 15 - he will fight for the position with jordan i think - coz a more astute coach will move jordie to 12 with his skill set

NZ tactical kicking has been poor for many tests now - even with havili at 12. perhaps the presence of tall guys in bok pack stopped them from kicking out. but whats the excuse against ireland then? i think at the moment they are just kicking the ball away - neither contestable nor into open grass. whata is interesting is that for boks even the replacement 9 was kicking it onto 10 pence !!!

weight to power ration - is the metric that governs. nz are trying to play a fast game but seem to lack the fitness for that .. look at any video from say 4 years back - there will be like 3 to 4 guys backing a player who makes a break but look what happened to clarke when he broke - not a single supporting player within 20meters. look how long he has to wait for support - and even then just two guys got to him while there were few boks around. it looks as if all blacks game has an identity crisis

Ian Foster is still asleep after Lions SA boring rugby. My 5 year old can coach his exciting team much better.

NZ is rightfully a nr 5 side. No coach can fix the issues unless rules are changed to suite them. Gone are the days that ABs outscore teams in the final quarter. Now the public must accept the personnel made up mostly from Pol players if one looks at Samoa Tonga and Fiji performance in their packs, can't mix it with the best. It's simply not in their DNA unless they find another Kaino, Collins etc. https://rugby365.com/countries/new-zealand/kiwi-view-all-blacks-dont-have-the-players-to-be-great-again/

Agree with sentiments below. Problem much deeper. NZ will never ever dominate again. They paying the price for focusing on Pacific 7s style rugby. https://rugby365.com/countries/new-zealand/kiwi-view-all-blacks-dont-have-the-players-to-be-great-again/

Tries scored?

Kwagga Smith.

He's a bit like Jordan too in the sense that when he gets the ball points get scored.