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'Josh Lord, Wallace Sititi, and Cortez Ratima combined have played seven'
By Ben Smith
The difference in experience in key positions across the two benches has come under the microscope after the All Blacks opening round loss to Argentina in the Rugby Championship.
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Los Pumas had veteran hooker Agustin Creevy, who played a pivotal role down the stretch, as well as veteran lock Tomas Lavanini in their reserves.
La Rochelle prop Joel Sclavi and Gloucester prop Mayco Vivas brought more power off the bench up front, which helped turn the tables on the All Blacks scrum in the final quarter.
Ex-All Black wing Jeff Wilson highlighted the differences in experience across the two teams which counted down the stretch.
“And you mentioned Agustin Creevy and what they brought off the bench, Tomas Lavanini as well,” Wilson said on The Breakdown.
“You’re talking about hundreds of Test matches, right? Let’s have a look at what the All Blacks brought off the bench in terms of experience and critical moments to combat that.
“You got Asafo Aumua, who’s played nine. You’ve got Fletcher Newell, who’s played 16. Josh Lord, Wallace Sititi, and Cortez Ratima combined have played seven.
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“So your guys talking about guys in critical roles and critical positions, executing line outs, executing work at the breakdown, and Wallace Sititi responsible for the last penalty in regards to not releasing, and Cortes Ratima, who in his third Test match, is probably in one of the most critical decision making positions.
“So you start thinking about selection, and you know, we made it different. We made some changes in terms of combinations.”
Wilson questioned the number of coaches that the All Blacks currently have involved in selection.
He indicated that the selection jobs have become increasingly narrow with coaches allocated certain positions to select each week.
“I want to bring this up like, the one thing that’s clearly different about what the All Blacks are doing, and it’s not about the players,” he said.
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“They’ve got a huge number of coaches who have got huge responsibilities in terms of selection. And when you start thinking about that, that’s different.
“I’m not sure we’ve seen that from another team where they’ve been assigned positions.
“There’s a huge number of coaches, and they’ve got an area they have to focus on, and is the danger there?”
Finally Goldie mentions what I think is the real problem
Yes experience coming on for a couple but Ratima has proven himself and Aumua and Newell are fine
Ofa was alarmingly bad - not enough recent rugby?
Papalii should’ve stayed on not Blackadder
The real reason is there are two many coaches with no discernible game plan
The players must be confused and seem like shadows currently
Most key areas were below average
Ben Smith : I watched TV and they said this...
Ben, even your excuse for NZ being soundly beaten doesn't carry any weight. Your entire article is a quote from a video that's already available on YouTube.
Must do better. Try evoking genuine sentiment from within and writing it down. If that doesn't work, go back to finance, it's clear so far that your skills lie in the comments section, as a troll, rather than up top as a journo. This is a space for rugby journalists, please let them do their job and stick to trolling.
Sititi too small for an eight, needs to shift into hooker. McKenzie really struggling at ten. Aumua cannot throw consistently into lineouts. Perenara too slow. Riekos cover defense sorely missed with ALB being caught out. Reece's slapback a terrible play, exceeded by Ardie who continues to play out of position at eight. Blackadder simply not up to snuff at six with a perplexing move to remove the openside Dalton at a critical time and replace him with a rookie who gave away penalties. Samipeni and Clarke need to come back in with Telea shifted to the right wing. Beauden into ten with Jordan starting fullback. We need to increase our size in the backs. McKenzie and Reece far too small.
Sititi is bigger than most 8s what you on about too small he literally was up on for 10 minutes way too late to do anything when he played against Fiji he smashed it he's a better 8 than savea
Sititi is about 13kg heavier than Ardie
He isn’t small
He needs time
McKenzie is going ok IMO - he isn’t the problem
Agree on riekos cover defence
That hole wouldn’t have been so big and he could’ve scrambled back
Ardie could play 7 I feel once Sititi gets up to speed
The issue is that Ardie is still the best 8
Don’t disagree with your changes
Certain Clarke will start with Telea on his correct right wing
I dont mind losing the odd one if we are blooding some young ones. Just no point in likes of Cane, TJP and Blackadder being anywhere near the squad
Ironically with the injuries and lack of leadership Cane would be very welcome this year
Agree on the other two
TJ isn’t cutting it
And I’ve never seen what Cantabs see in Blackadder
Saturday really highlighted it