yeah loose forwards are an area of interest with Read & Kaino being below par. Kaino was better in this game and Read was very very average.
IMO Messam looked really good in the last 20, he linked really well with a draw and pass in midfield twice showing nice hands, one which resulted in a try. See his work at the front of the maul that resulted in sam canes try plus some very physical defense. His hands looked good he doesn't look like he is going to drop a ball like Read is doing constantly... To me Messam looked overworked and a bit tired in super rugby, his stint off the bench he actually looked fresh and like he has some good rugby in him again.
I dont know where Messam fits in going into the knockout games though. I honestly think he looks good to go but that would mean pulling either Read or Kaino out which isn't likely. Good option on the bench as well.
It may well be that Messam's job now is to keep in beat and be ready if there is an injury. At least we know we have a guy who is genuinely experienced and in form ready to go if one of our front line goes down. His ****le seems to be right with perfect timing going into the business end of the show.
Vito has done a good job in that bench lock position and want him to stay in that position and not be promoted to starting. It really suits his strengths, he is a very good 20-30min player. I'm always concerned that when the pressure is truly on he will not show up, IMO thats a habit for him even in super/itm cup rugby when the pressure goes on his team he becomes a passenger between lineouts (where he is very good). When the pack is strong overall he does look very good but that's less important than how a player performs under the pump.
Sam cane has been the real mover, he and McCaw are our form loose forwards. Hes provided genuine impact off the bench and his defense is epic. He genuinely gets around the field and tackles like a younger McCaw. Hes a smart ball carrier as seen in Ben Smiths try. That maul where he detached by accident he made a very smart move to no try and reattach, players often make that mistake and the ref pulls it up.
If Cane is on the bench he deserves a good 30min, pull read of Kaino off and let him lose.
Starting Cane at 6 is an option, IMO he would better than Kaino. but having such a strong bench is the edge the All Blacks have over every other team right now. We haven't been our best so far but we should be the best team in the last 30min. Any team we are close to after 50min we will beat and Cane off the bench is an important part of that strategy.
on the rest...
good to see carter lift, I always said Carter looks like he has another gear in him. my only concern is that we are going back to a closed stadium for the quarter final where he has had goal kicking issues. His defense is so good, he just has amazing technique. Hes like a zen master on defense he touches guys and they fall down. He gets the right angle, always gets past attempted fends and players go straight down.
Conrad smith is still looking a bit off beat and behind the game a bit. Fekitoa has looked good but I cant see a swap happening I just hope smith lifts and starts to bring his A game. there have been a few times in this WC where smith has tried a kick of some sort when he would have been much better off holding the ball, his kicks have lacked accuracy and not resulted in anything.
Nonu looked pretty good, but I feel like he has more in him. I think he has a big game in him saved for the Semi/Final. I can see a potential clash with Aussie as a game tailor made for nonu to have a big one
Nehe has surely earned himself that 14 jersey going into the knockout games. He looks like he has that edge we have been needing.
Naholo more questions than answers still, probably wont be selected going into the serious stuff.... when he scored that opening try against Georgia I thought we were going to finally see him in tune but it hasn't happened. And honestly if one of our starters gets injured I would bring in a replacement ahead of him. He doesn't look confident enough around the field for knockout rugby. I just feel like if we play a team like SA or AUS they will expose him. If Nehe or Savea got injured, I would bring Piutau or Moala straight in ahead of Naholo. I would actually start Barrett ahead of him no doubt.
Ben Smith is looking great, typical ben smith has made like 1 mistake in 3 full games.
Barrett, the AB's attack does look like it has much more bite when Barrett is involved, he has proven himself a much more consistent threat to the line than Carter so he attracts a lot more attention from defenders and creates more space for others. His speed is going to be a massive 2nd half asset in games to come.
Woodcock, what an amazing career. He will go down now as "the" best prop NZ has ever produced and one of the true greats of the front row in the history of the game. But for the right now, his injury may actually strengthen the AB's a bit. Crockett is looking good and Moody could come in and make some nice impact. Even Ben Franks probably offers a bit more right now than Woody as long as he keeps himself off the naughty chair.
Generally I thought it was a better performance from the AB's and it still looks like they have more in them if needed. They made a lot of impact with the pick and go which is going to be an important tactic going forward. Mauling still needs some polish. And I'd like to see more pressure and accuracy on opposition breakdowns.
The defense looks very solid, credit to tonga there were a few periods where they strung some really good attacking play together for long periods which was as good as any team in the world could put out and for the most part the AB line held it out.
Our Bench is the making of this side, we are maybe the only genuine 23man side in the WC. SBW is proving his worth every game, Barrett is by far the best backup 10 going. Charlie & Cane have provided genuine impact. And others like Vito, Messam, Fekitoa, Ben franks have done well. TKB looked a bit better on his leg this week, and interestingly he seems to be the preferred bench 9.
I feel something big brewing from Aaron Smith. Hes been pretty good but he has so much more in him. I feel like hes kinda a secret weapon right now, deliberately holding back a bit. in the super rugby finals he showed he can grab big games by the scruff of the neck. he's the key for truly dominant performances from here. hes going to take teams by surprise
