All Blacks v England
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I'm happy with the team. I'd prefer Reece on the bench to DH and Akira instead of Frizzel, but otherwise our top team is shaping as very strong now.
I can understand ST on the bench given Codie's return to form. ST is still relatively new, so gaining experience from the bench behind the veteran is a luxury - we didn't have that luxury recently as Codie wasn't in a good place mentally, but he's been fantastic on this tour so hoping he can wear them down before ST wrecks some havoc. That's a really powerful 1-2 punch with our Hookers.
I can also understand them persisting with Clarke. Reece and Telea are great finishers but are not players that are going to burst through a well organised defensive line the way Clarke can, he can be a real point of difference for us and while he's made errors, the positive impact he can have for us is massive. Reece, Telea and Jordan to a lesser degree (Jordan may end up at 15) are fighting for the same spot in the backline.
This is the most settled lineup we've had in quite a long time, absolutely can't wait for this one, hope it's a cracker (and by cracker I mean we stuff them by 50+).
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@Steve said in All Blacks v England:
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks v England:
@Steve said in All Blacks v England:
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks v England:
@Steve said in All Blacks v England:
A reserve 9 who was launched out of the squad as yesterdays man and is now back in the squad.
Makes perfect sense to me. Fakatava getting injured reduced his options for the 3rd halfback role. Christie wasn't that flash last week & TJP grabbed his chance & did pretty well.
But hadn't Weber usurped him at some time this year? If I recall correctly?
Christie, Favakata & now TJP have usurped Weber
All Blacks deal with injuries, absences for European tour
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — A knee injury has ruled scrumhalf Folau Fakatava out of the All Blacks squad which left New Zealand on Saturday to play test matches in Japan and Britain.
While what you are saying is right in real terms, my point is that when Fakatava got injured it was Weber who was the next cab off the rank.
Its Foster in a nutshell. Sowakula, Perofeta, Weber , Ennor, Tuipolutu, Jacobsen. Leicester
Some players do the Hokey Cokey in and out of squads.
It must kill their confidence.
There have always been players on the fringe that are in and out of squads regularly, that's always been the case and always will be
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@MajorRage And RM at pivot and BB at fullback. 2019 revisited! Someone doesn't give up on "cunning plans" easily!
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@MajorRage said in All Blacks v England:
Scott fucking Barrett is a fucking lock, not a fucking sux.
We’ve been here before snd it didn’t work. Why are we doing it again?
Did I mention I’m going?
I agree, but I also don't mind them starting him at 6, he's a much better option than Frizzel for the role they are wanting our starting 6 to play. I just think we've got the wrong 6 on the bench, I'd have Akira coming on with a license to roam in the final 15 or so mins. One of Akira's key strengths is with ball in hand, but we rarely use it.
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@MajorRage said in All Blacks v England:
Scott fucking Barrett is a fucking lock, not a fucking sux.
We’ve been here before snd it didn’t work. Why are we doing it again?
Did I mention I’m going?
He went alright this year when playing 6. Under Ryan and Schmidt the forward pack appears to be playing much tighter and lots of carries close to the ruck etc. I think SB suits the current structure better than 2019. At worst we will add page 999 to this year's learnings.
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All I know is we now have a competitive forward pack. SW/BR/SB are all world class and it's worth another shot. We will know a lot more by half time tomorrow!
In the next 12 months, Paps has to stay 7, it's obvious.
I live 10km from Twickers, current wx dry and overcast. -
@Old-Samurai-Jack said in All Blacks v England:
@MajorRage And RM at pivot and BB at fullback. 2019 revisited! Someone doesn't give up on "cunning plans" easily!
Different situation now. No one doubts RM has been given the job to steer the cutter, and with JB moving to 12 and Jordan out, BB is the best option at 15 right now
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Great way to finish the year. It's going to be miserable if we lose this.
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@chimoaus said in All Blacks v England:
@MajorRage said in All Blacks v England:
Scott fucking Barrett is a fucking lock, not a fucking sux.
We’ve been here before snd it didn’t work. Why are we doing it again?
Did I mention I’m going?
He went alright this year when playing 6.
The pack went very well in that first performance of the year against Ireland. Keen to see it in action again.
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@chimoaus said in All Blacks v England:
@MajorRage said in All Blacks v England:
Scott fucking Barrett is a fucking lock, not a fucking sux.
We’ve been here before snd it didn’t work. Why are we doing it again?
Did I mention I’m going?
He went alright this year when playing 6. Under Ryan and Schmidt the forward pack appears to be playing much tighter and lots of carries close to the ruck etc. I think SB suits the current structure better than 2019. At worst we will add page 999 to this year's learnings.
Scooter is a vastly improved player over this year. Consistently makes the gain line more than most of our forwards, seems to have ironed out the brain farts too
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I have had a bad feeling before a lot of games this year.
Funny enough I don't have a bad feeling about this one. We have the best possible team out there, (ST excepted) and we are on the good side of the good/bad game rotation.
I think we flog them.
And then everyone forgets how diabolical this season was and has a good summer.
I add that I am glad this is the last game for the season. I am completely rugby'ed out. I need 4 months off.
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@sparky said in All Blacks v England:
Eddie Jones has beeen unusually quiet for him this week. What's up?
He might be trying his hand at coaching?
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@BerniesCorner said in All Blacks v England:
All I know is we now have a competitive forward pack. SW/BR/SB are all world class and it's worth another shot. We will know a lot more by half time tomorrow!
In the next 12 months, Paps has to stay 7, it's obvious.
I live 10km from Twickers, current wx dry and overcast.Sunshine heading your way
Glorious in Wales
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