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'Some pretty aimless kicking': Barrett boys' tactics under spotlight
The All Blacks 57-23 win over Fiji in the first of two tests was Beauden Barrett’s first start at first five since declaring in Japan he wanted to win his position back off Richie Mo’unga.
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Moving out of the fullback role, Barrett spent last week against Tonga on the bench before getting the chance to control proceedings at 10 along side his younger brother Jordie at the back as part of a reshuffled back line against Fiji.
One aspect of the game in focus was the kicking from the Beauden and Jordie Barrett 10-15 partnership. Patrolling the backfield for the All Blacks, a number of kicks went long and uncontested and ultimately were safely caught by their Fiji opposites.
Both Barretts seemed content with continuing to return serve on the full, failing to get contestable, high kicks up to test the Fijian backfield. Speaking on Sky Sport’s The Breakdown, the panel thought the amount of kicking was ‘aimless’ at times, and served to invite Fiji into the game through counter-attacking opportunities.
“Our kicking game on the weekend, for me, I got a bit concerned about it,” former All Black Jeff Wilson highlighted.
“One of our great strengths of our game is kicking to get possession back, it looked as though on the weekend we gave away a lot of pill. We gave them the opportunity to attack us.”
Former Black Fern Hannah Porter agreed with Wilson’s summation, saying the kick decisions were below par.
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“There was some pretty aimless kicking from our decision makers, giving them back the ball,” she said.
“The chase line here isn’t that great, so we aren’t adding pressure onto that kick,” Porter described whilst viewing a Barrett grubber.
“It was frustrating to watch, wasn’t it?” Wilson added.
“I just got a sense that we were asking them to take the ball back to us, rather than the other way around.
“I’m just not sure these are the things that the All Blacks will be looking for.”
With Foster and his staff searching for the right make-up of his side, the All Blacks could see Mo’unga return to the starting line-up with a new fullback for the second test after the kicking game failed to impress.
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One of the key decisions coming up with the return of Anton Lienert-Brown from injury will be the make-up of the midfield. Blues centre Rieko Ioane has been given two starts at 13 so far, and former All Black John Kirwan would like to see more out of his game.
“Everyone knows I really think we should invest in Rieko,” Kirwan said.
“What I would like to see from him though, we know how fast he is but he’s taking the outside break a bit too much.
“I think he needs to take a bit more time straightening the defenders up early. Taking those hard lines on the inside shoulder.
“He does this a lot [take the outside], he can really accelerate through that, but I think he just needs to build a wee bit more, but that’s just learning to play centre.
“I’d like to see Havili and Anton Lienert-Brown, but possibly Lienert-Brown at 12 and Rieko at 13 just to keep him in there.
“Keep him [Ioane] in there and get him still working on his game, if they think he is the guy for the future.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
35 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
35 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
35 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
35 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
35 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
18 Go to comments