Bledisloe I
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All Blacks squad:
The matchday 23 (with Test caps in brackets) is:
1 Joe Moody (28)
2 Codie Taylor (19)
3 Owen Franks (94)
4 Brodie Retallick (64)
5 Samuel Whitelock (88)
6 Liam Squire (9)
7 Sam Cane (44)
8 Kieran Read (100) - Captain
9 Aaron Smith (62)
10 Beauden Barrett (53)
11 Rieko Ioane (5)
12 Sonny Bill Williams (36)
13 Ryan Crotty (27)
14 Ben Smith (62)
15 Damian McKenzie (2)16 Nathan Harris (8)
17 Wyatt Crockett (62)
18 Ofa Tu'ungafasi (4)
19 Luke Romano (26)
20 Ardie Savea (16)
21 TJ Perenara (33)
22 Lima Sopoaga (7)
23 Anton Lienert-Brown (13)http://www.allblacks.com/News/31223/all-blacks-team-named-for-investec-rugby-championship-opener
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Very easy to see how a team like that could lose away to Australia.
Not sure what ALB has done to deserve his dropping, so far as I can tell he has made every post a winner.
Exciting as Squire brings a much needed change to the formula in the loose forwards who were solid, yet unspectacular during the Lions series and McKenzie could signal a dramatic change in our attacking pattern.
Is Scott Barrett injured? If not bravo for finally realising Romano is the guy you want off the bench.
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Im imagining this is the backline he was pencilling in with Jordie at 15 in place of DMac originally ,
I think with BSmith about to be unavailable for a while , they are looking at their options ,
Same 12 13 combo that started the first lions test with everyone available , and that first half of the first test , it probably went better than the rest of the series
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I think the mid-field is key for us, as it was (or wasn't) in the Lions tests.
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@Hooroo said in Bledisloe I:
I'm so chuffed for DMac! Surely he would have to work harder than others due to being so small? Lightest Fullback since.....?
Ben Blair ?
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@kiwiinmelb said in Bledisloe I:
@Hooroo said in Bledisloe I:
I'm so chuffed for DMac! Surely he would have to work harder than others due to being so small? Lightest Fullback since.....?
Ben Blair ?
Arfa Stone
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@Hooroo said in Bledisloe I:
I'm so chuffed for DMac! Surely he would have to work harder than others due to being so small? Lightest Fullback since.....?
Shayne Philpott would go close, AB.com has him as an inch taller but in an era when players were less built.
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@MN5 said in Bledisloe I:
@kiwiinmelb said in Bledisloe I:
@Hooroo said in Bledisloe I:
I'm so chuffed for DMac! Surely he would have to work harder than others due to being so small? Lightest Fullback since.....?
Ben Blair ?
Arfa Stone
Never gets old that one.
Probably not far off Alan Hewsons playing weight.
Will be very interesting to see how much leash he is given to pop up at first receiver. Having DMac and BB as first options will keep the convicts on their toes.
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Interesting team for sure. I don't think Cully would have weighed much when he started. I do recall reading somewhere he was one of the strongest players for his size.
Also sends a message to players that if you keep playing well and stick at it opportunities may came your way. Unless you are Duane Monkley.
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@kiwiinmelb said in Bledisloe I:
Im imagining this is the backline he was pencilling in with Jordie at 15 in place of DMac originally ,
I think with BSmith about to be unavailable for a while , they are looking at their options ,
Same 12 13 combo that started the first lions test with everyone available , and that first half of the first test , it probably went better than the rest of the series
If Dagg hadn't been injured I think they would've started the Smith, Dagg, Ioane back 3 for this first test. That backline in the first Lions test was very good.
DMac gets his chance with two injuries. It will be interesting how they use the subs in this test.
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Interesting selection - hope Hansen has 100% faith in the security firm they're using this time. Doesn't @Nepia live in Sydney these days?!!!
Duncan Johnstone writing an article suggesting the writing is on the wall for Kaino. I'm more inclined to think that they will want to give Squire increasing game time and manage JK to see if he can get through to 2019, but have options if he can't.
Another notable choice is Ofa on the bench. He apparently is our second best tighthead prop.
I guess with Dagg injured, DMac at fullback and Ben on the wing is the best way to get two fullbacks in the equation. Be interesting to see quite how DMac is played and how much license he's given to counter-attack.
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expect the 2nd test is when we will know more about Coles' situation if he is still unavailable.
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@Chris-B. Yep, in Sydney, I think Hansen will take a wide berth from me if we run into each other as I will likely blow my stack at him for overlooking Kaino! Although, I'm happy for them to start giving Squire game time (he was one of my correct AB predictions ... that came right :)) but maybe have one on the bench.
That's an on paper weaker looking team than usual ... but I think it's jut a case of a changing of the guard?
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@Nepia said in Bledisloe I:
That's an on paper weaker looking team than usual ... but I think it's jut a case of a changing of the guard?
I think they are looking at the EOYT as well. Last year they fell over in the final games - the coaching team are being proactive to avoid that this year.
Still, against the Wobs in Sydney. They played well against us at EP last year, good physical play. A try got hauled back for taking out Savea, which was marginal (but stupid from the Aussies). Will be interesting to see how it goes. I think it will be a good close game
