All Blacks vs Springboks I
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In Sam Cane's absence, Blues openside Dalton Papalii has established his presence as the All Blacks' preferred openside flanker this season. Papalii's physicality on defence, ball carrying ability and strong work over the ball form a compelling package for a 23-year-old prospect.
Papalii suffered a minor hamstring injury in the first win over the Pumas, and must now prove his fitness to be considered to play the Boks in Townsville on Saturday. Hamstrings can be problematic, particularly for someone charged with maintaining a strong base and gaining breakdown turnovers.
Foster has been keen this season to make calls on player availability early in the week in order to give those who will take the field as much time as possible to prepare. Time is, therefore, against Papallii.
The same may be true for Anton Lienert-Brown, who hasn't featured since the Bledisloe victory in Perth after injuring his hamstring in training one day before the first test against the Pumas.
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@bones said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
@tim I don't think anyone will cry into their cornflakes if we're "forced" to go with Ioane/Savea/Jacobson and Blackadder/Sotutu eh.
Would like ALB back though.
I’d actually prefer this one against the Boks even if Dalton is fit.
Back 3 will be interesting if ALB isn’t fit.
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@act-crusader said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
@bones said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
@tim I don't think anyone will cry into their cornflakes if we're "forced" to go with Ioane/Savea/Jacobson and Blackadder/Sotutu eh.
Would like ALB back though.
I’d actually prefer this one against the Boks even if Dalton is fit.
Back 3 will be interesting if ALB isn’t fit.
If it occurred would be interesting to see Ardie and LJ alternating 7/8 depending or whether attacking or defensive scrum.
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@act-crusader ya reckon? If he's unfit I can't see it not being Bridge/Jordie/Reece.
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@bones said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
@act-crusader ya reckon? If he's unfit I can't see it not being Bridge/Jordie/Reece.
I’m hoping for that but I have this feeling they might go back to the DMac well…
And it could be a DMac/Jordan/Bridge
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@act-crusader said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
@bones said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
@act-crusader ya reckon? If he's unfit I can't see it not being Bridge/Jordie/Reece.
I’m hoping for that but I have this feeling they might go back to the DMac well…
And it could be a DMac/Jordan/Bridge
Yeah, I would be uneasy about Jordan starting against a team that could really capitalise on his shortcomings - bring him off the bench to rub salt in the wounds a la his tinarse predecessor, BB.
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@act-crusader said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
@bones said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
@act-crusader ya reckon? If he's unfit I can't see it not being Bridge/Jordie/Reece.
I’m hoping for that but I have this feeling they might go back to the DMac well…
And it could be a DMac/Jordan/Bridge
As long as we don’t have Jordie on the wing, I think we’ll be ok.
I’m sure that Dmac will be on the bench, so if ALB is unfit, the question will be whether Jordan can force his way to 14 and make the selectors choose between Bridge and Reece. In that case, Tupaea takes the bench spot, unless they are happy for Jordie/Reece to cover midfield.
If ALB is fit, he’ll either take the bench role or Rieko will, but if they start both then Jordan off the bench makes sense.
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@mariner4life said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
i don't really believe in all this "motivating the opposition" guff, this isn't park football
but
we are starting to talk this up to uncomfortable levels.
Only a four-star clown or 5 star idiot would write off the Boks.
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@bones said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
@tim I don't think anyone will cry into their cornflakes if we're "forced" to go with Ioane/Savea/Jacobson and Blackadder/Sotutu eh.
6/7/8 seems to be the one area we really don't need to worry too much about.
Would like ALB back though.
Yep. But I'm much less concerned now Reiko has some game time under his belt
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For me aerial ability and low error rate earns Bridge hsis spot. Similarly ALB experience and low error rate earns his. Kind of leaves the other wing spot up for grabs, with Reiko, Sevu and Jordan all being somewhat flaky at times but I would have a toss-up between Jordan and Ioane because they at least can break a game open.
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Yup…loosies loosies loosies …PSDT a big loss for us. Tackle count always brilliant and out with his shoulder(again) till next year by the looks of it. Duane just back off injury and not hundreds even if that means he is still first choice. Don’t expect him to do anything other than improve on post injury gametime clock….Age against him but watched him and Flo (FLouw) in provincials and some things dont change that much. He is first choice if fit IMO. Jasper Wiese is almost certainly a like-for-like mobility size choice. Defensive organization Duane tops of course….then our ex sevens player (voted best looking guy in comp right here on TSF:) Kwagga coz he was at RWC and knows. Van Staden still green and Elstadt used to be a card magnet. And Siya still coming back to his best post injury but value as glue incalculable. ABs have guys firing. Don’t know we won’t…but have t been….missed team tackle count both Oz tests awful….it has to improve or we are def toast… Hope Cheslin fit and Willemse and RG Snyman get starts with a couple bench tweaks. Its going to get messy….can’t wait
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@mantissanet RG Snyman won't start for Munster. We need fire power Etsebeth and maybe Elstadt. In the face defense will do for 80 minutes. Anything positive will do at the moment.
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@dmx said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
For me aerial ability and low error rate earns Bridge hsis spot. Similarly ALB experience and low error rate earns his. Kind of leaves the other wing spot up for grabs, with Reiko, Sevu and Jordan all being somewhat flaky at times but I would have a toss-up between Jordan and Ioane because they at least can break a game open.
For me, I'd pick Reiko over any other 11 option. He's just a more mature player for me.
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@victor-meldrew said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
@bones said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
@tim I don't think anyone will cry into their cornflakes if we're "forced" to go with Ioane/Savea/Jacobson and Blackadder/Sotutu eh.
6/7/8 seems to be the one area we really don't need to worry too much about.
Would like ALB back though.
Yep. But I'm much less concerned now Reiko has some game time under his belt
Would still be a bit concerned if we ended up with DMac/Tuapea/Rieko in tight match with Boks. We’re still quite short on Backline ‘grey hair’.
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@pakman said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
@victor-meldrew said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
@bones said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
@tim I don't think anyone will cry into their cornflakes if we're "forced" to go with Ioane/Savea/Jacobson and Blackadder/Sotutu eh.
6/7/8 seems to be the one area we really don't need to worry too much about.
Would like ALB back though.
Yep. But I'm much less concerned now Reiko has some game time under his belt
Would still be a bit concerned if we ended up with DMac/Tuapea/Rieko in tight match with Boks. We’re still quite short on Backline ‘grey hair’.
Agreed, I was thinking more of BB/DH/RI.
That said, I want to see more DMac/Tuapea/Rieko playing together to build that experience.
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@bones said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
@act-crusader ya reckon? If he's unfit I can't see it not being Bridge/Jordie/Reece.
Ugh, I just threw up a wee bit.
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Hopefully, ALB will be fit - and then I want to see a back three of Rieko, Will and Jordie.
It's been a dull year - let's live a little!!!
At least I'm probably not going to be more conservative than Fozzie - unless he gives DMac the 15 jersey!
I'm picking Fozzie will go for his more experienced and/or conservative options pretty much everywhere, so Sevu in the 14 jersey.
All Blacks' injury concerns: The spots up for grabs against Springboks
