Perhaps I should have said at least one gap. For a professional, one bad throw in a game would be bad luck; two would be careless... so WTF would you call FOUR bad throws after a lifetime of bad throwing.
If he can't sort out something so basic to his game, he doesn't deserve to be there. But is Hore much better?
Daniel Braid of the Auckland Blues, should have been there as backup to Richie. If Daniel is injured, then Holah, should be next. I guess that we have fall into the trap that we lost the last world cup or the one before (1999), because of lack of depths. This is pure bullshit. It made the public to jump and blamed McDonald in the last campaign (2003). The All Blacks lost, because they were outperformed by the Wallabies, pure and simple. Depth or no depth in the last world cup, the Aussies would still butchered the AB. The AB would be better to train to increase the players mental toughness rather than blaming lack of depth. The Aussies have won it twice with not much depth at all, that was perhaps, mental toughness.
Weepu didn't deserve to be in the ABs on form and I definitely think that Leonard is first choice half back at the moment. I'm glad to see Reuben Thorne included over Flavell. He will be trusted not to give away valuable penalties and no matter how much he is disprespected by the NZ public - he is a team person that toils behind the scenes. Ferdy at ruggerblogger.
Weepu hasn't been playing all that well, but I don't know that one could say his performance has been 'poor'. Naturally I am somewhat biased as a Wellington bloke, but Andy Ellis is a very bizarre call in my books. There are reasons why I still haven't been invited on to the AB's selection panel though, I'd wager...
I prefer to speculate on Leonard's status, however. This is the guy to watch - he'll be the first-string halfback for the Cup team, mark my words! Very slick.
Okay PC, Kelleher is injured and Leonard takes a knock 5 minutes into the World Cup semi.....you have to field Ellis.
Bet you wish Weepu was on tour then.
Ellis will not play a game - that's my prediction. He's there for his ability to get to bed before 4am and carry the bags. It's hardly fair Weepu has played his way out of the team with dodgy opportunity, while Ellis has been playing baby Black rugby.
As for Oliver....he's throws about as straight as Perigo on heroin.
firstly anton does suck at throwing but he always has done,and theres a lot more to winning a lineout than the throw there has to be someone in place to catch the ball too.but anton is a rock around the park and in the scrum plus his experiance and leadership etc. so if you think he shouldn't be in the team your mad. as mealamu brings such a dynamic running game his impact off the bench is huge so expect anton to start the big games.
weepu was hard done by for sure. but its such an important time for nz rugby there no room for anyone to get complacent about there spot. getting on the piss before training is a shit plan however unlikley you are to get on the feild, you don't have to go back far to see that last minute changes can occur even within the ABs. kelleher and weepu bring a similar type of play so perhaps the selectors are simply trying to keep there options open. kelleher is probably the better of the two, while he doesn't possess the same flair for improvising on attack as weepu kelleher is a solid all round player who has proved himself for many years.
I think hes the best halfback NZ has in skill, his form is not as bad as people are making out, if anyones form is out its kelleher's, did no one else see the last game of the tri-nations? kelleher cocked just about everything up, and Leonard is good at the moment considering that none of the international teams had herd of him/ studied his game, before the tri-nations. Weepu let his game do the talking after wellingtons win, where he scored two trys, only a couple of days after the selection of the team for the world cup, in which he was leftout, and he will be missed in France, All Blacks management have narrowed there chances to win the world cup.
13 comments:
So Anton played well?
Perhaps I should have said at least one gap. For a professional, one bad throw in a game would be bad luck; two would be careless... so WTF would you call FOUR bad throws after a lifetime of bad throwing.
If he can't sort out something so basic to his game, he doesn't deserve to be there. But is Hore much better?
I think Holah has been hard done by.....and what's so good about Masoe that he can't even get a run now and then?
What? no-one having a go about Reuben Thorne? Does this mean that it has finally sunk in about the guy's worth and ability?
I do have to ask about why 3 halfbacks (10% of the squad) when the injury probabilities are in lock and prop.
Daniel Braid of the Auckland Blues, should have been there as backup to Richie. If Daniel is injured, then Holah, should be next. I guess that we have fall into the trap that we lost the last world cup or the one before (1999), because of lack of depths. This is pure bullshit. It made the public to jump and blamed McDonald in the last campaign (2003). The All Blacks lost, because they were outperformed by the Wallabies, pure and simple. Depth or no depth in the last world cup, the Aussies would still butchered the AB. The AB would be better to train to increase the players mental toughness rather than blaming lack of depth. The Aussies have won it twice with not much depth at all, that was perhaps, mental toughness.
Weepu didn't deserve to be in the ABs on form and I definitely think that Leonard is first choice half back at the moment. I'm glad to see Reuben Thorne included over Flavell. He will be trusted not to give away valuable penalties and no matter how much he is disprespected by the NZ public - he is a team person that toils behind the scenes. Ferdy at ruggerblogger.
Weepu hasn't been playing all that well, but I don't know that one could say his performance has been 'poor'. Naturally I am somewhat biased as a Wellington bloke, but Andy Ellis is a very bizarre call in my books. There are reasons why I still haven't been invited on to the AB's selection panel though, I'd wager...
I prefer to speculate on Leonard's status, however. This is the guy to watch - he'll be the first-string halfback for the Cup team, mark my words! Very slick.
DenMT
Lineouts are STILL a lottery!
Reuben Thorne will be able to steal the ball. He's practically invisible on the field ;)
Okay PC, Kelleher is injured and Leonard takes a knock 5 minutes into the World Cup semi.....you have to field Ellis.
Bet you wish Weepu was on tour then.
Ellis will not play a game - that's my prediction. He's there for his ability to get to bed before 4am and carry the bags. It's hardly fair Weepu has played his way out of the team with dodgy opportunity, while Ellis has been playing baby Black rugby.
As for Oliver....he's throws about as straight as Perigo on heroin.
firstly anton does suck at throwing but he always has done,and theres a lot more to winning a lineout than the throw there has to be someone in place to catch the ball too.but anton is a rock around the park and in the scrum plus his experiance and leadership etc. so if you think he shouldn't be in the team your mad.
as mealamu brings such a dynamic running game his impact off the bench is huge so expect anton to start the big games.
weepu was hard done by for sure. but its such an important time for nz rugby there no room for anyone to get complacent about there spot.
getting on the piss before training is a shit plan however unlikley you are to get on the feild, you don't have to go back far to see that last minute changes can occur even within the ABs.
kelleher and weepu bring a similar type of play so perhaps the selectors are simply trying to keep there options open.
kelleher is probably the better of the two, while he doesn't possess the same flair for improvising on attack as weepu kelleher is a solid all round player who has proved himself for many years.
Weepu was hard done by,
I think hes the best halfback NZ has in skill, his form is not as bad as people are making out, if anyones form is out its kelleher's, did no one else see the last game of the tri-nations? kelleher cocked just about everything up, and Leonard is good at the moment considering that none of the international teams had herd of him/ studied his game, before the tri-nations. Weepu let his game do the talking after wellingtons win, where he scored two trys, only a couple of days after the selection of the team for the world cup, in which he was leftout, and he will be missed in France, All Blacks management have narrowed there chances to win the world cup.
Leaving Weepu behind is a mistake.
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