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Positions of concern for NZ

One concern I missed was how we will replace the contribution McKenzie has made. Looking at the last couple of years he has been a huge part of the abs attack. Watched a breakdown of the top 5 an tries of '18 in the selection coverage on Tuesday. 3 of those tries were basically McKenzie magic. He made a significant contribution to our attacking game during this time were defences have become harder and harder to crack. To counter that World Cup games are less about attack and more about defence, goal kicking and simply not making errors. I dunno, I just feel like without McKenzie we've lost a whole dimension from our attacking game that really no one can replace.
 
Can't argue with that, got a link to that vid?

I'm hoping because it happened early in the season they have come up with something new
 
Respect for any of these guys that go back to club rugby, squire and nonu, shows great determination
 
One concern I missed was how we will replace the contribution McKenzie has made. Looking at the last couple of years he has been a huge part of the abs attack. Watched a breakdown of the top 5 an tries of '18 in the selection coverage on Tuesday. 3 of those tries were basically McKenzie magic. He made a significant contribution to our attacking game during this time were defences have become harder and harder to crack. To counter that World Cup games are less about attack and more about defence, goal kicking and simply not making errors. I dunno, I just feel like without McKenzie we've lost a whole dimension from our attacking game that really no one can replace.

Someone can........The All Blacks have a player who was "Damien McKenzie", before Damien McKenzie came along. He's the AB's No.1 1st Five now.
Maybe we look to the past.
Mounga plays 1st five and, like McKenzie, Barrett comes on at fullback early in the 2nd half (Smith goes to Right wing). He'd be fresh, fit and fast.
Would such a move weaken or strengthen the AB's?
 
Someone can........The All Blacks have a player who was "Damien McKenzie", before Damien McKenzie came along. He's the AB's No.1 1st Five now.
Maybe we look to the past.
Mounga plays 1st five and, like McKenzie, Barrett comes on at fullback early in the 2nd half (Smith goes to Right wing). He'd be fresh, fit and fast.
Would such a move weaken or strengthen the AB's?
so move the twoTime international player of the year, barrett, and the best fullBack in the world at the moment, benSmith, out of their preferred positions just to accommodate mounga to start?
yeah nah.
mounga just gonna have to get used to being an impact player.
 
Someone can........The All Blacks have a player who was "Damien McKenzie", before Damien McKenzie came along. He's the AB's No.1 1st Five now.
Maybe we look to the past.
Mounga plays 1st five and, like McKenzie, Barrett comes on at fullback early in the 2nd half (Smith goes to Right wing). He'd be fresh, fit and fast.
Would such a move weaken or strengthen the AB's?
This is effectively what happens at the end of test matches now, Barrett goes to fullback.
 
so move the twoTime international player of the year, barrett, and the best fullBack in the world at the moment, benSmith, out of their preferred positions just to accommodate mounga to start?
yeah nah.
mounga just gonna have to get used to being an impact player.

It's not a move to accommodate Mounga. Larksea asked for a Damien McKenzie replacement. I gave you one. I don't think there's much between Barrett and Mounga. If Barrett starts at 1st five then moves back, he's not fresh. Off the bench he is. I don't mind Ben Smith at right wing. He's scored plenty of tries from that position.
 
It's not a move to accommodate Mounga. Larksea asked for a Damien McKenzie replacement. I gave you one. I don't think there's much between Barrett and Mounga. If Barrett starts at 1st five then moves back, he's not fresh. Off the bench he is. I don't mind Ben Smith at right wing. He's scored plenty of tries from that position.
bender is way more productive as fullback. covers more of the field from the middle
i rather have specialist try scoring wingers in the wings.
mounga is skilled and has courage under fire. barretts magic.
 
Im a huge bender fan and generally always prefer him at 15...but have no problem with the idea of Barrett coming off the bench and bender moving to the wing, means only one person moves position. with mounga on the bench he is generally going to come on at 10...so Barrett would have to go to 15...and smith to 14...so two guys have moved positions...Barrett on the bench seems to lead to the least disruption when subbing

champion team beats a team of champions and all, two time player of the year or not we need the best and most cohesive TEAM, not a make up that suits one player

All of that is before we even talk about the fact Barrett is arguably a better fullback than first five (in my mind he is), once Bender goes i wouldn't mind 10. Mounga 15. BB for a few years
 
I think you can both have it your way, albeit with slight compromise. Bb can play fullback and still get his hands on the ball a lot, by playing the second playmaker role that Damian was playing last year. If foster gets the gig next year I wouldn't be surprised if that philosophy is continued. And in that game plan the wingers play a versatile role too as they need to cover more often if the fullback plays a lot of first receiver. This is where a guy like Jordie or alaimalo finds a home on the wing.
 
Bb can play fullback and still get his hands on the ball a lot
yeah nah. i agree to disagree
any scenario where bb isnt starting at 1st5 just doesnt work for me. mounga is a great player but at this stage doesnt offer enough to displace bb.
having FB in at 1st reciever is just asking for trouble; if theres a quick turn over then theres a big whole in the back three somewhere.
 

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