Who Will Lose Out To Sonny Bill Williams?

[squirrel]

yeah too right,mat rogers rated them more dangerous than the ABs because the ABs scored off mistakes where the england team could score through you having no fault of your own

 

[Teh Mite]

Not quite the player I'd have ever wanted to support my point... C'est la vie.

 

[squirrel]

who? me or rogers

 

[Teh Mite]

Mat Rogers

 

[nickdnz]

You explain that to the Irish. Or the South Africans.

Actually, **** it, all the Tri-Nations. Just because they weren't as flamboyant as Carlos Spencers' All Blacks doesn't mean there wasn't some brilliant running rugby form that team, regardless of what the NZ press like to tell you.

I like to think I formed my own opinions from watching every English game, rather than the NZ media. I didn't like Carlos Spencer either, but considering NZ had Cullen, Howlett, Wilson, Lomu and Rokocoko playing between the 1999-2003 RWC, maybe I have unfair expectations on comparing attacking rugby . On your video, only the Ben Cohen try at the beginning was what I'd call "scoring from anywhere", almost every other try was well worked. I'm not even trying to claim England weren't a good attacking rugby team, it's just that they were good at working tries out slowly. It's an interesting side note that no English player has scored more than 2 tries against the AB's in their entire career.

Stats for AB's loss in 2002:
Tries All Blacks: Lomu(2), Lee, Howlett.
Goal Kicks: Blair 2 conversions, Mehrtens 2 conversions.
Tries England: Wilkinson, Cohen, Moody.
Goal Kicks: Wilkinson 2 conversions, Wilkinson 3 penalties, Wilkinson drop goal.
Score: 28-31

Stats for AB's loss in 2003:
Tries All Blacks: Howlett
Goal Kicks: Spencer conversion, Spencer 2 penalties.
Tries England: (none)
Goal Kicks: Wilkinson 4 penalties, Wilkinson Drop kick.

With respect, these stats do not show England as the attacking genius you make them out to be. They were organised, clinical and disciplined which made them the best team in the world at that time, but the All Blacks always had a better free running attacking game.

yeah too right,mat rogers rated them more dangerous than the ABs because the ABs scored off mistakes where the england team could score through you having no fault of your own

Who gives a toss what Matt Rogers thinks? If you want to hear the opinion of a real centre:

 

[squirrel]

nzers love that kiss me on my butt hole talk,we tend to get a bit giddy on it

 

[nickdnz]

nzers love that kiss me on my butt hole talk,we tend to get a bit giddy on it

Seriously, please enough AB's bashing. It's getting really old.

 

[gingergenius]

back on to SBW - has Henry shown any inclination that he will pick him? I reckon the NZ coaching staff deserve a lot more credit than they're getting. SBW won't be picked unless he's good enough. I can't think of a single All Black player who's been thrown into the side because of hype. They don't seem to make stars out of players until they're established in the 1st XV.

It's not like English/ Welsh/ Irish selectors who pick on media-reputation alone. Nor the Aussies who have to justify the enourmous sums they've paid out to the Sailors and Tahus of this world.

 

[squirrel]

i thought mcallisters selection last year was abit due to hype, and their own hype they created for toeava

 

[Sam Owen]

McAllistair left NZ in good strong form and was somewhat expected to come back to play for the ABs but since he's been back he's only shown very few glimpses of what he was before he left NZ for the NH.

Isaiah Toeva was regarded very highly in Samoa and NZ scouts brought him over to NZ on a Rugby scholarship. Henry and co. saw potential in him but he struggled to show his wares at first but then came through for Henry and co. with good Super Rugby and All Black form.

Their was a lot of hype of different sorts for these 2 players but all I know is both are of international class.

 

[squirrel]

geez i feeel sorry for samoa,if their country was more economically viable they would have a world class team

 

[Sam Owen]

geez i feeel sorry for samoa,if their country was more economically viable they would have a world class team

We're ok squirrel I saw some school games this year and I can tell you that theres some good stock coming through in the future. The Manu at the moment looks good we've got upcoming tests later in the year against Scotland, Ireland and England and hoping to do well in all 3 games.

 

[Feicarsinn]

We're ok squirrel I saw some school games this year and I can tell you that theres some good stock coming through in the future. The Manu at the moment looks good we've got upcoming tests later in the year against Scotland, Ireland and England and hoping to do well in all 3 games.

I have no problem with you doing very well in two of those games, just leave it at that.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I have no problem with you doing very well in two of those games, just leave it at that.

Agreed,
Lose to England, but smash the others

 

[markshaw]

We're ok squirrel I saw some school games this year and I can tell you that theres some good stock coming through in the future. The Manu at the moment looks good we've got upcoming tests later in the year against Scotland, Ireland and England and hoping to do well in all 3 games.

Sam what do you think about a Samoan super 15 team based in NZ?

 

[Sam Owen]

I think it'll be fantastic but it'll be sad if Fiji and Tonga didnt have a team and we did. That wouldnt sit right for many Samoans back home. However I personally would like to see one. Awhile back I knew a guy from Samoa that NZ scout's have been chasing IMHO he wouldve been absolutely devastating for the ABs if it wernt for some reasons Im not to sure about. Now he doesnt even play and is an overweight, church-going, hardworking family man. A team for Samoa would help men like the one mentioned get that exposure, there is some real undiscovered talent in Tonga, Fiji, Rarotonga, Niue and Tokelau also.

 

[markshaw]

Yeah they should form a team in Samoa, taking players from all of those countires above. Then come together in the super 15.

 

[Dizzy]

Sonny Bill Williams will become an All Black... and it will be at the dispense of Benson Stanley

 

[Shaggy]

Not fit enough to play ITM yet, but fit enough to Ski apparently

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10668932

 

[Amobokoboko]

You could start doubting about his priorities.