All Blacks vs Wales
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<p>Extremely happy with the squad.</p>
<p>Congrats to all the newbies, stoked for all of you.</p>
<p>The mongrel is back in the pack! Some may see Squire as left field, but I can see why he appeals. Feel the ABs always go better with a dog in the mix...</p>
<p>Moala is to be cover for Ngatai? At least some comfort there.</p>
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<p>Wow. The conversation round the MacKenzie dinner table will be an interesting one tonight.</p>
<p>Great for Dixon and well done to T Franklin, have been impressed with his outings.</p>
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<p>Not so sure on Ofa T. But Shag and co must have intel on him that we are not privy to.</p>
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<p>Like always. you have to feel for guys that missed the cut - Luatua must have been close, and Matt Todd looks destined to be the Marty Holah of the noughties..Hika also not in favour.</p>
<p>Reggie Goodes surely can't be far off, Feel certain that the time will come for Lowe, Faddes, ALB, Fatialofa and Seu. They will have their day.</p>
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<p>Looks like there is an emphasis on several things as I see it; 1. Reward for hard work 2. Building combinations, note that partnerships from super franchises have been selected. 3. Variation of role. read into that the lock/loose forward mix and Ofa t. 4. And as some may say most crucial of all - POTENTIAL. A succession plan, what players can offer, being able to mould players and application to the task all very important as I see it.</p> -
With the midfield bear in mind Crotty and Fekitoa have played test footy together and in the Republic. <br><br>
I would not be surprised to see 12. Fekitoa 13. Crotty -
Pleased that squad, although a few differences to my own. <br><br>
Age counted against a return for Cory Jane I suspect, a slight shame because given how much Wales kick it up in the air, his skill under the high ball would have been useful. Ofa T got ahead of Reegie Goodes because he can play on both sides. The backrow selection was always going to be enormously competitive given the talent available. Todd and Luatua are unlucky to miss out, but Ardie Savea, Dixon and Squire have all earned their selection through hard work and playing consistently well. Stoked to see Izzy Dagg back, he's been playing some of the best Rugby of his career.<br><br>
I guess Hansen and co. have roughly the same 23 or top 25 as us all, beyond that they have gone for potential and for people they think they can make much better players. And given their track record you would back them to do so. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MiketheSnow" data-cid="583776" data-time="1464515463"><p>Episode 1 of the Wales Summer Tour starts this afternoon at HQ.<br><br>
Gatland has picked an experienced and established 23.<br><br>
Notable absentees are Charteris, Warburton & J Davies.<br><br>
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.<br><br>
Wales by 13-18</p></blockquote>
Personally Mike I think Gatland going for his tried & trusted could work against him. England have a lot of players seemingly keen to prove a point - former 1st choice locks Launchbury & Lawes for instance. Their new Kiwi flanker Harrison as well as Harlequins tyro Clifford too.<br>
Then in the backs people like Luther Burrell who most Wales supporters were amazed was dropped for the RWC as he always plays well against us.<br>
It's always a worry for me when a hungry side with a point to prove plays a side with no worries of keeping their places. This is partly due to Wales' perceived lack of depth but also Gatlands reluctance to blood new players. -
Not seeing anything from Wales that has me concerned. In fact it's a worry for them that their A side is losing to an England B side. Ford is making Beauden Barrett look like a reliable goal kicker. England did get one dodgy try though, definite knock on for mine.
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Pretty much what I thought unfortunately would happen. <br>
Wales atrocious in the 2nd half, not helped by the poor decision by the officials for the Jack Clifford try but Wales were pretty clueless to be honest.<br>
We're going to be stuffed by you guys. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="ACT Crusader" data-cid="583627" data-time="1464475139">
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<p>Franklin has been superb. I like his game and I think SouthernMan posted a while back that he could be thereabouts.<br><br>
Good to see TKB in there. I'm not a fan of Weber's erratic style and <span style="color:#ff0000;">TJP has gone backwards this season.</span><br><br>
I also think Luatua has improved, but I'm not surprised that he isn't in there. He is a fringe player and when you're in that category IMO you really have to stand out especially when others are playing well.</p>
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<p>Except when he has outplayed Smith. Twice this year</p> -
Im sort of glad England are playing Australia though , not that i want the easy games,<br><br>just think with the eddie factor stirring them up , and with what happened at the WC , this series has some spice , going to enjoy watching it as a neutral
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="kiwiinmelb" data-cid="583816" data-time="1464549686">
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<p>Im sort of glad England are playing Australia though , not that i want the easy games,<br><br>
just think with the eddie factor stirring them up , and with what happened at the WC , this series has some spice , going to enjoy watching it as a neutral</p>
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<p>These series where both sides are convinced they have a magician at the helm who is turning things around are pretty rare. As a neutral I can't wait for this series because there are only three possible outcomes.</p>
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<p>1) The bloom comes off Jones.</p>
<p>2) The bloom comes off Cheika.</p>
<p>3) We have a phenomenal series with excellent rugby by both sides.</p>
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<p>This is kind of a warped version of the 2004 England vs NZ series, where England are 2004 NZ thinking that their previous futility is in the process of being solved by the new guard and Australia are 2003 England whose media and supporters rate themselves as the best team in the world (accounting for NZ's recent retirements - and if you doubt this wait until the Bledisloe hype regardless of the result of this series) with the greatest rugby mind coaching from the box. Not quite the stakes as Australia aren't world champs, England aren't the ABs in terms of lure but still...</p>
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<p>There is a lot on the line, the result will have fall out and I can't wait.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="rotated" data-cid="583819" data-time="1464550340">
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<p>These series where both sides are convinced they have a magician at the helm who is turning things around are pretty rare. As a neutral I can't wait for this series because there are only three possible outcomes.</p>
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<p>1) The bloom comes off Jones.</p>
<p>2) The bloom comes off Cheika.</p>
<p>3) We have a phenomenal series with excellent rugby by both sides.</p>
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<p>This is kind of a warped version of the 2004 England vs NZ series, where England are 2004 NZ thinking that their previous futility is in the process of being solved by the new guard and Australia are 2003 England whose media and supporters rate themselves as the best team in the world (accounting for NZ's recent retirements - and if you doubt this wait until the Bledisloe hype regardless of the result of this series) with the greatest rugby mind coaching from the box. Not quite the stakes as Australia aren't world champs, England aren't the ABs in terms of lure but still...</p>
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<p>There is a lot on the line, the result will have fall out and I can't wait.</p>
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<p>Yeah, I agree totally. This has spicy series written all over it. Bust-ups between our dear friends from the Waratahs franchise and the likes of Hartley and Haskell. Two coaches who love the sound of their own voices. 2 sets of fawning media. Etc.</p>
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<p>Wales were fairly rubbish today. I hate jinxing things, but NZ could rack up a cricket score in one of the games.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MN5" data-cid="583822" data-time="1464550917">
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<p>Crockett and Woodcock are brothers ?</p>
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<p>Recent sets of brothers players for the ABs? Na, there have been none that I can think of. However, I have always been a fan of white locks and one of my favourite dinner time condiments is Whitlock's chutney sauce.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Billy Tell" data-cid="583821" data-time="1464550664">
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<p>Yeah, I agree totally. This has spicy series written all over it. Bust-ups between our dear friends from the Waratahs franchise and the likes of Hartley and Haskell. Two coaches who love the sound of their own voices. 2 sets of fawning media. Etc.</p>
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<p>Wales were fairly rubbish today. I hate jinxing things, but <strong>NZ could rack up a cricket score in one of the games</strong>.</p>
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<p>Shag also pointed out that the ABs normally get only a week together transitioning from Super rugby to a June series, but this year have two weeks together (yesterday plus the next four days this week, plus the first test week). They have openly admitted to over-complicating things in that first week, and that was when you had the veterans running the team.</p>
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<p>I'm not saying we will gel automatically in this series because of an extra week together at the front end, but if we do it will get ugly for Wales.</p>
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<p>You have to think the extra week will be gold for those units whose personnel from last year has been cleaned out - at midfield and at loose forward, and also the locks with Sam Whitelock out of contention for the first test.</p>
