BIL & AB teams for Test #1 (AKA - who's impressing you at the moment?)
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Not going to be far off with that. For me you start the best players as you want them playing more of the game. No point being good off the bench if you are 20-30 points down when they come on. Know Eddie has had success with it with England but he starts Itoje and George only benches as Hartley is captain. The other 'finishers' for England are Sinckler and Te'o who are probably struggling for a start in front of Cole and Farrell.
George and Owens is actually pretty even for me saying that. You'd perhaps go George to keep the 2, 4, 5 club unit together at lineout time. Itoje is a better player than AWJ for me, so starts. Henderson was very good off the bench today, so will be interesting to see what Gatland does with the locks.
Agree re North, not the game he needed to cement his place and I would go Daly. Watson also quiet today, but he had little space to work with. Wouldn't be entirely surprised to see him spring a SOB, Warburton, Faletau back row, but we'll see.
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From this weekends game I would hope that we don't fan out to quickly after a ruck is formed. We can at times get caught with only A Smith defending behind the ruck and a couple of big boys powering through to get in behind us. I hope we take the Lions on up front the way we do when the Bok's and the English say they are going to smash us up front and starve us of the ball.
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@No-Quarter said in BIL & AB teams for Test #1 (AKA - who's impressing you at the moment?):
This is what I think they'll go with for test one:
1 Moody
2 Taylor
3 Franks
4 Retallick
5 Whitelock
6 Kaino
7 Cane
8 Read
9 A Smith
10 B Barrett
11 J Savea
12 Crotty
13 ALB
14 Dagg
15 B Smith
16 Harris
17 Crockett
18 Faumuina
19 Romano
20 A Savea
21 TJP
22 Cruden
23 SBWIt's pretty easy to pick an AB team, and I think what I chose above has just solidified following recent results.
Only change I'd make is SBW to start with Crotty on the bench due to Crotty's lack of game-time.
A Smith has done enough to warrant a start. As has J Savea.
Romano or Scott Barrett is the only other point of contention, but I think they've been keeping Romano on ice and will use him in test one due to his experience.
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I also prefer SBW to start. Problem with that is Crotty doesn't appear to offer much impact as a sub. Added to Cruden being unlikely to be used as tactical sub and that means bench becomes very injury focussed. Crotty/ALB suffers from lack of grunt, albeit wouldn't be such an issue if Farrell at 12.
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@No-Quarter said in BIL & AB teams for Test #1 (AKA - who's impressing you at the moment?):
@No-Quarter said in BIL & AB teams for Test #1 (AKA - who's impressing you at the moment?):
This is what I think they'll go with for test one:
1 Moody
2 Taylor
3 Franks
4 Retallick
5 Whitelock
6 Kaino
7 Cane
8 Read
9 A Smith
10 B Barrett
11 J Savea
12 Crotty
13 ALB
14 Dagg
15 B Smith
16 Harris
17 Crockett
18 Faumuina
19 Romano
20 A Savea
21 TJP
22 Cruden
23 SBWIt's pretty easy to pick an AB team, and I think what I chose above has just solidified following recent results.
Only change I'd make is SBW to start with Crotty on the bench due to Crotty's lack of game-time.
A Smith has done enough to warrant a start. As has J Savea.
Romano or Scott Barrett is the only other point of contention, but I think they've been keeping Romano on ice and will use him in test one due to his experience.
What are the strengths/weaknesses of Barrett vs Romano?
I'm asking for a friend who doesnt know rugby that well.
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@MN5 one of Scotts weaknesses is that he isn't as fast as Beaudie or Jordie
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@taniwharugby said in BIL & AB teams for Test #1 (AKA - who's impressing you at the moment?):
@MN5 one of Scotts weaknesses is that he isn't as fast as Beaudie or Jordie
Unless it's a race to the dinner table
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@MN5 said in BIL & AB teams for Test #1 (AKA - who's impressing you at the moment?):
@No-Quarter said in BIL & AB teams for Test #1 (AKA - who's impressing you at the moment?):
@No-Quarter said in BIL & AB teams for Test #1 (AKA - who's impressing you at the moment?):
This is what I think they'll go with for test one:
1 Moody
2 Taylor
3 Franks
4 Retallick
5 Whitelock
6 Kaino
7 Cane
8 Read
9 A Smith
10 B Barrett
11 J Savea
12 Crotty
13 ALB
14 Dagg
15 B Smith
16 Harris
17 Crockett
18 Faumuina
19 Romano
20 A Savea
21 TJP
22 Cruden
23 SBWIt's pretty easy to pick an AB team, and I think what I chose above has just solidified following recent results.
Only change I'd make is SBW to start with Crotty on the bench due to Crotty's lack of game-time.
A Smith has done enough to warrant a start. As has J Savea.
Romano or Scott Barrett is the only other point of contention, but I think they've been keeping Romano on ice and will use him in test one due to his experience.
What are the strengths/weaknesses of Barrett vs Romano?
I'm asking for a friend who doesnt know rugby that well.
Hah, Barrett has a better all-round game but doesn't bring quite the same physicality as Romano, which is why I'd go Romano as a bench option for impact, as well as experience.
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@taniwharugby said in BIL & AB teams for Test #1 (AKA - who's impressing you at the moment?):
@MN5 one of Scotts weaknesses is that he isn't as fast as Beaudie or Jordie
True. But apparently Scott the better mile runner, so an endurance man.
I'd go Romano first up. He's been a very good off the bench option this year. But either way you're getting a good lock.
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wow, current odds at TAB:
ABs $1.16
Lions $4.75I'd move ABs out to about $1.45 and bring Lions down to about $2.00.
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@pakman said in BIL & AB teams for Test #1 (AKA - who's impressing you at the moment?):
I also prefer SBW to start. Problem with that is Crotty doesn't appear to offer much impact as a sub. Added to Cruden being unlikely to be used as tactical sub and that means bench becomes very injury focussed. Crotty/ALB suffers from lack of grunt, albeit wouldn't be such an issue if Farrell at 12.
Not sure Crotty/ALB lacks grunt. They both play very direct and bring defenders with them. One criticism of Sonny is that he does go lateral from time to time trying to set something up that may not be there.
Crotty the best defensive midfielder we have so in arm wrestle type games he's made for that.
I think they go with the same starting lineup that played Manu with Read coming in.
Crotty on the bench with A. Savea
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@ACT-Crusader said in BIL & AB teams for Test #1 (AKA - who's impressing you at the moment?):
@taniwharugby said in BIL & AB teams for Test #1 (AKA - who's impressing you at the moment?):
@MN5 one of Scotts weaknesses is that he isn't as fast as Beaudie or Jordie
True. But apparently Scott the better mile runner, so an endurance man.
I'd go Romano first up. He's been a very good off the bench option this year. But either way you're getting a good lock.
Romano failed his audition in the Crusaders game. Meanwhile Barrett nailed his vs Samoa. I'll be surprised to see Romano on the bench.
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@taniwharugby said in BIL & AB teams for Test #1 (AKA - who's impressing you at the moment?):
here we go!!
Was wondering why nobody had mentioned this so put it in the other thread... oops ...
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@Billy-Tell said in BIL & AB teams for Test #1 (AKA - who's impressing you at the moment?):
@ACT-Crusader said in BIL & AB teams for Test #1 (AKA - who's impressing you at the moment?):
@taniwharugby said in BIL & AB teams for Test #1 (AKA - who's impressing you at the moment?):
@MN5 one of Scotts weaknesses is that he isn't as fast as Beaudie or Jordie
True. But apparently Scott the better mile runner, so an endurance man.
I'd go Romano first up. He's been a very good off the bench option this year. But either way you're getting a good lock.
Romano failed his audition in the Crusaders game. Meanwhile Barrett nailed his vs Samoa. I'll be surprised to see Romano on the bench.
I doubt a cameo from the bench against a Samoan side being torn to shreds will put Barrett ahead of Romano. He may already be ahead... but I think given Romano has been in good form, is more physical, and has experience, I'd be surprised if he was overlooked.
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@KiwiMurph Thats why PT would be better unless I missed something and he is injured or just overlooked.
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@No-Quarter I just hope that Romano has been practicing his kick off takes. Because in the Crusaders game the 2 kick offs that came their way he butchered the catch.
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Just seen a long rang forecast for Saturday and there is a 3% chance of rain. This is a question for Aucklander's has Eden Park been slippery when dry due to a night due?
