Roar Guru
Joined August 2015
42.7k
Views
24
Published
3.9k
Comments
Former sport blog writer for Massive Magazine - MA Media Studies Freelance Writer Sport Tragic and mad skier - Would like to see Barcelona play at the Camp - my brother has - lucky bugger.
Published
Comments
And so we are here - finals! Not long after it all began, I posted the folly of having 66 per cent of the…
The game has been hit by COVID and has not recovered as well as people would like. It is too long gone and many…
After the previous loss to the Boks, All Black Jordie Barrett has just signed a record deal for club Santa as he is clearly…
The All Blacks annihilated the Wallaby lineout, stealing seven and winning six penalties at scrum time. This completely disrupted and/or stole the Wallabies' set…
Spiro's nostalgic trips down memory are great reads, but he seems to have one foot perennially stuck in the past. His recent article, 'Folau's…
The Australian pace attack was pretty ordinary in the first ODI. Yes, they could have bowled much better, but there is another factor that…
The mind boggles at a head coach, together with his defensive coach, developing the erratic, complicated system the Wallabies employ, especially when you have…
If there was ever evidence that Michael Cheika is on a coaching merry-go-round, it his selections for Bledisloe 2. Cheika may know plenty about…
The ball is kicked high, the chases are making a great effort and could gain an advantage with numbers inside the opposition 22, oh…
So the Force were about to be axed so Andrew Forrest steps forward, now they have been axed, what next? Some may disagree, but…
There is a famous quote pertinent to Australian rugby right now. "If you don't sacrifice for what you want, what you want becomes the…
The Roar has obtained an exclusive and completely fabricated look into the inner workings of the best team in rugby, the All Blacks, as…
The Roar has obtained an exclusive and completely fabricated look into the inner workings of the best team in rugby, the All Blacks, set…
The Roar has obtained an exclusive peek into some of the Wallabies back-room discussions which were both revealing and completely fabricated. CHEIKA: Gather round…
I have said in several recent blogs on the Roar that Sean McMahon would be a good choice at No.8 long term or perhaps…
Former All Black scrumhalf, and now Sky New Zealand commentator Justin Marshall, never gives the impression he is reluctant to give the opposition credit…
If the Six Nations win followed by England's pre-tour hit out against Wales proved anything, it was that under Eddie Jones this new look…
So the battle against the old mother country is on the near horizon, against a new look and confident army fresh from success in…
Many people will be wanting to know just how serious could the injury to Kurtley Beale really be? Well if his injury is a…
Don't worry, I can see the poisoned arrows coming my way already... but not so long ago, in the halftime interview during the Rebels…
That is very true Paulo but if its the AB’s a lot of people who have written them off and whether they like it or not, will have to eat some serious crow.
Mamma Mia! All Blacks almost hit a ton against Italy to make World Cup statement as Smith scores hat-trick
It’s is great plan Paulo as it plays to each players strengths. Jordie has a massive boot on him so nearly always takes the long kicks when needed including on goal. BB has always been a very good restart kicker despite the one he kicked out on the full. And clearly they have had DMac and Mounga just consentrate on goal kicking – clever if you ask me. Relieves pressure off the 10 to become a specialist goal kicker and not have to worry about the others except tactical obviously but BB and JB chip in there as well. I like it and the way Mounga and DMac were kicking it is clearly working.
Mamma Mia! All Blacks almost hit a ton against Italy to make World Cup statement as Smith scores hat-trick
Same as you Cheetahbok – we lost! Oh and to use your argument it was a pool match! However I do agree it was a good match to lose…I think the Bok game plan could hurt France who will be under enomous pressure at the knockout stages in France and especilly now you have your best 10 back. Marx was big loss though.
Mamma Mia! All Blacks almost hit a ton against Italy to make World Cup statement as Smith scores hat-trick
Gee Locke I guess this year when they beat the Boks in RC the Boks thought yep well they are flat track bullies and of course we are nobodies in world rugby eh?
Mamma Mia! All Blacks almost hit a ton against Italy to make World Cup statement as Smith scores hat-trick
Muzzo I hear what you are saying there but sometimes we have to admit he didn’t have great game at 15 that game and you can’t just pin it on other players. I am not saying Muzzo that he won’t make a great test FB. Not at all. But so far – and I think you have to admit this – BB has been excellent at 15 overall recently and with – until now – a pack that was not always firing and with injuries and WJ has made a fistful of it on the wing so at this point changing it up would be silly. Now yes, you might argue – and I am sure you will – that WJ should have been given more opportnities there but that is an argument for another day. You have a good rugby brain Muzzo and I respect that but I think even you would agree that suddenly putting him at 15 now with Ireland and co coming up would be foolish.
Mamma Mia! All Blacks almost hit a ton against Italy to make World Cup statement as Smith scores hat-trick
ESPN are not the most reliable stats on rugby games Locke as I have found out on several occasions before. I never use them for that reason.
Mamma Mia! All Blacks almost hit a ton against Italy to make World Cup statement as Smith scores hat-trick
“Rieko Ioane: Didn’t get into any real space to get clear himself. A loose offload gave up possession, but another led to a try. Was the All Blacks’ top tackler, with 12, but missed four, including being easily palmed off by namesake Ioane for Italy’s first try.”
Post match analysis on players New Zealand newspaper rugby panel who I assure you check their stats.
Mamma Mia! All Blacks almost hit a ton against Italy to make World Cup statement as Smith scores hat-trick
On this comment I agree with you CUW. Fake injuries and taking ages to set scrums and lineout is a scurge on the game. Mainly done by Northern hemisphere sides and sometimes the Boks and especially against the AB’s.
Mamma Mia! All Blacks almost hit a ton against Italy to make World Cup statement as Smith scores hat-trick
So Akira Ioane is shorter and slower and lacks power does he?
His only problem is consistency which is not your argument here. Blackadder is not to be underestimated erither CUW. He is quick and has plenty of upper body strength and difficult to pull down – he has just suffered a really bad injury and only just come back.
Not top mention mate that Scott Barrett plays 6 as well as lock. Next thing you be telling us he lacks power, pace and height at 6. I mean that would be laughable. No offence buddy but really ill informed comment. Are you sure you watch rugby properly or just to hammer the AB’s or certain player therein? I love the way you often make it sound like you are an AB supporter by using the word ‘our’ as if you are referring to you and other kiwi’s then above trip yourself up by using ur for your, implying you are not an AB supporter at all.
Mamma Mia! All Blacks almost hit a ton against Italy to make World Cup statement as Smith scores hat-trick
Actually CUW you are wrong. Reiko topped the made tackle count with 12 – more than any other player in the AB’s. And despite what you may claim, Italy did not try to go through his channel very often at all. They tried to go wide with success only occasionally. Yes Reiko missed a tackle in their first try but their second had nothing whatsoever to do with Reiko as he was defending on the other side of the ruck. Also in their 1st try he was defending more at a 12 postion than 13. It seems that “Reiko at 13 haters ” like you, look at Reiko every game and try to see ways to condem him in that position – that people like you target him for criticism while not condeming missed tackles by other backs – and there were a few mate, some of which Reiko saved their backside with his always, brilliant cover defence. Like I I say CUW, Reiko had 12 made tackles – more than any other All Black in that game. Not bad for soemone who you claim can’t defend at 13. One tackle he enables the AB’s to regain possession which resulted in a try a couple of minutes later. Sometimes we only see what we set out to see eh mate and skip the rest convieniently as it does not suit our position.
Mamma Mia! All Blacks almost hit a ton against Italy to make World Cup statement as Smith scores hat-trick
No I think he got checked by the medical team and came back on
WORLD VIEW: 'Awake and angry' ABs produce 'total carnage' in 'statement and spectacle' win - but Ireland great reveals flaw
IMO whomever wins their semi from this side of the draw will make the final.
WORLD VIEW: 'Awake and angry' ABs produce 'total carnage' in 'statement and spectacle' win - but Ireland great reveals flaw
Maaaate I am a Razor fan but he has not been tested at test level so be careful make assumptions that by definition Razor will be a fantastic AB coach. Only time will tell us that. And if you want to talk about the past – the AB’s even under Hanson had games where they didn’t dominate in the forwards and still won through being the best counter attacking side in the world and they still are make no mistake. They will have a different game plan for Ireland just as Ireland will have different game plan for us as they did against the Boks. So again, just making an assumption that they will not attack the line more in the D is just that – an assumption. For a start they will know they will have to shut down Aki early as he is the Irish go to man setter up 2nd phase play and getting them over the gain liine off set piece. So right there they will most certrainly have plans to attack the line more to minimize the Aki threat. Irish Joe will certainly be a key to defeating Ireland as well. He was not – let’s not forget – part of the coaching set up when they toured NZ, only a selector. Many kiwis forget that. He will have key part to play in the tactics to beat Ireland be under no illusions about that.
WORLD VIEW: 'Awake and angry' ABs produce 'total carnage' in 'statement and spectacle' win - but Ireland great reveals flaw
And yet Reiko had the highest made tackle count in the side with 12 – more than any other player.
WORLD VIEW: 'Awake and angry' ABs produce 'total carnage' in 'statement and spectacle' win - but Ireland great reveals flaw
Well we will see after the QF won’t we mate
Mamma Mia! All Blacks almost hit a ton against Italy to make World Cup statement as Smith scores hat-trick
Coker you say ‘He didn’t have much defending to do for 95% of the game.’ and yet he made 12 successful tackles – more than any other plyer in the side so the stats do not back that up
Mamma Mia! All Blacks almost hit a ton against Italy to make World Cup statement as Smith scores hat-trick
Yep 100% agree Highlander though they might give Blackadder a run off the bench next game. I notice to Highlander that they were deliberately not kicking the ball out most of the game. This has to be to counter teams – like Ireland, England, and SA from meandering and having pow wows – which they are not suposed to do anymore – and slowing the game down. In the Ireland game v Boks , the Irish wasted almost 9 minutes with pow wows and slow walking before lineouts and scrums to deliberately negate the time the bomb squad had to make an impact. France weren’t much better aganist the AB’s wasting time every chance they got. It needs to be policed better and Foster needs to have a word to the powers that be that time wasting is not being policed and to the press before the Ireland game so its out in the open for the refs IMO. If the tactic has some effect against the Irish expect fake injuries to start happening all over the park.
Mamma Mia! All Blacks almost hit a ton against Italy to make World Cup statement as Smith scores hat-trick
The AB’s cvountered that by not kicking the ball out deliberately except at certain times. It stoped the slow meander to the lineout.
Mamma Mia! All Blacks almost hit a ton against Italy to make World Cup statement as Smith scores hat-trick
Really? and yet we beat SA in the Rugby Championship in a tough game when we were game ready. Italy have not been a mediocre in the 6 nations against anyone- but the AB’s made them look ordinary which France, Wales, Scotland and even Ireland could not do and sorry mate but that does mean something. Also Irish Joe and Jason Ryan are also selectors and don’t trot out that tired old cliche that Foster has the last say. From what I understand Ryan and Irish Joe are given level pegging at the selction table with Foster and it was part of the deal at the revamped assisstant coaching deal.
Foster has learned along the way and ikt is proving dividends. I stand by what I said before the WC. The final will be between the Boks nad the All Blacks. I actually don’t give much credence to the the games against SA and France in terms of where I thought the All Blacks were sitting – sure some but not a heap. Missing key players and a lack of game time for half the side has to be taken into the judgement whether you like it or not. On top of that is was in the middle of a heat wave and the game was stopped constantly for water breaks and then France slowed the game down every chance they got at lineout and scrum with pow wows which they are no longer supposed to be allowed to do. All of which stopped the AB’s from playing a fast game. France deserved to win but there were a lot of mitigating factors in the game that disruppted the how the AB’s like to play. No heat wave anymore though.
Mamma Mia! All Blacks almost hit a ton against Italy to make World Cup statement as Smith scores hat-trick
No Decoy he is not going to Japan he resigned with AB’s until 2027 and that is confirmed
Mamma Mia! All Blacks almost hit a ton against Italy to make World Cup statement as Smith scores hat-trick
On the contrary Paulo, this AB sides – at full strength – complete domination and humiliation of Italy – something no 6 nation side could do this last season , infact the opposite was true -would seem to comfirm Hansen’s assessment and I think we can can say he know a thing or two about the game.
Mamma Mia! All Blacks almost hit a ton against Italy to make World Cup statement as Smith scores hat-trick
No one defends for 99% in game – or they do very rarely. It may interest and suprise you to know that Reiko had the highest made tackle count of the entire side with 12 – yes indeed the highest in the side – surprised? I bet you are. And one miss from any player could cost any side.
Mamma Mia! All Blacks almost hit a ton against Italy to make World Cup statement as Smith scores hat-trick
Well they play France without Dupont.
Mamma Mia! All Blacks almost hit a ton against Italy to make World Cup statement as Smith scores hat-trick
Yes and was very impressive in the D in several others – one of his tackles gave the AB’s possesion which resulted in a try a couple minutes later, he defended well for 95% of the game.
Mamma Mia! All Blacks almost hit a ton against Italy to make World Cup statement as Smith scores hat-trick
Muzzo BB and Mounga are going overseas after the WC are they not so pretty obvious WJ will go to fullback.
Mamma Mia! All Blacks almost hit a ton against Italy to make World Cup statement as Smith scores hat-trick