RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland
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Powerhouse wing Leicester Fainga’anuku has been handed the start on the left wing to face Ireland in the Rugby World Cup quarterfinal, with the All Blacks confirming he replaces incumbent No 11 Mark Telea because of a breach in team protocol.
All Blacks coach Ian Foster said Telea’s breach had been of a “minor” nature, but nonethless had resulted in him being left out of the selection picture this week.
”Discipline,” explained Foster of Telea’s omisison. “It’s nothing major but enough to keep him out of selection this week. We still love him, he’s trained well, but it’s happened.”
It’s understood Telea had breached a team curfew, but Foster was not keen to expand on the reasons for his elusive wing’s omission.
“It is what it is,” added the coach. “For us it’s clear-cut. We don’t want to talk about it any more – we’ve moved on.”
The other eyebrow-raiser in an otherwise predictable 23 is the selection of Blues and Ta$man halfback Fin Christie on the bench to back up veteran Aaron Smith at No 9. He gets the nod ahead of rising young Hurricanes standout Cam Roigard who appears to have the greater upside as an attacking force off the pine.
Foster said it was a “horses for courses” selection, and talked about the defensive prowess Christie brings in that backup role.
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@Stargazer it's getting ridiculous now how NZ rugby journos are just summarising fern threads. Lazy bastards.
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Re Telea. Aren't things like breaching protocol decided by the entire management group and not just the coaching staff?
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@Victor-Meldrew Yeah, I actually thought it was the All Blacks leadership group, not the coaches, but I may be wrong.
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@Victor-Meldrew said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
Re Telea. Aren't things like breaching protocol decided by the entire management group and not just the coaching staff?
The leadership group did it, and you can't fucking ignore it because it's an important game. Telea is a fucking idiot, they all knows the rules, but he is a young fucking idiot sand will probably learn. Foster has had years of being a fucking idiot, and still he does the same thing. Sadly is my second team are probably worse, so not much to look forward to after we get knocked out
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I refuse to contemplate picking a ‘second’ team before this game. For me it would be like throwing in the towel early. Hell no! I have belief this AB’s team can beat the Irish side.
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@Bones said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
@pakman not creating an account. Does he actually say that?
ALL BLACKS BOSS Ian Foster said he still loves wing Mark Telea after dropping him for the World Cup quarter-final against Ireland due to a disciplinary breach.
26-year-old Telea, who has been brilliant since his Test debut last year, has been left out of the massive clash in Paris on Saturday, with Leicester Fainga’anuku picked in the number 11 jersey in his place.
“He breached the protocol, nothing major, but enough to keep him out of selection for this week,” said Foster this evening at the All Blacks’ team hotel east of Paris.
“I still love him, he trained well, it happens.
“Look, it is what it is. For us it’s pretty clean-cut, I don’t really want to talk about it anymore. We’ve dealt with it as a team and moved on.”
Foster was asked about the decision again later in the press conference and stressed that Telea’s breach was “minor.”
Asked if he is concerned that a key player would break team rules ahead of such a massive week, Foster instead said he believes the decision underlines how much store the All Blacks put in their protocols.
“We believe in what we stand for and that speaks volumes for the team that we make that sort of decision in this sort of week.”
Meanwhile, Foster outlined the reasoning behind some of his other selection decisions.
Finlay Christie has been picked ahead of the in-form Cam Roigard as the back-up scrum-half.
“We just felt it was horses for courses for this particular game. We think Finlay has got an edge defensively,” said Foster. -
Like most, my first reaction is why TF Christie is there over Roigard. Absolutely baffling.
Looking at it overall, it's the best 23 aside from that one glaring selection (and Telea being unavailable).
My concern though is the starting props haven't had a lot of recent game time. They're our best, no doubt, but that is a worry.
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In all seriousness the one thing that pisses me off is that after reading these post team announcement headlines the Irish team will be shaking their heads with bemusement. I'm sick of coming second in the smart team stakes.
Where's Razor. -
@BerniesCorner said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
In all seriousness the one thing that pisses me off is that after reading these post team announcement headlines the Irish team will be shaking their heads with bemusement. I'm sick of coming second in the smart team stakes.
Where's Razor.He's ready and waiting. In Chch...
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From what I have heard, this is not the first time Fozzie has been forced to drop a form player due to breach of protocol, at least he is consistent in that.
Why are players so daft to push these rules?
You are away, the biggest game of your career coming up and you decide to stay out late?
Assume he was out with someone else who was never in consideration for this match, surely not by himself?
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Well he ain't allowed in St Denis. Could be fake news though.
