RWC Week 1: France v All Blacks
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@Kiwiwomble said in RWC: France v All Blacks:
@Billy-Tell not a dig at you because i think youre right in at least thats what they think....but god im sick of "experience" being used, is experience at not being good enough really better than the chance we'll strike gold with a player that steps up and plays above themselves when wearing a black jersey?
Foster had his chance to give contenders experience. He just wasted too many games on players who weren't up to it
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'Weakest in history': France will 'trounce' All Blacks in opener says former French international
Former French international Olivier Magne has brutally labelled the 2023 All Blacks the weakest in history ahead of the Rugby World Cup opener in Paris on Friday night.
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@akan004 said in RWC: France v All Blacks:
Magne is 100% correct. I'm not sure if even one AB would make a World XV atm. Jordan might be the only one when he's on form.
A few players that used to walk into a world xv earlier in their careers. It has a whiff of 1991 about it
Having said that I think we can beat any team when we execute well and have a bit of luck.
What will be interesting is if we get a cheesy try or two early. The pressure goes massively onto the hosts.
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The World XV is a bit different these days
The talent around is very even, and very spread. If people were asked to give the XV you would get a heap of different answers.
I'm not switching our 13, 11, or 14 with anyone. Sam Whitelock is still a very very good player. Aaron Smith is still the best 9 if you want a guy who gets the rucks fast and gets the ball well away from the breakdown super fast.
That's a 3rd of our team who would be in the conversation -
@Duluth said in RWC: France v All Blacks:
@akan004 said in RWC: France v All Blacks:
Magne is 100% correct. I'm not sure if even one AB would make a World XV atm. Jordan might be the only one when he's on form.
A few players that used to walk into a world xv earlier in their careers. It has a whiff of 1991 about it
Having said that I think we can beat any team when we execute well and have a bit of luck.
What will be interesting is if we get a cheesy try or two early. The pressure goes massively onto the hosts.
I agree, we can beat anyone on our day, as long as we get a fair shake in terms of rub of the green and ref calls. If things stack against us early I'm not confident we can get ourselves out of jail the way the 2011 and 2015 teams did
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@akan004 said in RWC: France v All Blacks:
Magne is 100% correct. I'm not sure if even one AB would make a World XV atm. Jordan might be the only one when he's on form.
Whilst individuals are important, I think it's how those players fit together to form a team and the strategy and tactics that counts.
There have been plenty of games over the years where the team lacking the "stars" works better as a team and beats the all-stars. I guess that is what we hope this AB's side will do, work as a unit and beat the more fancied French.
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interesting reading some of the comments on the cesspit of social media....some Saffas saying they might look to tank a pool match to play us again and avoid France, in fact some comments we may as well hand them the trophy now, although some Irish are claiming it also.
Will be interesting, this AB side is superior to the one that lost to the Irish last year, and on thier day, could smoke anyone, but key will be getting the right day...
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I'm picking a good AB win - 7-10PTS. I'd feel much better about it if Jordie was fit but we have the players to win it considering who is missing from the French team, in particular Ntamack & Danty.
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@game_film said in RWC: France v All Blacks:
Ethan Blackadder will be on a plane before the quarter final.
Wellington v Ta$man in the final and you think they won't catch the ferry? Brave call.
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@chimoaus said in RWC: France v All Blacks:
@akan004 said in RWC: France v All Blacks:
Magne is 100% correct. I'm not sure if even one AB would make a World XV atm. Jordan might be the only one when he's on form.
Whilst individuals are important, I think it's how those players fit together to form a team and the strategy and tactics that counts.
There have been plenty of games over the years where the team lacking the "stars" works better as a team and beats the all-stars. I guess that is what we hope this AB's side will do, work as a unit and beat the more fancied French.
i am definitely an advocate of the "Champion team beats a team of champions" adage...my concern is we've ignored that over the last few years, generally picking "the best" person in each position regardless of how they will work together....anecdotally i guess with the idea we're trying to strike from anywhere on the pitch so we need moments of brilliance....the issue is now our top players are looking a bit rusty or are injured.....and now we're hoping they'll suddenly play like a well oiled cohesive machine....
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@chimoaus said in RWC: France v All Blacks:
@akan004 said in RWC: France v All Blacks:
Magne is 100% correct. I'm not sure if even one AB would make a World XV atm. Jordan might be the only one when he's on form.
Whilst individuals are important, I think it's how those players fit together to form a team and the strategy and tactics that counts.
There have been plenty of games over the years where the team lacking the "stars" works better as a team and beats the all-stars. I guess that is what we hope this AB's side will do, work as a unit and beat the more fancied French.
It's balance. I remember AB teams in the past whose attacking strategy was about as sophisticated as pass it to Jonah/Inga/Cullen. On the other hand the Cantablacks were an attempt at a champion team, with a number of better players being left out. And we all know how that turned out... At the end of the day you need a cohesive game plan to allow the best players the chance to shine
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This post is deleted!
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@mariner4life said in RWC: France v All Blacks:
The World XV is a bit different these days
The talent around is very even, and very spread. If people were asked to give the XV you would get a heap of different answers.
I'm not switching our 13, 11, or 14 with anyone. Sam Whitelock is still a very very good player. Aaron Smith is still the best 9 if you want a guy who gets the rucks fast and gets the ball well away from the breakdown super fast.
That's a 3rd of our team who would be in the conversation1 good forward and some good outside backs sounds a bit like early 2000s Hurricanes - except those outside backs were all best ever candidates, and they still finished 9th or so out of 12 teams...
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Man Still Haunted By 2007 Quarter-Final | The Whakataki Times
GREY DAY. As the Rugby World Cup draws near, Christchurch man Mark Simmons finds himself growing increasingly uneasy with the looming prospect of the All Blacks' opening pool game against the host nation, France. Despite being a devoted supporter of the All Blacks since birth, the 34-year-old...
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@chimoaus said in RWC: France v All Blacks:
Is the team named Wed or Thurs our time?
I understand early Thursday NZT
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@akan004 said in RWC: France v All Blacks:
Magne is 100% correct. I'm not sure if even one AB would make a World XV atm. Jordan might be the only one when he's on form.
Magne is full of shit.
1999 was way weaker.
But he played and beat them so can't make himself look like a flat track bully.
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@reprobate said in RWC: France v All Blacks:
@mariner4life said in RWC: France v All Blacks:
The World XV is a bit different these days
The talent around is very even, and very spread. If people were asked to give the XV you would get a heap of different answers.
I'm not switching our 13, 11, or 14 with anyone. Sam Whitelock is still a very very good player. Aaron Smith is still the best 9 if you want a guy who gets the rucks fast and gets the ball well away from the breakdown super fast.
That's a 3rd of our team who would be in the conversation1 good forward and some good outside backs sounds a bit like early 2000s Hurricanes - except those outside backs were all best ever candidates, and they still finished 9th or so out of 12 teams...
Except that's not what I said is it?
God when did we become such scared bitches? You would think that every opposition team is full of the best players in the world (despite the impossibility of that statement) with no weaknesses
The French are good but they aren't 2015 ABs good, and they have key injuries
The Irish are good, but they lack points and if you nullify sexton the rest will fold
We beat the Boks pretty handsomely already this year
