All Blacks vs. B&I Lions test #1
-
-
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks vs. B&I Lions test #1:
This thread has got weird - this is what happens when Hansen goes all quiet before a big test - send in the clowns.
Despite best attempts to argue about selections, this Hansen fella really doesn't give us much.
If only Mark Ranby was selected....
-
@ACT-Crusader Christ for second there I thought you were going to say Mark Reason
-
@booboo said in All Blacks vs. B&I Lions test #1:
Maybe this is one for the Palmerston North thread ( @PN ) but I saw Basil Brush at the Regent Theatre when he toured NZ
Basil was a Saturday tradition for me growing up. Club rugby in the mornings; rep rugby in the afternoon; then home to eat din-dins watching Baz early evening. I fuckin' love that guy.
-
I don't get the Naholo angst. Until he strings 3 games together where he doesn't make at least 1 major blunder he is not yet the man. If NZ lose the first test he'll be right back into the equation though.
As for Romano/Barrett. Barrett is just a better rugby player.
I'm undecided about Crotty vs ALB. Saturday should help me decide.
The AB back three should be much better under the high ball than some of the efforts we have seen recently (Bridge, Lowe etc)
-
Probably the main difference between SBW and the other two midfielders in attack , is his preference to pass the ball after he has made contact rather than before ,
Whether that is effective in breaking up their defense , I guess we find out saturday
-
-
@Hooroo said in All Blacks vs. B&I Lions test #1:
Hands up who had no Test tickets and is now going to the test on Saturday!!!
Raises hand really really high
Me, me me!!!
-
Beaudy on Rieko's pace....
-
@Pot-Hale said in All Blacks vs. B&I Lions test #1:
@Hooroo said in All Blacks vs. B&I Lions test #1:
Hands up who had no Test tickets and is now going to the test on Saturday!!!
Raises hand really really high
Me, me me!!!
I'll be there too, been looking forward to this game for 12 years
-
@Hooroo said in All Blacks vs. B&I Lions test #1:
Hands up who had no Test tickets and is now going to the test on Saturday!!!
Raises hand really really high
El bastardo afortunado!
(Am in Madrid for a few days)
-
@taniwharugby said in All Blacks vs. B&I Lions test #1:
Beaudy on Rieko's pace....
You might have included the wrong link, but I was intrigued so had a look. I assume this is the story?
-
Hi Tim
As you've added a blog-link, I've thought I'd add a (cross-post) link to a set of links to 15 NH podcasts that I''ve added in another topic.
For us in the NH, it is still 2 more sleeps to the once-in-12-years-Christmas!
Cheers
Megweya -
Weather update: Met service commentary says showers easing away towards final whistle but cold sou'wester remains. The same site's rain predictor says showers ending by 4pm Saturday.
http://www.metservice.com/towns-cities/auckland/auckland-central
-
@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks vs. B&I Lions test #1:
@Tim I don't think anyone's knocking SBW. It seems Chester has a huge problem with Crotty being selected though.
What? I have zero problem with Crotty being selected.
I wanted SBW selected at 2nd-five. I really don't care about whether it is Crotty or ALB outside him. (I would have picked ALB, but only because I was not convinced Crotty is fully fit -- but I trust the AB selectors that he is.)
If we were playing Australia, it would likely be different, because Australia are much more capable of punishing us off a loose pass, but present nothing like the issues defensively. A Crotty/ALB midfield would be a better bet in that situation.
-
@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks vs. B&I Lions test #1:
@pukunui said in All Blacks vs. B&I Lions test #1:
I think Scott Barrett on the bench ahead of Romano will add to the "ball playing" ability of the reserves. Romano isn't bad but his one trick seems to be a midfield hit up. Not that effective against this Lions team.
My take on the Barrett selection is that there's proabbaly a strong likelihood that our two frontline locks will play 80, Barrett could replace Kaino in the second half and Ardie for Cane.
Romano is very effective at shifting bodies at the ruck which is still needed late in the game.
Yeah - Barrett offers a lot more utility than Romano, who's essentially just a tight lock.
He covers an injury at lock as well as being able to slot into 6 if Kaino's running out of legs. Potentially even allows Kaino to shift to 8 if necessary and if we don't want to compromise lineout options.
-
Read has to be in some doubt to last the game, while Kaino almost never plays 80 minutes anymore for the ABs. You're right, S Barrett will almost certainly come on as a 6 (for Kaino) though if Read comes off Ardie is a chance to replace him, rather than Barrett on and Kaino to 8). As usual, BBBR and Whitelock will be told to go the 80 while the loosies get the early showers.
-
S Barrett is one of those guys who has made every post a winner since being selected as an AB. I never thought he was all that great for the Saders, but he's been excellent every time he's put on the black jersey. More than happy to see him on the bench.
Bit of tinfoil hat stuff here, but I wonder if the Crotty selection is a bit of a trap. They don't seem to rate him at all up North (shit plenty in NZ don't rate him) so perhaps they will target him as a weakness and suffer the consequences. Probably bollocks, but Crotty does have a tendency to carve up teams when he's deemed the weak link.
What I really do hope is that BB takes that ball to the line more. He's dialled it back big time for the Canes in recent weeks and hope he lets rip. SBW charging off his shoulder could be lethal.
