Chapter 1: What awards did Anton Segner win at the Blues Awards?
I was lucky enough to be at the Blues Awards last week, and he just cleaned up. Forward of the Year, Player's Player of the Year, which is always a big one because it shows, I suppose, what he is like at his teammate, and then the overall Player of the Year as well. It's been a phenomenal year for Anton Cegna.
Like, you know, he's done his time, and now he's got consistent time at number seven, where we had seen him at six, and maybe he felt like a smallish six. We've seen him at seven, and I think week on week on week, it's hard to argue that he's possibly the form guy.
Well, you think about how well Dalton Papali'i was playing and then Anton Seckner moving into that seven jersey. He really has helped shore up that gap. He's been tremendous. And it's always a fascinating question, this one, because it's just a position, the loose forward positions. We always seem to have so many good players.
And you look around the country, young Casey, I just think, gosh, he's got some star quality, that guy as well. But to me, Seckner, you look at his numbers. You know, the meters after contact, strong carries. He's really learned to use his body and his power very effectively.
And I would be, it's got to the point now, I'd be surprised if he wasn't in the All Blacks for the start of the year, even for the early part of the year.
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Chapter 2: How has Anton Segner's position changed in the team?
I think he's played his way into contention. But his other strengths, his defense is very good. His tackle stats are good. Really good. High completion rate. And as I say, that line-out game that he's really developed and he has definitely been, in a Blues team that's kind of fired and fits and starts a bit this year, he has been consistently outstanding.
Brenna, what have you made of Signer and where do you see him maybe in comparison to the other open sides around possibly being that guy who's in there knowing that Artie's going to come back into the squad as well?
Yeah, look, I think he's going to probably fit to a similar around Dr. Papa Lee. I think when he was, you know, in the All Blacks, being able to play consistently as that second seven. Now, I know probably Arie Sevier, they see him as a seven with Sam Kane leaving. So you'd have to think that I think for Anton, the way that he has played, it's been an out and out seven.
Now, he has the ability and the flexibility to cover six and eight, but I think his best position with what we've seen at the Blues this year has been at number seven. And We've always known that he's a very good jackler. I think he's probably the best jackler in the competition, especially in New Zealand, getting the ball back.
Chapter 3: What makes Anton Segner a standout player this season?
He's so efficient in that space. But the one area that I've really enjoyed him this year is his attacking side with ball in hand. And if you do look at some of the stats here, I think it's more so, I know he's played probably the most minutes. He's played over 900 minutes for the Blues this year, which adds to his consistency that he's been able to be on the field.
But carrying over the gain line, he's 74%, which in test level,
is very very important ross we've touched around getting over the advantage line with these loose forwards and that actually quite that actually surprised me now i know that he has improved in that area but that really surprised me with that efficiency rate of being 74 because you know the next person there is lasanga who's at 84 but probably hasn't played as much minutes and the rest of the group that they have there is around 60 55 you know 58 so very very good on the attack inside of the ball getting it over the advantage line so
yeah I think with his form the way he has been playing I think he's a non-negotiable TJ with the way that he has played this year he's done it for a long time he's still a young man 24 I believe so yeah there's a lot to go and I think Lucas Casey as well I know he's not going to get another opportunity to be able to play but jeez I've loved watching him play he is a he is a rare breed I think of I don't want to put any names I won't say I won't put it out there but
I want to see more of him play. I don't want to put any more pressure on him because I think there is a lot that's come in his way and I agree with him. There's just so much potential with TJ and I almost want to see him play more with how he has played.
I will chuck a name in and probably for the younger people watching won't mean so much but for older people it will and that's Ian Kirkpatrick because Ian Kirkpatrick was a guy that I idolised when I was growing up and he was a flanker for the All Blacks who when he got the ball it was just this...
a combination of athleticism uh power it's the ferocity of the carry and i think that's what lucas casey's doing is that he's learning that when he really brings that that ferocity uh he is hellishly hard to stop and even poor old damien mckenzie you know copping that trying to tackle them. Look what happened there. But I don't know, probably one for the future.
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Chapter 4: How does Anton Segner compare to other loose forwards like Dalton Papali'i?
You think particularly when they go to South Africa, it's no place for the faint hearted and experience is such an important thing. And I think You can't just write off the credentials of people like Jacobson, for example, because he's got, again, the ability to play multiple positions. He's hard, he's tough, he's experienced.
Those are the sorts of attributes when you're going to South Africa, really important. And of course, Peter Lukai has been part of the frame. I mean, we are blessed. at the moment. And look at Braden Yossi, the game that he had for the Hurricanes. I mean, he is an outstanding talent. Christian, Leo, Willie. So many options there, and unfortunately, only so many vacancies.
I mean, when Dave Rennie looks at all his stats and puts them into his, whatever it is, algorithm or whatever, or into his brain, it all spits out. It's just going to be fascinating to see who...
comes in um who stays in maybe who exits i i don't know it it's just something as i say for some reason and maybe it's because kids like playing flanker or loose forward or number eight or whatever yeah we just always seem to have so many good options there yeah when i made this list went through the stats and you know you had signa you had i mean some of these guys aren't necessarily available this year but you had to include them as a point of comparison signa papali karifi
Chapter 5: What are Anton Segner's strengths in defense and attack?
Blackadder has made a massive impact since coming back for the Crusaders. You know, when you look at his dominant contact stats, particularly on defense, they're off the charts in comparison to the other number sevens. He's really abrasive. And in South Africa, those kind of things work. I know he kind of fell out of contention. He's had some injury woes and all those kind of things.
But he's a guy, I think, in a 44 who could be super effective there, given the way he plays the game against South Africa and Britain.
Well it is, and this is why we brought TJ on, because he navigates us and brought us back, because I got excited with these two young guys coming through with debutants, but you talked around the names like Larkeye, Blackadder, guys that have been there, Karifi, you know, Jacobson as well, do you know what I mean?
So, yeah, I think with the 44, whatever the squad that is going to be named, like, I think we might see a few people that might be like an Antold signal that does get involved in that as an example, but...
I think when it comes to these test matches, having your warhorses, especially against the South Africans in the physicality area, you're having guys like your Jacobson who is like iron shoulders and has played well for a very long time and knows what it is and what it feels like to be over in South Africa.
Because let's be honest here, like this four test matches, and I know we're playing one in America, this is probably going to be the hardest test for a lot of these players in their career to date. Like I know a World Cup is the pinnacle, but
Playing South Africa right now, the number one team, how they are playing at the moment, you want players that are proven and have a pretty good understanding of what it is to play South Africans, the fact we're going to play them four times. So that's the best thing about that coaching group.
It's finding a balance of youth, but then also having the experienced players of what you need in these test matches to be able to go there and try to do something that, you know, it's going to be pretty tough going over there to win a test match series against the South Africans.
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Chapter 6: How does Anton Segner's playing style fit into the All Blacks' strategy?
I know you're saying we haven't talked about Leicester firing Arnuku, but I think if you read between the lines on what Dave Rennie said in the last few weeks, he considers him more of a left winger who has the ability to play in the loose. It was pretty clear that that's what he says.
And then when you look at the stats, it's difficult with Leicester because he's defended so much this year at centre. He's going to have a whole bunch more missed tackles. and things like that because of that position and the way people get on the outside.
So there were some interesting things though, because I would have thought that, you know, referring to that stat that Bryn said earlier, that Leicester Fire and Unico's dominant carries in comparison to Anton Cegna would be off the charts.
But his are way lower than Anton Cegna's dominant carries because they use him more as a ball player and less as probably just a straight up, you know, get it over the advantage line guy.
Two things. Firstly, I'd be fascinated to break down those stats into what they were when he was playing in the backs and what they've been when they've been playing in the forwards because I think that's the key to it. The second thing, I was a little bit surprised to hear Dave Reddy say that because to me, we've got here a ready-made,
counter to the bomb squad or a potential counter to the bomb squad where the South Africans could go in with a 7-1 split or a 6-2 split. If you've got a guy in there who can do, and I don't doubt that he will do many of the things that you need of a loose forward in test rugby. I think for a long time the jury was out and it was like, can he sustain this? It was really interesting.
I remember early on in the year doing a radio interview with James Marshall and they'd picked Leicester at centre and I said to him, what do you see his position as, centre or wing?
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Chapter 7: What role could Leicester Fainga'anuku play in the All Blacks?
And he said, no, we see him as a flanker. And I knew he played there a little bit in France, but next week they put him in there and it's been so eye-catching, so compelling. But as I said, I'd love to see that breakdown. But to me, yeah, getting back to it, that
So you've got a guy who can cover wing and center very well, but can also play at seven, I think potentially at number eight too with that explosive speed of his. that allows you a 6-2 split.
If he's one of the six, and then you have a backup, say, halfback, say, a Hotham or a Ratham or whoever, your backup halfback, and whoever it's going to be, and I don't want to light a fire under something, but is it Barrett, is it McKenzie, is it whoever in that, or Ruben Love as your backup 5-8th stroke fullback,
That allows you the luxury of a guy who can be almost equally effective now as a back or as a forward. And it gives you that counter to a degree to what the spring box are likely to throw at you.
Whether or not he's an open side flanker or a number eight at test level is interesting because he doesn't hit the rucks in the same way. He's not maybe as effective in the way that the other open side flankers play, Brenner.
yeah and that's it i think jip actually touched on that i think when he first started playing and i think look i think at the test match level just like we i don't know how many times we talked around sam kane and his efficiency at the first three rocks and how many rocks he hits and been able to get that right so you know you need someone that's able to do that and i think you know the the players that we have kind of touched on that that do play that traditional seven for a long time know those idiosyncrasies of what it is to be a flanker and that's not what the crusaders have asked
of Leicester. They've been able to get him in with a ball carry, been able to get over there, try and get over the advantage line, had the variety of his skill set to be able to try and open that attack. That's been the reason of why they've had Leicester out in the loose forward trio.
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Chapter 8: How are the All Blacks preparing for the upcoming matches against South Africa?
But I think what the South Africans do so well with that is because Esther Hazen is a 12 or 13 that goes in to play for the forwards. So I think, to Dave Rennie's point, I think having him as a winger or a centre, I see him in this 23 role.
Because I think at the moment, with how the wingers are, you've got a Caleb Clarke, now Leicester can start on the left wing, Josh Morby, Will Jordan might be on the right wing, Ruben Love at fullback, or Damian McKenzie at fullback, whatever it may be.
I just think Leicester's suited really nicely for that 23 role, to be able to cover all positions, whether it be a forward or at the back, and be able to cover if they want to go to a 6-2 split. That's the way that I see it.
Yeah. And look, I'm stressing, I'm not seeing him as a starting number seven in Test Rugby. Far from it. I'm just saying that it gives them that flexibility to enable them to go with that 6-2 split, that he can come in late in the game and do a job wherever he's required.
But, you know, I watched that episode and talking about the ability to put pressure on the inside backs of the opposition, all these guys. crafty things that guys like Richie McCaw and Sam Kane and George Smith and David Pocock and these guys all learn from playing years and years and years there. The craft of being number seven is very exacting at test level.
As I say, it just gives you that flexibility, that ability to put them there late in the test match, last 10, 15, 20 minutes maybe, or on the wing. It just gives you more flexibility with your bench at a time where the bench is just becoming such an important factor in the outcome of rugby matches at whatever the level.
TJ, I think with this South African team, we probably traditionally as a New Zealand team, we don't usually play a 6-2 split. For whatever reason in Razor's tenure, I don't even think we played a 6-2 split when he was coach. I think having the possibility, knowing that we're going to play the South Africans, there might be a 6-2 split, there might be a 7-1 split.
Having the ability for Leicester to be classed as a forward and to be a backer might just give us the opportunity to be able to try and experiment with a 6-2 split with Leicester and the fact that he has played so well for the Crusaders at the number seven role.
Artie's always kind of played Artie, hasn't he? And then there are other people around him. You kind of get the feeling that that's the way you've got to approach Lester. You've got to have Lester playing as Lester. He might not be something that everyone else is categorised into, and then you put the people around him to allow him to be Lester.
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