Bledisloe I
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All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has said the decision to not play Israel Dagg in the first Bledisloe Cup Test against Australia was precautionary more than anything. Dagg just finished up a long and gruelling Super Rugby season with the Crusaders and Hansen believes the 29-year-old would benefit an extra week on the sidelines - shutting down any talks of the outside back being injured. "After coming back from the Lions he was pretty fatigued," Hansen told reporters on Thursday. "His knee is a little jammed up so we felt an extra week for him would be good - so we didn't consider him for selection. "He is not injured he could have played if we really wanted him too. "But it is a long term race as well as a short term one so we have to consider that so we feel another week for Dagg would be good for his body and mentally to freshen him up."The other notable change in the All Blacks squad for Saturday night's clash is blindside flanker Liam Squire starting ahead of Jerome Kaino. The two-time World Cup winner has been omitted from the match day 23, and Hansen said, like Dagg the coaching staff is thinking long term. "Jerome is not getting younger and we have to look after him for a long season too. "We get the backend of this year. In our last nine weeks, we go around the world twice, play seven Test matches and have 10 time-zone changes. "You need most of your squad feeling or many as you can get feeling somewhat fresh so we have to manage them." -
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@ACT-Crusader said in Bledisloe I:
@Unite said in Bledisloe I:
Surely Smith will be stood down now? What a cluster.
Why? It all hit the press well before the team was named.
I just expected they (NZR) will want to investigate again and would have stood him down while they did so, seems they are doing half of that.
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@KiwiMurph said in Bledisloe I:
Saw this today
"A record low crowd in the 50-55,000 range is forecast for ANZ Stadium for Saturday's Bledisloe Cup.
The previous low at the Olympic venue for a Bledisloe is 65,328, and the average Bledisloe crowd there since 2001 is 76,219"
Yep, I'm pretty pissed off at the moment. Got tickets a few months back which are now selling for half price on Ticketek.
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hae@Stargazer said in Bledisloe I:
Looking at that Aussie squad, particularly the backline, it would be stupid to underestimate them.
Yeah, I don't think they're that bad. It's not like they went Philips, Foley, Cooper, Folau.
Im always nervous against Aus and I doubt that will ever change.
If the ab backline can actually stay on the field for more than half an hour they should do the business. Plenty of players with a point to prove. I hope they mix it up with Dmac at first receiver. Take some heat off BB and keep them guessing.
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@Nepia said in Bledisloe I:
Yep, I'm pretty pissed off at the moment. Got tickets a few months back which are now selling for half price on Ticketek.
Just checked and its still $91 for the cheapest adult seat, I'm tempted but with this crazy arse wind at the moment I would struggle to convince the missus.
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Just in case anyone was wondering what the weather is like at the moment. Fucken windy. I doubt they will see much rain if any prior to the game and it should be a very hard track as we have had no rain recently. Its also going to be cold with strong winds which could make kicking difficult.
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@chimoaus said in Bledisloe I:
@Nepia said in Bledisloe I:
Yep, I'm pretty pissed off at the moment. Got tickets a few months back which are now selling for half price on Ticketek.
Just checked and its still $91 for the cheapest adult seat, I'm tempted but with this crazy arse wind at the moment I would struggle to convince the missus.
I'm showing $46 to sit in the shit seats.
Correction: It's ANZ Stadium, so that should read shittest seats.
Platinum seats are $203, but they're still miles from the field.
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@antipodean said in Bledisloe I:
I'm showing $46 to sit in the shit seats.
Correction: It's ANZ Stadium, so that should read shittest seats.
Platinum seats are $203, but they're still miles from the field.
Isn't $46 for the kids? double for adult?
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@chimoaus No. Those are adult prices.
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@antipodean said in Bledisloe I:
@chimoaus No. Those are adult prices.
Ok, still probably too expensive considering the experience you would get up there
Plus I need to justify my Foxtel somehow.
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