RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks
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@KiwiMurph said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
“I'll tell you a quick story,” began Papalii with an ever-so mischievous grin. “I've got a little group happening in the team room at our hotel and we're watching Band of Brothers, [the TV series about] the 101st Airborne and their Easy Company. So, I made a little joke saying, 'you know they've got the Bomb Squad, so we could have the Easy Company. We want to go and finish the job and be in the trenches'. “Talking about the Bomb Squad, man they've proven themselves. They can come on and change a game like that. So, we need to identify whoever is on the bench, and be really screwed on up top and give it hell.” Papalii revealed the All Blacks had not looked to shy away from what was at stake this week. “There were some saying this is probably one of the most important games in All Blacks history,” he said. “[We] went through a hard path to get here – media, friends, family even criticising us, and we stuck together. We weren't even said to be in the final and now look at us. “Different players take it differently and some of the older guys probably were hit a little bit harder, and it was good to see a bit of emotion and the want from them. Seeing that gives us all an extra 2-3 percent to think, ‘OK, we are going to the well’.I like hearing them embracing the challenge. They said similar things before the Ireland game. Present, in the moment, face the task head on. Great stuff
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@voodoo said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
@Rancid-Schnitzel said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
It's a funny world. It's only a few weeks ago that there was genuine concern we'd lose to Italy. Now we're in the final.
Genuine concern? Maybe from a very small group of doom merchants
The kernel of doubt was there, which was absolutely unthinkable before.
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@pakman said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
Caging BBBR to bench and letting him loose when Eeriea Snyman appears seems quite smart to me.
I genuinely couldn’t care less which of BBBR or Whitelock comes off the bench. The margins are so slim, they’re both so good in the line out, both great in defense, and neither stands out massively over the other with ball in hand.
I’d almost be inclined to let them decide themselves . Maybe the props have a slight preference?
Nice problem to have
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@voodoo I prefer Whitelock off the bench these days. With tiring players in the final 25 minutes his work over the ball create opportunities for him to steal ball or win penalties. He’s been doing that for years but he seems to thrive off the bench as the elder statesman.
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Opinion: All Blacks to go to the well one more time for Ian Foster's legacy
Whatever happens at Stade de France on Saturday night in the Rugby World Cup Final, this is the final week of Ian Foster’s All Black coaching career.
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Call out for Nepo. Also vague suggestion RichMo not 100%: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/all-blacks-vs-south-africa-how-the-all-blacks-plan-to-neutralise-the-bomb-squad/TFAYHYVZXRHVFPG2PDQVTK6IVU/
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Expect the crowd to be supporting NZ. Aside the NZers, the French are for us. Went into fanzone store last Sunday. Not a black jersey to be found. “All sold out” the lady said.
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@ACT-Crusader said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
@voodoo I prefer Whitelock off the bench these days. With tiring players in the final 25 minutes his work over the ball create opportunities for him to steal ball or win penalties. He’s been doing that for years but he seems to thrive off the bench as the elder statesman.
Yeah was my thinkng too,
Seems to be a horses for courses selection i suspect ,
Seems like they are going for grunt and scrumaging power to close the game to counter what the boks like to throw at you
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@kiwiinmelb said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
Seems like they are going for grunt and scrumaging power late to counter what the boks like to throw at you
All three locks will be on the field in the last 20 mins as it's more likely that Frizell will be the player replaced. BBBR is the best TH scrummaging lock.
The ABs should have a plan for what they want to do with the subs, not just to react to SA.
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Good old WR, lightning fast as always
South Africa hooker Bongi Mbonambi appears set to be available for their Rugby World Cup final clash against New Zealand at the Stade de France.
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@sparky said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
Meg, looking like he has been on a massive bender in Paris the last few days, chewing the pre-final fat with Tindall, Haskell and some toff.
Crikey - Justin looks rough, but hair of the dog...
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@Chris-B said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
@sparky said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
Meg, looking like he has been on a massive bender in Paris the last few days, chewing the pre-final fat with Tindall, Haskell and some toff.
Crikey - Justin looks rough, but hair of the dog...
I know Haskell is very marmite, but I like him and his banter on the whole.
Mike Tindell looks like someone’s Granddad. He is good value too though.
Marshall looks like he’s drunk Paris dry…..
That other guy tries too hard to be one of the boys and fails miserably.
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@MN5 said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
@Chris-B said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
@sparky said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
Meg, looking like he has been on a massive bender in Paris the last few days, chewing the pre-final fat with Tindall, Haskell and some toff.
Crikey - Justin looks rough, but hair of the dog...
I know Haskell is very marmite, but I like him and his banter on the whole.
Mike Tindell looks like someone’s Granddad. He is good value too though.
Marshall looks like he’s drunk Paris dry…..
That other guy tries too hard to be one of the boys and fails miserably.
I find GBRA to be more interesting. Swoop, Biv and Goit have a wonderful chemistry and Prof is a fantastic host. Last week's episode with Swoop coming off a two day bender was epic. "oh Swoop, what have you done" as he says to himself while prof is tucking in to 20kg of brisket.
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My overwhelming fear is that our poor exits combined with the noodle boots of BB and RM will cause us to be pinned in our own half as SA run up the scoreboard in increments of 3 (something Ireland chose not to do).
Still our forward back was better than expected against Irish (and overwhelmed the Argies) so we got front foot ball and go-forward. If we get that we can get down the field into the right zones.
So here's hoping for "better than expected" this weekend as well.
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@Windows97 said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
My overwhelming fear is that our poor exits combined with the noodle boots of BB and RM will cause us to be pinned in our own half as SA run up the scoreboard in increments of 3 (something Ireland chose not to do).
Still our forward back was better than expected against Irish (and overwhelmed the Argies) so we got front foot ball and go-forward. If we get that we can get down the field into the right zones.
So here's hoping for "better than expected" this weekend as well.
I've been bagging the ABs with the best of them but the kicking game worked for the most part against Ireland. And it worked at Mt Smart. They do have it.
Stuff
