Field Theory: All Blacks v South Africa – 30/07/11
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I did not see the game, so can only say that the uniforms are very pretty.
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A great game but there doesn't seem to be much of a leeway in the jersey, to grab on to in scrum situations.
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Sacha, in reply to
or in a tackle (design feature)
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I thought Ben Franks had a weak game, he may be good at S15 level, but strikes me as a journey-man at test level. He also gave away at least two unnecessary penalties for obstruction.
If McCaw is ever injured Andrew Hore should be captain, he was outstanding last night.
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The new jersey is 50% lighter than the previous one. [How light are they gonna get?]
The main body is a single tube. [The All Blacks are now a series of tubes]
The seams are bonded not knitted. [The previous one was the same]
“The tube has been augmented to fit the player like no other tube construction before”. [This is actually what the press release says]What next? Anti-gravity devices? "a series of tubes" A bit like the Internet then? The Inter Knit perhaps, what of the future?; "To boldly go, like no other tube construction before"
Beam me up Sonny. -
It's not a real collar though, is it? Colour me disappointed in that aspect. And South Africa really were very poor.
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Enjoyed the game. Loved Carter's fend that actually accelerated him into a gap, it was as if he slowed down for it almost like a surfer taking the drop, put his hand out and his feet up and let the tackler explode him forward, emerging from a melee as if it were a tube he deliberately slipped back into for extra points, and the whitewater snapping at his heels something to look for an easy dismount on.
I'm expecting a great season, if the All Blacks play like that, and the other teams lift to the same level, it could be some of the best rugby we've ever seen. I would not be surprised if there are quite a few upsets this year.
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3410,
I thought Ben Franks had a weak game...
I thought Ben Franks was a hot dog restaurant.
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Love in the time of collarers...
Didn't anyone think they looked like a bunch of vicars?
(Sports parsons?) and wearing tube tops? Slappers! -
With at least one lapsed vicar in Andrew Hore the hooker?
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Russell Brown, in reply to
I’m expecting a great season, if the All Blacks play like that, and the other teams lift to the same level, it could be some of the best rugby we’ve ever seen. I would not be surprised if there are quite a few upsets this year.
It's hard to say too much, given how woeful South Africa were, but I thought what the All Blacks did from set pieces was encouraging. Set moves were executed pretty well by the backline, and they had the clear purpose of creating space.
It helped that the Boks, unlike most beaten teams, held their patterns -- they just didn't have their hearts in what they were doing -- so the ABs got a very good opposed training.
What strikes me is the wealth of talent amongst the AB outside backs -- apart from the ones we saw last night, we have Toeva (who was sensational in Super 15 until his his injury) and Israel Dagg coming back soon and Sivi, who wasn't even the squad last night. We should not assume that Mils will be first choice fullback in the big RWC games.
I'm not as down on Ali Williams as some people are. He makes mistakes, but he fronts up for a lot of work. The coaches have clearly decided that he needs as much game time as possible.
I'm gutted for John Afoa, who was deliberately extended an opportunity to show his stuff at test level but almost immediately suffered a fractured cheekbone, which will take him out for a while. Ironically, it offers a chance for Charlie Faumuina, who I'm betting is an international-quality prop and will be an All Black before long.
It was interesting that a scrum without Brand Thorn pushing in it was still capable of dominance.
Carter, goal kicking aside, had his best game in a long time.
We still haven't had a good look at the Nonu-Williams combo.
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BenWilson, in reply to
and wearing tube tops? Slappers!
I kept wondering if the collars could be seized and yanked whether the entire thing would come off without slowing the player down. And whether such a design would have even had rugby in mind.
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I like the coloured shoes, especially the sparkly red ones which remind me of Dorothy's.
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We still haven't had a good look at the Nonu-Williams combo
I'll never understand you Auckland folk and your lack of confidence in Conrad...
I'm not even sure I'd have SBW on the bench. Kahui offers a bit more I reckon.
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Hadyn Green, in reply to
I'm not as down on Ali Williams as some people are.
I agree, he also brings something that most people discount, levity. He was clearly joking around with the ref and the other players and that sort of high spirits (mixed with hard work) makes the team feel less stressed and the ref a little bit more laid back. Can't be hard-ass muthafuckas the whole game. Young Mr Guildford does the same thing, when he's not kicking himself.
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Hadyn Green, in reply to
I’m not even sure I’d have SBW on the bench.
He was a bit stuttery when he came on, and his last minute passes terrify me. I keep seeing a Frenchman grabbing one and running it in for the winning try...
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giovanni tiso, in reply to
He was a bit stuttery when he came on, and his last minute passes terrify me. I keep seeing a Frenchman grabbing one and running it in for the winning try…
I think it's going to happen even if we don't end up playing against France somehow.
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BenWilson, in reply to
We've got to get over this francophobia.
My greatest fear is the early season peaking we've suffered from before. For once, we want to be at the peak of our game, right on the World Cup.
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Ian Dalziel, in reply to
I’ll never understand you Auckland folk and
your lack of confidence in Conrad…...and now Weepu has left Wellington,
what's going on up there? - is this more
Hammett-time? - what's the lowdown
on this breakdown? -
Russell Brown, in reply to
I’ll never understand you Auckland folk and your lack of confidence in Conrad…
Nah, I'm a fan. But supposedly the coaches wanted to try Wlliams and Nonu together for a bit.
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Bart Janssen, in reply to
I like the coloured shoes, especially the sparkly red ones which remind me of Dorothy's.
And I find them jarring and distracting. I'm not normally wedded to tradition but the shoe thing annoys me.
Good game from the bits I saw. It looked like a team that has been practicing well together more co-ordinated than I remember them being.
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Weepu leaving is just an extension of the Mark Hammett fall out, Piri was apparently great mates with Ma'a and so they both bailed. Man you Aucklanders are gonna have a great backline next year...though it didn't help us this year.
Nah, I'm a fan. But supposedly the coaches wanted to try Wlliams and Nonu together for a bit.
I reckon that's a risk, playing Conrad with Ma'a seems to get the best out of Ma'a, playing Williams with Ma'a fills me with dread.
Seeing Jane have a blinder filled me with joy. Man that guy is a good player.
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Ian Dalziel, in reply to
Shod by both sides...
And I find them jarring and distracting. I’m not normally wedded to tradition but the shoe thing annoys me.
Me too, I also hate those video billboards on the sidelines, I'd imagine it must be distracting for players as well, having all that movement going on in their peripheral vision - I'd like a dollar for every time I've momentarily thought there was a bull (or a truck) loose on the field!
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I reckon that's a risk, playing Conrad with Ma'a seems to get the best out of Ma'a, playing Williams with Ma'a fills me with dread.
I'd rather the ounce of brains that Conrad brings than the kilo of grunt that Nonu or Sonny-Bill bring. For me the choice is Ma'a/SBW, with Conrad the consistent starter (given that Kahui is crocked again).
The Boks weren't the rabble they had been against the Wallabies, they were merely incompetent. -
giovanni tiso, in reply to
For me the choice is Ma’a/SBW, with Conrad the consistent starter (given that Kahui is crocked again).
I'm sure the coach and the selectors agree with you, but we don't want to assume that Smith will be blessed with perfect health and stamina for every minute of the world cup, do we?
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