By: di13@xtra.co.nz
24/11/2008
9:38 pm Yahoo! Profile:
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mexted:hes becoming more and more like Tana everyday
his all round game is getting better and better.
for me,possibly ab's most consistent back for this year
in terms of playing 'soldily' every game. |
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By: stunningly_cool
24/11/2008
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maa is the man if he wants to take the ball up give it to him
nothing better than seeing him break through tackles
getting better and better the more game he plays
more confident when kicking now
would like to see carter use maa more on the cuts or just a short ball for him to take the ball up |
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By: di13@xtra.co.nz
24/11/2008
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ma'a will be their
but ya dont reckon kahui's the goods at 12 sprous?
i mean,mortlock hasnt done a bad job? |
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By: tsprouster
24/11/2008
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| He would be the last player to be changed with a grand slam on the line.This game is now quite important.Ma'a is definatly the thrust in the backline.Tough to put down forsure |
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By: bmoosenz
24/11/2008
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| I think Ma'a is turning out to be a well rounded 2nd 5, hes got all the skills, and hes probably unions hardest player to put down, so think it is great to see him mash it up field. |
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By: kwhauwhau
24/11/2008
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| Isn't that the point of the end of season tour, to try out new guys?? Maa Nonu is great but he can be a bit friggin greedy with the ball, don't you's think. |
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By: bmoosenz
24/11/2008
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| Well said larksea! I think Donald will be better for the experience. He is no Carter! but hey, who is? |
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By: larksea
24/11/2008
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you guys still make it sound like donald lost the game or something. He scored a very good try and had a couple good runs and won the match with what was a totally untried backline.
Donald did run the ball a fair bit, it did come off a couple of times and a couple other times he almost got through. And he did pass a lot too but not much got going when he put the ball out anyway, Tuitvake in particular needed to pass the ball more.
Lets face it, the back of the scrum and rucks was a mess and the mid field was a mess. Does not really give donald much to work with.
I'm a fan of Tuitvake and Toeava... But not at mid field
for mine donald has all the skills and also the x-factor, all he needs is experience. That Munster game was worth a lot of experience IMO and he will be better for it. |
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By: mightymooloo
23/11/2008
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| Give Donald some decent game time and end the obsession with Carter, he has hardly any game time since the super 14 ended and turned up to a Waikato training just to get some rugby. Carter is a great player but give the other guys a chance to play and form combinations |
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By: facemon
22/11/2008
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leon i couldnt agree more with you talking about donald being greedy. Look at the talent he had outside him, tuatavaki, and ICE that was a prety impressive backline that should have dominated munster but the ball didnt really seem to get past donald. All donald seem to do was kick or run. I reakon that backline would have been awesome if carter was playing 1st 5. Weepu should take carters place next year when hes away.
As for Macintosh I reakon he will be an awesome prop one day and will dominate international front rows. But remember haymans first tests werent very good either but after a few games he was the worlds best. |
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By: di13@xtra.co.nz
22/11/2008
10:39 am Yahoo! Profile:
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dam str8 putz
what is it with people now days mun?
its as if they wanna see our boys fail
just so they can dwell on negative sh#t!
just total b.s,the naivety of it all. |
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By: putionz
22/11/2008
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| Would have to say that Ma'a is nearing that point now where he will have to play his way out of that jersey. Tana backed him and the more this guy settles in the richer he will and in turn the Abs will be for it. Issues will alwys be the swappgn and changing which as we all know egffects gelling between players in positions. I had to laugh at the media tryng to make a mountain out of Ma'as coment about beign a little jaded regarding his playing schedule. Man you really can't tell these yoekls that truth can you without some hafr'sed commentator saying...whta is he doing in the side if he's in that headspace? I know what headspce those jerks come fomr it's the never was so no clue haedspace. Peeps need to STFU. |
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By: stunningly_cool
22/11/2008
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Maa can kick pass feed his outsides bust through the middle retain the ball score tries tackle !!
he can do it all now and will only improve
there is no else because they arent good enough |
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By: di13@xtra.co.nz
22/11/2008
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sheeks,bit harsh on ma'a??
agree that all not things he tries come off...but
fitzgerald and o driscoll are
a decent pairing
what about the delicate little chip kick that led
to mcCaws Penalty try?
or that beautiful floater that sent joe steaming through
the gap,which ma'a then doubled around and scored?
....that is using your size,speed and skill!
hes started all bar 1 test this year if im correct
he may not be the finished product with a few chinks to iron out in his armour
but their is no one better at 12 then ma'a
i cant be stuffed getting into the bateman,ellison,stanley etc debate,ma'as the man for now,nuff said. |
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By: leondelowe
22/11/2008
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| Totally agree Wyatt Crokkett should have been there. Now he is a prop who gets through a tremendous amount of work. |
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By: mark.gill23
22/11/2008
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| Thats the problem,there aren't alot of options so you have to go with what you've got.I just get peed off with people over rating guys that dont deserve the accolades.Nonu has been solid this year i'll give people that,but when you have the size and speed that he has its just wasted on him.A second 5 should be able to kick(unlike the 2 he made against ireland when a pass would have scored 2 simple tries)Passing also helps(not at peoples feet)Feeding your outside backs instead of trying to bust up the middle every time,and retaining the ball when he's tackled which is probably his biggest weekness. |
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By: rugbycolumn
22/11/2008
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mark thinks Nonu and Toeava are overrated.
Who would you replace them with? |
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By: stunningly_cool
21/11/2008
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with more game time everyone will get better
it will be interesting to see how the 2nd XV boys go next year in the super 14
Im confident Donald will step up next year in the AB no 10 for the first few tests
It will be interesting to see how Brett goes next year
He is probably the next best option at 10 |
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By: mark.gill23
21/11/2008
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| A bit harsh on Donald as he is the only logical second choice,as far as macintosh is concerned you'd be pretty peed off if you were wyatt *** ett missing out.One semi good solid game does'nt make Toeava a fantastic player or one in every two or three for Nonu for that matter. |
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By: rugbycolumn
21/11/2008
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I'm in total agreement with di about Donald being the only realistic 2nd choice number 10 for the blacks.
The very thought of Lavea in the black number 10 shirt makes me ill.
And don't get me started on that error prone idiot Macdonald.
All I'm saying is he is miles below Carter and needs more time and I'm sure he'll provide us AB supporters with more heart attacks before he gets there.
But we have to stick it out after all, it took Toeava and Nonu a while but they're both blody fantastic now. |
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By: leondelowe
21/11/2008
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Overall i agree di13, Limerick was a good measure of our up and coming first five. Donald did play bad, however I hope that he becomes a better player because of it. It does frustrate to think that the ABs performance will hinge on Donald next year. There is no turning back though, Donald has already had a lot of investment and it would only seem natural that he make the squad next year. But when Dan comes back, and the up and coming first fives have time to develop, it will be interesting to see if Donald can hold on to the spot of understudy, my guess would be that Brett and Kirkpatric may take his place.
jam2pou. all i can say is id much rather have a Gitz than Donald. Im not a pure pessimist, and I believe most selections on the tour have been great. Even Donald and Macintosh where good choices because they had not been properly tested. For me they failed the test against Munster, however I do hope it is just time and experience that will ensure these players become great all blacks. |
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By: leondelowe
21/11/2008
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rawirirei. Good points. I think Macintosh has potential, especially when you consider his size, if he did learn to utilise his mass and improve his general play and technique he could be good.
One assumption many make concerning Macintosh is that he will be the next Carl Hayman because is a big tall prop who plays for the Highlanders. Id say there is far more to being a Carl Hayman than just those factors, attitude, composure, maturity and a hard work ethic are characteristics Macintosh must try emulate before he becomes the next Carl Hayman. I hope he does because our scrum is missing Haymans dominance at current. The day Macintosh becomes the next Carl Hayman is the day he plays lock at the World Cup. The confidence showed by the coaches to play Hayman at lock presents his abilities beyond just the scrum. Macintosh' weaknesses go aren't just at the scrum, he failed to do the hard work in the rucks, dropped the ball and gave away turnovers. |
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By: di13@xtra.co.nz
21/11/2008
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yeah fair call leon
ive seen him play and grow for waikato as a player
i use to cringe when i watched donald kick the ball
it seems as though he took an age,but his kicking game has improved,i just dont see the need to hark on about players that arent their,we all know bretts the heir to dans throne..well some would say,but..this tour 'was' and 'is' a chance to try and develop his 1st 5 play knowing dan wont be around for next years iveco series,and what better way to learn then under that immense type of pressure at limerick?,the benefits of that game and intensity will bode well for him,dunno when,but i'm sure he'll grow from this tour?! brett's gotta have a 'super',super 14 or else he might cry like evans,pack his bags and go north as well? |
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By: jam2pou
21/11/2008
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"Donald may be good on a good day, but he is terrible on a bad day, this just isn't sufficient at AB level."
We, as AB fans are unforgiving supporters arent we? We demand the best at all times because of our great AB legacy.
Giteau may be good on a good day, but he is terrible on a bad day also, but Oz persist with him because he makes things happen. We just need to be patient with Donald because he does have the goods. |
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By: rawirirei
21/11/2008
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Seems to me the blokes around Donald dont really know what hes gonna do or maybe what he is capable of, those breaks he made against munster were not supported you saw him look for runners but no-one was there I think just maybe if DC made those breaks he would have found support inside and out. I think he has a lot more to offer just hope the other ABs think the same and Cowan gets the ball in his hands faster bad day with the boot well it happens even DC has bad days not many but it happens. In my view Donald needs support from his team-mates not the pat on the back touchy feely stuff but on the field "Ive got your back stuff"
Macintosh has alot of potential and at times is being taught a lesson from some good old hard-nosed props up in that end of the world. He moaned too much about his opposite walking backwards all you do is tell your frontrow partners (and secondrowers) to shuffle left after the hit and drive straight past him then their pack will crumble. Abit of frontrow school will not do him any harm I would like to see him hit a few more ruck and mauls and leave the wide running for some of the others, just think with his size he can really make a difference at the breakdown clearing out which is what was really needed vs munster. |
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