NPR

wet-socks wrote: ↑Sun Jan 31, 2021 1:41 am I agree, Kaleb Trask looks to be the best pick of the lot. He has the most potential based on what I've seen so far. The others just aren't consistent enough performance-wise year upon year & are already well into their mid 20's by now..

Yep I like the look of Trask have said here a few times and wonder if young Zarn Sullivan will look ok at 10, though I suspect both maybe next WC cycle.

This is a good thread to be considering now, rather than in six months, when it will be too late! That said, Fozzy probably doesn't read us.....

Two things to consider really, and the first is that I'm not certain Fozzy is a good selector, let alone coach. Could anyone really consider his assistants as the next best coaches in the country for a start? Then he named Sam Cane ahead of the team, when he is neither the best 7 or a good captain. I like Cane, but is he a Read or McCaw? No. The next thing is selectorial flexibility: Fozzy appears to paint himself into corners doesn't he?

Fozzy is Steve Hansen-lite.

Not literally, of course.

But I notice in interviews etc. that Fozzy tries for the same, laconic gravitas in delivery that Hansen used to have, but can’t pull it off.

Not only that, Foster is following in the selection and coaching footsteps of Hansen’s later years, when Hansen was arguably in decline anyway.

EDIT: The “double playmaker” idea being just one egregious example.

... and on another tangent... It is great to see the emergence of absolute pace in the SRA squads, with the sheer pace they bring. Looking at the outsides We see Trask, Fihaki, Narawa, Macilai-Tori, Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, McKay and co, and maybe RTS? In the centres the Umaga-Jensen brothers, and Tupaea, in the halves Fakatava, Roe, Campbell, Burke, Reihana, and up front the likes of Selby-Rickitt, Parkinson, Ben-Nicholas, Aumua and Fidow with genuine wheels. Factor in the established pace guys, and we could see some genuine footraces this year. :)

It’ll be nice if those speedy forwards like Aumua consolidate their performances in their core roles, though.

It will be nice to see some supe matches again.

Now less than 4 weeks to go.

Ymx wrote: ↑Mon Feb 01, 2021 8:19 am It will be nice to see some supe matches again.

Now less than 4 weeks to go.

Turbster wrote: ↑Mon Feb 01, 2021 7:14 am ... and on another tangent... It is great to see the emergence of absolute pace in the SRA squads, with the sheer pace they bring. Looking at the outsides We see Trask, Fihaki, Narawa, Macilai-Tori, Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, McKay and co, and maybe RTS? In the centres the Umaga-Jensen brothers, and Tupaea, in the halves Fakatava, Roe, Campbell, Burke, Reihana, and up front the likes of Selby-Rickitt, Parkinson, Ben-Nicholas, Aumua and Fidow with genuine wheels. Factor in the established pace guys, and we could see some genuine footraces this year. :)

Burke? He has some positive attributes, but pace is definitely not one of them.

Certain Navigator wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 7:34 am

Turbster wrote: ↑Mon Feb 01, 2021 7:14 am ... and on another tangent... It is great to see the emergence of absolute pace in the SRA squads, with the sheer pace they bring. Looking at the outsides We see Trask, Fihaki, Narawa, Macilai-Tori, Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, McKay and co, and maybe RTS? In the centres the Umaga-Jensen brothers, and Tupaea, in the halves Fakatava, Roe, Campbell, Burke, Reihana, and up front the likes of Selby-Rickitt, Parkinson, Ben-Nicholas, Aumua and Fidow with genuine wheels. Factor in the established pace guys, and we could see some genuine footraces this year. :)

Burke? He has some positive attributes, but pace is definitely not one of them.

Really. I thought I recalled him being very quick in one of the NPC matches this year. Oh well! Like racehorses... can't win all the time.

One thing I noticed on tv news last night, Akira Ioane looked pretty trim (for him) for this time of year, helps to build up my hopes about him going forward.