The Silver Fern

@Devon-Kiwi already been announced by Blues and Clermont!

Just reiterating what I've been told (again, grain of salt, but fun to see if they're right):

Holland, Love both playing. Perofeta at 10. Someone rogue at 6.

@SBW1 said in Exodus:

@Mr-Fish Any chance of another stint at Super Rugby in NZ?

Theoretically yes but he's already 31 and no doubt on good coin at Kobe so suspect he'll just stay in Japan as long as he can to fund that upcoming retirement.

@Nepia it's simply all the capped All Blacks who are still playing professionally outside of NZ.

@SBW1 said in Exodus:

Has Ngani signed to play in Japan, thought he was considering coming back to New Zealand next year?

He's with Kobe for the upcoming season, at the very least.

@Canes4life said in Italy v All Blacks:

I'm going to take a stab at the AB 23 for Italy and see how close we can get:

1. E De Groot
2. C Taylor
3. P Tosi
4. S Barrett (C)
5. P Tuipolotu
6. W Sititi
7. S Cane
8. A Savea
9. C Roigard
10. D McKenzie
11. C Clarke
12. A Leinert-Brown
13. R Ioane
14. S Reece
15. W Jordan
16. A Aumua
17. O Tu'ungafasi
18. F Newell
19. J Lord / F Holland
20. P Lakai
21. T Perenara
22. D Havili
23. R Love / S Perofeta

I would say you've got maybe half the starting XV right, if you ignore what position you've put them in...

@Tim said in Exodus:

Howlett, Piutau, Luatua, Vito, Thorn, Retallick, Ioane, Evans, Nacewa, Fainga'anuku all good players

I know we're unhappy with Reece but I'm not sure a 46-year-old Howlett would've caught Bielle-Biarrey either.

Off the top of my head, only including past All Blacks...

PR - Laulala, Tu'inukuafe
HK - N/A
LK - Hemopo, Retallick
LF - Frizell, Ioane, Cane, Sowakula, Whitelock
HB - Smith, Perenara, Weber, Kerr-Barlow
FH - Mo'unga
CT - Laumape, Goodhue, Saili, Ngatai
OB - Bridge, Fainga'anuku

There's maybe five or six guys there that would definitely shore up the current squad but only a few who'd be in contention for starting - Smith, Mo'unga, Laumape, Fainga'anuku?

@brodean said in Italy v All Blacks:

@reprobate said in Italy v All Blacks:

@brodean The stat I find disturbing is the very high % of 0-3s rucks for Ireland.

The stats are for the All Blacks rucks under 3 seconds.

NZ had 61% possession against France so were always going to have more rucks under 3 seconds. Do you have the stats as a percentage of total rucks, or number of rucks over 3 seconds?

@brodean

How many rucks over 3s per match?

Should also caveat my info with the fact I've got no past experience with my source so take with a grain of salt...

@Jailbreak7 said in New Zealand v Italy:

Looks like they'll give TJ and Cane some time, farewell match and all that.

Also heard Cane starting, TJ not.

@Bones said in New Zealand v Italy:

@Mr-Fish please explain...

I'm guessing Scott Barrett potentially? But basically anyone bar Sititi is going to be a bit of a square peg in a round hole.

@Mr-Fish said in New Zealand v Italy:

Word is Stephen P at 10, Ruben Love and Fabian Holland both starting.

So not exactly the top team.

And some skulldugery at 6.

Word is Stephen P at 10, Ruben Love and Fabian Holland both starting.

So not exactly the top team.

@SBW1 said in New Zealand v Italy:

Holland and Kirifi are predicted to make their debuts.

@SBW1 said in New Zealand v Italy:

Predicted by a random South African YouTuber...?

I can potentially see Holland debuting off the bench but Kirifi is behind Lio-Willie in the pecking order. With Cane and Lakai both likely to start, it's difficult to imagine a situation where the All Blacks have another specialist 7 in the 23, especially when Savea is quite possibly going to feature as well.

Wallace Sititi would probably be up for POTY if he weren't in his first season.

Cortez Ratima probably should've been nominated for Breakthrough POTY too. Definitely a better shout than Jamie Osborne (who was good in July but has only played four games this year). SFM is lucky to make the list given he isn't playing in November (but he was probably the front runner after the Rugby Championship so I'm more forgiving on that front). Alfred Molina from Argentina, Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula from Fiji and Chandler Cunningham-South have also been there or thereabouts but tough when there's only room for four names.

@Catogrande said in Autumn Test 2024 : Wales v Australia:

@MiketheSnow said in Autumn Test 2024 : Wales v Australia:

@Dodge said in Autumn Test 2024 : Wales v Australia:

@MiketheSnow said in Autumn Test 2024 : Wales v Australia:

@Dodge said in Autumn Test 2024 : Wales v Australia:

can we talk about how the Welsh 6 looked knocked out and the ref initially gave a pen for not rolling away only to change to scrum when he realised how dazed he was and then the medics just said 'nah mate, he's fine' and he was allowed to stay on the field without an HIA?! Medics in this situation should be fired on the spot, if the ref says a player is dazed then the bare minimum that should happen is an HIA. The player should have literally no say in this.

Was it one of those mouthguard false positive things?

Botham certainly took a good whiplashing to the head but he was straight on the tackled player - illegally - and the penalty should have stood.

No, ref took one look at him when he blew the whistle and immediately changed his decision as he looked out of it. A 5 second conversation with the onfield medic is not good enough, had to be an HIA. If everyone was so convinced the ref was wrong then he should have re-awarded the pen. Sick of onfield medics trying to find ways around the HIA process

Fair enough. If that was the case then terrible player welfare.

Every hit to the head that results in a player getting a YC should result in an HIA IMHO

Agreed. "head on head contact. High level of danger" = yellow/red. If it warrants a card it warrants an HIA.

Every hit to the head could result in a concussion ≠ Every hit to the head does result in a concussion

Players can get hit in the head without getting concussed - but that's just luck. It doesn't mean the player who hit him shouldn't be punished.

@Dodge said in Autumn Test 2024 : Wales v Australia:

can we talk about how the Welsh 6 looked knocked out and the ref initially gave a pen for not rolling away only to change to scrum when he realised how dazed he was and then the medics just said 'nah mate, he's fine' and he was allowed to stay on the field without an HIA?! Medics in this situation should be fired on the spot, if the ref says a player is dazed then the bare minimum that should happen is an HIA. The player should have literally no say in this.

There are also plenty of times where players are pinned in a ruck and they still get penalised and the ref normally says 'You shouldn't have been there in the first place' so it's inconsistent whichever way you look at it.

But yes, that was farcical. Is the referee not allowed to send players from the field for an HIA?

@Bovidae said in New Zealand v Italy:

Robertson's comments suggest there won't be as many changes as people are expecting. There is no way the AB XV additions like Holland start ahead of some of the AB squad players who haven't played in the last 3 tests.

I don't think his comments do suggest that, to be honest.

He's said they'll select the 'best team for the game against Italy' - that's very different to the 'best team' for the game against Italy.

They also selected the 'best team for the game against Japan' - it's the same policy they've been using all year.

But I also agree that Holland won't be starting - Lord and one of the other locks will be. But Holland could get a look on the bench if the coaches decide that Barrett and Vaa'i need a rest.