All Blacks 2023
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@frugby said in All Blacks 2023:
BuT WhAt AbOuT sTeVeNsOn??
I appreciate you taking time out from your daytime ransom note-writing job to ask this important question.
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The Mighty Quinn. He wasn't that bad.
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But the most important two finshed and we were not winning before that.
If Smith and Mo'unga go down we will be finishing either with worse players or with tired ones.
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@sparky said in All Blacks 2023:
9-10-12 axis is vital.
If any of Aaron Smith, Richie Mo’unga or Jordie Barrett go down we’re fucked. It’s a big drop down to their deputies.
On the other hand, who would've thought we would get home with Andy Ellis, Beaver and SBW in 2011.
We've got enough if the cards fall our way.
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Today was a close one but I reckon we're in a good spot
Barring a catastrophic injury toll we've got options everywhere. We've got a few ways to play.
We are as good a shot as anyone to win it. Yes it's a tough draw, but no tougher than any other top 4 side.
Bring it
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@mariner4life Yeah - I'm pretty happy with where we are. We've probably got a stronger team than the 2011 squad - and before Danny, Colin and Azza went down.
For France and Ireland - remember how much pressure we were under in 2011, having not won for 24 years.
Those guys are at 36 and never.
That has impacts!
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@Chris-B said in All Blacks 2023:
@mariner4life Yeah - I'm pretty happy with where we are. We've probably got a stronger team than the 2011 squad - and before Danny, Colin and Azza went down.
For France and Ireland - remember how much pressure we were under in 2011, having not won for 24 years.
Those guys are at 36 and never.
That has impacts!
"Uneasy is the head that wears a crown". Shakespeare. Neither team has had to carry the burden of the favourite tag before. I look forward to seeing them buckle under it
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@Chris-B said in All Blacks 2023:
We've probably got a stronger team than the 2011 squad
Remembering the All Blacks 2011 Rugby World Cup squad
Labour Weekend 10 years ago saw New Zealanders focused on one event, the Rugby World Cup final in Auckland.
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Why are we playing SA again? Not so keen on us meeting a potential quarter finalist in a warmup game.
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@Billy-Tell said in All Blacks 2023:
Why are we playing SA again? Not so keen on us meeting a potential quarter finalist in a warmup game.
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@Billy-Tell said in All Blacks 2023:
Why are we playing SA again? Not so keen on us meeting a potential quarter finalist in a warmup game.
Who else do we play, gotta be a decent team otherwise pointless, and they are all potential 1/4 or semi finalists. Most of the others aren't interested as the will have just done the summer nations thing
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@sparky Yes it is. 2019 was an absolute mess with guys out of position, Savea, Cane and Todd all in the 23, Brodie Retallick clearly playing injured, 4 average midfield backs constantly getting rotated out for each other, about 10 guys used at 6 before chucking Scott Barrett there for the SF having never played there in his life, Mo'unga and BB playing at 10 and 15 when they didn't know what they were doing out there as there was no actual game plan as to how they were gonna play (it works now as Mo'unga control the play from first receiver now and BB actually plays as a 15), where as back then BB would just push his way into 10 and Mo'unga was virtually unemployed out there. Guys like Ta'avao and Tuipulotu somehow squeezed their way into the 23 , anyone outside of Crusaders territory could have told you that Bridge shouldn't have been there despite constantly scoring tries against inferior SR opposition, Reece also wasn't ready back then (yes I know, there was that try in pool play against the Boks) but that was about it, and the less said about Jordie Barrett on the wing, the better.
That side that Hansen picked out of a weet bix box was a complete abortion. He really was out of his depth once Wayne Smith left and left Fozzie to pick up the pieces and rebuild an absolute shambles that Shag left. It took a while, but I feel we've made progress of late. Hopefully we see it come WC time.
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Fozzie was part of the Hansen team though ..
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Foster seemed to say something about Ennor’s injury being worse than Retallick’s.
If Ennor’s not going be available for a few weeks, that might well cement David Havili’s place ahead of him.
If Brodie’s going to need time to recover, how long do we give him? Does that end up meaning we take an extra Lock and one less Back Row player?
