Bledisloe II - Have a stab at the teams.

pukunui

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MN5" data-cid="608401" data-time="1471940603">
Could be wrong, I'm sure he talked him up when everyone else was putting him down..... 
Aw I gotcha, no one is putting Moala down......yet......but when they do I'll be ready to get all internet tough guy and stand up for him.</blockquote>
 
Not sure if im missing something here but DavidAV's quest in life was to tell everyone how shit Toeava was and how he never should have been picked for the ABs regardless of how well Toeava actually played. Got a bit silly the years where Toeava was close to the best player in super rugby (2007?) 
Unfortunately that form never translated to his AB career so im sure DavidAV feels justified even though he was full of shit.

gollum

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="pukunui" data-cid="608456" data-time="1471963106">
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Not sure if im missing something here but DavidAV's quest in life was to tell everyone how shit Toeava was and how he never should have been picked for the ABs regardless of how well Toeava actually played. Got a bit silly the years where Toeava was close to the best player in super rugby (2007?) 
Unfortunately that form never translated to his AB career so im sure DavidAV feels justified even though he was full of shit.
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Weirdly 2010 EOYT they shifted him to wing & he looked outstanding, him & Hosea Gear destroyed.. someone... then just when it looked like he had made it they dropped him for the once in 10 years fit Kahui & he took his broken hip off to Japan

rotated

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="gollum" data-cid="608457" data-time="1471970451">
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Weirdly 2010 EOYT they shifted him to wing & he looked outstanding, him & Hosea Gear destroyed.. someone... then just when it looked like he had made it they dropped him for the once in 10 years fit Kahui & he took his broken hip off to Japan
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Absolutely superb performance. Toeava was probably MoTM coming off the bench early in the game where we held SA scoreless at home in 2008. Toeava was class from pretty much 2008 onwards. I think some remember his early struggles in 2006, barely remember the abridged 2007 season and the tests after that a majority of which were away.

pakman

Ice only 30 -- younger than SBW. Could he be answer to our midfield conundrum?

rotated

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="pakman" data-cid="608459" data-time="1471974533">
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Ice only 30 -- younger than SBW. Could he be answer to our midfield conundrum?
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From the backline last weekend Fekitoa is the only one currently younger than Toeava was when he left. He left way young. Should have been on the bench for the 2011 RWC ahead of SBW, not only did he provide more diverse cover but he was a flat out better player.

pakman

Bloody grey jersey:<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://retrorwc.com/stories/iced-the-curious-case-of-isaia-toeava-and-the-bloody-grey-jersey/'>http://retrorwc.com/stories/iced-the-curious-case-of-isaia-toeava-and-the-bloody-grey-jersey/</a>. He seemed to me to do very well outside Mauger.

DMX

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="gollum" data-cid="608457" data-time="1471970451">Weirdly 2010 EOYT they shifted him to wing & he looked outstanding, him & Hosea Gear destroyed.. someone... then just when it looked like he had made it they dropped him for the once in 10 years fit Kahui & he took his broken hip off to Japan</blockquote>
 
I was with Davidav on this one. Up to 2010 I still thought he could be one of the great ones, reminded me a little of Gerber, Inga and Hastings rolled into one. Honestly felt that Cartel rightfully lost confidence in him 2011, He had an open door to the back three and they just could not count on him. Error rate was just too high and confidence seemed to be lacking.

rotated

Onto the game at hand and it looks like Quade is back - but it isn't necessarily for the pedestrian Foley. No.
 
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote">â€œQuadeâ€™s someone who I would consider in the team at 10 or 12 or at fullback, depending on what our situation requires,â€ Cheika said.</blockquote>
 
They will be lining up in his channel if they play him at 12. Cheika is a mad man - I don't care how empty the barrel is there is no reason to go back to this guy on or off the field.
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.news.com.au/sport/rugby/bledisloe-cup-quade-cooper-to-get-chance-to-reignite-wallabies-career-in-second-test/news-story/4b9be776039a07e6623bc795754711c1'>http://www.news.com.au/sport/rugby/bledisloe-cup-quade-cooper-to-get-chance-to-reignite-wallabies-career-in-second-test/news-story/4b9be776039a07e6623bc795754711c1</a>

kiwiinmelb

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="gollum" data-cid="608457" data-time="1471970451">
<div>
Weirdly 2010 EOYT they shifted him to wing & he looked outstanding, him & Hosea Gear destroyed.. someone... then just when it looked like he had made it they dropped him for the once in 10 years fit Kahui & he took his broken hip off to Japan
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</blockquote>
 
Lucky for the selectors the classy Kahui got them out of trouble a bit, selected more as a midfielder , 
 
Guilford was the big mistake selected ahead of Sivi IMO ,
 
I thought Toeavas selection was ok , he played a bit of fullback in the pool games when Mils and Dagg were injured

rotated

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="kiwiinmelb" data-cid="608464" data-time="1471978181">
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Guilford was the big mistake selected ahead of Sivi IMO ,
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It was ahead of Gear more wasn't it, Gear replaced Mils in the squad after he went down. Sivi felt on the outs in the lead up and they just needed him to fill out the numbers with injuries and resting guys with big workloads.

sparky

Rumour has it that Quade Cooper might be in the Australia starting line up on Saturday....

kiwiinmelb

Probably, memory is fading a bit, but I remember Guilford being selected , having a shocker in the last bledisloe , stories of an alcohol incident, and was barely used at all during the WC. Toeava at least showed his utility value in a squad , even if not good enough for the 23.

DMX

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="kiwiinmelb" data-cid="608471" data-time="1471981771">Probably, memory is fading a bit,but I remember Guilford being selected , having a shocker in the last bledisloe , stories of an alcohol incident, and was barely used at all during the WC.Toeava at least showed his utility value in a squad , even if not good enough for the 23.</blockquote>
 
That was the thing , Toeva went from being first choice wing in starting XV to 3rd choice fullback, perhaps 4th or 5th choice wing in a matter of weeks. Simply unreliable in the big moments despite better physical gifts than everyone else.

kiwiinmelb

I thought initially the first choice wings were Guildford on the left , Jane on the right , 
Tieava was a utility , that could play FB , wing , midfield , played tests in all those positions , 
Played pool games at wing and FB , could've played midfield too if injuries hit us there . 
In the end became a jack of all trades , master of none it could be said I guess .

Stargazer

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="kiwiinmelb" data-cid="608471" data-time="1471981771">
<div>
Probably, memory is fading a bit, 
but I remember Guilford being selected , having a shocker in the last bledisloe , stories of an alcohol incident, and was barely used at all during the WC. 
Toeava at least showed his utility value in a squad , even if not good enough for the 23.
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</blockquote>
 
After the Canada game in which he scored 4 tries, he pulled his hammy at training. That was the main reason why he didn't play more games.

mariner4life

It was a reason, i doubt it was the main reason.

Stargazer

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="mariner4life" data-cid="608531" data-time="1471994306">
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It was a reason, i doubt it was the main reason. 
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A hamstring injury usually takes a few weeks to heal, so I doubt it was NOT the main reason. If someone is injured, you don't need another reason. Whether he would have been selected for one or more games if he hadn't been injured, is just guessing based on personal preferences. We'll never know.

mariner4life

okay mate, what ever helps you sleep at night.

Bovidae

Kahui started the Tongan game on the wing and was then picked in every major RWC game apart from the QF vs Argentina (injured). He and Jane were considered the first-choice wingers due to their low error-rate and safety under the high ball, in addition to their attacking ability.
 
Guildford was fuckin' lucky to be in the squad based on form and off-field issues. Sivi played really well in his last test.

Stargazer

Unsure why we're even discussing players who aren't, or will ever be again in the squad.
 
For Saturday, my guess is that they'll go for Tamanivalu and Fekitoa if they go for All Blacks experience. I doubt they'll move Smith to the midfield, so bascially they don't need McKenzie or Nanai. If they have the guts to go with a newbie, I hope they'll introduce ALB because he's been with the squad longer than Ioane, but Ioane is an exciting player so I wouldn't have a problem with him either. Now I think of it, I find it a far more exciting option than a Tamanivalu-Fekitoa combo, which somehow doesn't give me much confidence after the June series.

The Silver Fern

Bledisloe II - Have a stab at the teams.