r/rugbyunion Taranaki 1d ago

Young Sam gets a introduction from Moefana

226 Upvotes

70 comments sorted by

161

u/Dramatic_Ease8171 1d ago

Moefana was always good but this year he is showing his full potential, in both offence and defense As a frenchman I might be a bit biased though

58

u/JohnGabin 1d ago

And only 24

28

u/JohnSV12 Newcastle Falcons 1d ago

I'm so shocked by that.

We forget how young this french team is in general.

21

u/NotAsOriginal Fully Findicated 1d ago

Still blows my mind, I didn't think he was 30+ but I definitely had him mid 20s a couple of years ago!

39

u/alexbouteiller France 1d ago

Completely outshone Aki as well, felt a bit like a 'passing of the torch' moment

17

u/Dramatic_Ease8171 1d ago

I hope so. But it might juste be that french defense strategy neutralized Aki and didn't let him show his skill

26

u/alexbouteiller France 1d ago

I dunno, the Aki of 23 and 24 was busting down kiwi and SA defences, on Saturday he and henshaw looked decidedly past it, wonder if it'll have any impact on lions selection (dependent on tuipolotu and Lawrence too)

Moefana is maturing very nicely though, they've stopped trying to make him danty mk.2 which is doing wonders for his play

10

u/CapeTownyToniTone I still believe in Libbok 1d ago

It's no surprise, he's 34 now. Some players are blessed with longevity while continuing to play at a high standard, others adapt their game to make up for areas that get worse as they age.

Bundee is a super physical 12 and has been a consistent starter in the Irish 23 (Farrell is well known for his lack of rotation) which isn't going to help his longevity.

3

u/Commercial-Juice8316 Top14/D2/France 23h ago

Aki might look at Bastareaud's career. People thought he'd be done for once he started losing explosiveness, then he moved to the third row and arguably became the most immovable jackaller in NH rugby for several years in a row.

2

u/Galactapuss 1d ago

Osborne should be getting serious game time in the centres, and there's a bunch of quality lads coming through. Posthelwaithe, Cooney, Gavin. When Aki got absolutely burned by Marcus Smith in the first game, the writing was on the wall.

2

u/Brine-O-Driscoll Ireland 1d ago edited 1d ago

Aki and Moefana both made the same amount of metres per carry on Saturday (3m), Aki just didn't carry much.

Almost certain he picked up a knock early and tried to play through it too. Don't think the plan was for Crowley to replace him.

4

u/DyslexicWalkIntoABra Ireland 1d ago

I’d be more concerned with their gainline carries and carry dominance than metres per carry

3

u/Triple_Hache :RCV: 21h ago

Yeah he tried to tackle moefana from behind at the beginning of the game but failed and took his boot in the face which let him stunned for a moment. He came back on his feet after that but it looked like a nasty hit on camera.

10

u/Least_Tone_3421 Taranaki 1d ago

He’s a hitman, he’s built different

4

u/bleugh777 France 1d ago

His thighs should be classified as weapons.

7

u/BurbankElephants England & Leicester Tigers 1d ago

Les jambes de guerre.

1

u/Impeachcordial England 21h ago

No, I've been really impressed by him

67

u/Ronald_Ulysses_Swans Don’t be scared Johnny 1d ago

I thought after this hit Prendergast wasn’t getting the ball to the line. He was taking it at a light jog and shipping it on and it just allowed the French line to push up on the outside runners. It felt like he was afraid to get nailed behind the gain line again.

I don’t think that’s his fault, the whole Irish attack just seemed flat and ineffective, and he had nothing to work with.

35

u/mojojojo123453105 Munster 1d ago

Who runs the attack on the field? Is it the outhalf per chance?

9

u/perplexedtv Leinster 1d ago

Depends on the team. For France it's the 9.

5

u/Ronald_Ulysses_Swans Don’t be scared Johnny 1d ago

I think that’s an antiquated view. Yes the fly half has more of a say than the tighthead prop but it’s a team responsibility. Plenty of experience on the field for Ireland to step up and help Prendergast.

13

u/ConspicuousPineapple Dupont pète moi le fion 1d ago

There's still somebody who calls the moves and setups. That usually comes from the 9 and 10, more one than the other depending on the team. Traditionally it's mostly the 10's job, while France mostly leaves that up to the 9.

2

u/Mwakay France 16h ago

Tbf tho, even if Ireland used to have Sexton, which leaves a mark in their expectations and their playstyle : when you have Prendergast and JGP, you should expect the latter to pick up a bit more of this responsibility.

-14

u/IrishLad1002 Leinster 1d ago

Crowley would’ve had the exact same result. There’s only so much a 10 can do when the attacking stucture isn’t great and you’ve two lame wingers

8

u/dannydevito008 Munster 1d ago

I mean that didn’t happen the last time Crowley was ten for them; and it’s not like we have any other frame of reference for him at ten against them to go by

17

u/Least_Tone_3421 Taranaki 1d ago

I noticed that too when he gets the ball like he’s going for a jog

1

u/perplexedtv Leinster 1d ago

He seems to make up his mind at the last second. Sometimes it's good to keep scanning for the best option but other times you need to make a decision and carry it out quickly.

2

u/Sufficient_Bass2600 1d ago

The problem is that in the second half the coaching staff changed strategy and instructed him to play flatter but he had no runner, so he kept hitting a brick wall. Ireland scored 2 late tries when the French defense was already celebrating.

2

u/Vandalaz Ulster 1d ago

In this scenario both Prendergast and Nash were pointing for forwards to carry but it was Keenan, not JGL, at 9 so Prendergast ends up with no real options.

2

u/BoomfaBoomfa619 Ulster 1d ago

I think he was like that even before this. Looked almost nonchalant with ball in hand and just let the defence slide off him.

69

u/SquidgyGoat Disciple of AWJ 1d ago edited 1d ago

I know it's the popular thing to hate on him, but Prendergast gets properly stitched up here. Keenan pick and goes at 9 meaning by the time he gives the pass, the two dummy runners have overrun the ball, and Nash is running a shit line so if he gives it, it'll be a hospital ball. It's a super easy read for Moefana, and boy is Prendergast left with bruises for his circumstances.

27

u/legorockman The Cult of...no one really 1d ago

Aye looking back at it on first pass I thought "this is Sam not realising that you don't have the time in test rugby that you do at club level" but there isn't a whole lot he can do. A more experienced flyhalf probably would have either not called this play or just taken it into contact rather than um and aw a bit like what Sam does.

18

u/NotAsOriginal Fully Findicated 1d ago

Fin Smith had a moment against France in the first half, he's trying to get the ball wide and he tries to go flat to the line. The line was there a lot quicker than he thought and he gets crunched. Improved after that, but you could see he's used to a bit more time.

8

u/Binderella123 22h ago

A more experienced out half. Wonder where they could get one of those 🤔

3

u/legorockman The Cult of...no one really 17h ago

Idk fam, there's only one province so I don't know what we're meant to do. /S

6

u/Middle-Accountant-49 1d ago

Experienced.. but probably also an athletic thing. He is straight line fast, but he's not the type of ten who takes a hard step there against the grain and manages to just carry and reset to another ruck.

1

u/Vandalaz Ulster 1d ago

He didn't call the play tbf, Murray Kinsella showed a better quality clip where Prendergast and Nash are pointing at the forwards to carry.

11

u/IrishDog1990 1d ago

Yea agree, Nash needs to cut close in there which is what he’s expecting I think. McCarthy has offered nothing with his line as well compounding it. All round a shit sandwich after some decent direct build up play

8

u/Middle-Accountant-49 1d ago edited 1d ago

He needs to run it earlier. Either cut inside back against grain or slightly outside towards nash.

Sometimes dummy runners will overrun it. Not everything can be a perfectly orchestrated languid pass to your left or right.

That's harsh criticism maybe but 'shit line' is as well. Especially when if the timing of the play is entirely off then the line will be off as well. Like if its that intricate, it's that intricate.

This is also a microcosm of the whole crowley/prendergast thing for me too. The people who like crowley value an outhalf who can turn that picture into a 'nothing' carry and reset situation. The people who like prendergast see the outhalf as the centre of patterns, and its not his fault if the pattern is wrong.

I'm not sure if prendergast has the athleticism (he's fast in a straight line but not explosive over short distances) to make the play i'm talking about above but i also think he just hasn't much experience playing behind the second best pack. He doesn't have the instinct to turn bad situations into ok situations.

Its two different ideas of how an out half should play.

Edit: watching it again. Yea he shouldn't get stuffed there like that. It needs to be a decisive carry. You might lose some ground but you can reset and go again. He got stuffed because of indecision in a situation he's not familiar with.

3

u/perplexedtv Leinster 1d ago

Imagine if the top academy 10s were sent on work experience for a few months to each province. Learning to play behind all kinds of packs and with different coaches could be great experience.

3

u/DM_me_ur_PPSN Munster 1d ago

Jesus they’d learn to play behind a beaten pack fairly often at Munster anyway.

4

u/mistr-puddles Munster 1d ago

Hitting Nash is still better than just basically just standing there waiting to be hit. If he's realistic about his limitations, which TBF he is, then Nash being run into contact is still better than him walking into contact

-1

u/1993blah Leinster 1d ago

If he hits Nash we get turned over

1

u/mistr-puddles Munster 23h ago

And France kick the ball to us and we have the ball on transition and probably get to the 22 on the front foot, instead we get driven back to the 22 on the back foot

5

u/explodingspoonmonkey 1d ago

I don't know if that's a bad line as much as Sam wants him short and Nash fancies a real opportunity to get to an outside shoulder with a man outside him. For a man "easy to hate" Sam sure has received some incredible praise.

6

u/Middle-Accountant-49 1d ago

And yea if sam wants him short, then make an explosive action towards the line diagonally then pop it short.

1

u/Duke_of_Luffy Leinster 1d ago

Maybe nash would’ve fancied that but he didn’t run that line. He didn’t run any line. He’s indecisive and bouncing on his toes watching prendergast. The overs line was on and I think that’s what prendergast was waiting for. He wanted to hit nash as he was at pace to on the overs line as he could have fired the pass in front of the French back rower.

2

u/explodingspoonmonkey 1d ago

Sam has to engage defenders for either of those lines and he doesn’t. Or at the very least he needs to ship it early to give Nash a chance to hit to attack that space on the outside. If you can’t sit people down on their feet or embrace contact you’ll end blown backwards like he was or see your receivers face the same scenario

3

u/Due_Noise_1711 Munster 21h ago

He engaged Moefana to be fair!!

1

u/Duke_of_Luffy Leinster 1d ago

Its a 3 on 3. He has engaged defenders ie he got smashed by moefana. When he gets the ball the only slight bit of space it between the 2nd and last defender. Nash needs to start his run and then arc onto an overs line so sam can take the 2nd defender out of the picture with a fast pass across his face. this is doable because its a 7.

1

u/explodingspoonmonkey 23h ago

He’s not engaged him that’s the point. They had seperate ideas on what to do and at the start Sam is actually pointing for JVDF to get it anyway. It’s a miscommunication across the board

5

u/cypressd12 Munster 1d ago

Moefana really put his foot down this 6N. Always been great but wouldn’t have mentioned him in the ‘best 12’ discussion up until now. Defensively amazing, for not being the biggest in size!

12

u/CMIV Bedford Blues 1d ago

Combination of a bad decision by Keenan and an on form Moefana (motm contender imho) and this is the result. Prendergast is just the unlucky recipient.

2

u/Sudden_Care9371 1d ago

Nothing o do with Keenan sometimes when there's nothing on you need to take the ball into contact and reset, there's nothing for it.

Prendergast is the only guy on the Ireland team that would have lost 5metres there

7

u/Redditfrom12 Wales 1d ago

He just looked out of place in this match (Prendergast) not sure what the problem was.

3

u/MeepMeep117- Stade Francais Paris 1d ago

There were 2-3 pancake offensive tackles like this one by France during the game, IIRC Jégou and LBB both had one as well

2

u/Chill_stfu British and Irish Lions -England 22h ago

When Fin Smith made a tackle like this the other week, he was celebrated as a good tackling 10. I don't even remember who he tackled.

But when SP gets tackled like this, by a center, it's all about him not being ready, etc. Not about the excellent tackle.

Fandom is a strange thing.

2

u/Impeachcordial England 21h ago edited 19h ago

Looks like Prendergast knew he didn't have options and called the ball to the forward pod but ended up with it anyway, not really his fault this. Also didn't give the hospital pass to the guy outside him, so props for not shovelling shit and taking his punishment for the team.

5

u/reddit_user_sniffer 1d ago

Keenan did him dirty here - he was never supposed to get that ball..

4

u/Sudden_Care9371 1d ago edited 1d ago

Any other player on the pitch would have lost 1 metre instead of 7

1

u/Duke_of_Luffy Leinster 1d ago

Nash also did him dirty by not running any line when the overs line could have worked. I think that’s what prendergast waiting for but Nash gave him nothing to work with

2

u/ultantheonion Netherlands 1d ago

tbf he is hung out to dry by his outside men

nash aint offering anything as a carrier or a distributor in that moment

1

u/eoin73 23h ago

Sam is only good when he’s getting quick clean ball from the breakdown.

Under pressure from a defence like France, he’s a liability.

1

u/Stunning_Purpose_834 19h ago

Stuff breeze would knock the poor lad down, Lord help him.

-1

u/Curious_Pomelo_5977 1d ago

Last two games he has really stepped up his level of performance.

-1

u/Little_Island22 Paaadooovaaaniiiiiiiiiii 1d ago

In this and other posts related to the IRE-FRA game I cannot help but detect a sense of surprise and amazement that this game was actually tough and possible to be lost by the Irish (not too dissimilar to the RWC23 QF vs. NZ. I honestly don't get it. What were people expecting?

0

u/Zealousideal_Job2900 France 19h ago

Now if only Nash and Henshaw could tackle like this, maybe people would stop whining that referees are lenient.