S
Taylor is our best player at the minute and with the disruption to the Locks I want Mr Reliable throwing into the lineout from our first one of the game.
Norris is still a bit behind De Groot but may have the higher ceiling.
Lomax if fit to go should either start or be on the bench.
Our experienced locks are broken so it's time to put faith in the depth chart there.
I'm a big fan of Dalton Papalii. He's a superb player but he seems to have done something to annoy the coaches.
Norris is worth persevering with IMHO and with experience he might offer more than De Groot.
Robertson has said all the squad originally named will play at some point so unless you're going to start McAlister, he will be on the bench. He's a better player than Bell IMHO.
I've read this morning that Lomax is in training so hopefully he starts or is on the bench.
With so many locks injured Ah Kuoi is next cab out of the bench. He might even be a starter if Patty T is injured with IWL the next cab off the rank, unless anyone has any better suggestions of uninjured NZ locks?
Papalii offers more than Kirifi IMHO but I think Kirifi will be given another chance.
Hotham and Big Jim have earned their opportunities.
Beauden Barrett has 136 international caps which is 76 more than the starting French XV last Saturday.
@Landers92 said in All Blacks v France III:
Here you go. Very early this week which is nice. Backline for week 3.
- Ratima
- Dmac
- Ioane
- Tupaea
- ALB
- Reece
- Love
Bench
21. Hotham
22. Tavatavanawai
23. B.Barrett
How about the following then?
@ACT-Crusader Finau's been disappointing in the first two Tests. If they select him, he'll need a good game to be retained in the squad for the RC.
In general, I'd favour as few changes in the forwards and picking as strong a pack as possible given injuries. Beating France (even without the players to choose to keep in Europe) in all three Tests will be a sweet achievement.
@sparky said in Super Rugby - The Future:
Somehow linking up with North American and Japanese competitions is the only way I can see Super Rugby surviving in the medium term. International interest in the competition since the South Africans left is virtually zero.
This remains true.
@Landers92 I like the look of that. Ratima will need a much better game than he had last weekend.
@akan004 said in WR U20 Championship 2025:
SA look awesome. It will take a monumental effort to beat them in the final.
Not the Big Bad Baby Boks!
@frugby said in All Blacks v France III:
but this is not a top rate French team.
It's the team France Rugby chose to send. It's the team that wears the French jersey. It's team that has the cockerel badge. It's the team for whom the Tricolore flies during the game. It's the team for whom La Marseillaise is played before the match.
It's two nil down currently and looking at the prospect of a humiliating 0-3 zip whitewash. Can it salvage any French pride before the long journey home?
@MajorRage Weird that he didn't use his leg to kick it away.