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[EOYT] Japan vs. New Zealand. 02/11/13

Only saw 2nd half, but that was probably Japan's worst performance of the year. Awful, defence went back to passivity and attack was even worse hardly keeping the phases together until minute 80. First time since around 2008 they've gone the match without a try.
 
Frankly I don't see how he ranks above fruen.

The fact Fruean hasn't played any rugby since undergoing open heart surgery in June probably count against him.....
 
That was a really frustrating game to watch. So many stop-starts...

Hope Perenara is back soon (well anyone except for TKB please after Aaron Smith).

I have to admit the last time I saw Japan play was the 2011 WC. Thought they played a lot better today. They did pretty well in the physical stuff specially the break down and set pieces.
 
That was a really frustrating game to watch. So many stop-starts...

Hope Perenara is back soon (well anyone except for TKB please after Aaron Smith).

I have to admit the last time I saw Japan play was the 2011 WC. Thought they played a lot better today. They did pretty well in the physical stuff specially the break down and set pieces.

Kerr Barlow was trying to hard and as such he was the play maker and not the fly half.He greatly contributed to a dour game!
 
That was a really frustrating game to watch. So many stop-starts...

Hope Perenara is back soon (well anyone except for TKB please after Aaron Smith).

I have to admit the last time I saw Japan play was the 2011 WC. Thought they played a lot better today. They did pretty well in the physical stuff specially the break down and set pieces.
Yup, sums it up pretty well. Did not enjoy watching that game!
 
As a Chiefs fan it pains me to say Kerr-Barlow is atrocious and has no future in the All Blacks. Truly a tragedy of a game which was meant to be an 'exhibition' All Blacks tight 5 were shocking, Kerr-Barlow was lethargic and reminded me of an overweight Piri Weepu. Backline lacked cohesion. Only standout was Charles Piatau, dude is a beast and definitely above the overrated wifebeater Savea in my books.
 
Overall a pretty disappointing game. At least we didn't lose like Wales did earlier this year ;-)

Piutau was probably the only standout for the ABs - it would be very disappointing if he didn't start again on the right wing next week...
 
Sounds like the ABs just went through the motions.
 
As a Chiefs fan it pains me to say Kerr-Barlow is atrocious and has no future in the All Blacks. Truly a tragedy of a game which was meant to be an 'exhibition' All Blacks tight 5 were shocking, Kerr-Barlow was lethargic and reminded me of an overweight Piri Weepu. Backline lacked cohesion. Only standout was Charles Piatau, dude is a beast and definitely above the overrated wifebeater Savea in my books.

Lol! I agree with everything except Piatau being better then Savea.No comment on the wife beater!
 
Sounds like the ABs just went through the motions.
Yup that's how I felt. + the weather was average, which meant more scrums, more lost time, and more reliance on the ref to get the game going and make the correct calls.

There was a shocker by the touchy when one of the Japanese players was deemed to keep a DC touch clearing penalty kick from going out when he jumped up and tipped the ball back in field...the problem was he jumped from about 1m the wrong side of the touch line....

It was just a **** game.

As people have said Piutau was awesome, Japan were good for their standards, but the game was a bore!
 
Good games from thrush and luatua. Great games from cane and piutau. Francis saili doesnt look ready for international level yet, hes ok but makes too many errors and dosnt provide as much as nonu. Wish more ball went out to frank the tank halai. Nice turnover from ryan crotty when he came on, could force his way ahead of saili. Luke whitelock didnt do a thing when he came on as expected. Scrum weak point of abs still. Piutau deserves a start next week but they will give it to jane, bit premature to say hes ahead of savea like someone said before. Overall not a great game
 
All Blacks were not clinical in breakdown, they needed a game like this to check themselves. Penalties and turnovers left and right in the first half for ABs, Japan brought it to the breakdown and NZ didn't suit up there. I thought TKB wasn't quick enough at breakdown in terms of making decisions, which slows everything else. A couple of times it looked like he got caught looking to both sides of the street before delivering allowing a disciplined Japanese side to re-align. Certainly wouldn't give up on him yet, I think he just needs more time to play, it was his first start so it was the first time he really got to control the game at this level. Carter was ok, not spectacular (outside of the boot), had a couple of nice runs. Saili had a lot of dropped balls, poor passes, ruck penalties if I recall correctly, just all around not a strong game from the 12 when the All Blacks 12 really needs to be steady in both attack and defense, I'd argue the 12 is most important All Black in backline. With Saili I felt it was boom or bust. He did have some nice moments but also too many palm to forehead moments, not steady enough yet. Ben Smith was good when given shot with ball, set up and scored his beautifully worked try. Piutau's work rate was fantastic. Halai had limited moments, still looked to have some 7s tendencies in him with trying to sprint beat defenders when it probably wasn't on or throwing a couple of wild passes in contact but he always looked dangerous. Barrett was relatively quiet, didn't really involve himself in attack often.
Forwards just have to work harder. Inexperienced tight 5 got a baptism with all of them making first starts. Coles and Crockett probably played the best, but no means outstanding, and were really worked by the Japanese props at scrum time. Back row for me was very good, typical yeoman's performance from them, although Luatua was quiet in attack but those guys really went around the park defensively, forced some turnovers, slowed some ball down.
Overall, average performance from what we've seen this summer, but credit the Japanese for being the disciplined well drilled technical side they are and for not giving an inch at the breakdown. You could tell this All Blacks side just wasn't connecting yet. Pretty much new combinations all over the park, so I guess we should've expected this type of performance.
 
Sounds like the 2nd half was a bit of a snoozer glad I went to bed at halftime!!
 
Sloppy, McCaw picked scrum off a lot of penalties so we had some resets, both sides started to get sloppy but ABs fitness was dominant they just couldn't score. Territory must've been 85-15 in second half.
 
For those who may have missed it (myself included), Richie McCaw led the haka this morning (or last night depending on where you are). Go to 3:45 of video.

 
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Yup that's how I felt. + the weather was average, which meant more scrums, more lost time, and more reliance on the ref to get the game going and make the correct calls.

There was a shocker by the touchy when one of the Japanese players was deemed to keep a DC touch clearing penalty kick from going out when he jumped up and tipped the ball back in field...the problem was he jumped from about 1m the wrong side of the touch line....

It was just a **** game.

As people have said Piutau was awesome, Japan were good for their standards, but the game was a bore!

Happy to be corrected, but I thought it was the being airborne at the time of contact with the ball which was important, not where you jumped from?
 
Happy to be corrected, but I thought it was the being airborne at the time of contact with the ball which was important, not where you jumped from?

Where you jumped from doesn't matter, but it was an incorrect call nonetheless. The ball is deemed to be in touch once it crossed the touchline, even if it's still airborne (unless it's knocked back or caught by a player with both feet in the field of play, but that's not applicable here). From Section 19 of the laws (emphasis mine):

A player in touch may kick or knock the ball, but not hold it, provided it has not crossed the plane of the touchline. The plane of the touchline is the vertical space rising immediately above the touchline.
 
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