Awesome afternoon of rugby (day rugby is so much more enjoyable!!), and so good to finally get along to a test again.

With a 7 year old, 2 year old and a wife 30 weeks pregnant we were not keen on the idea of public transport so we drove to the ground at around 1PM so we could park close(ish). By 1.30 all parks within cooee were gone so we were glad we got there nice and early. Had a picnic, let the boys play for a bit, then made a leisurely stroll down the road to the game.

Wife was decked out in her Wallabies gear, standing out in a sea of black, bless her. A tough afternoon for her lads thankfully, and the 7 year old let her know ALL about it haha.

Atmosphere was great, especially when the ABs clicked into gear after 15 or so minutes. That was an improved performance as you would expect, albeit in far better conditions which helped some of our players thrive.

Best moments of the afternoon was when they brought up Eroni Clarke on the big screen a couple of times. The second time was right after Clarke's epic run that set up Ardie's try and he got such a massive cheer he had to acknowledge the crowd. He looked proud as punch.

Some random thoughts on the game, bearing in mind I haven't seen it on TV:

• I thought 20 points flattered us; but for some more clinical finishing from Aus it could have been a damn sight closer.
• Aus picked up where they left off last week and dominated the first 15. It was only individual brilliance from Beauden and then Clarke that kicked us into gear. It does feel like we are still too reliant on that to get into a game, better defensive sides won't allow that to happen so easily.
• On Clarke, fark me what a performance from the 21 year old. He looks made for test footy. It's highly likely Bridge would have got the nod again if not injured, and without Clarke the ABs would have once again lacked the firepower needed to break open the test. The selections are going to be an ongoing concern with Foster at the helm.
• RM is electric in broken play, which is why I like him on the bench coming on against tired legs. In a tight test he doesn't lead the team around the park, and as we found out last week if the conditions are difficult he can be found wanting big time. That said, Beauden is not exactly well suited to the role either, but he has a damn sight more experience trying. Fact of the matter is we don't have a 10 that can really take control of a game when the opposition defense has come to play like we did with DC.
• Beauden was simply superb in the first half, which helped take some pressure off RM who grew into the game and had some fantastic touches to set us away.
• Frizzel is a very solid player but he doesn't seem to possess the power Akira does. I really hope they give Akira a good crack as he has the potential (only that right now) to be our next Kaino.
• Coles made a real difference and is back to his best (which is better than Taylor's ceiling). Great to see after his serious injury concerns a year or so back.
• ALB is a fantastic all round player and solidifies our midfield big time. He needs to be 12 with JG 13. I can only assume they have JG closer in to help defend the channel as RM is a bit of a liability there.

Overall a really enjoyable game in the sun with both teams willing to play attacking footy. Still a lot of question marks over this AB side, and I can see some very squeaky bum times ahead in Sydney and Brissie, but nice to keep the Eden Park fortress in tact with a comfortable win in the end.

My wife had an abnormal result on a smear test. Got the dreaded call from the doctor instead of a text.

A closer look shows she has a lesion on her cervix that has 'high grade cell changes', which are pre-cancerous. She will need part of her cervix removed to get rid of it, and then regular tests to confirm they are all gone.

While the whole thing has been stressful, we are both incredibly grateful that it was picked up before it developed further. Cancer really is a fucking bitch.

If any ladies read this (including the hot Polish chicks), get your smears, they are genuine life savers.

The fact that they’ve picked a team that so many on the Fern wanted makes me nervous. As a collective we have a strong proven record of not having a fucking clue what we are talking about.

I missed the game as my wife decided to go into labor - as a Wallabies supporter I guess from her perspective childbirth is less painful than watching them play the ABs so fair enough.

Have caught the highlights - geez we scored some great tries eh? Squire's was a thing of beauty, the angle he ran and the perfectly timed ball from BBBR. Orgasmic. Also loved how Moody lined up a couple of backs on their goalline and just smashed the fuck through them.

Great to see us put Beauden into some space as well, he's a very different player to Carter but fuck we can tear teams apart if we use him like we did last night.

We just bought our first house in Auckland, and got it well under CV as it needs some light renovations which we are more than happy to do. I'm not as old and grumpy as most of you but I am feeling extremely contented to finally put renting behind us. Scraping together enough $$ and then finding something big enough for our family (3 boys) in a reasonable suburb seemed like an impossible task for a long time there.

Well, it must have been an incredibly tough week for the players. All things considered that's a really good effort, never looked like losing. Proud of that effort.

Bridge played well on debut against Japan in 2018 in a BaaBaas style match that was incredibly open (Japan scored a bunch of tries as well). Since then the AB coaches just seemed to fall in love with him, despite never stepping up against any of the top teams. I have memories of him being put in space and doing less than nothing with it, when in a tight test it's crucial that your outsides can make the most of any chances to score. Just really frustrating to watch.

The "hate" for Bridge isn't against him as a person, it's frustration that he continues to be selected above players that offer FAR more on the wing than him. It's difficult to score tries when your wing brings zero attacking threat, exactly the same reason people despised having Jordie on the wing as well. Not particularly quick, no step to speak of, just really offers nothing in that position at the top level.

It was a shame Rieko was affected by injury when the 2019 WC came around, and we didn't have many other options there as the AB selectors just forged ahead with Bridge against all logic and reason. It was one of many black marks against their selections and tactics leading into and during that WC.

And then we had Clarke in absolutely irresistible form after the RWC, but Bridge continued to get selected ahead of him until injury forced the ABs to pick him, and we immediately saw the benefits of having a winger that offers threat with ball in hand out there again. It's just braindead selections and tactics from the AB coaches - most of our ire should be directed at them rather than players like Bridge or Jordie who they keep chucking on the wing when it's clear they don't belong there.

Lol

This is a really great discussion about the makeup of the backline, all of which is completely redundant if Ireland smack our forwards around again, but interesting nonetheless.

I agree with @Chris-B in that Jack likely has the inside running given his experience and being the incumbent before injury, which I'm OK with - I think he and Rieko could really work well.

I'll admit to being a bit over excited about RTS, I just really like what I'm seeing from him. We know he has both the natural talent and the big game temperament already, and I like that he isn't trying to do too much or overplay his hand while learning the position. He looks like he's just focusing on doing the basics well and the more comfortable he gets, the more we are going to see his natural attacking ability come to the fore. I think by the time the RWC comes around he'll have a pretty firm grip on that 12 jersey, and paired with Rieko that's gotta be one of the most exciting midfield combinations of all time.

@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2022:

@No-Quarter said in All Blacks 2022:

@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2022:

@nzzp said in All Blacks 2022:

@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2022:

@No-Quarter said in All Blacks 2022:

and the coaches would be idiots not to bring players like RTS who is already a proven world class athlete into the squad.

Genuine question here: How many games of top class Union has he played?

Professionally? 10 or so.

Schoolboy career as a rugby player though, so has a solid grounding. 12 is easier to read/play than 13. Still risky, but the question is whether the other attributes (stepping, defence) outweigh the experience risk. Either way, yo uhave to make a decision fast and he's in getting minutes, or out

I remember SBW being absolutely taken to pieces by Jamie Roberts on an EOYT where he was subbed at half-time for Nonu - and that was after 33+ games for Toulon. And we don't have anyone like Ma'a to fall back on.

Don't get me wrong, I really like what I've seen of RTS, just think the risks of putting him in the match-day XV against a world-class Ireland mid-field are way, way too much. Ideally, I'd like to see him in the larger squad and if that goes OK, on the bench for one of the later Tests so he can ease his way in.

My comment was around leaving him out of the squad, which would be crazy, he absolutely has to be there.

Pretty much agree so the coaches can have a good look at him - even if he doesn't get into the 23. A player def. worth investing time and effort in

Fact is we don't have a proven 12 right now. Thinking Tupea is that man is insane, he's as green as a green thing at test level and has only just started showing what he can do at Super level.

Not unlike RTS then?

when you compare RTS to the other options there's not much difference in terms of risk.

I disagree. You can argue that RTS's lack of experience at top level in the 15 man game makes QT look like a seasoned veteran.

Come on man, QT has 7 tests, most of which were against tier 2 teams, has he even started a test against a tier 1 team? I remember he was on the bench against SA? Hell he only has 28 games for the Chiefs. He's also only 23, do you really think throwing him in against a "world class" Irish midfield is a good idea at this stage of his career?

Point being we don't actually have a good option at 12 with ALB out now. I'd be leaning towards Goodhue starting with RTS on the bench at the moment, though I'd be more than happy with RTS starting too.

@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2022:

@nzzp said in All Blacks 2022:

@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2022:

@No-Quarter said in All Blacks 2022:

and the coaches would be idiots not to bring players like RTS who is already a proven world class athlete into the squad.

Genuine question here: How many games of top class Union has he played?

Professionally? 10 or so.

Schoolboy career as a rugby player though, so has a solid grounding. 12 is easier to read/play than 13. Still risky, but the question is whether the other attributes (stepping, defence) outweigh the experience risk. Either way, yo uhave to make a decision fast and he's in getting minutes, or out

I remember SBW being absolutely taken to pieces by Jamie Roberts on an EOYT where he was subbed at half-time for Nonu - and that was after 33+ games for Toulon. And we don't have anyone like Ma'a to fall back on.

Don't get me wrong, I really like what I've seen of RTS, just think the risks of putting him in the match-day XV against a world-class Ireland mid-field are way, way too much. Ideally, I'd like to see him in the larger squad and if that goes OK, on the bench for one of the later Tests so he can ease his way in.

My comment was around leaving him out of the squad, which would be crazy, he absolutely has to be there.

Fact is we don't have a proven 12 right now. Thinking Tupea is that man is insane, he's as green as a green thing at test level and has only just started showing what he can do at Super level. By far our most experienced option is Goodhue, but he's had a long injury break and hasn't gone that well at 12 in the past, so when you compare RTS to the other options there's not much difference in terms of risk.

I'd also add that the EOYT tours are no longer an opportunity for us to "blood new players" given the way we got smacked last time we were up there. The home tests, which we are far more likely to win, are the perfect opportunity, and the coaches would be idiots not to bring players like RTS who is already a proven world class athlete into the squad.

@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2022:

@No-Quarter said in All Blacks 2022:

Definitely liking the looks of Smith, Beauden, Clarke, RTS, Rieko, Jordan, Jordie at this stage

I think RTS needs a few more games at SR level under his belt first. Too much of a prospect to risk throwing him into the deep end just yet - an EOYT slot would be a good possibility though.

Think it's Clarke v Reece for the wing slot opposite Jordan. Nice choice for Foster to make.

We're going to have to take a punt on someone and he has the most talent of the lot.

Havili - just not up to it, was a stop gap at best, an absolute waste if time starting him there for further tests
Goodhue - classy player but coming back from a long injury and his best performances in black were at 13
Jordie - has loads of potential to be a world class 12, but not a big body of work there at Super level and above, and is established at 15 already
Tupea - young, still developing, has a way to go yet

Am I missing anyone? Who would you pick? With ALB out the home tests are a great opportunity to blood someone that has potential to succeed in the position.