[2015 TRC] New Zealand v Argentina in Christchurch (17/07/2015)

[TobesHodges]

With this performance Sonny Bill has just said "my 12 shirt".. MOM for me..

 

[TobesHodges]

Also the Argentina coaching team look like they should be on the USS Enterprise searching for new unexplored planets haha

 

[austingtir]

With this performance Sonny Bill has just said "my 12 shirt".. MOM for me..

This was Argentina, Hansen selected the SBW Nonu midfield for this reason they cant handle big guys in the backline offloading.

Nonu is still the best 12 in NZ by miles and probably the best in the world.

SBW's real value is his defence he simply wont be offloading like that against SA and Australia.

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The Kaino tackle at about 27 minutes in with three of the biggest forwards coming at him is unreal. He stops the guy with his support then proceeds to pick the guy up off his feet while keeping him stopped as one other enormous Argentinian player joined and it went to ground with Argentina only slightly going forward.... That **** is ridiculous.

 

[Kiwi_]

Not bad, the real games are coming up though. South Africa away and Australia away.

Dagg looked better, but he was never under pressure. Rolling maul.. what to do? Just got to make sure we attack the right area of the maul.

 

[William18]

SBW played well but Nonu is the incumbent and has had a good season. SBW will go to the World Cup and probably sit on the bench but Nonu and C. Smith will start.

 

[Kiwi_]

SBW played well but Nonu is the incumbent and has had a good season. SBW will go to the World Cup and probably sit on the bench but Nonu and C. Smith will start.

That's a given.

The focus is more SBW vs Fekitoa.

Both offering different qualities. I think SBW won't show up in the big games, where as Fekitoa will show up and then some. I'm more comfortable with Fekitoa coming off the bench that SBW, what do you guys think?

 

[ZeroTwo]

I'm no expert on NZ club rugby but is it not true that every international team has to commit two players to tackle Sonny Bill (one high one low) to counter the offloading game?

Watched Fekitoa in the AIs I think and remember him being a devastating runner but does he draw a defence like SBW does?

 

[Kiwi_]

I'm no expert on NZ club rugby but is it not true that every international team has to commit two players to tackle Sonny Bill (one high one low) to counter the offloading game?

Watched Fekitoa in the AIs I think and remember him being a devastating runner but does he draw a defence like SBW does?

The offload game is good. But it's not always going to pay off in finals footy, I really don't think he'd front in a tight match vs England or SA, ina final or SF.

SBW has a habit of falling into tackles already looking for the offload instead of running hard at the advantage line.

Also the tight 5 looked so much better in the 2nd half after the subs were made.

 

[ZeroTwo]

I'm just about to watch it, will get back to you after the game! But I get what you mean about Sonny Bill. Just that ability to put someone over in the corner can be incredibly valuable.

 

[Horacito]

I don't know what's worst, to lose for 38 points or seeing your team failing at so many basic things.

-unable to catch the ball in basic platforms.
-unable to get balls to play.
-unable to tackle Nonu going low because EVERYBODY knows it's impossible to take him down going up.

When I saw Nico Sánchez kicking the ball directly outside, hell started for me. Agulla was dreadful, when he kicked the first and only decent ball of the match I thought of killing him in his sleep. Bosch running sideways as allways, what an overrated player. Scrum was worst than last year, also was line ups. I understand some of this things because they came only two weeks of proper training joining from different continents, but this is basic rugby, not complicated set pieces or something. Everything poor, very poor.

In the sunny side, Cordero was very good: he didn't suffer too much in defense and didn't fail too much for his first game against AB's. Creevy LEGEND.

Nonu was always the best center in the world. Better than O'Driscoll and everybody else, when they said Driscoll was the best center in the world I could only laugh, and as older as he gets, he improves the most, Nonu is gona be a legend.

I like Conrad Smith better. Yeah, Sonny Bill is more flashy, so what? Conrad Smith is everything, literally everthing a center should be. Conrad Smith forever.

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

Managed to watch the last 15 minutes off the game. I don't know what was up with Argentina at the scrums, I thought they were pretty strong in the scrums but at every scrum from what i saw Argentina was being put to shame from the scrum. Sanchez i thought was a good kicker what happened to him. But i thought Dagg played better then what he has recently. Dan Carter played a good game and i would have him as New Zealand starting 10 over Barrett.

 

[Kiwi_]

It's Argentinians first game back isn't it, literally couldn't get a harder game than vs the All Blacks in NZ... I heard they had a few starting loose forwards out? I must be honest, I don't know much about the Argentinian squad. I thought Naholo had a great début, bit of a shame he couldn't get that try. I saw him at the Highlanders parade and wished him luck on his début, he said "thanks, if I get on". He certainly got on and is sounds like Hansen has plans for him.

 

[marianodan]

I don't know what's worst, to lose for 38 points or seeing your team failing at so many basic things.

-unable to catch the ball in basic platforms.
-unable to get balls to play.
-unable to tackle Nonu going low because EVERYBODY knows it's impossible to take him down going up.

When I saw Nico Sánchez kicking the ball directly outside, hell started for me. Agulla was dreadful, when he kicked the first and only decent ball of the match I thought of killing him in his sleep. Bosch running sideways as allways, what an overrated player. Scrum was worst than last year, also was line ups. I understand some of this things because they came only two weeks of proper training joining from different continents, but this is basic rugby, not complicated set pieces or something. Everything poor, very poor.

It's just the first game, it's always the same every year with this team, they need at least one game to switch from amateur to professional mode :ranting:you'll see a 180° turn next week vs the oz, more so being in Mendoza where they always seem to go up two levels.

 

[Tony Manx]

Seriously not trying to be controversial but, in view of the fact that the ABs are seriously in a league of their own, do not their supporters not get bored?

One thing about almost every other country playing Test match rugby there is the reasonable doubt as to whether or not they will win! This is surely missing when the ABs play?

I am not sure that my attention span would warrant my supporting such an indomitable force match after match after match!!

 

[ENZED-88]

Seriously not trying to be controversial but, in view of the fact that the ABs are seriously in a league of their own, do not their supporters not get bored?

One thing about almost every other country playing Test match rugby there is the reasonable doubt as to whether or not they will win! This is surely missing when the ABs play?

I am not sure that my attention span would warrant my supporting such an indomitable force match after match after match!!

I have never watched an AB game and expected anything other than a win same goes for probably most other NZers that's why when we do lose we take it pretty hard,to answer your question, NO, I will never get bored of watching the ABs win again an again....

 

[smartcooky]

Seriously not trying to be controversial but, in view of the fact that the ABs are seriously in a league of their own, do not their supporters not get bored?

One thing about almost every other country playing Test match rugby there is the reasonable doubt as to whether or not they will win! This is surely missing when the ABs play?

I am not sure that my attention span would warrant my supporting such an indomitable force match after match after match!!

Do Chelsea fans get bored with winning? Did ManU fans get bored with winning in their heyday? Did Australian Cricket fans, and Kangaroos RL fans get bored when their teams were all but unbeatable?

I expect the All Balcks to win every time they go on the field, even if they are fielding a 3rd string team. I can't imagine what it would be like to be a Scotland or an Italy rugby supporter, not knowing which team is going to turn up.

 

[smartcooky]

The only real issue I can see with the All Blacks is that they have to deal with their weakness at defending a rolling mall close to their line. Heineke Meyer will have seen those two Pumas tries and will target that as a weakness they can exploit.

Since referees at this level seem to be allowing (with impunity) mauls to be illegally formed from line-outs, team are going to have to come up with innovative ways of combating it, sacking it early or not allowing the maul to form at all.

 

[Horacito]

That is the thrilling point about supporting the Pumas: spectacular wins or formidable defeats.

It will get better with time, but dammit so many expectations I thought we could get some candy instead of chorizo.

Anyway, after seeing Landajo and Cubelli, I would really bring Rojas or someone else, Bruzzone perhaps?

 

[austingtir]

Managed to watch the last 15 minutes off the game. I don't know what was up with Argentina at the scrums, I thought they were pretty strong in the scrums but at every scrum from what i saw Argentina was being put to shame from the scrum. Sanchez i thought was a good kicker what happened to him. But i thought Dagg played better then what he has recently. Dan Carter played a good game and i would have him as New Zealand starting 10 over Barrett.

I dont think the Pumas were putting a big go at trying to beat us in the scrum in this match That said come the WC I totally expect them to push us off at least one ball. I fully expect to see them put in a much bigger effort in that area in the weeks to come. They will be way way better than this in the pool game.

Nepo Laulala could be the next big thing for us in the front row from what iv seen of him in the past two matches. He looks incredibly strong in the legs reminding me of Olo Brown alot.

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That's a given.

The focus is more SBW vs Fekitoa.

Both offering different qualities. I think SBW won't show up in the big games, where as Fekitoa will show up and then some. I'm more comfortable with Fekitoa coming off the bench that SBW, what do you guys think?

I agree with you to an extent I think SBW wont show up on ATTACK in big games. But on defence he will be incredibly devastating to opposing teams. I really think his best value to us in big games is his defence. IMO he pretty much dismantled the England midfield and attack last year at twiks his defence in that game was incredible.

It stuffs up the reserves bench a bit to have him on it but id be trying to find a place for him come the big games.

 

[Kiwi_]

Seriously not trying to be controversial but, in view of the fact that the ABs are seriously in a league of their own, do not their supporters not get bored?

One thing about almost every other country playing Test match rugby there is the reasonable doubt as to whether or not they will win! This is surely missing when the ABs play?

I am not sure that my attention span would warrant my supporting such an indomitable force match after match after match!!

Not at all, every game is exciting and we have won a number of games in the last minute, or last 20 minutes the past few seasons. It's exhilarating.