Planet Rugby Forum

Pakia Pakia

Ali's Choice wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 3:07 am I wouldn't be upset with this backrow;

8. Sotutu
7. Savea
6. Finau

Big, strong, mobile and genuine lineout options which will be needed with Whitelock and Retallick retired.

looks good. Good point on the lineout options with our GOAT locks gone.

Pakia Pakia

Having a quick look over the Super Rugby stats for Australian loose forwards I'd go for these guys: 6. Liam Wright 7. Fraser McReight 8. Charlie Cale Bench Josh Kemeny Valetini has the lowest tackle percentage and the most missed tackles of any Australian loose forward so far this season. That's a ...

Pakia Pakia

Having a quick look over the Super Rugby stats for Australian loose forwards I'd go for these guys:

6. Liam Wright
7. Fraser McReight
8. Charlie Cale

Bench
Josh Kemeny

Valetini has the lowest tackle percentage and the most missed tackles of any Australian loose forward so far this season.

Pakia Pakia

Loose Forwards below 90% tackle success ( 3 or more games ):

78% Wallace Sititi
82% Cullen Grace
84% Hoskins Sotutu
86% Sean Withy
86% Brad Shields
88% Christian Lio-Willie
89% Samipeni Finau
89% Simon Parker
89% Anton Segner

Pakia Pakia

On Sotutu I would say that his work at the breakdown has vastly improved. He's been a lot more aggressive and accurate there. A lot of his tries have come from smashing it over close to the ruck so he's showed his power there. He's served an important role in converting the Blues possession and carr...

Pakia Pakia

Yep Lakai is good across the board featuring everywhere but lineout. That's ok though because he's been playing 7 mainly.

Pakia Pakia

Luke Jacobson doesn't feature much in the loose forward stats so far this season. Have to say Lakai and Iose will be putting major pressure on his spot. Will they want to look at more specialists or utilities? Obviously missing ruck/breakdown attendance which is a big one for loose forwards. Blues a...

Pakia Pakia

Loose Forward Top 5 Stats so far: Carries 101 Peter Lakai 91 Hoskins Sotutu 90 Brayden Iose 82 Akira Ioane 70 Cullen Grace Metres 398 Brayden Iose 394 Hoskins Sotutu 269 Peter Lakai 229 Akira Ioane 227 Dalton Papali'i Clean Breaks 4 Dalton Papali'i 3 Peter Lakai 3 Du'Plessis Kirifi 3 Hoskins Sotutu ...

Pakia Pakia

Grace not good enough at the moment, from a Sader perspective, Blackadder hopefully come 's back from injury. Ioane still to soft for test matches, So'tutu hopefully, Papali'i & Jacobsen not at International standard. Frizzell will be missed. Bigger issues are 4,5,,9,10 & 15. When Dalton had a run ...

Pakia Pakia

Ted. wrote: ↑Wed Apr 24, 2024 11:35 pm Just came across this from Finau.

https://x.com/ChristypDoran/status/1777508356825207222

Ouch!

He's hitting first fives just after they've passed. Might be get penalised by NH refs. I'd love to see him doing that against some midfielders or loose forwarders.

Pakia Pakia

Another good opportunity for Funaki and Plummer to make a statement against a quality pair of Reds halves.

Blues loosies will have to work hard to disrupt the Reds quick ball.

Pakia Pakia

BecomingtheMoon wrote: ↑Wed Apr 24, 2024 10:40 pm At the WC's end it was PTSD, Ardie, Dupont, Mauvaka and Etzbeth for my money

Seems reasonable.

Pakia Pakia

If you're going to pick a winger and want to be taken seriously you have to have an honest look at Reece. He's never been as good at test level as he has at SR level. Penauds defense isn't the greatest. The question was ‘right now’. i.e. based on current from I’d challenge anyone not simply picking...

Pakia Pakia

shanky wrote: ↑Wed Apr 24, 2024 9:16 pm If you're going to pick a winger and want to be taken seriously you have to have an honest look at Reece.

He's never been as good at test level as he has at SR level.

Penauds defense isn't the greatest.

Pakia Pakia

A substantial amount of pro sports people are messed up. Beale's antics are relatively innocuous on the sh*t kant spectrum. Beale's part in the Ewen Mckenzie thing was a more a symptom of the toxic player power culture that had infested the Wallabies as the time. I think it's a bit of reach to say B...

Pakia Pakia

Interesting to see big Pat and Darry locking together, hope they both have big games Yep. Our Ideal locking combo at the start of the season. PT was massive for us last week. Mcwhannel has been dominant in the lineout. He was outstanding against the Wallaby locks last week. Looking for the same fro...

Pakia Pakia

Yeah I also think Blackadders best pos is 7.

Christie has been one of the better players for the Crusaders.

This team looks pretty handy on paper but they've really struggled to get any cohesion going.

Pakia Pakia

What's the deal with Hooper on the bench for the last two games? He's not better at lock than Swain/Neville/Frost He's not better at 6 (the way Brumbies play 6) than Valetini, nor Cale at 8. He's a horses for courses 7, I'd prefer Scott or Reimer there. Cale seemed like a but of a lightweight last ...

Pakia Pakia

Quite a few changes for the Blues as has often been the case this season. Rickitelli takes a rest. He's been excellent all season and the other two hookers are well behind at the set piece. Hopefully it isn't too disruptive in what should be a strong Reds lineout. Akira on baby break after a strong ...

Pakia Pakia

I can see where you're coming from just putting up my arguments for against. We can't really judge whether or not Hannah's lineout is up to standard even if is the hooker fault. Anyway I don't think Hannah has the potential upside that guys like Adam Thomson and Shannon Frizell had when they were se...

Pakia Pakia

What's the deal with Hooper on the bench for the last two games?

Pakia Pakia

Hyper-sexual "zombie cicadas" that are infected with sexually transmitted fungus expected to emerge this year

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cicadas-zo ... -cicadina/

Warning: the pictures are gross and disturbing af.

Pakia Pakia

Got to say the Schmidt coaching set up is about as good as any international team could hope for.

Pakia Pakia

Looks like Aumua will be back for the playoffs and AB squad naming which is good news. Fingers crossed.

Pakia Pakia

I don't see serious potential at test level. I see a player who has tried very hard in a struggling team but has ultimately had zero impact on results. The Crusaders lineout has been terrible. Probably the worst ever Crusaders lineout. Sam Whitelock in contrast had serious potential when he was youn...

Pakia Pakia

1. Probably 2. Good question 3. Time to him on but probably considering our depth at 10. 4. New lock for the Saders. Jamie Hannah? Some are calling him the new Issac Ross. Still would be an interesting call considering the Crusaders statistically have the worst lineout in the comp and he's barely w...

Pakia Pakia

There were seasons when the Blues were bottom of the table and still overrepresented in AB squads and that might be the case with some Crusaders players. Definites Williams Newell Barrett Blackadder Reece Possible Lio-Willie Mcleod Unlikely Bower Havili Grace Tarnished Rep Bell Strange Gardner Bowe...

Pakia Pakia

Biggest questions for me are: 1. Will Cane make the squad? 2. Who will be captain? 3. Will Beauden Barrett be in the starting XV? 4. Who will the newbys and bolters be? 1. Probably 2. Good question 3. Time to him on but probably considering our depth at 10. 4. New lock for the Saders. Jamie Hannah?...

Pakia Pakia

Biggest questions for me are:

1. Will Cane make the squad?
2. Who will be captain?
3. Will Beauden Barrett be in the starting XV?
4. Who will the newbys and bolters be?

Pakia Pakia

The Crusaders have had a very strange attack pattern which involves Jamie Hannah hitting it up in the midfield other backline crabbing sideways across the park. I think that's a coaching issue. Neither McLeod or Aumua have been used much to run hard and straight. It The Crusaders have often tried to...

Pakia Pakia

In previous years players who might not otherwise have made the ABs have got there on the back of Crusader dominance. Are there any this year who might not make it if the Saders don't improve? Not actually wanting to have a go, but was an interesting discussion some boys were having at work the oth...

Pakia Pakia

Yes I too became less interested in League after moving to Australia. After the Warriors hype I've tried to get back into it but don't find it as appealing as I did and can't watch more than 15 minutes. It's too repetitive for me and I actually find AFL more entertaining though admittedly I've never...

Pakia Pakia

I'd take Beale over Reece and Frizell.

Pakia Pakia

Agree with all of that. I just had a look at this groups FB page. 31 follows… Their change.org page has 226 people signed up… They’re an embarrassment. That's simultaneously sad and hilarious. I reckon I could probably get more signatures to replace all RA board members with disgruntled former Rebe...

Pakia Pakia

I thought KB was exonerated?

Pakia Pakia

I don't think rugby needs to be simplified too much too qualify my previous point. NFL is a complicated game and the worst team in the comp makes more money each year than the entire NRL based in a city of 900k. There should be a directive across both countries that club and school games need to be...

Pakia Pakia

I think it will be a fairly comfortable win for the Crusaders by 10+ if the Crusaders can play like they did in their last home game.

Pakia Pakia

I don't think rugby needs to be simplified too much too qualify my previous point. NFL is a complicated game and the worst team in the comp makes more money each year than the entire NRL based in a city of 900k. There should be a directive across both countries that club and school games need to be ...

Pakia Pakia

On fickleness. How can the warriors have better crowd numbers than all the SR teams and all Premiership teams and all URC teams except maybe Leinster? They've never won the comp. I just can't wrap my head around it. There are lost of reasons why the NRL is booming, and the Warriors are NZ's most po...

Pakia Pakia

TV rights? I’m not so sure. Does Sky sell ads for SR games? Otherwise, I’m not sure why subscribers would bail if games weren’t on at night, though perhaps they would. Wouldn’t arvo games clash with community, school and NPC rugby? The respective equivalent games don't seem to clash with NRL or AFL...

Search found 10488 matches