RWC: All Blacks v Italy (Cancelled) (Pool B)

This might be heresy - but not totally sure Retallick will make starting 15 in the QF unless totally up to speed.

Barrett, Whitelock and Patty T all playing very well.

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Bovidae

@ACT-Crusader said in RWC: All Blacks v Italy (Pool :

It’s only Italy.....

9 - A. Smith
10 - Mo’unga
11 - Bridge
12 - SBW
13 - Crotty
14 - Ioane
15 - B. Barrett

Very likely based on the first 3 games.

SA: Crotty and ALB (SBW)
Canada: SBW and Goodhue (Crotty)
Namibia: ALB and Goodhue

sparky

Team I'd pick

Moody, Taylor, Laulala, Patrick T, Retallick, S. Barrett, Todd, Read, A.Smith, R. Mo'unga, Bridge, SBW, Crotty, Reece, B.Smith

Coles, Moli, Ta'avao, S.Whitelock, Cane, TJP, B.Barrett, J.Barrett.

Given week off: Ardie Savea, ALB and Ofa T.

Chris B.

Really hard to know what will take precedence in this game - the need to conserve energy for a potential long play-off run or the need to give our top team game time and a dress rehearsal (bearing in mind that this game has to be won). Bit of mix and match, I think.

Maybe something like:

Tuúngafasi, Coles, Laulala, Retallick, SBarrett, Cane, Todd, Read, ASmith, Mo'unga, Bridge, SBW, Crotty, Reece, BBarrett

Moody, Coltman, Taávao, Whitelock, Frizell, Weber, Lienert-Brown, JBarrett

Leaving Taylor, Moli, Tuipolotu, Savea, Perenara, Goodhue, BSmith and Ioane out.

Taylor, Savea, Perenara and BSmith to come back into the top 23 for the play-offs.

booboo

@Chris-B said in RWC: All Blacks v Italy (Pool :

Really hard to know what will take precedence in this game - the need to conserve energy for a potential long play-off run or the need to give our top team game time and a dress rehearsal (bearing in mind that this game has to be won). Bit of mix and match, I think.

Maybe something like:

Tuúngafasi, Coles, Laulala, Retallick, SBarrett, Cane, Todd, Read, ASmith, Mo'unga, Bridge, SBW, Crotty, Reece, BBarrett

Moody, Coltman, Taávao, Whitelock, Frizell, Weber, Lienert-Brown, JBarrett

Leaving Coles, Moli, Tuipolotu, Savea, Perenara, Goodhue, BSmith and Ioane out.

Coles, Savea, Perenara and BSmith to come back into the top 23 for the play-offs.

Because everyone loves a corrector ...

Bones

@Chris-B sounds good although I'd swap Tuipulotu for Whitelock and get Bfa a run. Lots of early subs.

Chris B.

@booboo Ah yes - supposed to be Taylor not playing but coming back for the play-offs.

I've revised the intial post.

Chris B.

@Bones Spot on with lots of early subs.

I think if Brodie is playing 60 minutes then Whitelock can have 20 off the bench to groove him for the play-offs.

I initially had BFA in for Reece, but I think Ben has had time in all three games so far - so I've subbed him out.

Machpants

2015 final pool game was almost top team, so the same will happen here I reckon

voodoo

I've given up trying to pick the teams, but I really hope Rieko gets some time, even if just off the bench. I think he still has something to offer in this tourney, I would not be at all surprised to see him picked and deliver in the knockout stages

Crucial

@voodoo said in RWC: All Blacks v Italy (Pool :

I've given up trying to pick the teams, but I really hope Rieko gets some time, even if just off the bench. I think he still has something to offer in this tourney, I would not be at all surprised to see him picked and deliver in the knockout stages

Bridge may have opened the door just a crack after his last performance.

No Quarter

@Crucial said in RWC: All Blacks v Italy (Pool :

@voodoo said in RWC: All Blacks v Italy (Pool :

I've given up trying to pick the teams, but I really hope Rieko gets some time, even if just off the bench. I think he still has something to offer in this tourney, I would not be at all surprised to see him picked and deliver in the knockout stages

Bridge may have opened the door just a crack after his last performance.

I don't think Bridge has been nearly as good as people are making out. He's had a pretty good run, especially being involved in games where our forwards bitch slapped the opposition, but he's been far from error free and has butchered a few tries with poor option taking.

Crucial

@No-Quarter said in RWC: All Blacks v Italy (Pool :

@Crucial said in RWC: All Blacks v Italy (Pool :

@voodoo said in RWC: All Blacks v Italy (Pool :

I've given up trying to pick the teams, but I really hope Rieko gets some time, even if just off the bench. I think he still has something to offer in this tourney, I would not be at all surprised to see him picked and deliver in the knockout stages

Bridge may have opened the door just a crack after his last performance.

I don't think Bridge has been nearly as good as people are making out. He's had a pretty good run, especially being involved in games where our forwards bitch slapped the opposition, but he's been far from error free and has butchered a few tries with poor option taking.

Surprisingly he had game high metres run against Namibia but I don’t recall him being anywhere near as assertive as would be expected against them.
I guess the coaches will have a better idea from training but if Rieko is showing any signs of exploding back into form then it wouldn’t surprise me if Bridge is swapped out.

The Silver Fern

RWC: All Blacks v Italy (Cancelled) (Pool B)