All Blacks v France Test 3
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I'll give this backrow conundrum a little more thought over the next day or two and let you know my thoughts earlyish Thursday.
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@chester-draws said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
@pukunui and my guess is 6 = L Whitelock, 7 = Todd and 8 = A Savea. Good 'ole Frizzzel on the bench, getting seven minutes.
that sounds awful. Worse than awful. holy shit is this what we are reduced to?
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@crucial said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
@pukunui said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
SBW to 6? Probably where he should have been all along.
And Ardie to 12?
Yep. Dmac to 9
Dagg to 10
Jordie to lock
Codie Taylor could probably go to wing too.
Tjp or Aaron Smith can be the ref. -
They could really do anything with the loose forwards, but I'm going to guess at:
- Ioane; 7. Cane; 8; Whitelock; 19. Frizell; 20. Savea
I think they will sell this that Frizell is covering lock and blindside (which Akira "can't" do). Savea is covering 7 and 8.
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@chris-b said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
They could really do anything with the loose forwards, but I'm going to guess at:
- Ioane; 7. Cane; 8; Whitelock; 19. Frizell; 20. Savea
I think they will sell this that Frizell is covering lock and blindside (which Akira "can't" do). Savea is covering 7 and 8.
Happy with that.
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I don't think Cane will play on Saturday. He was one of the players of which Hansen said they had made the mistake of "doubling up" players who had come back from injury. He said that while they had no other options for the props, they had for Cane. That's why I think Todd will play, hopefully starting, because I can't see Ardie as a starter.
If Squire can't play, and with Fafita etc already out with injury, I think Frizell will play; just not sure in which jersey (6 or 20).
Romano is back with the squad in Dunedin, btw.
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@stargazer didn't think Todd made the squad or was he called in, or is he one of the ones in the squad but not really but just being tricky?
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@taniwharugby Cane was still under an injury cloud when the ABs got into camp before the first test. That's when they brought in Todd as injury cover for Cane, and he's been there all the time.
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@stargazer Hansen's explanation didn't make a hell of a lot of sense to me.
Usually, in Super rugby, you see people return to the fray and play short minutes. then the next week they play a few more minutes, and they gradually get up to speed and play their normal allocation.
All sorts of things they could do - including featuring Romano or Hemepo.
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@tim said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
@antipodean said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
Phil Kearns is right.
Phil Kearns: His kid had it coming.
I must be evil. I laughed
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@chris-b said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
They could really do anything with the loose forwards, but I'm going to guess at:
- Ioane; 7. Cane; 8; Whitelock; 19. Frizell; 20. Savea
I think they will sell this that Frizell is covering lock and blindside (which Akira "can't" do). Savea is covering 7 and 8.
I really hope that is what they do but not holding my breath.
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Franklin has played at 6 for the Highlanders hasn't he? He'd be the ideal lock/blindside cover off the bench, and has found some form.
I think we'll see BFA move back to fullback and Naholo on the right wing. This is the test Mo'unga is always likely to start now that the series has been won. He'd be wanting his pack and halfback to play better this week though!
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I'm just bloody stunned by how thin we are two full seasons after a RWC. Losing half a dozen all timey greats was never goin to be easy to recover from but there was depth at the time at 10, in midfield and at loose head prop but now we're thin as fuck and even worse when it comes to combinations involving those positions plus in the loose forwards. We've had something like 30 tests since the last RWC yet where are the proven loose forwards after Reado (also aging) and a bit of depth at 7? Kaino was never gonna make another RWC cycle yet we don't have a clear successor at 6. Squire is close but didn't cover himself in glory last week. No quality 8 back up either. We're lucky at hooker that Taylor has really stepped up in Coles' absence of that'd be another problem position. Back up props are an issue also with Faumuina and Crockett gone. Massive stroke of luck that Karl T has come outta nowhere or we'd be in all sorts. And Ofa ain't a long term solution. At lock we have a stunning top trio when fit and two world class half-backs. No dramas in the outside backs aside from settling on a top combination. Midfield is messy. We've had plenty of unavailability for various reasons but at times SBW and Crotty have looked good together and also Crotty and ALB in 2016. But I don't think SBW is a certainty to make it to the RWC and that leaves us really scratching unless we bring another grunty AND rounded midfielder in (this isn't Laumape) and give him a dozen games so we have someone to compliment Crotty and ALB. At 10 we need now to give Mo'unga minutes and as many as possible. D Mac isnt the back up option there, but could be a third option as a utility come RWC time with another Super Rugby season under his belt.
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@bovidae said in All Blacks v France Test 3:
This is the test Mo'unga is always likely to start now that the series has been won. He'd be wanting his pack and halfback to play better this week though!
You could well be right. Shag could also see how well he combines with DMac at 9.
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I'm just thinking about the guys NZ rugby has let go since 2015 in positions where we are now struggling. Cruden, Sopoaga and Luatua stand out. Faumuina also. That little lot would all (bar maybe Sopoaga) be in the frame right now and easing the pain somewhat.
