Better Rugby Rules

……man for the job !

Is he or isnt he ?

Well look the this single selection issue : Toeava !

Last night he did not impress, and failed at a critical time. He has been given more chances than your ex wife ! But they still pick him year after year.

Henry comments: Henry, and Wayne Smith, have long been enamoured of Toeava’s skills, and Henry took that a stage further today when waxing lyrical about a guy who is becoming increasingly valuable in this squad, if only for his ability to slot in wherever he’s needed.
Source: Question marks over this All Blacks side – Marc Hinton

My previous posts:
Toeava: Has he changed ??
This is the same guy just a 6 months ago at Munster looked lost under pressure, and at the horrible loss at the world cup ran like a scared chicken

All Blacks should not be marsh mellows!
Wayne Smith said in public that Isaia was special, and selected him for All Black duties in 2007. What Wayne failed to judge while making this selection was Isaia lacked of maturity and leadership for the role he was selected (that of All Black Centre). We all saw this on the field as Isaia stumbled in the hard games. To be fair to Isaia he needs more grazing on the NZ rugby farm, he needs 2 or 3 years before he becomes an All Black, if at all. The real failing was Wayne Smith selection abilities. We saw this again in the ABs vs Aussie Tri Nation game at Sydney where Wayne selected the wrong back four combination for an ELV game.

COMMENTS: You should be worried with this selection trend. A wise man said to make an error is acceptable, to do the same thing again and again and make the same error is insane. (Albert Einstein). Toeava may be great All Black, he may mature after he turns 30, ( ak Frank Bunce), but he is not there, and hasn’t been there for the last 3 years.

There is another player that also fits the above category. Sione Lauaki, he is 50% great and 50% horrible, yet Henry still picks him ! To be an All Black Sione has to have a game that is near 90% every time hes on the field. Na not these days, big strong, not too bright and you will do ! Selections like these is why a team suffering weakness from injury the back up players dont step up !

Henry, Smith (Hansen ?) are wrong for the World Cup 2011 (and so is Tew). What’s Robbie upto these days?

PS: Great to see the driving maul back downunder, thanks France! Makes you wonder what the coaches did all week !