All Blacks v France Test 3
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@taniwharugby said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
When you have the likes of Whitelock, Crotty and Cane, 3 players who usually consistently maintain high standards playing as poorly as they did, you know things are bad,
Crotty does worry me because I'm not convinced his head has been right (medically) for a while now. Would like to see SBW alongside ALB next week.
The other two, along with Moody and Franks, I'm not too bothered about - they're working their way back from playing bugger all rugby in recent times. They'll peak mid-RC.
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Bit of a different feel this close to a WC , not saying its doom and gloom , far from it ,
but the last couple , things have felt more settled selection wise
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@kiwimurph So with Squire and Taufua out, does that bring Akira into the selection frame?
They've arguably still got Whitelock, Fifita, Frizzell and Savea to cover 6/8 options.
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BB and Fifita have concussion, so theoretically if they pass HIA today and tomorrow they can be available, No?
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@chris-b said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
@kiwimurph So with Squire and Taufua out, does that bring Akira into the selection frame?
They've arguably still got Whitelock, Fifita, Frizzell and Savea to cover 6/8 options.
Four of the greats!
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@chris-b said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
@kiwimurph So with Squire and Taufua out, does that bring Akira into the selection frame?
They've arguably still got Whitelock, Fifita, Frizzell and Savea to cover 6/8 options.
We'd need France to get at least one red and a couple of yellows...
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Good to see them replacing Harris with Riccitelli. Like for like in terms of doing dumb, exasperating shit. What was that penalty he gave away where he just flopped on the wrong side and did his best to stay there? Love to know the thought process. Followed up a couple of minutes later with a hit long after the whistle with absolutely no point, lucky no officials watching.
What happened to no dickheads?
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@tim said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
What we would give for Luatua at 8.
Maybe you shouldn't have been such a prick, eh Steve?
We've got a noted metre eater there - for the 7 minutes he gets on the field, apparently.
Anyway, Akira was holding hit pads in the warm ups so assume Hansen will parachute him into the test team. Bahahahahahaha.
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@nepia If (as I suspect) Hansen picked Frizell partly to send a message to Akira, then his bluff has been well and truly called by the injuries.
If they don't use Akira, we're looking at something like:
Moody, Taylor, Franks, Barrett, Whitelock, Frizell, Cane, Whitelock
Tuikaunafe, Riccitelli, Tu'ungafasi, Romano, Savea
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Given presence of Franklin and Frizell in squad, not quite sure what to make of Hemopo's selection as a 5/6, notionally replacing Squire. It seems to have been an AB plan to play a 5/6 in the third, results permitting, so does this mean the two Fs haven't shown up in squad training, or that Frizell is locked in to start?
Likewise, wasn't Coltman training with the squad to cover Harris's situation? If so, why has Riccatelli leapfrogged him?
Or are they worried about food wastage?
Starting eight shaping like Moody/Taylor/Franks/SamuelW/Barrett (S)/Cane/Frizell/Whitelock (L). No power lock, which is why I think our scrum struggled a bit while Maestri was on, and a less than intimidating bunch of loosies. I suppose Cane and LukeW have played together a bit, which would makes it easier for Frizell on debut.
Fifth forward benchwarmer will be interesting, given Romero, Franklin and Hemopo to choose from.
I'd be quite tempted to give Scott Barrett a rest and start Romero.
