All Blacks v Italy
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We need out best 23 available for Dublin.
I would still pick a B side - who should easily enough account for Italy.
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I think this game has taken on new importance and the EOYT plans have probably been thrown out with regard to blooding some new players.
I would like to think that at least one of BBBR or Whitelock come back and that Romano rejoins. If a bench spot is needed then they may reward SB.
Moody to get benched (or left out) and Crockett to start. Accountability call.
Otherwise restore the Kaino, Read, Cane combo.Not sure if they will flush the funny on Smith's performance and use this game to get him back into the groove. Likely from the bench. He has to be involved in the 23 or may as well go home.
I would start Cruden simply to provide a bit more voice to the patched up centre combo of ALB and Fekitoa.
Need to go back to Savea, Dagg and Bender as the back three.
Back reserves - if Smith starts then TKB, if TJP starts then Smith. BB and Ioane to make up the cover.
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So do we have BBBR, Whitelock or Romano back?
Moala and Crotty gone i assume.Will be interesting to see how they play this one. Im sure they had plans to rest certain players but the loss and injuries may have changed those plans.
Some thoughts:
- Moody can sit this one out if he isn't suspended anyway. Crocket to start.
- Coles to start, Taylor getting a good 40 mins.
- Maybe Charlie gets a start.
- If any of our too three are back i'd have them straight in. Barrett and Pat T otherwise.
- Kaino back to his spot or will they rest him for the next two?
- Cane to get some more gametime to get up to speed
- Are they resting Read? Does Dixon or Luatua get a start?
- Start Smith again. If he is sub par then TJP takes number 1 spotfor the remaining games.
- I would think either Cruden or Sopoaga will get a start here.
- Naholo. Can't have both him and Savea starting. So Naholo gets a chance.
- Fekitoa, not many options.
- ALB
- Will they give Ioane a run with Dagg at 15 to rest Ben?
- Dagg start to rest B Smith or willDmac get a start with Dagg at 14?
Bench.
Ofa/Franks
Taylor
Luatua/Dixon/Fifita or one of the locks if BBBR/SW return
Ardie
TKB
Sopoaga or Cruden
Ioane if he doesn't start (therefore BSmith or Dagg covering 15 from 14). Or whoever they bring in to replace moala/crotty.Team naming is going to be very interesting for once.
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I'd expect Moody will be banned, and pretty sure it was already mentioned that Read was going to be rested from this one? Whitelock was a 4-6 week injury wasn't he, so he won't be back?
Anyone know if this is being streamed on allblacks.com again?
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@Unite I would have thought a yellow card was enough for moody! Surely no ban aswell.
As for injury's I would now bring jordie Barrett into the squad properly as it's only a matter of time anyway and taminevalu and fekitoa are better at 13 so need cover at 12 for Anton Lienert brown -
You'd have to think in their planning that several players were specifically earmarked for this one - Luatua, Ioane, Dixon, Todd, Sopoaga, TKB.
I'm looking forward to it. When's the team named?
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I remember seeing Grant Fox on the naming of the team, and his suggestion was they start with this game and work backwards from it.
Shits got interesting, but I don't expect them to change the course too much.
I expect Read, Ben Smith, Beaudie & Coles to be given a rest.
Moody should get suspended. Franks should get benched.I read Retallick is likely to be back, Whitelock maybe next Ireland test.
So:
1 Faumuina
2 Taylor
3 Crockett
4 Retallick
5 S.Barrett
6 Kaino (for experience sake)
7 Cane (c)
8 Dixon
9 A. Smith
10 Cruden
11 Naholo/Savea
12 ALB
13 Fekitoa
14 Ioane
15 Dagg16 Coltman
17 Ofa
18 Franks
19 Tuipolutu
20 Luatua
21 Kerr-Barlow
22 Sopoaga
23 D-MacOur 'A' team gets its chance for redemption vs Ireland. I can see Cruden maybe getting a start v Ireland if he plays well in this game, but then TJP's combo with Barrett, and the fact that Ireland will stick to a similar script - because honestly, this being the first time they've beaten us, nothing else has ever worked, they will refine things however. Test for coaches too, because it feels for once Hansen got out-coached. Feels a bit like that game England caught us on eh?
That ALB/Fekitoa combo will get a workout in training eh.
If Ioane tears it up in this game, like 4 tries on debut stuff, does he get a crack v Ireland?
Team v Ireland...mk 2 (assuming no injuries)
1 Crockett
2. Coles.
3 Franks
4 Retallick
5 Whitelock if available. Romano.
6 Kaino
7 Cane
8 Read
9 TJP
10 Barrett
11
12 ALB
13 Fekitoa
14 Dagg.
15 B.Smith16 Taylor
17 Moody
18 Faumuina
19 Tuipolutu
20 A.Savea
21 Smith
22 Cruden
23Some spots TBC. Apologies if props are wrong.
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@westcoastie said in v Italy:
I remember seeing Grant Fox on the naming of the team, and his suggestion was they start with this game and work backwards from it.
Shits got interesting, but I don't expect them to change the course too much.
I expect Read, Ben Smith, Beaudie & Coles to be given a rest.
Moody should get suspended. Franks should get benched.I read Retallick is likely to be back, Whitelock maybe next Ireland test.
So:
1 Faumuina
2 Taylor
3 Crockett
4 Retallick
5 S.Barrett
6 Kaino (for experience sake)
7 Cane (c)
8 Dixon
9 A. Smith
10 Cruden
11 Naholo/Savea
12 ALB
13 Fekitoa
14 Ioane
15 Dagg16 Coltman
17 Ofa
18 Franks
19 Tuipolutu
20 Luatua
21 Kerr-Barlow
22 Sopoaga
23 D-MacOur 'A' team gets its chance for redemption vs Ireland. I can see Cruden maybe getting a start v Ireland if he plays well in this game, but then TJP's combo with Barrett, and the fact that Ireland will stick to a similar script - because honestly, this being the first time they've beaten us, nothing else has ever worked, they will refine things however. Test for coaches too, because it feels for once Hansen got out-coached. Feels a bit like that game England caught us on eh?
That ALB/Fekitoa combo will get a workout in training eh.
If Ioane tears it up in this game, like 4 tries on debut stuff, does he get a crack v Ireland?
Team v Ireland...mk 2 (assuming no injuries)
1 Crockett
2. Coles.
3 Franks
4 Retallick
5 Whitelock if available. Romano.
6 Kaino
7 Cane
8 Read
9 TJP
10 Barrett
11
12 ALB
13 Fekitoa
14 Dagg.
15 B.Smith16 Taylor
17 Moody
18 Faumuina
19 Tuipolutu
20 A.Savea
21 Smith
22 Cruden
23Some spots TBC. Apologies if props are wrong.
we're going in without a left winger? This is taking arrogance well beyond ' starting a blindside at lock'.....I hope it works.....
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Luatua must be a good show to start at least one test at either 8 when Read is rested or 6 surely. And that is probably this one?
Squire does not look a starting 6, Dixon has looked pretty mediocre. I'd be amazed if they don't give him a start to see what he brings to the table. First time round he looked a good option to back up Read, but far too loose to back up Kaino, hence losing out to the tighter Messam & the more veristile Vito, but with the alternatives pretty "m'eh" he has a second shot.
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