All Blacks vs Boks
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Hames didn't win much game time through a combination of form, injury and suspension - what was he suspended for?
Edit: ha, punching current team mate: http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/66546721/highlanders-prop-kane-hames-suspended-for-five-weeks-for-punching-dominic-bird
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@Unco Hansen was saying on the news this morning his shoulder isn't right...
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@taniwharugby Ah, that'd make sense then. Pity, I would've liked to see what he can do against better opposition.
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Some of that Gregor Paul article isn't really correct. Hames came to Ta$man for the 2015 NPC season and, as I recall, pretty much smashed everyone he came up against. I thought he was a good shot to be called up to the ABs when they took Paulasi Manu to the RWC.
There was quite a bit of amazement on here (especially by me) when he didn't get a Super contract in 2016, but eventually it got clarified that he was re-habbing serious knee injuries and wasn't expected to play the 2016 Super season. Eventually he got called up late by the Chiefs and progressed to getting a Bledisloe test.
Be interesting to see how he goes. In another article Marc Hinton is saying he's not a renowned scrummager, which again I think is incorrect. He gets pinged a lot, but he's also pretty destructive - especially at NPC level - he's smashed most tightheads in the two seasons he's played for Ta$man - especially with Hammer's tactic of bringing him off the bench. Obviously not test rugby, but nonetheless. If he goes well he's got a chance to give big Wyatt's place in the pecking order a nudge.
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This AB team looks about the best that we can field, though I'm a bit surprised Hames is starting and Crockett is on the bench.
Missing about a third of our best starting XV though - with Franks, Moody, Kaino, and two of Dagg, Ben Smith and Jordie ahead of DMac and NMS in my opinion.
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Crockett has been a very good finisher and will be a good insurance blanket for Hansen if Hames is struggling.
Whilst I was hopeful Fifita would be fit, Hansen and co are investing plenty into Ardie. Hopefully he has a big one off the bench this weekend.
Just on the midfield, it's clear that Sonny Bill is a senior AB in this squad and unlikely to lose his starting spot unless for suspension or injury. What I'd like to see is some adjustment in the attack with SBW and Crotty interchanging a bit more at both set piece and phase play. Sonny is like an extra forward out there and you can see why the coaches love having him close to the ball. But he's pretty effective with a bit more space as well.
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@Chris-B. It's pretty amazing to think that we are going into a test match against the Boks with Hames and Laulala as the starting props and a tighthead back up that is still trying to establish himself at this level.
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@Unco The term might be slightly loose.
But, Owen Franks, Ben Franks, Wyatt Crockett, Kane Hames, Tim Perry - they've all spent time on our "conveyor belt" somewhere!Tim Perry got a rare game for the Crusaders this year against one of the Oz teams and he got completely smashed in the scrum - lifted off his feet.
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@Chris-B. Yoda seems to rate Perry
