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

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.

canefan

@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.

At the moment his workrate is far superior, he puts himself about on defence as well as attack. Rieko just looks out of sorts, and dare I say it slow right now. He just doesn't seem to be able to beat his man

Hooroo

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

@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.

At the moment his workrate is far superior, he puts himself about on defence as well as attack. Rieko just looks out of sorts, and dare I say it slow right now. He just doesn't seem to be able to beat his man

It's like he's lost his Rugby Vision on where to be and how to time it. This will be compounded by the pressure of trying to get his position back.

I agree that all it will take is one good game/half to get his mojo back. Italy will prolly be last chance saloon unless Bridge has an absolute howler.

No Quarter

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

@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.

At the moment his workrate is far superior, he puts himself about on defence as well as attack. Rieko just looks out of sorts, and dare I say it slow right now. He just doesn't seem to be able to beat his man

Yeah I wasn't advocating starting Rieko ahead of him. Bridge is nailed in at the moment. Just don't think he's been as good as people are making out - the 11 spot is still pretty open for anyone that steps up.

ACT Crusader

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

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

@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.

At the moment his workrate is far superior, he puts himself about on defence as well as attack. Rieko just looks out of sorts, and dare I say it slow right now. He just doesn't seem to be able to beat his man

It's like he's lost his Rugby Vision on where to be and how to time it. This will be compounded by the pressure of trying to get his position back.

I agree that all it will take is one good game/half to get his mojo back. Italy will prolly be last chance saloon unless Bridge has an absolute howler.

I think they may give Bridge and Ioane a run against Italy. It appears that Reece is a certainty for the QF. Who partners him on the other wing might be up for question.

I’m a big fan of Ioane but every time he gets the ball it seems he’s trying too hard and that natural instinct we’ve seen just isn’t there.

Frank

Is this game indoors?

Things I would never have picked at the beginning of this year.

BFA not in test 15, and perhaps not in test 23.
Rieko Ioane on the outer.
Reece and Bridge being our top two wingers.
Ardie Savea playing at blindside.
Jack Goodhue not being first choice 13.
Scott Barrett and Patty T improving.
Owen Franks not going to the World Cup.

antipodean

@Frank No, it's an open stadium.

nzzp

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

Is this game indoors?

Things I would never have picked at the beginning of this year.
4. Ardie Savea playing at blindside.

Ardie Surveyor playing awesome at 6

Hooroo

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

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

Is this game indoors?

Things I would never have picked at the beginning of this year.
4. Ardie Savea playing at blindside.

Ardie Surveyor playing awesome at 6

Ardie Savea the best All Black on the park

The Silver Fern

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