ABs v France - The Rewatch
Much easier re-watching this game in comparison to last week
A bit harder to find players to focus upon this week, given that many players put in much better efforts, but I’ll talk about four players later on – the two starting props, and Luke Whitelock, who seems to be getting a bit of chatter as the new suitcase. I also have to look at Frizell, just because of @nepia and his love for the man.
I was also going to write about Naholo, but I can’t be bothered - this post will already be super long. To summarize, he was pretty shit and the right-wing spot is, amazingly, not really one of strength for us right now. One example from yesterday’s game that pisses me off the most is the silly intercept pass thrown by Naholo at 78:30 - annoying but forgivable when you see an opportunity. What pisses me off about this is that he was one of the last to get back on D afterwards - he just walks back after throwing that shit and lets his teammates clean it up while the French nearly score.
A change in effort and accuracy on defense
Anyway, general thoughts. Given the amount of defense in the first 20 minutes, it’s pretty impressive that we only conceded one try. If one kick from Dmac - the right option to be fair – had been executed better, I suspect we wouldn’t have even conceded that one.
So, to recap, we hardly touched it during the first 15 minutes. For the first two minutes, it was all defense, and Luke Whitelock seemed to be stuck left and not involved at any point during the first few minutes (I wonder if this is why I thought he was anonymous). We won a scrum at 8:45, and Dmac kicked, but is super unlucky and it goes dead. France went hard on attack, and at around 11 minutes, our tacklers lost effectiveness - first with Ardie only stopping Fofana and conceding about four metres, then with Ioane missing Gaultier, meaning we were now under huge pressure two out. We never got our pillars set in the next two quick phases and the French score, where sadly, I think it’s Luke Whitelock’s decision that helps things along. He went to the strong side, where Owen Franks already was, leaving the space on the blind open for the French HB to use - as Moody was getting up into that position and A smith was coming back. Goodhue bought the dummy, and that’s that. It was just too much pressure after two poor tackles within 10 seconds. As usual, most of times we were broken down, it goes back to individual defensive lapses or indiscipline by certain players.
Scott Barrett was the MOTM, and amongst many other efforts, a good example of why comes from the cracking dominant tackle he makes on the restart following the first French try, which gets us an AB lineout on their 40. We score soon after, and I think this defensive effort is an example of the key difference to this game, in comparison to last week. Using the ESPN stats, we made more tackles this week compared to last (121 compared to 94) with better efficiency (85% compared to 76%). Furthermore, while the forwards contributed 18 of the missed tackles last week, they only missed 10 this week, indicating much better accuracy and effort on defense. That led to better territory, better opportunities etc.
We’ll get to the three main contributors to the number of missed tackles by forwards (Moody, Franks, Frizell) soon.
Sneaky French
During the first half, the French were trying to break us down around the edges (just like that video said to, as was posted a while back on the fern), and we missed a few tackles which helped them at certain times (e.g., Franks @10:04), but did relatively well when we made our tackles. However, the French actually create one big chance with an inside ball where Smith appears to be missing. How did that hole appear? Well, on review, he was taken out (he was actually tackled) by one of the French players who was on the ground. Hard for the refs to catch it, but at least there was some justice in that they knocked it on as Smith got back to his position and couldn’t take advantage.
Really, really, why isn’t Todd always a full squaddie?
Many posters have wondered why Matt Todd isn’t ahead of Savea, and on his effort in this game, it is hard to question that view. He is just as busy as Ardie, but makes accurate tackles, still gets turnovers (e.g., a relieving turnover at the end of first half) but also cleans out well and attacks their ball effectively (e.g., at 54:40, he makes a super strong attack on their ball, slowing it down, even when the turnover is not available). He also made a number of excellent linking runs and passes, especially on the left during the early stages of the second half. He also does his key jobs well, getting to breakdowns out wide (e.g., at 57:32 following Ioane’s break - he is there securing our possession). It’s a mystery why he isn’t ahead of Savea, who is probably busier, but less effective and less accurate.
The Ref and the TMO
On review, I don’t think you can blame the ref at all for the Dmac try, even if you don’t like the player being blocked. They just left a massive hole for Dmac to expose and the HB couldn’t cover the space. If they are stupid enough to leave that opportunity, too bad that we took advantage of it.
On Rieko’s first try – sadly, it’s pretty clearly forward from Dmac - but it was still beautiful. Sadly, that’s rugby sometimes, and it makes you wonder why we need a TMO if they miss these ones but get all picky about grounding for Frizzell’s try?
Should our starting props be under pressure?
Moody is just, well, a bit shit right now. Hopefully, that’s due to a lack of rugby, but it’s not just noticeable that he’s a bit off - it jumps out. His scrumming is still a bit off the pace, conceding one penalty and one free kick, and he was lucky to not be penalized at 10:31, as he loses his bind and pushes off the ground to get back in the contest - following that, we go large on them, so well done I guess.
However, the biggest thing I notice is that Moody just never carries the ball. I counted one pick and go in 64 minutes! I counted two or three missed tackles (ESPN has 2) and I counted 10 tackles (ESPN also has 10). The question is whether that effort is good enough? His cleaning is a bit shit right now, and he’s offering no call carrying help, plus isn’t nailing his scrum role. I think the re-watch confirmed my suspicion that he was our worst forward, and I wonder whether he will be under pressure if Hames comes back? I really hope to see him get some form in the next few weeks at least… notes below.
Tackles: 00:50 (D); Tackles player who goes again at 1:31 (ND); 3:23 (ND); 3:41 (ND); Diving save tackle at 4:30; 5:51 (ND); 2nd tackler and turnover attempt at 6:04; 10:49 (ND); 11:09 (ND); after which we get a lot more ball but he gets a bit off the pace (see below). He misses a tackle at 32:55, which requires outside defenders to come in (Goodhue), leaving space for France to exploit. They knock on, thankfully. He misses another one badly at 36:35 (with S Whitelock misses too) and France break out. He makes a cover tackle at 37:11 but needs two goes at it. In the second half, he makes a tackle at 54:55, and that’s it.
Off the ball, he was busy, but at the end of the half, and mid-way through the 2nd half, he was probably out of gas, because he wasn’t quite keeping up. My notes on ruck attendance won’t be complete, but:
Ruck attendance/Cleans: I saw him clean at 15:09, then look off the pace as we go on attack. He makes a terrible clean at 17:55, allowing the French to attack the ball, and we concede a penalty. He has another poor clean at 20:53, and it looks like he is either too tired to be effective, or lacking technique. He attempts a turnover at 27:10, is the second man cleaning at a ruck on the 30-minute mark. In the second half, he makes a strong clean at 48:11, another at 51:10, and again at 57:35. As we go up the gears following Ioane’s second, he looks tired, and is not quite getting to breakdowns to clean. I guess they make the call about now? He cleans at 61:55, and attends at 62:12 but is not really doing anything. Finally - I think the first time he runs with the ball – is a one metre pick and go at 62:18, and that’s his last contribution. He goes off at 63:50.
Franks offers cleaning and tackling, but little else. He carried about three times that I saw (ESPN also says three) for almost no metres (ESPN says 2!). He goes down faster than a cheesy poof in the hands of Cartman too. For example, he runs at 13:44, but it’s noticeable how quickly he goes to ground when he gets tackled. For such a big guy, you’d expect him to show a bit more strength.
An interesting part of the press conference concerned Hanson specifically mentioning Nepo when talking about ‘important’ missing players from this series. I wonder whether Franks’ starting position is under threat. He still appears to be doing his key roles - he made 10 tackles from my notes (and ESPN agrees) with two misses in 45 minutes. However, is that all we expect? Tackle one at 1:17 (ND); then 1:48 (ND); 4:47 (ND); 5:06 (ND); 2nd tackler at 5:46; 6:04 (ND); and again at 10:49. He and Moody are the cleaners at 13:58, but pretty ineffective – the French disrupt, although luckily the ref rules they didn’t release and we win a penalty. He cleans again with Moody at 14:56, and a straight up miss at 17:04. He makes a weak ass run at 17:49, and nearly gets turned over. He makes another weak ass run at 20:45, followed by a good clean at 21:12. He makes a big tackle at 27:05 but the attacker bumps out and keeps going; is the second tackler at 27:18; and makes a good tackle at 41:10, but doesn’t roll, allowing a penalty. He went off at 46 minutes.
Luke Whitelock was not the worst loose forward out there
During the game, I often felt like I wasn’t seeing Luke Whitelock. He just seems to be around without sticking out. So, for this re-watch, he was actually my focus. I think I looked at too many players though, and got carried away with Moody, but anyway, my notes are below, and my analysis is that he’s actually pretty hard-working suitcase.
He’s not really much of an offload or carrying threat, but he makes his tackles (ESPN has 10, I must have missed a few by getting too focused on the props I think), but neither I nor ESPN saw any misses. He made 6 passes apparently, and most of those were setting up the 2nd man play, including the try assist to DMac for his second try. He ran seven times for 15 metres, with three line-out wins - although he conceded one penalty and dropped a pass at 61:10 that would have lead to a try. After looking at him on this re-watch, he wasn’t in the same class as Todd, who was everywhere, but he clearly the second best loosie out there, putting in a good shift doing lots of little suitcase-y things that I wouldn’t notice during the live game.
I’m tempted to say that he’s doing a very Read role, just not at that same class as Read does it. He’s not going to give you an offload down the tramlines, but he will tidily make his tackles and catch you a few line-out wins, without being a penalty magnet or slipping off a bunch of tackles. He’s also a pretty good suitcase, doing stuff you wouldn’t see unless you were looking it, like at 69:30, where he works hard to get the ball back and everything in position after France concede the penalty – or his excellent clean to save the ball at the 62-minute mark. After focusing upon him, I’m happier. Not as happy as I’d be with in-form Read there, but happier, and with a 6 who imposed themselves a bit more, the balance with Cane/Todd, Whitelock, and ? we’d be OK. There is no doubt that Ioane has more tools than Whitelock, so if I were him, I’d be looking at Whitelock’s cleaning, passing, and off the ball work as the key place to try and add to my game. Anyway, my notes are below:
He makes his first run at 2:50, which is followed by a turnover (Dmac intercept) and Whitelock is the first loosie back covering. He then makes a diving tackle on Fofana at 3:52 to stop some of the French momentum; a tackle at 4:36 (D); and another at 4:56, although when he gets up he goes to the wrong pillar IMO, and luckily we keep them out with Taylor’s return. He has a LO take at 6:37, a good tackle at 17:12, and another at 19:20 (ND). Another LO take at 20:21, and is taken out, leading to our penalty adv. He makes a nice pass to Dmac on the second man play at 20:59, with a tackle and turnover attempt at 35:57, then a short run at 36:20.
In the second half, he starts with a LO take at 44:45, a short run at 46:12, then the same second man pass play to DMac who goes through to score. He makes a cleanout at 48:17, another second man pass play at 54:20, and a tackle at 55:40 (ND). He has a kick off receipt at 60:11, followed by a strong run and good presentation of the ball. We go on to attack, and he drops one he should have held at 61:10 only a few metres out. If he’d held that, I think we’d be talking about this test a lot more positively. He makes a good short run off an A Smith pass at 61:50, and at this time everyone looks completely buggered. He gets back up to clean really well, and keeps the ball at 62:04 – very good suitcase work as they were under pressure from the French. He is standing around a bit leading up to Frizell’s non try, and pretty lucky at scrum time at 64:27 with the missed pass into his teammate’s leg which goes on to the try. He carries at 64:20, and then makes a weak clean attempt at a set player at the kickoff and we concede the penalty. That one doesn’t seem to have been given to him, I guess because it is a holding on one, but I think his ineffective clean contributed. He makes a good clean at 72:18 and is the first loosie there, and I think his final contribution is being the second tackler at 78:05, where he attacks the ball and concedes the penalty.
The Project: Frizell
This selection asks more questions than it answers, IMO. He was supposedly chosen for being very purposeful in his contributions, but I didn’t really see that much of that – rather I saw him looking like he was trying to figure out where to go and how to get involved, rather than just jumping in. He’s had fuck all rugby, which may contribute, but he’s clearly a project. The good news is that he got a bit better as the game went on, making his first strong tackle about 37 minutes in, and he supposedly made 12 tackles with two misses, although I think he made far few less tackles as the first defender, and his ruck attendance and cleaning as significantly less than the other two, even on the re-watch.
Let’s be honest, he’s not ready yet, and I’m sure got about 70 more minutes than he was planned to get. I hope that the selectors remember that next time they put someone in the full squad, when they could just add projects as training members. I will say that he has plenty of power, when he uses it, so he could turn out to be very good (like 2004 Kaino). Some examples of that happened early when he made two short, but powerful runs, putting Parra in the stands. However, right now he looks more like any other one test all black (so still a million times better than I’d ever be), and he was pretty clearly our worst loosie out there tonight – although probably not the worst forward (Hi Joe!). Anyway, my notes are below:
First tackle at 0:36 (ND); 2nd at 1:09 (ND); 1:56 diving tackle, weak tackle at 4:10 as the French build pressure; followed by a missed tackle at 4:24. He makes a turnover attempt at 4:47 (unsuccessful); tackle at 5:09; and is the second tackler at 17:12. He makes his first (IMO) dominant tackle of the night at 37:04; but I don’t notice him making another until 55:24. He makes a good short run at 60:55; a tackle at 73:45, plus helps at 74:00. He then makes a very weak ND tackle at 74:45 and looks completely fucked (not surprisingly given his lack of rugby). He finishes really strongly though, making a better tackle at 75:52, a good tackle at 78:15, and another at 78:20.
@Tim I think Alaimalo has the most potential going forward (getting him in soon) ... but probably needs to get out of the Chiefs, the ABs have never been that fond of what the Chiefs wings can bring (Randle, Lowe etc).
In form Nanai looked the business too and maybe it is worth giving Lam a shot.
@mariner4life said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
@tim there is definitely a spot open there. Of all of them i think Nanai has the most physical gifts, but he, like the last wing/FB from the Blues whose name completely escapes me, has just stalled in his development just below Super Rugby standard.
Who would have thought NZ would be scratching around for a winger? What are Goodhue's wheels like?
More so than Lam?
@mn5 said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
@mariner4life said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
@tim there is definitely a spot open there. Of all of them i think Nanai has the most physical gifts, but he, like the last wing/FB from the Blues whose name completely escapes me, has just stalled in his development just below Super Rugby standard.
Who would have thought NZ would be scratching around for a winger? What are Goodhue's wheels like?
More so than Lam?
yes.
@rocky-rockbottom said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
@victor-meldrew said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
He need to focus on becoming as accurate, consistent and disciplined as SBW or Nonu c. 2006.
haha, Voltron and his DMac Stockholm Syndrome contagion claims another
Anyone who didn’t see what I saw last night is just a hater
@mariner4life on Franks, I wouldn't say he's a waste of space ball in hand, he's actually very very good at distribution. Just doesn't have the application to leg drive in the tackle, which is really odd.
Havent fully read the thread yet but some thoughts.
Predictable outcome. ABs prefer to play the game at pace so playing under the roof with the fastest distributing halfback in rugby against a French team playing their last game of a long season in a dead rubber.
So a very much improved performance but given the factors above wouldnt read too much into it.
DMac really showed his stuff at times. He looked best when he rain straight, commited defenders and distributed. I reckon his best play was covering back in the first half in the far corner to stop a French try scoring chance. However, the game was perfectly suited to his strengths (see above) so whilst a much better performance than test 2 he is still a work in progress.
SBW worked his way into the game excellently but like Crotty he cant stay fit - i'd like to see Jordie get some more time at 12.
Goodhue got better as the game went on but given the hype probably underwhelmed. Of course for a debut thats fine but a reminder he will need time.
A Smith much better and Rieko showed why he is the best winger in the world and looked super comfortable on the right wing second half.
Scott Barrett just sensational. Probably the biggest positive out of the series for me. Has really come on.
Frizell showed some glimpses, such as the power for his 'almost' try. The open style of the game probably suited him. Worth continuing to develop I think.
Really good bench impact from Ofa, Todd, Hemopo and as mentioned Jordie.
Fofana is fun to watch - classy player when he clicks.
I cant believe no one in the reffing team picked up Luke Whitelock's knock on at the back of the scrum before one of Rieko's tries. Really poor.
@duluth said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
France
I think Nanai has been far better than him at SR level
If you go back to 2016 plenty of non Blues fans were suggesting him as an outside chance of making the AB's. I think that was the year be played for the Baabaas at Twickers and went well (Greenwood was a coach and thought he was next AB winger)
He's goten himself offside with the franchise coach since then.
I would not be surprised if he had success immediately at another franchise
Unfortunately in 2017 he got dicked around when Tana preferred the plodding communicator collins.
I think that and his injury this year has seriously dented his development.
Still woukdn't surprise me to see Lam become a one season wonder. Heaps of gas and a good finisher but i don't think he has the skills of Ioane or Naholo.
@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
I’m not suggesting dmac replace beaudy, far from it ,
But it is worth noting he gave our backline a different shape last night
Yes but....that was only because our bloody pack fronted this week
@gt12 I noticed Whitelock running some very Readish lines, those hard hitting unders. Something to ponder about just what that does to the defensive line.
@mariner4life said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
@duluth said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
France
I think Nanai has been far better than him at SR level
If you go back to 2016 plenty of non Blues fans were suggesting him as an outside chance of making the AB's. I think that was the year be played for the Baabaas at Twickers and went well (Greenwood was a coach and thought he was next AB winger)
He's goten himself offside with the franchise coach since then.
I would not be surprised if he had success immediately at another franchise
he seems to have to have the tools. I wonder what his mental application and work ethic is like? His basic skill set ticks a lot of boxes, but he is a long way from the required standard at the moment. As you say, a new franchise (or a new coach) looks essential if he is to do anything with his career in NZ
We'll gladly take Nanai off your hands at the Chiefs...and any more discards you want to throw our way
@shadowtrooper said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
@mariner4life said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
@duluth said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
France
I think Nanai has been far better than him at SR level
If you go back to 2016 plenty of non Blues fans were suggesting him as an outside chance of making the AB's. I think that was the year be played for the Baabaas at Twickers and went well (Greenwood was a coach and thought he was next AB winger)
He's goten himself offside with the franchise coach since then.
I would not be surprised if he had success immediately at another franchise
he seems to have to have the tools. I wonder what his mental application and work ethic is like? His basic skill set ticks a lot of boxes, but he is a long way from the required standard at the moment. As you say, a new franchise (or a new coach) looks essential if he is to do anything with his career in NZ
We'll gladly take Nanai off your hands at the Chiefs...and any more discards you want to throw our way
Foe sure, Alaimalo, Nanai, Stevenson as a back three would be very Super Rugby awesome.
@shadowtrooper said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
I’m not suggesting dmac replace beaudy, far from it ,
But it is worth noting he gave our backline a different shape last night
Yes but....that was only because our bloody pack fronted this week
It was heartening to see our pack play more direct in the game. That period culminating in the try not given to Frizell was brilliant
@shadowtrooper said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
@mariner4life said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
@duluth said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
France
I think Nanai has been far better than him at SR level
If you go back to 2016 plenty of non Blues fans were suggesting him as an outside chance of making the AB's. I think that was the year be played for the Baabaas at Twickers and went well (Greenwood was a coach and thought he was next AB winger)
He's goten himself offside with the franchise coach since then.
I would not be surprised if he had success immediately at another franchise
he seems to have to have the tools. I wonder what his mental application and work ethic is like? His basic skill set ticks a lot of boxes, but he is a long way from the required standard at the moment. As you say, a new franchise (or a new coach) looks essential if he is to do anything with his career in NZ
We'll gladly take Nanai off your hands at the Chiefs...and any more discards you want to throw our way
We'll? Your? Where do you think I'm from?
@mariner4life said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
@bones said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
@mariner4life North Queensland.
Nailed it bruss
D'yall have six fingers and toes?
@shadowtrooper said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
I’m not suggesting dmac replace beaudy, far from it ,
But it is worth noting he gave our backline a different shape last night
Yes but....that was only because our bloody pack fronted this week
It allowed him to play better , yes ,
But i was talking about his passing game gave us a different look
@pukunui said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
Not like Kaino was fast.
JK was not a bad sprinter at school.
@mn5 said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
@bones said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
Did remind me though. Is Franks that bad at taking the ball up that they have just given up on working with him? He's dropping to the floor at the slightest hint of a tackle and never attempts any kind of leg drive. Surely the coaches can improve that easily?
I remember chatting with old fern mate Red Beard about this. It is a mystery why someone so strong in the gym ( particularly at Olympic style lifting ) has all the impact of a fly hitting a windshield when taking the ball up. If it hasn't improved by now I doubt it ever will.
Most of the guys you speak of are very slow at point of impact , hard to generate that type of power when you are hardly moving
@pakman said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
@pukunui said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
Not like Kaino was fast.
JK was not a bad sprinter at school.
And from 2011-2015 when he was at his rugby peak?
His running speed would be well down the list of attributes i would use to describe Kaino.
It may never happen anyway but lack of speed is a silly reason for saying Barrett couldn't cover 6.
I would much prefer that than Fifita covering lock.
No physical contact made though. The try stood.
@pukunui said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
@pakman said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
@pukunui said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
Not like Kaino was fast.
JK was not a bad sprinter at school.
And from 2011-2015 when he was at his rugby peak?
His running speed would be well down the list of attributes i would use to describe Kaino.
It may never happen anyway but lack of speed is a silly reason for saying Barrett couldn't cover 6.
I would much prefer that than Fifita covering lock.
The equation for kinetic energy is half mass times velocity squared i.e. much more dependent on speed than size.
@shadowtrooper said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
@mariner4life said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
@duluth said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
France
I think Nanai has been far better than him at SR level
If you go back to 2016 plenty of non Blues fans were suggesting him as an outside chance of making the AB's. I think that was the year be played for the Baabaas at Twickers and went well (Greenwood was a coach and thought he was next AB winger)
He's goten himself offside with the franchise coach since then.
I would not be surprised if he had success immediately at another franchise
he seems to have to have the tools. I wonder what his mental application and work ethic is like? His basic skill set ticks a lot of boxes, but he is a long way from the required standard at the moment. As you say, a new franchise (or a new coach) looks essential if he is to do anything with his career in NZ
We'll gladly take Nanai off your hands at the Chiefs...and any more discards you want to throw our way
The poor Blues. We're already taking the Ioane off their hands because Fern favourite Blake Gibson is a bully. 
More gifs, I've discovered a new toy. But I'm struggling with embedding them on here .....
Serin movement before ball is out
You can see that Lacey has finished refereeing the scrum and now wants to back out of the way towards the French posts, but Serin has moved too soon and is blocking him.
It's hard to exonerate a ref who has got in the way, but it looks to me like he is doing an orthodox move.
Interestingly I don't think Lacey himself really knew the law on 'refereeing obstruction' judging by the question he asked the TMO. To be fair not many did, including myself.
Alternative angle
If Smith had dummied and gone himself - while the lossies were out of the picture, I think he would have been tackled before the line by the cover defence, McKenzie was hitting that at pace. Smart play by Smith.!
@rapido said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
More gifs, I've discovered a new toy. But I'm struggling with embedding them on here .....
You were just missing the .gif on those links
That's a perfect attack. Scrum wheeled to take the loosies out. Halfback isolated by a beautiful unders line at pace by DMac, and SBW/Ioane holding their width. The only thing you can really hammer the French for is the fullback committing to go right far too early, worried about SBW and an offload? Beautiful piece of rugby.
@duluth said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
@rapido said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
More gifs, I've discovered a new toy. But I'm struggling with embedding them on here .....
You were just missing the .gif on those links
Thanks. Sorted.
Next. Watch out world when I learn how to put flashing yellow arrows on my gifs.
@rapido dunno he was slip streaming the Dmac line so likely woulda dotted down momentarily later.
Still thing the French 9 has contributed by pushing the ref toward Dmacs line and making the referees positioning worse.
@taniwharugby said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
Still thing the French 9 has contributed by pushing the ref toward Dmacs line and making the referees positioning worse.
Absolutely he has.
Serin has broken early, offside, preventing Lacey from getting out of the way. If he had waited 1 second and broken from the scrum legally then Lacey would be out of the way. But the huge gap would have been there for DMac.
A great try optically ruined as I said in an earlier post.
Lacey will be/is getting slaughtered in the media and social media. I'd have more sympathy for him if he had his wits about him and communicated that the defender hitting him was irrelevant or that Serin caused the contact. But he didn't, he asked the TMO to check if he blocked the tackler and then decided that he didn't 'materially' effect the play.
I think I'm the only fan of Justin Marshall's commentary on the fern, but he did a great disservice on Saturday night.
I admit i had the same thoughts as all 3 in-game commentators at the time. I didn't watch the half time show. it wasn't until hours later when I read posts on here and other sites that ref had no choice.
Too late .....
I still like Justin though, I can forgive the odd rules clanger for the other upsides he brings to the commentary. This was a big clanger though.
@rapido said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
I can forgive the odd rules clanger
London to a brick if he says one thing, the law says the other.
@rocky-rockbottom said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
@rapido said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
the other upsides he brings to the commentary.
Seriously. He is by far the best out there describing what plays it looks like teams are attempting to set up, what's going on off screen tactically and positionally, or what has happened. He's very quick to spot this shit.
Me and my 32 inch screen and open plan lounge value his input. Maybe you guys spot shit I totally miss until Sir Justin brings it to my attention.
@rapido said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
@rocky-rockbottom said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
@rapido said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
the other upsides he brings to the commentary.
Seriously. He is by far the best out there describing what plays it looks like teams are attempting to set up, what's going on off screen tactically and positionally, or what has happened. He's very quick to spot this shit.
Me and my 32 inch screen and open plan lounge value his input. Maybe you guys spot shit I totally miss until Sir Justin brings it to my attention.
Andrew Mehrtens can do that. I would much rather listen to Andrew Mehtrens. He has the humour of a slightly dodgy raconteur combined with a razor sharp analysis and, crucially, a knowledge of the actual laws as opposed to the ones in Marshall World. Why can't we have more Andrew Mehrtens?
@rapido said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
@rocky-rockbottom said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
@rapido said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
the other upsides he brings to the commentary.
Seriously. He is by far the best out there describing what plays it looks like teams are attempting to set up, what's going on off screen tactically and positionally, or what has happened. He's very quick to spot this shit.
Me and my 32 inch screen and open plan lounge value his input. Maybe you guys spot shit I totally miss until Sir Justin brings it to my attention.
I agree with you. Marshall is great at interpreting set piece formations and options. But the rest of the time he should shut the hell up. I wonder if he'd be better in a sideline role?
@marty said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
@rapido said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
@rocky-rockbottom said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
@rapido said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
the other upsides he brings to the commentary.
Seriously. He is by far the best out there describing what plays it looks like teams are attempting to set up, what's going on off screen tactically and positionally, or what has happened. He's very quick to spot this shit.
Me and my 32 inch screen and open plan lounge value his input. Maybe you guys spot shit I totally miss until Sir Justin brings it to my attention.
Andrew Mehrtens can do that. I would much rather listen to Andrew Mehtrens. He has the humour of a slightly dodgy raconteur combined with a razor sharp analysis and, crucially, a knowledge of the actual laws as opposed to the ones in Marshall World. Why can't we have more Andrew Mehrtens?
No he fucking can't.
Mehtrens is actually exactly who I am thinking of when I think of shit comments men who don't anticipate plays or tell me why expected things aren't happening.
I've posted before on a Hurricanes v Crusaders match last year right during the height of the Beauden kick-pass fad. Hurricanes didn't attempt one all night, I have no idea why because Mehrts was thinking up his next joke rather than giving us any insight on positionings.
@cyclops as I have always said, when I hear Marshall on RS or he used to do pieces in one of our click bait media outlets, his comments and analysis are insightful and well thought out, but put him in front of a TV mike and Boomfa, whatever comes into his head blurts out (yes still some good shit, but usually hidden behind me oh my yes boi)