Agreed on Mckenzie at 10. He's got more of a chance there than at 15. At 15 teams will target him because of his height at int level and he simply wont fluke his way through defences like he has in super. Cruden is not exactly the most robust 10 we've ever had, Barrett is a flake and Sopoanga is sporadic (but showing signs of maturing).
Ben Smith is co captain. He's locked in until he decides to retire imo. As A Smith once said Ben is the best rugby player he's ever played with. And he's clearly the best FB in the world nobody else even comes close.
haha wow...
So Mckenzie is a fluke, Cruden isn't robust, barrett is a flake and Sopoaga(i know I spell it wrong sometimes too) is sporadic?
cmon man... McKenzie is topping some of the most important attacking stats in super rugby and that doesn't happen by fluke. I do think he is going to have to learn some patients and learn vary his attacking and distribution game a bit more more at test level where gaps will be harder to find and getting isolated or conceding turnovers is more heavily punished. Hes so good at switching to attack, the All Blacks can really use him as the go to man for turnovers. Get a turnover or force a poor kick and McKenzie will put opposition teams to the sword.
No Cruden isn't the toughest guy in the line but he has some serious positives to his game. hes technically very good and he has a fantastic eye for the game. maybe the best we have had in that area in the modern era. he does have some negatives to his game though. Hes had both knees done now and it will likely always be an issue, he doesn't have a long kicking game, either at goal or around the field. At the chiefs he has Ngatai, Lowe and Mckenzie to go to for long kicks. yeah hes small, hes very good defender technically but he will always be a direct target for ball runners.
Barrett is no flake, he had a period were he was being compared to carter too much and expected to be Dan Carter. I think because Cruden is more unique he was more able to play his own game where Barrett was expected to be like Dan (Donald suffered the same thing IMO). Barrett is like Carter in that he is a true first receiver, Cruden isn't. Cruden often doesn't receive until he sees an opportunity. Barrett has turned himself into maybe the best defending 10 we have and hes also probably the best 10 we have for attacking the line, hes no the playmaker Cruden is but no one but Cruden is that good. Barretts goal kicking stats are down a bit from where they need to be but he does play half his games at the caketin. Arguably one of the hardest grounds around for kicking.
Its a shame Ngatai is injured, I think he would pair really well at 12 with Barrett.
Sopoaga strikes me as a very good 10 for when we are going forward. Stronger runner than Cruden and his goal kicking has been pretty good. hes not so good going backwards and his defense isn't as good as the other options. Its not always the role of a 10 to be a great defender. Carter is arguably the best tackler the game has seen at first five so we have been a bit blessed there for a while. We would have to hide him a bit but hes so good going forwards and has a good established combination with the likes of the Smiths and Naholo.
To change the subject....
From a welsh point of view they really need to attack this first test. The AB's are most vulnerable for the first test each year and the first test in any series. They are also a bit vulnerable for the last test of the year as well at the end of the year due to fatigue. But this is a real chance for Wales, If I was their coach I would be going all out for this first test. No building into the series or conservative start. Focus on yourselves, come up with a game plan that will surprise the AB's and give the first test everything. Forget its a series, pretend this first test is the WC final. You haven't beaten the AB's since the 50's? The first test is your best chance to change that. I have a feeling whatever happens first test the AB's will improve a lot more for the 2nd and 3rd.
This is the AB's first test Without McCaw, Carter, Nonu, Smith, Mealamu and Woodcock. Plus the likes of Whitelock(injured), SBW & Messam(7's) aren't there either, thats like ~1000 test caps of experience missing from last years team... This is the biggest turnover from one season to the next that a Modern AB squad has had. You need to take this opportunity very seriously.
