Black Ferns v Wales QF - RWC

[RoninWC]

Team has been named to play Wales in the Quarter Final

Have gone with all of the 7's ladies in the starting team with Fluhler partnering Fitzpatrick in the Centres, Portia Woodman on one wing and Ruby Tui starting at Fullback.

Ayesha is on the other wing so we've gone with our strength with the most impressive back three for any of our teams in a while.

And yes, unfortunately but as predicted, Cocksedge starts.

[NTA]

Any of NZ's XVs would beat Wales. I think we're going to see another blowout TBH, short of any bad weather intervening.... and even then, well...

[taniwharugby]

@NTA is supposed to be some rain about.

[NTA]

@taniwharugby said in Black Ferns v Wales QF - RWC:

@NTA is supposed to be some rain about.

That isn't "bad weather" in NZ

[Bovidae]

Not the starting tight five I would have selected.

I'm not sure of the need to have both Tubic and Holmes on the bench. Goal kicking will become an issue next week.

Du Plessis very unlucky to not be in the 23.

[MiketheSnow]

Another stuffing

[Jailbreak7]

I'm surprised Fluhler got the nod over du Plessis. Leti iga was always going to start being Smith's preferred wing option although I thought Wickliffe was impressive last week. Would have had Ngan-woo starting, maybe they are trying to ease her workload some.

[Crucial]

Not exactly the top team as some have mentioned above.

Front row is best option as a combo and also means that replacement works with Connor and Taumata being FPC team mates also.
I would have thought that Ngan-woo would start with Roos on the bench
Loosies are interchangeable. I thought Simon might start with Hirini on bench but as Simon is a Co-Captain that may be a pointer to Demant only playing half a game and therefore why Tubic is on the bench.
Holmes and Tubic on bench doesn't make sense unless it is due to a plan as mentioned above because there is no midfield cover.

So, pretty much the A side but possibly a couple of management picks.

[Crucial]

@Jailbreak7 said in Black Ferns v Wales QF - RWC:

I'm surprised Fluhler got the nod over du Plessis

I'm not. DuPlessis is better at 12 IMO and Fitzpatrick is the form 12 and making very good decisions.
I expect dP on the bench once they sort out who gets the other spot out of Tubic and Holmes.
If you are going all in on the back three then Fluhler has the instinctive combos with Tui and Woodman.
In effect Fitzpatrick provides the link between the firepower and the go forward and is the decision maker more than Demant.

[canefan]

Errors from the BFs early. Solid at scrum time though

[Jailbreak7]

BFs need to settle. Stop flinging hail Mary passes wide. Patterns and structure please.

[Machpants]

Great try

[Machpants]

Wobbly conversion lol

[canefan]

Great passage of play on attack results in Firzpatrick with the big cut out pass to put Woodman in for a try in the corner

[Jailbreak7]

@Machpants long as it's good they can be wobbly!

[Bones]

The amount of Welsh players littered around the BFs side of the breakdown is ridiculous. The ref completely ignoring it is even more ridiculous.

[canefan]

Try time again. Nice play by Woodman to regather and feed Tui

[Bones]

Oh fuck off! Now we're done for side entry, with half the Welsh team offside.

[Machpants]

@Bones said in Black Ferns v Wales QF - RWC:

Oh fuck off! Now we're done for side entry, with half the Welsh team offside.

Yeah typical referring in this comp, let everything go until you randomly ping some one

[Machpants]

Nice