All Blacks vs Wales
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Chris B." data-cid="583691" data-time="1464484447"><p>
I'm not really happy to be signing the Blues' cast-offs.</p></blockquote>
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I'm still hoping it's a media beat up. Haven't heard anything from anyone in the know yet -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="SammyC" data-cid="583688" data-time="1464483952">
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<p>He's fucking strong, I'm a member of the franks gym and a friend of his wife. See him there quite a bit<br><br>
Also if you watched the blues game, he was the first tight forward replaced, and it affected our scrum quite a bit</p>
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<p>So he's the next best thing to Brad Thorn then ?</p>
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<p>like others I'm not convinced. Looks rather solid around the middle too.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Chris B." data-cid="583691" data-time="1464484447">
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<p>I'm not really happy to be signing the Blues' cast-offs.</p>
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<p>It has worked out well for the Highlanders with Fekitoa and Naholo. Bryn Hall for the ABs in 2017?</p>
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<p>Personally, I would have gone with two props in place of Harris and Tu'ungafasi (Goodes and To'omaga-Allen), but if they think they can work with Tu'ungafasi to improve his scrummaging, then he should be pretty handy to have around.</p>
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<p>I was picking Squire to make the squad, as the selectors seem to really rate him, and he has had a pretty good season. He is strong, fast, a lineout option, has a good workrate and one of the best ball carriers in NZ Rugby, at the moment.</p>
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<p>I also figured they'd go for Seta Tamanivalu but he looks a little slow to me. I don't know how comfortable I'd be with him at centre, so I hope that he moves in to 2nd five at some point.</p> -
Really good team...I'm thrilled at the debutant loose forward trio. Seems like TJP was the only available RWC squad member who got the axe but as someone said, the panel went and named him anyway in a backdoor fashion.the nzru accountant must be fucked off when the panel cheats on the budget like that. <br><br>
Really interesting discussion on the locks. I had earlier described franklin as a journeyman but what the fuck do I know. Clearly d Mac and ofa are project players, maybe seta and squire too.<br><br>
I was also interested that one of the panel - fozzie maybe - said that Dixon was on the radar last year but was never going to get game time at RWC. Therefore messam was chosen to lead the dirty dirties and the opposed training effort as he was experienced and respected as a bit of a veteran and it was not fair on Dixon to pick him and ask him to do that. Great little insight. -
I like the squad a lot! Todd,luatua and moala are very unlucky not to make the squad. Tom Franklin I really like as I've already said so not suprised he been included as injury cover<br><br><br>
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<p>My thoughts on today's squad announcement.</p>
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<p>- Dixon and Ardie were shoe ins and were pretty obvious selections heading into today's announcement. </p>
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<p>- I still believe Taufua is more of an open-side than an international quality 6. Like Josh Kronfield said on the Breakdown this week he is more of a 6 1/2 type player who is probably a tad small to be a international blindside and is more suited to playing openside which probably counted against him. I do believe he will be an All Black, just not sure when at this stage.</p>
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<p>- Ofa can probably count his lucky stars that no other prop in N.Z can cover both sides of the scrum. He's definitely the worst player in the squad and it is highly unlikely he will see game time.</p>
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<p>- I love the selection of Damian McKenzie but he will probably only see game time in game three, more of a learning year for him.</p>
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<p>- Squire was a surprise, however is size, speed and versatility would suit the A.Bs style of game.</p>
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<p>I'm really looking forward to these first test matches against Wales. With players like Dixon, Coles, A Savea, A Smith, Nahalo and Barrett, this squad has the ability to take the speed of the test game to a whole new level. </p>
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<p>The 23 picks itself really and id say it will look something like this.</p>
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<p>1. Wyatt Crockett</p>
<p>2. Dane Coles</p>
<p>3. Owen Franks</p>
<p>4. Brodie Rettalick</p>
<p>5. Sam Whitelock</p>
<p>6. Jerome Kaino</p>
<p>7. Sam Cane</p>
<p>8. Keiran Read (c)</p>
<p>9. Aaron Smith</p>
<p>10. Aaron Cruden</p>
<p>11. Julian Savea</p>
<p>12. Ryan Crotty (Id prefer Ngatai but selectors seem to like Crotty and his experience will be valuable).</p>
<p>13. Malakai Fekitoa</p>
<p>14. Waisaki Nahalo</p>
<p>15. Ben Smith</p>
<p>Reserves:</p>
<p>16. Codie Taylor</p>
<p>17. Joe Moody</p>
<p>18. Charlie Faumauina</p>
<p>19. Patrick Tuipolotu</p>
<p>20. Ardie Savea</p>
<p>21. Tawera Kerr Barlow (TJ Perenara if TKB is not fit)</p>
<p>22. Beauden Barrett</p>
<p>23. Charlie Ngatai </p> -
Doubts with whitelock so if he not fit then Romano starts<br><br><br>
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<p>As I am not really a lineout guru what are Romano's stats like?? I know Whitelock is the lineout master for the All Blacks and Rettalick takes more of a backseat in that regard but if Whitelock is out who would take over Whitelock's mantle, Romano or Tuipolotu?? Because if Tuipolotu starts you would probably say Elliot Dixon would come onto the bench with his versatility.</p>
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<p>Pretty happy with the team with Squire, <span style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Tamanivalu and Ofa being the real surprises for me. </span></p>
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<p><span style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Midfield looks the biggest worry. Some real talented individuals but how they gel at test will be interesting. Would feel a lot better if SBW wasn't away with the 7's team.</span></p>
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<p><span>Was kinda hoping the J.Savea would be left out. He looks off the pace and the condition he started the Super rugby season is rubbish for a professional athlete. </span></p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="SammyC" data-cid="583688" data-time="1464483952">
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<p>He's fucking strong, I'm a member of the franks gym and a friend of his wife. See him there quite a bit<br><br>
Also if you watched the blues game, he was the first tight forward replaced, and it affected our scrum quite a bit</p>
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<p>Credit to the Blues but he lacked go forward as a power lock in that game. Having said that I think his competition PT needs to up his game. He burst on the scene breaking the line and carrying tacklers on his back and has not been that man recently.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="SammyC" data-cid="583616" data-time="1464474091">
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<p>Hansen said the most unlucky guy in the country is Matt Todd</p>
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<p>Yeah I heard that , the question was are Todd and Taufua unlucky ? </p>
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<p>He went at great lengths to say how unlucky Todd is , but just lightly touched on Taufua , which I found interesting. </p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="broughie" data-cid="583722" data-time="1464498251"><p>Credit to the Blues but he lacked go forward as a power lock in that game. Having said that I think his competition PT needs to up his game. He burst on the scene breaking the line and carrying tacklers on his back and has not been that man recently.</p></blockquote>
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Agree, both Romano and taufua lacked go forward in that game. Credit to the blues, they beat us up a bit in the tackle -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="kiwiinmelb" data-cid="583726" data-time="1464499136"><p>Yeah I heard that , the question was are Todd and Taufua unlucky ? <br>
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He went at great lengths to say how unlucky Todd is , but just lightly touched on Taufua , which I found interesting.<br></p></blockquote>
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Did they even mention taufua, I must have missed it if they did.<br><br>
After Friday night I'm thinking shields may be next in line at 6. -
<p>I thought last night showed why Taufua wouldn't make it as an international 6 or 8. Got wrapped up very easily with his explosive upright running style against much bigger men. It works a treat at super rugby level against average forward packs like the Reds, Force etc that have already been beaten up for the majority of games but not against the big boys. Tackling was shit too.</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Toddy" data-cid="583721" data-time="1464498210">
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<p><span style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Midfield looks the biggest worry. Some real talented individuals but how they gel at test will be interesting. Would feel a lot better if SBW wasn't away with the 7's team.</span></p>
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<p>With all the usual (condescending) caveats about it only being the NH, only the Pro 12, only Connacht, only Pat Lam as coach etc, but if Bundee Aki returned to NZ and played with the form he has this season, I think he would be right in the mix. In saying that he's more of a 12 than a 13, and I expect SBW to have a lock on the jersey if he's genuinely signed on until 2019.</p> -
<p>thing is, there are plenty of examples of players that head off-shore and flourish, there ar eprobably a number of reasons for it.</p>
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<p>I know you said if he continued his current form, but we also know the path from the NH back home is one that is well trodden, and even then, players get lost and dont find the form they have in the NH or before they left.</p>
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<p>Overall, pretty happy with the squad, a couple of suprises, but not huge ones</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="rotated" data-cid="583662" data-time="1464477595"><p>That's got to be a wee bit crushing for Cane. Hansen has been talking about Cane is the model for how they have brought guys through ready to be full time contributors without missing a beat. Now he's basically been told before camp begins that all that's happened with Richie going is he is going to play the first 40 minutes instead of the last 30 (assuming that is the Smith/SBW model).<br><br>
Cane has the motor and has earned the right to be playing Richie minutes.</p></blockquote>
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Does it mean that Cane will be subbed? It was often Nonu who stayed on.. <br><br>
It could be that Cane will be asked to do a Richie and move to 6.<br><br>
Overall, good squad. I'm surprised that Luatua isn't in it though - Squire over him was a surprise. Interesting to see if he sticks around or if it's a 'get a look at him' selection. Maybe Luatua is a known quantity?<br><br>
Bit of a kick in the ass for TJP! -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Billy Tell" data-cid="583740" data-time="1464502880"><p>With all the usual (condescending) caveats about it only being the NH, only the Pro 12, only Connacht, only Pat Lam as coach etc, but if Bundee Aki returned to NZ and played with the form he has this season, I think he would be right in the mix. In saying that he's more of a 12 than a 13, and I expect SBW to have a lock on the jersey if he's genuinely signed on until 2019.</p></blockquote>
Aki has been hugely impressive over here. Best 12 in Europe by a country mile IMHO. -
<p>Episode 1 of the Wales Summer Tour starts this afternoon at HQ.</p>
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<p>Gatland has picked an experienced and established 23.</p>
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<p>Notable absentees are Charteris, Warburton & J Davies.</p>
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<p>England by no means a pushover but if we don't dominate and win by scoring tries, then we can kiss any hope of avoiding an embarrassing whitewash south of the equator goodbye.</p>
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<p>Wales by 13-18</p>
I can see why though. Weber is too close in style to Smith. TKB has that point of difference.
