All Blacks vs Ireland

[Tim]

Riccitelli's solid throwing might be useful for these games ...

[Tim]

Every time England threatened in our half we gave away a quick penalty. England were content to kick goals, and didn't maintain try line pressure. Ireland won't be content to do that, and will regularly score if we give them that many opportunities.

[sparky]

1 De Groot
2 Aumua
3 Lomax
4 S Barrett
5 Tuipolutu
6 Finau
7 A. Savea
8 Sititi
9 Roigard
10 D Mac
11 C. Clarke
12. J. Barrett
13. B. Proctor
14 M. Telea
15. W. Jordan

16. G. Bell
17. T. Williams
18. P. Tosi
19. T. Vaii
20. P.Lakai
21. TJP
22. H. Plummer
23. R. Ioane

[Tim]

Can't see why you would play de Groot. He has been poor this year. Underwhelming scrumming, and low impact around the field. Tu'ungufasi was good when he came on and put in some hits.

Proctor's defense was exposed by Japan, the 14th ranked team.

[Billy Tell]

Who do people keep wanting to move Sititi to 8? He’s been absolutely brilliant at 6. Just leave him there.

[Kiwidom]

@Tim Not sure about that, De Groot gave the Poms a torrid time at scrum time earlier in the year
Anyway, I can't see them bringing De Groot back in for this match

[sparky]

@Billy-Tell said in All Blacks vs Ireland:

Who do people keep wanting to move Sititi to 8? He’s been absolutely brilliant at 6. Just leave him there.

8 is Sititi's preferred position. 8 will give him more opportunities with the ball in hand where he is excelling. The All Blacks coaches have said they see him as "an 8 who can cover 6."

Ardie Savea is not playing well at 8. (Cane is now too slow at 7.) Perhaps a return to 7 might start getting the best out of the World Player of Year again?

[BerniesCorner]

@sparky said in All Blacks vs Ireland:

@Billy-Tell said in All Blacks vs Ireland:

Who do people keep wanting to move Sititi to 8? He’s been absolutely brilliant at 6. Just leave him there.

8 is Sititi's preferred position. 8 will give him more opportunities with the ball in hand where he is excelling. The All Blacks coaches have said they see him as "an 8 who can cover 6."

Ardie Savea is not playing well at 8. (Cane is now too slow at 7.) Perhaps a return to 7 might start getting the best out of the World Player of Year again?

I agree with all this. Why don't they try people out for half a game. It's becoming annoying to be honest.

[Mr Fish]

Apart from off the scrum, I'd love to know what people here believe the difference is between a 6 and a 8, particularly in the way the All Blacks play. It doesn't feel like Sititi is getting any less ball than Savea at the moment?

[nostrildamus]

@Billy-Tell said in All Blacks vs Ireland:

Who do people keep wanting to move Sititi to 8? He’s been absolutely brilliant at 6. Just leave him there.

You haven't seen him play at 8?

[Tim]

Is there any word on Papalii rejoining the squad? Cane was completely anonymous. Tough ask coming off a hamstring injury to play Ireland.

[BerniesCorner]

@Tim The safest starting option maybe 6. Finau 7. Savea 8. Sititi

[Mr Fish]

Papali'i and Blackadder are both at least another week away.

And Proctor is out of the tour...

[Tim]

@Mr-Fish said in All Blacks vs Ireland:

Proctor is out of the tour...

Training injury?

[sparky]

@Tim said in All Blacks vs Ireland:

Is there any word on Papalii rejoining the squad? Cane was completely anonymous. Tough ask coming off a hamstring injury to play Ireland.

I'd heard that Blackadder and Papalii were going to be ready by France at the earliest.

[taniwharugby]

@Tim

[African Monkey]

Will Brodie McAlister get in ahead of Bell on the bench? Not a fan of either yet, but maybe McAlister is a bit more 'seasoned' for a test of this size if you were to choose between the 2?

[MiketheSnow]

All the best to Proctor but can’t help but feel he’s not done himself any favours

[stodders]

@MiketheSnow by returning for the birth of his child? Jeez Mike. You’re a hard marker!

[sparky]

@taniwharugby An apostrophe is in the wrong place in the last sentence of that press release. Standards are slipping.