Springboks V All Blacks
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@hooroo I think they'll be looking to exact a bit of revenge and set the record straight, no way will they want to lose 2 to SA (especially only a year out from the RWC) so I expect a near full strength (of those available) team to face SA.
Interesting choices ahead with the front row, loosies, 12/13 and the back 3.
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@hooroo said in Springboks V All Blacks:
@nevorian said in Springboks V All Blacks:
One things for sure - it is no 'dead rubber' with the Freedom cup up for grabs and not wanting to lose twice to the boks this season.
While I never want to lose to South Africa, is this the time, now we have TRC put away, that we look towards next year's world cup and try maybe one or two minor changes in the cauldron that is SA rugby? (Mounga/DMac at first 5, Karl starting and Ardie on the blind?)
If I was going to play around with the team, I'd consider starting BB (10) and Dmac (15) with BFA (14) and RM coming of the bench - where they could either pull BB, Dmac, Rieko, or BFA for the last 25. I'd be intrested to see wheher BB and Dmac can get things going earlier in a test, or whether they need tired opposition. I suspect they won't, so:
Mr. T, Taylor, Franks, Barrett, Whitelock, Frizell, Cane, Read, Smith, Barrett, Ioane, SBW, Crotty, Wise/BFA, BFA/Barrett
Harris, Perry, Ofa, Pat T, Savea, TJP, Dmac, ALB
Btw, I'd pick:
Mr. T, Taylor, Franks, Barrett, Whitelock, Frizell, Cane, Read, Smith, Barrett, Ioane, SBW, Goodhue, BFA, Dmac
Coltman, Perry, Ofa, Pat T, Savea, TJP, Mo'unga, ALB
Edit: Forgot Harris in the will be selected team
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@chris-b you think that Goodhue and JB are just on tour just as squaddies to see if this AB life is for them?
If SBW hadn't fallen ill a couple of weeks back, I suspect Goodhue starts in the game yesterday, and similarly if Jordie hadn't been average...
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@taniwharugby I think they'll play what they think is their top team and I think that is Williams/Crotty - with ALB on the bench.
I don't necessarily agree - I rate Goodhue very highly and would like to see him getting as much AB game time as possible, but I can see why they are loyal to experience.
There's also a tendency for people to slip in the public's rankings when they're out of sight, but then they come back and you remember what they can do.
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@chris-b I think SBW held our attack back on Saturday, a couple of trademark offloads and obligatory YC, but other than that I think he had a quiet game. Compare and cotrast that with Goodhue and or ALB and both are busier and more dynamic/energetic but also provide directiom and incision\ to our attack. Also thought SBW had slowed up quite a bt - spotted a couple of gaps that a couple of years ago he would have put the afterburners on and sliced through easily, insyead I felt he was laboured and struggled for pace.
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@shadowtrooper Yeah - I've written before that I think he's lost a yard of pace since his injury in Rio.
On the other hand, there was a game earlier this year (presumably the France test?) where SBW was rolling in plaudits. And to be fair, he hasn't played for weeks, so it's not surprising if he's a bit off the pace.
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Based on Saturday's game, I'd tell Dmac to stay at home, rest up and spend a bit more time with his family, instead of making the extra travel miles. It's insane how much he has to travel in such a short time. To Argentina and back in less than a week, and then to SA. Triple jet lag. Mo'unga needs more game time anyway and showed last Saturday that he can be the impact player from the bench, too.
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This is a must-win for the ABs after losing to SA in Wellington. We do not want to be giving the Boks more confidence leading into the opening RWC pool game next year.
Hansen and co will pick the strongest team available, which in their eyes is a SBW-Crotty midfield and the back three that played vs Arg. JB might be an option at fullback if they expect SA to kick a lot in Pretoria.
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@kiwimurph said in Springboks V All Blacks:
They expected Boks to kick a lot in Wellington and that didn't happen. I'd say Naholo and Rieko could be rather dangerous on a fast dry track.
Agreed. You know I am in the BFA at fullback camp.
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@stargazer I agree with you. Mounga could do with the experience. I'd even start him, with his Crusaders colleagues Crotty at second-five and Goodhue at centre. Same back three as last week, with a Hurricanes backs bench of Perinara, B Barrett and J Barrett.
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@taniwharugby yeah I reckon it'll be what we typically see on the rebound from a loss - focus and attack everything that was a strength for the opposition in the previous game and systematically erode their confidence before blowing out in the last ten.
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@infidel said in Springboks V All Blacks:
Infidel will be very surprised if Goodhue doesn't start in the 13 jumper.
I'm glad that @infidel thinks that @infidel thinks that way.
Will be interesting to see what they do though, won't it?
While Crotty and SBW have been out the new combos have worked well and while SBW showed out reasonably in the test and showed that he looks to just need a little playing time, Crotty was underwhelming compared to his stand in.
I suspect they will go with SBW/Crotty again before casting the die and making a change that could get set in stone. -
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With regard to Codie, they will surely be looking toward the EOYT and what they know about Coles. Taylor is looking jaded (as he should).
Maybe they will ask Harris to step up with a really good game? We know his scrummaging is good and he is reasonable around the field. His throwing can be off but a tired Taylor is no better.
