RWC Week 4: All Blacks v Italy
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Just curious, would you guys be concerned that NZ haven't had a tough game since the opener against France? Uruguay next and Foster will probably rest most of the first team players. While Ireland (if they get past the Scots) will have had a few crunch games coming straight into the quarters. It sounds reasonable that a well rested team for a big game is a plus, but maybe battle hardened could possibly be a better prep for such a game?
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@Jailbreak7 said in RWC Week 4: All Blacks v Italy:
by jeez that boy does have a slick pass!
It's not peak Nuggie but it's farking good
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@The-Irishman said in RWC Week 4: All Blacks v Italy:
Just curious, would you guys be concerned that NZ haven't had a tough game since the opener against France? Uruguay next and Foster will probably rest most of the first team players. While Ireland (if they get past the Scots) will have had a few crunch games coming straight into the quarters. It sounds reasonable that a well rested team for a big game is a plus, but maybe battle hardened could possibly be a better prep for such a game?
If there's something we can worry about we'll worry about it.
I'd like to say it's Ireland’s QF to lose.
But we're not qualified yet ...
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@KiwiMurph Needs to be less sly next time. When a prop goes down in the quarters I want to see the ABs absolutely laying into him and the ref.
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@MiketheSnow Denver?
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Surely we see Finlay Christie in the quarter finals
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@Yeahtheboys said in RWC Week 4: All Blacks v Italy:
Surely we see Finlay Christie in the quarter finals
We surely will. In the stands having a yarn and a laugh with Richie, Steve and Conrad.
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@sparky said in RWC Week 4: All Blacks v Italy:
Certain Northern Hemisphere scribes we’ve admired so much over the years were getting ready yesterday to bury All Blacks Rugby and shit on its grave.
Our guys gave a performance of genuine passion and intensity. I can imagine lots of very disappointed NH Rugby pundits this morning.
The forwards were back to their best and Ryan, Foster & co had clearly done the business after the last two games - kudos to them.
But as @reprobate has said, there's still issues on exits and the attacking kicking game doesn't come off often enough. Foster picked up on the lack of focus at the start of the second half at the presser so clearly there's an issue still being fixed.
It was great performance, but I'm still being very cautious. We still have the capacity to go from outstanding to crap in one game.
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@BerniesCorner said in RWC Week 4: All Blacks v Italy:
Start Roigard - DMac
Start one but not the other. Need to give Cam more time with RMo - he's been eased in and now looks comfortable at 9.
He hasn't been tested under pressure but he's been eased in and now looks confident ^ comfortable at 9 and a better bet than Christie even for the big games
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@Yeahtheboys said in RWC Week 4: All Blacks v Italy:
Surely we see Finlay Christie in the quarter finals
I think they have been careful with Roigard to ease him in, give him game time and build his confidence playing in Black.
He may be untested under pressure but now looks really comfortable and for me, a better bet than Christie on the bench for big games.
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@game_film said in RWC Week 4: All Blacks v Italy:
@KiwiMurph Needs to be less sly next time. When a prop goes down in the quarters I want to see the ABs absolutely laying into him and the ref.
Should just say what he wants to say outright. Put it in the ref's mind if he can. No point saying it after we lose
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@akan004 said in RWC Week 4: All Blacks v Italy:
Great performance but fuck me why is our defence still so passive. Ireland thrive when they have time and space to implement their intricate attack. Take that away and they become very beatable as SA displayed last week.
We have had 4 years to at least try out a rush system, and we never did. This is a huge black mark against Foster and McLeod.
It's a rope-a-dope except rope-a-doping ourselves.
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@sparky said in RWC Week 4: All Blacks v Italy:
Rob Kearney before yesterday’s game having a go at NZ’s “quality of player.”
Can't say I disagree with what was said.
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@Crazy-Horse I’ll save my judgment on our quality of players until the end of the tournament, but if Sam Whitelock wins three World Cups he’ll arguably supersede any of the players Rob Kearney mentioned.
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@sparky said in RWC Week 4: All Blacks v Italy:
@akan004 I’m certain there’s a different AB defence pattern that we’ll see in the knock outs against either of those sides.
That would be the dryest of powders, since forever! Never tested, always dry - Fosters amazing rush defence
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@sparky said in RWC Week 4: All Blacks v Italy:
Rob Kearney before yesterday’s game having a go at NZ’s “quality of player.”
Pretty much agree with what was said in that video, the quality of players has evened up dramatically in the last 5-10 years. Matt Williams comment on the top teams beating each other regularly was really interesting - we've seen the same thing happening at U20 level - and that's why this RWC is arguably the most open for years.
