Israel Dagg

 ...Trying to show how much he's learnt from Zane Kirchner, truly awful defending this season - I hope the AB camp can straighten him out.

Yup, Izy has been woeful all year. The occasional moments of brilliance are invariably followed up with frustratingly silly mistakes/judgements.  Its so annoying to watch him struggle as I am an avid Izy supporter when he is at his best. It's really disappointing and discouraging. Sometimes I think he tries too hard and forces matters rather than playing conservatively/safe. 

Well Kiwis I did tell you many moons ago that Dagg was struggling but you would hear none of it.

He probably is forcing matters a bit but all in all the running game is unravelling against  tighter defences. You have to play behind a dominant pack giving your backs good go forward ball.

The latest score I have re the Warts and crusties is Warts leading 22 - 10.  

Habana whent thru the same rough patch. 

Awesome player ... going through a bad patch. He'll be back.

You guys are fortunate to have a few class acts at 15 you could call upon. Anscombe is magical and so is Piutau.

Wish we had the same problem.

Israel Dagg vs Israel Folau.....what were their mother's thinking? Dagg is reminiscent of Christian Cullen (to keep up the religious theme)....who also went through a rough patch in the 99 RWC. The move from 15 to 13 was a mistake. With these highly creative types the balance is ephemeral, and Dagg seems to have lost his groove.

 Israel Dagg is a great player in my view, he hasn't been the top fullback in NZ this season, some say he will improve but currently theres been no signs of that. I think it has alot to do with the amount of space the Crusaders give him when he does join the backline from fullback, in the ABs the backline co-ordination is more advanced so he gets much more space, they involve him into the backline at the right time they need him to, it gets better continuity. Thats why he plays better at a international level. Whether that is the case or not he still needs to find his form back. Ben Smith and Robbie Robinson are very versatile fullbacks that can be a good option for the ABs this year.

Think he is just nakkerd like rest of the Kiwi's. They been playing a awful lot of rugby and under constant pressure.  

My, my Mozart ... impressive use of the english language.

"Ephemeral"

I had to look that one up ....

Mozart -  Tonga literally means South and stands for the Southern tribes of Israel. i think they trace their ancestry back to Benjamin - perhaps thats what Falau 's mum was thinking.

...Israel Dagg is a fleet footed Geminii   - a dual sign so we get two fullbacks for the price of one and then one is obviously always gunna be better than the other... also Jewish ancestory i think  -correct me if i'm wrong.

Thanks for that Steinschweiger.....an interesting factoid.

I was watching with keen interest the performance of the top All Black platers and there seems to be a real dip in form for quite a number of the.  Dagg is one of those who seems to be doing the hessitation waltz whnever he got the ball and his defence is awful.   However, to be compared to Kirschner - he does no deserve such an insult - Kirchner being the worst full back in Super 15 by the proverbial mile.

The other player that has been rather depressing to watch is Carter - maybe the baby  is keeping him awake at night - he did show some enterprise today in one attacklng move - for the rest of Super 15 he did virtually nothing in attacking play and merely receive and pass the ball wihout any attacking of the gain line himself,   Maybe a needs a sabbattcal as well.

Of the other regulars in the AB backline [ Aaron Smith thus far has been more like the wickedly poor Hougaard and only in the last two matches showed signs that he has not completely lost it.