2020 Rugby Championship in Oz

[Tim]

IIRC, there a few quality Super Rugby looseheads fit at the moment? Bower is one of those who can scrum?

[broughie]

@Kiwiwomble well that is good to know the scrum won’t move. Can he tackle and break the line or is he another Ben Franks.

[Machpants]

So savea is joining later, Sotutu to start bled 3, I guess. Who goes on the bench?

[KiwiMurph]

So Boshier has fallen behind Kirifi now?

Kirifi has been better than Boshier in Mitre 10 Cup so I don't hate that.

[Kiwiwomble]

@broughie i think we can say a 28 year old Crusader that hasn't previously been mentioned as a potential AB means he'll do his main job well but dont expect something special, he'll scrum, clear out, tackle and lift

[bayimports]

@Machpants said in 2020 Rugby Championship in Oz:

So savea is joining later, Sotutu to start bled 3, I guess. Who goes on the bench?

It appears so

link text

"Otago prop Bower and Wellington loose forward Kirifi join the squad as prop and loose forward cover respectively, with prop Joe Moody going through HIA (head injury assessment) protocols and fellow prop Nepo Laulala on paternity leave.

Loose forward Ardie Savea is also on paternity leave. "

[Bovidae]

Ayden Johnstone picked a bad time to be injured as I think he would have been picked ahead of Bower.

[Tim]

Aiden Ross and Ayden Johnstone are two of the better looseheads who are injured at the moment.

[Bovidae]

Reading the article they say Bower covers LH and TH which is a bonus if Moody and/or Laulala are unavailable.

[Yeetyaah]

Boshier pip Fozzies wife? Pretty unlucky.

[broughie]

@Tim I haven’t been impressed with Aiden Ross. He played north south game right?

[Bovidae]

@broughie No. Ross was injured during SRA. I don't think he was playing as well this season as he was a few years back.

[Chris B.]

What's happened to Reuben O'Neill? He went in that big squad to Japan.

[Tim]

@broughie Think that was Ayden Johnstone.

[Machpants]

Meanwhile, three players have been released to play Mitre 10 Cup rugby this weekend. Dunshea and loose forward Cullen Grace will be available for Canterbury's game against Bay of Plenty in Tauranga on Saturday afternoon, with loose forward Akira Ioane available for Auckland's match against North Harbour in Auckland on Saturday night.

[Machpants]

So that means neither Akira nor Cullen on the bench bled 3?

[Bovidae]

Ta'avao must also have a more serious injury.

@Chris-B O'Neill has been playing for Taranaki on both sides of the scrum.

[broughie]

@Bovidae Ok. Recognize A Ross and I don’t rate him.

[KiwiMurph]

@Machpants said in 2020 Rugby Championship in Oz:

So that means neither Akira nor Cullen on the bench bled 3?

Yeah but more because they don't play 7 rather than because they are being released to play Mitre 10 Cup (if Ardie doesn't play that is).

[bayimports]

@Machpants said in 2020 Rugby Championship in Oz:

So that means neither Akira nor Cullen on the bench bled 3?

Maybe, if starting backrow is Frizzel, Sotutu, Cane. I guess they could have argued previously Ardie would cover 7 if they needed to, but with no Ardie they might need to play someone else strong over the ball, as breakdown will still be key. Wont be an easy decision either way. Dalton might find his way to the bench