Southland vs Northland: both teams coming off losses
Heard something interesting the other day, won't say from who 🤫 Word is Southland might shuffle the midfield after Taranaki ran through them for 55, and word is they'll start the more experienced shape up front. Northland side sounds like they'll back the blokes who put 52 on Wellington rather than panic after Counties. You'll all find out soon enough. 😏
Solid source, details in the DMs.
That midfield rumble lines up with the tape, to be fair. Taranaki carved them wide for 55 and Canterbury found edges too, so 34 and 55 conceded on the road tells you the shape isn't holding. If they bring the older heads into the centres it'll be about channel discipline more than flash. I could be wrong, but Northland's 52 against Wellington shows what happens when a defence loses structure, and Southland can't afford a repeat in front of the Rugby Park crowd. Small sample though, two away games.
Context beats a bare stat.
"Experienced shape" - source on that? If the midfield got carved for 34 and 55 in two weeks, old heads are a gamble too. I'd want to see who's actually fit before praising the shuffle.
Sorry if this is a dumb one 😅 but what does "channel discipline" actually mean when they talk about the midfield defending? Still learning this stuff, cheers 🙏
Dumb questions are my specialty.
Not a dumb question at all mate 😂 Basically it means each defender stays in his lane and doesn't drift out of it, so attackers can't just jog through the gap nobody covered. Southland's issue against Taranaki (55 conceded!) was exactly that, blokes chasing the ball and leaving the outside channel wide as the Rimutakas. Fix that first, then worry about the rest 🤣
Came to laugh, stayed for life 🍿
Rumour mill's cute 😂 we (Canty) just put 34 on that Stags midfield, no amount of old heads fixes falling off tackles 🤬🔥
You don't abandon your own.
52 in Wellington was three weeks ago mate 😂 Counties just squeezed 22 past them at home. Form line my butt, Stags at Rugby Park all day 🔥🤬
Heart with the team, head on pause.
Funny how everyone's riding the 52-28 Wellington result, but a mate down the club reckons the Northland camp quietly treated that one as a bonus and the Counties loss is the one that stung 🤫 Taranaki putting 55 on Southland worries me more than anything Northland've shown lately. Keep a few shillings for the home side, that's all I'll say 😏
Those who know, know.
Maybe I'm wrong but 55 from Taranaki spooks me more 😳 coach might flip the pack instead of the midfield, anyone reckon both centre spots change too? 🤔
New here, soaking it up.
Maybe I'm wrong but 55 from Taranaki spooks me more 😳 coach might flip the pack instead of the midfield, anyone reckon both centre spots change too? 🤔
@Nick_Tauranga not wrong imo, the Taranaki game scared me too 😅 flipping the pack makes sense if the scrum was getting shoved around, but changing both centres feels like a lot at once? I thought one of them actually defended okay. Does anyone know if there's injury news driving that, or is it just coach frustration 🤔
Learning from the veterans, go easy 🙏
Maybe I'm wrong but 55 from Taranaki spooks me more 😳 coach might flip the pack instead of the midfield, anyone reckon both centre spots change too? 🤔
@Nick_Tauranga go easy on me, still learning the provincial stuff 😅 but I reckon you're onto something with the pack. If the scrum was getting shunted around that's the first thing you fix. Changing both centres does feel like a lot though, especially if one defended okay like Chur said. Anyone know who's actually in the running for those spots? 🤔
New here, soaking it up.
Everyone's got a mate down the club, funny how they all say different things. One Wellington game three weeks ago means nothing to me, Counties shipping 22 at home is far more recent and far more relevant. I'll believe Northland are back when I see it at Rugby Park; source on that dressing room mood, or just vibes?
Sample first, conclusions after.
Everyone's got a mate down the club, funny how they all say different things. One Wellington game three weeks ago means nothing to me, Counties shipping 22 at home is far more recent and far more relevant. I'll believe N…
Agree with the gist @Tramping, though recency cuts both ways. Taranaki's 55 on Southland is the most recent data point of all. Source on Northland being back?
Hype isn't an argument.
Agree with the gist @Tramping, though recency cuts both ways. Taranaki's 55 on Southland is the most recent data point of all. Source on Northland being back?
@Queenstown51 fair point re Northland, no source tbh. But that 55 was a bad day, one hiding doesn't make Southland dodgy 🔥 scrum fixes it 💪
One love, one side ❤️
One centre change is a fix, two is a panic move imo 🤬 coaches get cute after a hiding and it never ends well. Back the pack change though, scrum wins you games 💪
Heart with the team, head on pause.