All Blacks v Italy

gollum

Luatua must be a good show to start at least one test at either 8 when Read is rested or 6 surely. And that is probably this one?

Squire does not look a starting 6, Dixon has looked pretty mediocre. I'd be amazed if they don't give him a start to see what he brings to the table. First time round he looked a good option to back up Read, but far too loose to back up Kaino, hence losing out to the tighter Messam & the more veristile Vito, but with the alternatives pretty "m'eh" he has a second shot.

Username

I'm undecided about what I think they should do with this test but it may be a good idea to give a few of the players who had off games against Ireland a week in the stands to stew over the weekend's loss and come back extra fired up in the rematch.

pakman

Crockett to extend record: http://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/86210690/old-memories-wont-haunt-crockett-as-he-aims-to-add-his-world-record-of-43-consecutive-test-wins

Rapido

Stick to the plan. Italy is for newbies.

Just dawned on me that post-RWC clean-out cycles really only effect the exporter countries, not the club importers (Europe). So this tour has gotten a lot more interesting in my eyes.

SAF and Aus were weak compared to 2015, now we should find out a lot more about the 2016 ABs in these next few weeks.

Good times.

ACT Crusader

@pakman said in v Italy:

Crockett to extend record: http://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/86210690/old-memories-wont-haunt-crockett-as-he-aims-to-add-his-world-record-of-43-consecutive-test-wins

If the ABs lose against Italy, well we know who to blame then. Obviously it will be Crockett for not respecting his own legacy of greatness

Donsteppa

@ACT-Crusader said in v Italy:

@pakman said in v Italy:

Crockett to extend record: http://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/86210690/old-memories-wont-haunt-crockett-as-he-aims-to-add-his-world-record-of-43-consecutive-test-wins

If the ABs lose against Italy, well we know who to blame then. Obviously it will be Crockett for not respecting his own legacy of greatness

Or for repeating his 2009 performance. But lets hope we don't need to resolve that argument...

Stargazer

The Italian team to take on the All Blacks has been named:

1 Andrea LOVOTTI (Zebre Rugby, 8 caps)
2 Leonardo GHIRALDINI (Stade Toulousain, 81 caps)
3 Lorenzo CITTADINI (Bayonne, 50 caps)
4 Marco FUSER (Benetton Treviso, 13 caps)
5 Andries VAN SCHALKWYK (Zebre Rugby, 5 caps)
6 Maxime MBANDA’ (Zebre Rugby, 2 caps)
7 Simone FAVARO (Glasgow Warriors, 30 caps)
8 Sergio PARISSE (Stade Francais, 119 caps) - capitano
9 Giorgio BRONZINI (Benetton Treviso, esordiente)
10 Carlo CANNA (Zebre Rugby, 12 caps)
11 Angelo ESPOSITO (Benetton Treviso, 7 caps)
12 Luke MCLEAN (Benetton Treviso, 81 caps)
13 Tommaso BENVENUTI (Benetton Treviso, 34 caps)
14 Giulio BISEGNI (Zebre Rugby, 2 caps)
15 Edoardo PADOVANI (Zebre Rugby, 3 caps)

Reserves
16 Ornel GEGA (Benetton Treviso, 5 caps)
17 Sami PANICO (Patarò Calvisano, 3 caps)
18 Pietro CECCARELLI (Zebre Rugby, 4 caps)
19 George BIAGI (Zebre Rugby, 11 caps)
20 Francesco MINTO (Benetton Treviso, 28 caps)
21 Edoardo GORI (Benetton Treviso, 53 caps)
22 Tommaso ALLAN (Benetton Treviso, 24 caps)
23 Tommaso BONI (Zebre Rugby, 1 cap)

The halfback makes his debut on Saturday.

Federazione Italiana Rugby

ACT Crusader

Amazing that Luke McLean has played 81 tests. I remember when this guy was running around in Perth. Well done to him.

pakman

I think it'll be something like:

Crockett, Taylor, Faumuina
BBBR, Barrett
Cane, Squire, Luatua
Smith, Sopoaga
ALB, Fekitoa (12)
Naholo, DMac, Ioane

Coltman, Moody, Ofa T, Todd, Dixon, TKB, Cruden, Seta T

Not sure where Pat T fits in overall thinking. Based on Saturday I'm not convinced he's a test starter. Has Sopoaga ever played fullback -- there would be an argument for Dagg in the 23?

Then Ireland

Crockett, Coles, Franks
BBBR, Whitelock
Cane, Kaino, Read
Smith, Cruden
ALB, Fekitoa
Savea, Smith, Dagg

Taylor, Moody, Faumuina, Barrett/Pat T/Luatua, Savea/Dixon, TJP, Barrett, Seta T/Ioane/Naholo

Whether or not Whitelock fully fit a big issue here. He and BBBR allow us to have two loosies on bench. Any doubts and we need a lock, or perhaps Luatua there. The latter allows a specialist 7. If a lock on bench, then Dixon's versatility a big plus.

Other issue is midfield cover. This would probably argue for Tamanivalu. But Ioane a chance depending on how Italy goes. Naholo has also been mooted as cover???

akan004

There's a video in the Herald of Hansen talking about the selections for the Italy game, so the team has obviously been announced. But I can't find it anywhere.

Frye

@akan004 this is what I get from that video.

2 Taylor/Coltman
5 Barrett
6 Dixon

8 Luatua
9 TKB

11/14 Ioane
15 McKenzie

21 Smith

No Quarter

That's a bloody cryptic way of naming the team! They like to keep us guessing don't they...

No Quarter

Getting snipets of info, sounds like Dagg has been selected as well.

ACT Crusader

@akan004 it goes something like...

W. Crockett
C. Taylor
O. Franks
L. Romano
S. Barrett
E. Dixon
M. Todd
K. Read
T. Cane
T. Lander
T. Blue
A. Lienert-Brown
S. Tamanivalu
I. Dagg
D. McKenzie

Stargazer

mariner4life

@ACT-Crusader is that joke the new Thursday?

Stargazer

It's 2.55am in Italy. The team can be named any minute now!

ACT Crusader

@mariner4life said in v Italy:

@ACT-Crusader is that joke the new Thursday?

alt text

Stargazer

All Blacks team named:

1.Wyatt Crockett (55)
2.Codie Taylor (12)
3.Charlie Faumuina (43)
4.Patrick Tuipulotu (11)
5.Scott Barrett (1)
6.Elliot Dixon (2)
7.Sam Cane - captain (38)
8.Steven Luatua (14)
9.Tawera Kerr-Barlow (24)
10.Aaron Cruden (44)
11.Waisake Naholo (9)
12.Anton Lienert-Brown (6)
13.Malakai Fekitoa (21)
14.Israel Dagg (58)
15.Damian McKenzie (1)

16.Liam Coltman *
17.Joe Moody (21)
18.Ofa Tu'ungafasi (3)
19.Brodie Retallick (57)
20.Matt Todd (6)
21.Aaron Smith (55)
22.Lima Sopoaga (5)
23.Rieko Ioane *

*new caps

http://www.allblacks.com/News/30100/all-blacks-team-named-for-test-against-italy

mariner4life

haha shit team. we're fucked. 0-2 on the tour to start.

The Silver Fern

All Blacks v Italy