the AB PACK

Big Ben Afeaki

1 Ben Franks
2 no real stand out, position is up for grabs....at the moment I'd go with Elliott or Flynn.
3 Owen is the incumbent....but look for Ben Afeaki to find some AB game time this season. An absolute monster
4 Sam Whitelock. Clearly the best lock in the world.
5 Ali Williams is busy busy busy. Into everything, not 22 anymore but 1 smart cookie.  Dominic Bird receiving big raps.  Both Retallicks on their game.
6 Steven Luatua....dynamic in the loose without shunning the hard graft.
7 Todd was doing ok but #7s have always stood out in the Canty packs.  Ardie Savea's 'Canes debut was inspirational, perhaps even the motivation behind their dominant performance over Aussie's best pack. Sam Cane will never be more than a Journeyman. Every time it's the same thing....who will replace Jock Hobbs? Who will replace Michael Jones? Josh Kronfield?....we can rest assured that Savea is well and truly on the radar.
8  Kieran Read

All that glitters....

All that glitters isn't gold

The truth is the game's rules need a real and PROPER overhaul. I know all the chopping and changing as they strive for the perfect game doesnt help, especially when they get it wrong and some teams take advantage to the detriment of rugby (like a certain recent Bulls team), and the old adage says dont fix what isnt broken. Thing is rugby IS broken. There are still rules that just dont need to be there and a hell of a lot of rules that contradict themselves (you want to be really confused?...study the rules for when the ball is deemed in or out of the field of play).
The rule-makers have tried to do certain things like take match deciding decisions out of the refs' hands (how's that one working out?), and just eliminate unnecessary whistling. One rule springs to mind. A few seasons ago the "tackle-release" law was introduced because tacklers who were still playing at the ball while they were regaining their feet were killing the game's attack and making every ruck a 50/50 penalty call either way (so when you played for the Bulls that meant either 3pts for you or, on account of you always kicking the ball when within 60m of your own goal line, a clearing kick for the opposition). Problem is some idiot ref got it wrong in one of the first games and the rule has become what it wasnt supposed to be. There is no reason at all that a tackler who doesnt go off his feet should have to release. And if the refs were more capable then the bigwigs would see that no rule change was even necessary,....any tackler on the ground isnt allowed to play at the ball anyway.
Easy to gloss over all this when once in awhile there is a great game where the ref HASNT effected the outcome and acting like all that glitters is gold when all the new rugby fans dont actually understand the game enough to question....but as i said...the game is broken.    

Players get better, refs get worse

Chiefs Highlanders just another example of officialdom mediocracy. The rules need to be improved sure, but still refs who just arent up to it, and commentators who are seemingly clueless in front of millions.
Tell me if i'm wrong here but a charge down is ruled as "carried back"? seriously? Matt Cooper? ex All Black? Obviously if the defending team take the ball back and the charge down occurs in goal it will be attacking ball, but a charge down outside the ingoal that goes over the line is classified as carried back? Thats a new one for me.
Then the Horrell reach for the line...why oh why did the clown with the whistle blow when he wasnt sure if it was a try, when the resulting action of play hadnt finished? The Highlanders had managed to clear the ball downfield yet he blew to go to the tmo instead of waiting for the current play to stop. Result?...no try, and a 5m defensive scrum. No great advantage there. And think if the ball hadnt rolled 3" forward there wouldnt have been a knock on so the ref would have had no play to rule on so no restart option available. Goon.
Then Wilson waxing lyrical about Nonu....oh hes tried so hard all night, the play just hasnt gone his way. What a load of bullshit. He was lazy lazy Nonu. Lazy in attack, lazy in support, lazy in defence, and some terrible terrible passes to boot.

Does no one else see the current state of the game? Incredible athletes taking the game to another level but wk after wk refs, linesmen and tmos getting it oh so wrong.

Current AB backline...

Anytime the Bulls are winning means theres something not right in rugby. Commentators talked bout the possession difference but steyn kicked every ball away. Such a simple gameplan from the crusaders. Passing the ball from side to side with a fatty (normally Franks or Crockett) taking it up in midfield before Ellis quickly redistributed to Carter (who simply doubled round the midfield ruck all game) to continued to feed the ball the same way. Result was side to side play from the crusaders with one ruck centre field each time. That tired out the Bulls' pack, and coupled with a safer game in their own quarter complemented by belief and confidence in their own setpiece took away the bulls' one and only game. Made it look easy. Good to see Carter back on his game, too.


Try pick a nz super backline on current form:

9 dont think anyone in world rugby comes close to kerr-barlow at the moment. Followed by perenara and weepu, weepu would get nod as back up simply because perenara's game too similar to kerr-barlow.
10 before last wkd's games i'd have said cruden perhaps backed up by noakes. Blues backs are nigh on unstoppable so the 1st5 gets credit even though his defence is suspect. Now it's all carter backed up by cruden OR slade (reliable, minimal error rate and trustworthy defender). Barrett doesnt get a look in and never should have in my opinion. And too much of a turnstyle in defence. Maybe with age his time will come but he doesnt merit being called an AB.
12 Dont know bout this one. One option is Cruden at 10, Carter at 2nd. Highlanders' Burleigh looks good as does Blues 2nd5 Saiili. Nonu...lazy lazy lazy.
13 Great as nanai williams has been he will and has been found out vs big centres. Conrad smith has been made to look like a boy defensively on 2 or 3 occasions. Rene Ranger is the go here.
11/14 Watching Gear and Savea battle it out for the AB spots has been great. Gear is hard as nails....and not a small boy. Doubt there's many players that hurt more to tackle than him. Savea has upped his skill level and it's been incredible watching him leap for high balls and including deft chips in his game. Cant look outside these 2.
15 Tell me a better fullback around on current form than Piutau.

Ideas?

ouch

 

just doubled his pay

Hansen seems to have a very dry humour which is often aimed at the press who are just searching for any to comment to take out of context. Often i have read an article on Hansen said this or that and once read seen it was nothing at all like implied in the heading. I'm sure it was just hansen keeping his mouth shut til after the judiciary....fair enough but he should have at least mentioned it looked serious, though the English press dont have to look out of their own backyard to find that kind of crap every wkd. People find it easy to knock the ABs but they just learn to take it as a form of respect, the game of rugby would have half its worldwide profile without them. For all the criticism they get for playing the game better than anyone AND in the most entertaining style of all. For all the criticism they got post 95 when not one player moaned about being sick, when they deserved respect for getting out there and playing, when they deserved to take home that cup. All the comments through time of the arrogance of the All Blacks are totally unfounded....you will not find a more humble sportsman than a Kiwi sportsman.

When the (before mccaw snatched that mantle) #1 ranked AB of all time, Pinetree Meads, and rugby's #1 gentleman, Sir Brian Lochore, both succumbed to the bug, and both stood up and defended the team....however it happened, it cant be denied. Last time it came out post game, they got criticism, this time it came out pre game(difficult to keep secret when the press are everywhere) and the ABs still cant win a trick with many fans and international press. Everyone knows a stomach bug saps your strength and not one of those players would of been at 100% by the time the match rolled round. But not one AB lamented the fact. Their reward?...yet more crap trolled out around the world all from haters JUST because they are so good. Yes, the poms played well, yes they put the ABs under pressure,...but observe some reality....England arent the best team to put the ABs under pressure this season, and pressure is nothing new to them. The uncharacteristic trait for that game was error after error...missed tackles, dropped balls, botched lineouts, some rough scrum calls(I'd argue NZ had the wood on the English scrum), and for a team that has such self belief in its own defensive system so many ruck penalties.

Whether you think the ABs were affected by any virus you hopefully make up your own mind without reading the dribble & vitriol that comes out of the english press. From what happened on the field the English clearly deserved their win. Some scribes will try to gloss over their pitiful season with this result, and maybe in such an appalling season where they played such appalling rugby....one swallow does make their winter. I will say this....great result for world rugby. I dare say even AIG is happy.