Kiwis' tour chat

[Cold Roses]

And now Nikorima can't even make the bench for the second Test

http://www.nzrl.co.nz/fanzone/news/2015/11/veterans-bolster-kiwis-bench/


The NZ Kiwis line-up for the second test against England at London’s Olympic Stadium, 2.30pm Saturday (3.30am Sunday NZ) is:

1 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck

2 Jason Nightingale

3 Jordan Kahu

4 Dean Whare

5 Shaun Kenny-Dowall

6 Peta Hiku

7 Tuimoala Lolohea

8 Jesse Bromwich

9 Issac Luke

10 Sam Moa

11 Kevin Proctor

12 Tohu Harris

13 Adam Blair

14 Lewis Brown

15 Martin Taupau

16 Ben Matulino

17 Alex Glenn

18 Isaac Liu

19 Kodi Nikorima

 

[Fast Eddie]

Wow, ok now I will say I don't like Kearney is doing. Nikorima to me looks like he has the most natural halves talent and possibility of a future there soon, so if we're trying to develop halves how about playing him there? And not a guy, who to me, has shown no halves skills at all really, and a makeshift 6. Strange really.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Wow, ok now I will say I don't like Kearney is doing. Nikorima to me looks like he has the most natural halves talent and possibility of a future there soon, so if we're trying to develop halves how about playing him there? And not a guy, who to me, has shown no halves skills at all really, and a makeshift 6. Strange really.

Agree. #kearneylogic would probably be that Hiku has played 2-3 years in the NRL, therefore is an 'experienced' sidekick to Tui and he wouldn't play Tui/Nikorima. Ignoring that Hiku isn't a 6's a hole.

 

[Fast Eddie]

Agree. #kearneylogic would probably be that Hiku has played 2-3 years in the NRL, therefore is an 'experienced' sidekick to Tui and he wouldn't play Tui/Nikorima. Ignoring that Hiku isn't a 6's a hole.

I've seen pretty much nothing at NRL level or in these two Kiwis games that Lolohea has anything in the halves anyway, some individual brilliance running the ball sure, but certainly no other halfback skills

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Can't disagree with a word of that. He's an outside back and whilst he might move into the halves at some stage, that is likely to be well down the track.

 

[Auckland4ever]

Kearney leaves out the only guy that actually looks like a half in the whole squad to bring in more experience.

Maybe I'm wrong, but wouldn't Nikorima also have had the most first grade halves experience out of the whole squad? Wasn't he a utility for the Broncos for most of the season, which included time in the halves? Not saying much, I know, but it was still experience from a well-coached club that played good football.
It trumps zero experience from Hiku and a negative experience for Lolohea, who's been thrown in at the deep end on a number of levels this season.

 

[jaseg]

Nah, Nikorima has only played 50 minutes (round 26, Hunt was rested - the only time the Broncos didn't have Hunt/Milford play the full game - and Taylor was injured after 30 mins) in the halves in total (so less than Lolohea). He still looks more like a half than anything we have in the squad though. Both Nikorimas look crazy good tbh, and in every spine position (seen both of them play fullback, halves & hooker at various levels) - any way we can convince Jayden? (if we had pulled that off in place of selecting Benji I might have been able to get behind the decision making process)

 

[Matua]

FFS, Hiku at 6 again. I think I'm officially over this BS now.

 

[sup42]

Nah, Nikorima has only played 50 minutes (round 26, Hunt was rested - the only time the Broncos didn't have Hunt/Milford play the full game - and Taylor was injured after 30 mins) in the halves in total (so less than Lolohea). He still looks more like a half than anything we have in the squad though. Both Nikorimas look crazy good tbh, and in every spine position (seen both of them play fullback, halves & hooker at various levels) - any way we can convince Jayden? (if we had pulled that off in place of selecting Benji I might have been able to get behind the decision making process)

If the Nikorima brothers ever line up against one another for an international... .it will put the spot light on eligibility like never before. It wikk also make for a dramatic rugby league story like never seen before.
Imagine media interest... In AU's they bang on about mate against mate...these brothers clashing for two different countries would dwarf that jingoistic nonsense and then some.

From a fan POV I'd love to see that clash....it would be a fitting way to test and expose the eligibility rules in the Sport.

Add to that....the poor parents with their mixed emotions, it would be a promoters dream.

 

[LeagueNut]

Well done boys!! Series leveled

Nikorima in for Lolohea was an interesting call, didn't look like it made much difference to our stuttering attack though. I'd still have Nikorima in #7 next week. Isaac Luke had a bigger influence on this game than last week which made up for RTS being well contained. The added experience on the bench was a deciding factor as well, overall I think the same 17 next week can get the job done.

England were definitely flatter today for some reason, yes our defence was stronger but England didn't have a lot of possession to keep the pressure on.

 

[Philip_Smith007]

Well done boys!! Series leveled

Nikorima in for Lolohea was an interesting call, didn't look like it made much difference to our stuttering attack though. I'd still have Nikorima in #7 next week. Isaac Luke had a bigger influence on this game than last week which made up for RTS being well contained. The added experience on the bench was a deciding factor as well, overall I think the same 17 next week can get the job done.

England were definitely flatter today for some reason, yes our defence was stronger but England didn't have a lot of possession to keep the pressure on.

How bad was our kicking game, Luke had some great kicks in play, but missed the sitter penalty from slightly to the left to seal the match, let Kahu take the kicks, who iced it with his drop goal and sideline conversion.
Nikorima look dangerous at time but lacked a lot of polish and needed a salt block to lick the last 20mins of the game.
Pretty lack luster game in attack, lots of one out stuff, ref blew a lot of ruck penalties. Some a bit dubious.
England line speed was fast and the 10m seemed small.
Thankfully Graham overshot the ball and knocked himself out but bugger Nikorima fell short of line and lost ball.
The amount of possession we had 9 points sums up our attack, but credit to England who kept turning up.
Enjoy the English commentators.

 

[Rich102]

I thought Nikorima went well.
His kicking game is well ahead of the other two and his defence was pretty good too.
Can you cure cramps in a week?

 

[sup42]

I thought Nikorima went well.
His kicking game is well ahead of the other two and his defence was pretty good too.
Can you cure cramps in a week?

Depends on the cause, usually takes longer to restore electrolyte/mineral stores if in fact that is the issue, but they can be improved over seven days, the other solution us to being a replacement option to the bench I guess.

 

[jaseg]

I thought Nikorima went well.
His kicking game is well ahead of the other two and his defence was pretty good too.
Can you cure cramps in a week?

My partner reckons they should only last a few days at most :lol:

 

[southwalesrabbitoh]

Was at the match in Hull, shook James Leuluai's hand before the match.

Eng. pack very good. It's won up-front and in your defence.

 

[Shaun Hewitt]

Both Nikorimas look crazy good tbh, and in every spine position (seen both of them play fullback, halves & hooker at various levels) - any way we can convince Jayden? (if we had pulled that off in place of selecting Benji I might have been able to get behind the decision making process)

I'd hope so!
I've long since been a fan of those two.
They both have massive futures ahead of them.

Jaydens already played for the Junior roos, so may take some convincing. Pretty sure he is still elgible for the kiwis until he plays Origin or somehow cracks the Aussie squad. I'd hope we'd be trying all avenues to secure his services.

I'm also hoping Rona gets a run this weekend.

 

[LeagueNut]

Decider time!

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league...h-kodi-nikorima-at-halfback-for-deciding-test

Kiwis coach Stephen Kearney has stuck with a winning formula by naming the same starting side to play against England on Saturday (Sunday NZT).

Although Kearney pulled a sneaky move by replacing Tuimoala Lolohea with Kodi Nikorima for the second test in London last weekend, he looks likely to not make any alterations from that team for the deciding test in the series at the DW Stadium in Wigan, which kicks off at 2am Sunday NZT.

The only change is Lolohea dropping out of the 19, with Gerard Beale taking his place. The rules of the series are that only players named in the extended 19-man squads are allowed to play in the game.

That means this tour is over for Lolohea, while Manaia Cherrington will go through the whole trip without playing in a test.

Curtis Rona didn't feature either, but returned to Australia this week for the birth of his daughter, Sapphire.

Beale and Isaac Liu haven't played in a test either and as they're the 18th and 19th men, they won't unless there's an injury to one of the other players.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league...r-england-ahead-of-crucial-test-against-kiwis

England have made two changes from the 19-man squad they selected against New Zealand in their 9-2 defeat at the Olympic Stadium last weekend.

Halfback Matty Smith is named in the squad alongside Huddersfield Giants wing Jermaine McGillvary for the three-test series decider in Wigan.

They replace Huddersfield's Leroy Cudjoe and Warrington Wolves forward Ben Westwood ahead of Saturday's (Sunday NZT) match at asold-out DW Stadium.

Smith, who plays for the Wigan Warriors, has not played for England since last year's 16-14 defeat to New Zealand in Dunedin.

McGillvary, Super League's leading try-scorer from the 2015 season, is hoping to make his England debut.

 

[Matua]

How on earth is Hiku still I this team? Seriously. A non tackling, non creative 5/8. Better off going with another backrower who can tackle.

 

[jaseg]

Annnd that's what you get for ignoring your only available top half. You well and truly earned that series loss Kearney, you dopey so and so. So unnecessary, gained absolutely nothing (apart from confirmation of what everyone already knew; Hiku isn't a half's ****hole) and threw away a series apparently just out of spite. Looked horrible at the end of sets in every game. Surprise!

 

[Fast Eddie]

That was a terrible series and we never clicked. And yeah screw you Kearney, I forgot how much I hate losing to England.