All Blacks vs Fiji

nostrildamus

Gotta say Aumua has looked good so far, and I think lineouts were better when he arrived? But I might have got that wrong..

Don't think he's lost a lineout so far. Hope he starts this week.

He did in test one. When he went to throw and stopped

yes sorry I was really thinking about test 2, should have qualified.

Daffy Jaffy

Tamaiti Williams (7)
Asafo Aumua (8)
Fletcher Newell (15)
Scott Barrett (71) (Captain)
Tupou Vaa’i (27)
Luke Jacobson (20)
Ethan Blackadder (10)
Ardie Savea (83) (Vice Captain)
Cortez Ratima (1)
Damian McKenzie (49)
Caleb Clarke (20)
Anton Lienert-Brown (72)
Billy Proctor (0)*
Sevu Reece (25)
Beauden Barrett (125)
George Bell (0)*
Ethan De Groot (24)
Pasilio Tosi (0)*
Sam Darry (0)*
Wallace Sititi (0)*
Noah Hotham (0)*
Jordie Barrett (59) (Vice Captain)
Emoni Narawa (1)

Canes4life

All Blacks team named for Fiji.

Would have rather seen Jordie partner his mate in the centres but congratulations to Billy Proctor on finally making his debut.

Interesting they've gone with Reece on the wing, thought Narawa would have been given a start. Overall a very solid side.

chimoaus

6 Newbies, is that a recent record?

chimoaus

Or did we have that in that Japan test a few years back.

KiwiMurph

Will likely be messy but still happy to see the debutants

Canes4life

@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

Will likely be messy but still happy to see the debutants

It's definitely a more exciting 23 than the first 2 tests.

7 Crusaders
7 Chiefs
5 Canes
3 Blues
1 Highlander

Bovidae

Noah's parents are currently in the UK watching the eldest son in the Touch World Cup before heading to Paris for the sevens. I wonder if they will be making a quick trip to San Diego now.

Canes4life

I'm really liking that loose forward trio. Probably better balanced than the first two tests IMO. Sititi coming off the bench for impact will be awesome.

antipodean

@Canes4life said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

I'm really liking that loose forward trio. Probably better balanced than the first two tests IMO. Sititi coming off the bench for impact will be awesome.

By balance you mean three 7.5s ?

voodoo

I see we no longer have a bench, we have "Impact"

Sounds pretty good

nzzp

@Canes4life said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

I'm really liking that loose forward trio. Probably better balanced than the first two tests IMO. Sititi coming off the bench for impact will be awesome.

Ethan at 7 feels slow. Hope he goes well, but I'd swap him and Luke.

antipodean

My concern rests largely with the bench which is short of the experience required to steady the ship if this is in the balance with 20 to go.

Bovidae

@antipodean said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

@Canes4life said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

I'm really liking that loose forward trio. Probably better balanced than the first two tests IMO. Sititi coming off the bench for impact will be awesome.

By balance you mean three 7.5s ?

It will be interesting to see who goes where when Sititi comes on. Does Savea move to 7? Blackadder can't be a realistic option at 6 if he isn't starting there.

Machpants

This will be a mess with so many changes and debutants, should be too good for Fiji - who are struggling to get their team together - but messy open test. As long as not too error strewn it should be a fun one

Canes4life

@nzzp said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

@Canes4life said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

I'm really liking that loose forward trio. Probably better balanced than the first two tests IMO. Sititi coming off the bench for impact will be awesome.

Ethan at 7 feels slow. Hope he goes well, but I'd swap him and Luke.

Richie McCaw was slow, he was still effective. Considering Ethan's the GOAT, I think he'll do just fine.

foobaNZ

I like it. However I agree that Jordie and Proctor in the centres would have made more sense.

No Quarter

That explains who the 2nd 6 in the squad is then

mariner4life

@antipodean said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

@Canes4life said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

I'm really liking that loose forward trio. Probably better balanced than the first two tests IMO. Sititi coming off the bench for impact will be awesome.

By balance you mean three 7.5s ?

i am looking forward to caners hammering A Savea next year when he is a Blues player

ACT Crusader

@Canes4life said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

All Blacks team named for Fiji.

Would have rather seen Jordie partner his mate in the centres but congratulations to Billy Proctor on finally making his debut.

Interesting they've gone with Reece on the wing, thought Narawa would have been given a start. Overall a very solid side.

ALB and Proctor have been running in tandem in pretty much all the training sessions. Makes sense that they get a run together and have Jordie on the bench. I like it.

Excited to see the new players in black.

Fiji will be an unpredictable proposition. From what I’ve seen so far, their attack is pretty narrow and forward dominated. Will be a good test for some of our less experienced forwards.

The Silver Fern

All Blacks vs Fiji