All Blacks latest – Nonu trumps SBW
25 Aug 2011
Keo.co.za brings you news from the All Blacks’ camp.
Nonu trumps SBW - New Zealand head coach Graham Henry has confirmed that Ma’a Nonu is his first-choice inside centre.
Nonu has been selected ahead of Williams for the Blacks’ major Tri-Nations fixtures and will be the incumbent at the World Cup. Williams failed to make the bench for Saturday’s Tests against Australia, Henry citing his lack of versatility as the main factor for this.
‘Sonny Bill’s challenge is, I think, he’s competing against the best number 12 in the world and that’s great,’ Henry told reporters. ‘He’ll get his opportunity, [but] can he be better than the best number 12 in the world?
‘Quite frankly, it’s a different experience for Sonny Bill. He’s always been, and rightly so, the top person in that position in the teams he’s played in whether it be rugby league or rugby union. Now he’s in a situation in the All Blacks where there’s high competition for places and he’s not guaranteed a run-on spot. So when he gets the opportunity, he needs to nail it.’
43 Comments
25 Aug 2011, 09:39 am
Second place Dragon our SBW
25 Aug 2011, 09:41 am
Maybe because Sannet Bill Williams has expressed an interest in playing in Oz next year
25 Aug 2011, 09:45 am
nonu best 12 in the world, where does that leave jdv
25 Aug 2011, 09:47 am
It certainly appears Money Bills heart isn’t in the right place.
25 Aug 2011, 09:57 am
He should stick to fighting old fat white okes……….. Like plod
25 Aug 2011, 10:03 am
Smit is in better shape than anyone Sannet fought.
25 Aug 2011, 10:06 am
Just kidding boet!
25 Aug 2011, 10:06 am
Personally, I would start with Sonny… he was great for the Crusaders outside Carter and would be for the All Blacks, both Nonu and Williams can play 12 or 13 so its doesnt matter which number is on their back… I know Conrad Smith is one hell of a player but centre partnerships dont come uch bigger than Ma’a Nonu and Sonny Bill Williams…. Then add that Richard Kahui and Conrad Smith can play in the lesser fixtures and the New Zealanders should be happy they have such quality in depth at centre. Isaia Toeava is also able to play 13 if needed…
My All Blacks team:
15 Mils Muliaina
14 Cory Jane
13 Sonny Bill Williams
12 Ma’a Nonu
11 Zac Guildford
10 Dan Carter
9 Piri Weepu
8 Kieran Read
7 Richie McCaw
6 Jerome Kaino
5 Ali Williams
4 Brad Thorn
3 Owen Franks
2 Keven Mealamu
1 Tony Woodcock
16 Andrew Hore
17 Ben Franks
18 Sam Whitelock
19 Adam Thompson
20 Andy Ellis
21 Colin Slade
22 Isaia Toeava
Reserves:
23 Corey Flynn
24 John Afoa
25 Anthony Boric
26 Victor Vito
27 Jimmy Cowan
28 Richard Kahui
29 Conrad Smith
30 Israel Dagg
25 Aug 2011, 10:10 am
never doubted the centres would change.
why would they?
25 Aug 2011, 10:10 am
hasn’t nonu been released by the hurricanes this season…clearly not everyone in nz rates him as best in the world!
25 Aug 2011, 10:20 am
SBW is a liability on defense for NZ.
@shebeen(shebeen)-10: That’s because of issues between him and the coach. The Blues already signed him.
25 Aug 2011, 10:38 am
Henry is spot on. SBW hasn’t really impressed at Test level and certainly hasn’t done enough to oust Nonu. Wayne Smith said he was expecting something “hot” from Williams before the game against the Boks last weekend, but what he dished up was distinctly lukewarm.
I would be tempted to try SBW at 12 and Nonu at 13 again though.
25 Aug 2011, 10:43 am
@kaksioek(kaksioek)-12:
They won’t replace Smith at 13, the guy is superb basically error free and does all the right things.
25 Aug 2011, 10:58 am
SBW will play a role in the lesser games and assuming NZ make it to the big stage later in the tournament (and let’s face it, our record is not great), you’ve got to go with the proven, trusting combo that is Nonu and Smith. Nonu is a line break specialist and as 13 states, pretty much error free. That’s probably why some view him as average, because he’s just so damn good at doing the basics superbly.
25 Aug 2011, 11:03 am
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-13: error-free? missed tackle that led to fijian second try, just on the top of my mind.
great player though.
25 Aug 2011, 11:04 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-15:
you are the rugby almanac
25 Aug 2011, 11:10 am
Henry and Co. have learnt the value of settled partnerships – the hard lessons of WC QF ’07 seemed to have made their mark.
In terms of synergy, a player like Conrad Smith would be perfect for partnering SBW. In the NZ squad, Conrad has the best running lines, and together with SBW’s penchant for offloads, would have been something special.
But overrall, the Nonu / Smith partnership will serve NZ best.
25 Aug 2011, 11:13 am
@ali(ali)-17:
The Aus mid field is a little suspect this weekend, look for those two to have a big game.
25 Aug 2011, 11:14 am
and so he should, Nonu is by far the better player…
Sonny Bill Averaged has been shown up for the player he is, a one trick offloading pony
25 Aug 2011, 11:16 am
@WP_(WP_)-19:
he’d make the Booke side though JDV is an old no trick pony
25 Aug 2011, 11:16 am
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-18: This conversation really means nothing in the bigger sceme of things. No-one cares about the Tn or Bleh-dislo cup anymore…. The rest of the world is focusing on RWC and you are still looking for creative ways to convince yourself that you won’t choke.
25 Aug 2011, 11:17 am
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-20: Please keep on changing your centres…. That is exactly what we need. a bunch of centres not sure if they’re good enough…. keep on feeding the Choking Bogeyman!
25 Aug 2011, 11:17 am
@Helen(Helen)-21:
please go away
25 Aug 2011, 11:19 am
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-13: Agreed, but does he fit into the team psyche. In other words, does he choke like the best of them?
25 Aug 2011, 11:19 am
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-23: Inconvenient truth, perhaps?
*cough* *cough* *choke*
25 Aug 2011, 11:23 am
outta here go Black
25 Aug 2011, 11:33 am
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-20: At least JdV can defend! SBW gets lost on defence and when he is actually in the correct place he hits with a high shoulder barge… He must go back to league
25 Aug 2011, 11:37 am
Nonu too good for every center out there in the universe. SBW has to put up with second best,
25 Aug 2011, 11:43 am
Helen: come on! Still with this choke thing, you are the one trick pony.
25 Aug 2011, 12:07 pm
@Helen(Helen)-25:
someone squeezing your teste’s, Helen ?
25 Aug 2011, 12:10 pm
Make that ‘Allan’ with a silent H.
Big Hit, the ‘Pom’
and Allan, the ‘chick’.
25 Aug 2011, 12:36 pm
Wish we had better centres. Fourie is still ok, but JDV has lost pace, and neither of them seem to have the hands of the Oz & Kiwi centres.
Agree though that Bill Williams looks dodge on defence. Imagine is he had Aplon’s heart. Deadly.
25 Aug 2011, 12:40 pm
@allamapstieks(allamapstieks)-32:
I’d like to see Aplon last 10mins of a League Test vs Australia.
‘Heart’ is not SBWs issue, but innate technique might be.
25 Aug 2011, 13:25 pm
SBW overplayed his hand last game, Abs making busts all over the place needed a link (Mcall).
25 Aug 2011, 13:45 pm
Dont see how this is news….everyone knows Graham Henry will never drop Nonu….oh…. seems everybody knows except our rugby experts on Keo.
25 Aug 2011, 13:58 pm
@Te Rangatira(Te Rangatira)-34:
He has looked more and more ’1-trick’ with every game since Newlands. Granted, it (blind pop passes) is a good trick. But still 1 trick, nevertheless.
Cant/wont kick.
Cant bust tackles and retain footing.
For such a wonderful physical specimen, he hasnt really dominated his space as much as Keo told us he would. Unfortunately.
25 Aug 2011, 14:37 pm
Farking madness, if you ask me.
Nonu had an average to terrible Super Rugby, while SBW was one of the biggest reasons for the Crusaders making it so far in the tournament. He created so many tries with his tackle offloads and other magnificent line breaks and he was huge on defence. Week after week he amazed viewers and killed teams off.
Nonu played 2 decent games for the All Blacks this season and SBW only played behind a B-side pack that got owned by the Boks.
SBW is the best number 12 in the world.
Graham Henry is too afraid to drop his old war horses.
25 Aug 2011, 15:03 pm
@Caper(Caper)-37:
That’s complete rubbish. SBW runs pathetic lines on attack, throws hospital passes, and while he was good on defense against the Springboks he struggled a bit in the Super 15.
He’s been so overhyped it’s not even funny.
25 Aug 2011, 15:06 pm
Its all yawnathon stuff …
I can guarantee you that NZ will fold like a pack of soggy cards in a wet bath come crunch time in front of TONNNES of pressure from the entire NZ nation..
KABOOOM.
25 Aug 2011, 15:06 pm
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-38: SBW same as Spies … F***ing hype …
25 Aug 2011, 15:15 pm
@dr dre(dr dre)-40:
Spies at least plays in a position where his inadequacies don’t directly effect the performance of an entire backline, and has ‘perfect’ games.
SBW has one-trick, the offload. Outside of that he makes the occasional break, but far more often he has brain explosions. I’m gonna go ahead and say it… he is the reason Robbie Fruean didn’t make the All Blacks this year.
25 Aug 2011, 15:35 pm
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-41: You might have a point there…
25 Aug 2011, 16:04 pm
Henry has given SBW every opportunity in the world, but the man just hasn’t stepped up and taken over a test match the way everyone knows he can. Athletically, he’s a freak. Sure, he’s played well in S15, but test footy is such a different animal. That’s why are questioning how much SBW really wants this. In a way, he reminds me of Pierre Spies — both physical freaks, but sometimes you wonder why they aren’t utterly dominating the opposition.
Nonu, for all of his limitations (decisions making, kicking) consistently gets over the advantage line and offers a very physical presence in defence.
Also no way Smith gets replaced in the #13. He organizes the entire backline in defense, many credit him for the way the backs ruthlessly contained the Wallabies at Eden Park. Smith’s defence is world class, his hands are probably the best on the team, and he plays mistake free rugby. He’s not going anywhere.
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