All Blacks vs Wales

Winger

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Chris B." data-cid="586578" data-time="1465640725">
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We kicked too much - particularly over-egged the cross kicks to the wings.
 
Well done to Wales. One thing they'll have done is stopped Hansen thinking he can roll out quite a few newbies with a bit of cavalry on the bench.
 
Thought Kieran Read was great. My man of the match - might (should) have been the official one. Thought Crotty and later Barrett were the best of the backs. Aaron Smith and Cruden generally reasonable, though the cross kicking was overdone. Naholo a mix of very good and very bad - lacks a bit of vision - worth persisting with because he'll get better. Julian Savea's tackling was appalling. Ben made a few mistakes and seemed a bit anonymous once he moved to wing.
 
Forwards - Moody and Owen Franks were barely sighted. Retallick and Kaino were a bit anonymous by their standards. Diving into that ruck by Coles was a black mark - I saw a couple of Jaguares get red carded for similar. Didn't feature much with ball in hand. Cane was solid - not as visible as Ardie when he came on. Similarly Romano vs Tuipolotu (actually, Romano made a couple of good runs, but missed a crucial tackle). Tuipolotu with an important lineout steal and a couple of other nice touches. Crockett especially and Faumuina linked nicely to put Harris in.
 
I think they'll make very few changes. Whitelock will come in for Romano. Dagg might come in to shuffle Savea out of the 23. Crockett might start with Moody on the bench as a rotation.
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I though both starting props, Romano, Cane, J Savea and the mid field were a bit average
 
I would like to see a lot of changes next week. Maybe two new props, one lock, A Savea at 7, Sopoaga, Taranaki centre and someone to replace Savea. Maybe Barrett at FB

Winger

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Frank" data-cid="586628" data-time="1465643437">
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I think Naholo has far more upside than Julian Savea.
Perhaps the Wellington stadium will be Savea's saving grace.
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Naholo coudl be an AB great. But he needs work on his rough edges
 
For me the backs next week
 
Smith, Sopoaga. Ngatai if fit, Tamanivalu, Naholo, Smith, Barrett
 
Savea needs to sort his head out

nostrildamus

and I thought Coles didn't have the best game and was seagulling again.

mariner4life

Good game. Welsh had a crack and really put the shits up us. But, despite being under the pump, and missing a million tests from the retired champions, we closed it out comfortably again. 
Far from perfect, a few guys didn't have vintage games, but that was a serious hurdle overcome. I expect minimal changes for next week, it wouldn't make any sense.

Rancid Schnitzel

It was comfortable enough in the end but the defence in the first half was pitiful. North made Savea his bitch. His big fat pie eating bitch. Naholo did some stupid shit but he is a farking weapon. Enormous potential. 
Thought Crotty was good, but Fekitoa was meh. 
The bench is the farking bomb. They all made a big difference. 
Read was great. My MoM. 
They should win the next 2 tests comfortably.

pooler fan

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Frank" data-cid="586664" data-time="1465646874">George North possibly out of series. <a class="bbc_url" href="http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/george-north-set-miss-rest-11458865">http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/george-north-set-miss-rest-11458865</a></blockquote>
Bollocks. 
You guys got any spare wings for a couple of weeks ? 
Cheers

ACT Crusader

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="pooler fan" data-cid="586715" data-time="1465652683">Bollocks. 
You guys got any spare wings for a couple of weeks ? 
Cheers ;)</blockquote>
 
You can have Savea [emoji41] 
I'll get my coat 
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Catogrande

A great test match from a neutral POV. Naholo is a beast isn't he? But needs to do more to show he's a bit more than a flat track bully. Savea is not the force he was a couple of years back. Read all class.
 
For Wales I thought Faletau had a good game and Liam Williams looked dangerous. North good too but that's not news. He completely skinned Savea, embarrassingly so one time. Webb was busy all the time and mixed things up very well. I've been wracking my brains for some time now to thick who he reminds me of. Ms Cato No2 got it straight away. Scrappy-Do.
 
Where do Wales go from here though? They gave it a blood good lash today but I only see things getting worse from here on in. The body language in the latter stages of the game and after was downright defeatist. The third test could be ugly.

DMX

I generally am not in favor of Ben Smith playing wing but you have to wonder how much Beaudan Barret has to do to get a start in the back 3?

sparky

Things we've learnt: 
Wales aren't a bad side, 
Some of the newbies are still learning their trade, 
You do miss Richie McCaw and Conrad Smith, 
The All Blacks still have awesome impact from the bench 
Questioning the ability and performance of Sam Cane goes down like a bucket of sick with some Ferners.

Bones

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="sparky" data-cid="586800" data-time="1465669262">Things we've learnt: 
Wales aren't a bad side, 
Some of the newbies are still learning their trade, 
You do miss Richie McCaw and Conrad Smith, 
The All Blacks still have awesome impact from the bench 
Questioning the ability and performance of Sam Cane goes down like a bucket of sick with some Ferners.</blockquote>
Boo fucken hoo. Cry again. 
But anyway, Most missed for me behind McCaw was Nonu. Workhorse on defence and actually makes his tackles then lines up another one. Plus a lynchpin on attack. Smith was very good, but got overtaken by Nonu a couple of years ago.

sparky

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Bones" data-cid="586801" data-time="1465669651">
Boo fucken hoo. Cry again. 
But anyway, Most missed for me behind McCaw was Nonu. Workhorse on defence and actually makes his tackles then lines up another one. Plus a lynchpin on attack. Smith was very good, but got overtaken by Nonu a couple of years ago.</blockquote>I've been a big, big, big Nonu fan since 2003 or so. He's been one of my favourite All Blacks of all time, even before it was fashionable to think so. 
I thought Crotty had a decent game. Between Crotty, SBW, Ngatai and Jordie Barrett there is going to be lots of competition for the 12 jersey in the next few years, but I'm not so sure about the quality available at 13. Fekitoa was disappointing, but are there better alternatives? Moala perhaps?

kiwiinmelb

With the losses of the greats ,
 
I think working out what happens next in the forwards is far more straight forward than the backs , 
 
The backline could take some time , by the time the next world cup comes around , it may be very different from last night .

nostrildamus

in the forwards the props may change by next RWC (nb thought Charlie's scrummaging didn't look a weakness last night) and there will be strong competition in the loose forwards. 
at 12 SBW looks to have a much easier time of it to keep the spot- wonder if the much drier tracks/ more common roofed grass and faster- bigger loosies means the 10-like 12 is now definitely a thing of the past. 
and maybe Crotty is better at 13 even though he isn't the biggest or fastest?

kiwiinmelb

I think it was mentioned here quite a bit in the past , that a SBW 12 Crotty 13 , gives us the most similar look and feel to a Nonu Conrad partnership , if that is what we want to achieve , at this stage I think we need to see what Ngatai can offer at this level 
 
I understand the backline picked last night , with the losses , it was probably trying to get the balance between experience and continuing on from what worked at the WC

Unco

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="sparky" data-cid="586800" data-time="1465669262">
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Things we've learnt: 
Wales aren't a bad side, 
Some of the newbies are still learning their trade, 
You do miss Richie McCaw and Conrad Smith, 
The All Blacks still have awesome impact from the bench 
Questioning the ability and performance of Sam Cane goes down like a bucket of sick with some Ferners.
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You forgot:
sparky is a whiney baby.

nostrildamus

>sparky is a whiney baby 
unfair imo: sparky can have a different preference for #7 
I was just surprised there were no Todd fanbois for once! 
nb I'd also like to see if Moala or Ngatai would go ok in the midfield- Fekitoa has the attributes but not the assurance over how many tests now? 14?

Catogrande

Fuck me boys. You've just won a full on test match and won it well. Now you want to bite chunks of each other. Lucky you didn't lose otherwise the blood would be flowing.
 
You'e come of a long international off season, having lost a few of the absolute greats of the modern game, you'e beaten a good Welsh side. Well. 
 
Enjoy it and let provincial bias wait until tomorrow.
 
Then bring it on. :idiot2:

African Monkey

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Catogrande" data-cid="586819" data-time="1465675472">
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Fuck me boys. You've just won a full on test match and won it well. Now you want to bite chunks of each other. Lucky you didn't lose otherwise the blood would be flowing.
 
You'e come of a long international off season, having lost a few of the absolute greats of the modern game, you'e beaten a good Welsh side. Well. 
 
Enjoy it and let provincial bias wait until tomorrow.
 
Then bring it on. :idiot2:
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Lol it's NZ rugby supporters doing their thing.

nzzp

Righto, a post-match report.
 
A fantastic night for test rugby at Eden Park. Lovely weather, managed to get into a pub near the ground and sink a few pints, was still 15 degrees in the car on the way home. Thoroughly enjoyed it, even if the quality of the AB game didn't reach great heights.

Highlights
well, we won.
THe try in the first half where Ben Smith arrived to a high ball late, claimed it and then smoked it up the field, defenders were manipulated and we finished an 85 m move. Lovely, one of the better tries we've seen at the park in a while.
<crickets chirping>
 
Things to think about (in no particular order).
We missed Smith C defensively. Our defensive alignment was pants, and people didn't seem confidnet in where to stand or defend. Naholo came in off his wing big time to let Wales in for the first try.
 
Savea's defence was shocking. Missed two routine one-on-ones out wide, and didn't even slow down the Welsh. Abysmal. Looked, fat slow and uninterested. If Hanson wants a fat, slow, older bloke, I promise to be more engaged than he was Not surprised he got yanked 2 minutes in the second half, I'd have done the same. Offered little on attack, and hasn't been in good form for a couple of years. Needs to re-think whether he wants to play in NZ and for teh ABs.
 
Our tackling in general. I can't remember slipping off so many tackles so often. Just stone cold misses, hits where we slip down and let the player run, it was shocking. Which leads to the next point.
 
Defusing bombs has gone from a strength to a weakness. Playing two wings doesn't seem to work for us - we are far far better off with a wing/fullback on one wing. Right now, you'd take Naholo over Savea (unless he arcs up at training), and then Smith and Dagg I fear, with Barrett off the bench. I feel dirty just writing that, but it seems to be a sensible option.
 
Basically, we saw a lot of experience missing. Turns out if you rip out the spine of a team including Kev, Rich, Dan, Ma'a, Conrad and Woodcock you struggle with leadership and organisation a bit. Who farking knew? Wales have bet on experience coming down, but this is a short term patch.
 
Wales played bloody well. Aggressive, disruptive and into everything. Just didn't have the motor to hold on, but if they had been up by 10 with 10 to go, would it have mattered? Gatland clearly knows how to beat the ABs - push the line, take chances and run shedloads of turnover ball. Well done to them - they turned up and played a hard game that lasted really well. 
 
In saying that about Wales, our structure was shockingly poor. We didn't <cliche> earn the right to go wide, just spread too quickly and got swallowed up. Unsurprisingly, our turnaround came when we started playing forwards hitting the ball up and creating space elsewhere. 
 
Welsh tighties can be very very happyw ith their day out. I think they were into us so much it made our loosies look poor for most of the match. Not at all disappointed in the Read/Cane/Kaino trio, but they didn't have a visible night out there.
 
Ardie Savea. Fark, what a start to his career. I'm not a fluffer, but he looked physically dominant when he came on. Has work to do, but the 3 wise men will be all over him. Cane played well. but in a different way. See above for having to get stuck into the tight stuff.
 
 
 
 
ALl in all, we won a physical game, and well done to us. I have got this far without talking about the refereeing, but it was not up to international standard. As a team they missed a lot of stuff, and made interesting calls, none more so than the forward pass. We don't play well under Wayne for some reason - style just seems different - and neutrals usually write off our objections as whinging after 07. I'd be happy if we didn't play under him for another 10+ years, he just has these brain farts. 
 
Roll on the next two tests, and roll on the Rugby Championship. I've missed rugby!

The Silver Fern

All Blacks vs Wales