All Blacks vs Boks
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Just read that Kriel is out and returning to South Africa with a shoulder injury. Big loss for the Boks. His form has been outstanding this year.
The team I think they'll go for:
Crockett, Coles, Laulala, Retallick, Whitelock, Squire, Cane, Read, Smith, Barrett, Ioane, Williams, Crotty, Milner-Skudder, McKenzie
Taylor, Hames, Tu'ungafasi, Barrett, Fifita, Perenara, Sopoaga, Lienart-Brown
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You may just be bang on with that team.
Only question mark would be will they boot Savea from the bench - he seems an almost permanent fixture on there these days...
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not the tallest back 3...
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Why doesn't Fafita start? I have seem some conversation but he seemed ok last start to continue with?
What am I missing?
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I believe Fifita is under an injury cloud with a sore shoulder.
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Don't think he has leapfrogged Squire after the Argie game. Squire was pretty good in the Bledisloe opener.
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@taniwharugby said in All Blacks vs Boks:
not the tallest back 3...
Taller than the back three against Argentina maybe with the addition of Ioane?
I don't think Fifita has leap frogged Squire (or Kaino for that matter). I think the ABs are doing some experimenting this year with players and playing style (a bit like they did in the RWC pool matches).
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@Nepia is it also a deliberate tactic to try and put themselves under more pressure to see how each responds
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I think the gameplan should definitely involve calling hot headed S.A. lock Etzebeth 'Bruno'....he's guaranteed to get wound up, throw a punch and get sent off.
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@taniwharugby said in All Blacks vs Boks:
not the tallest back 3...
Options are limited.
Going from Bender, Dagg, Reiko to a back three that includes both Skudder and DMac is a massive drop off in size.
Naholo has become a bit of a Foodbill
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NMS was very good under the high ball last game. How good are the Bok back 3? I saw most of the Aus game and the Ghanaen-born dude was pretty good, but honestly have no idea who the other 2 are. Iirc Leroux and Habana weren't there.
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@Rancid-Schnitzel yeah he was and only 5cm? taller than DMac?
Thier kicking game would need to be spot on to exploit the height diff I reckon, but is just a long way from a back 3 of BFA, Dagg and someone else...think they need Jane to help them with the work under the high ball.
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Does anyone know when Yalden announces the team?
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@pakman he was way off for Bledisloe 1.
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Think Act C's team looks about right, but it's a bit of a worry when you look at that bench. I wonder whether Romano gets a go this week - he was pretty good last week, I thought.
I'm also not really loving ALB's work right now, but he is probably the safer player to bring on and I can't think of another I'd rather have there against the boks.
Suddenly, there are plenty of places where a third and fourth world class player is needed.
You'd be feeling good if you were a young loose head prop - plenty of opportunity there right now.
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I think ALBs play is an indicator of how well the back play overall is gelling. He needs to be the guy that fits well into movements but has the ability to unleash a moment when opportunity arises.
To me Crotty/ALB works well. BB/Crotty works well. BB/SBW doesn't work so well.
I don't know the selectors plans but we keep seeing combos that don't make sense to me. I can't see why SBW isn't being used off the bench and BB/Crotty/ALB isn't the go. -
Unless Lima gets a start we won't be finding out much about 10-12 combo's. I agree that BB/Crotty works well, and SBW seemed to thrive outside Crudes, who had an extraordinary ability to navigate heavy traffic.
The issue with BB/Crotty is that neither at the highest level offers a direct physical threat. The AB wise guys see SBW and Laumape as having that. Moala, for me did too. The ability to have 12 straighten things keeps defences honest (can't drift) and opens up holes elsewhere. A 12 with a good step can also create havoc. Trouble is that none of the current crash ballers has much of a passing game, nor step from what I've seen.
Crotty is truly a second five eighth more than an inside centre. But he has a low error rate and excellent option taking so at 13 does seem the best bet outside BB/SBW. ALB is similar, but with much less experience. I see him as having potential to be another Conrad.
We really were spoiled by Nonu who developed from a crash baller with a step into a passing and kicking 12, one of the two best of the professional era.
Still keen to see Charlie N on EOYT. Almost a hybrid 2nd five/inside centre. Can run hard line, fast, experienced and passes well. Crudes/Charlie/ALB was a good combo for the Chiefs. I think he'd also BB look more rounded.
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The matchday 23 (with Test caps in brackets) is:
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Kane Hames (2)
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Dane Coles (51)
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Nepo Laulala (6)
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Brodie Retallick (67)
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Samuel Whitelock (90)
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Liam Squire (10)
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Sam Cane (47)
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Kieran Read (103) - Captain
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Aaron Smith (64)
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Beauden Barrett (56)
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Rieko Ioane (6)
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Sonny Bill Williams (39)
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Ryan Crotty (29)
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Nehe Milner-Skudder (9)
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Damian McKenzie (5)
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Codie Taylor (22)
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Wyatt Crockett (64)
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Ofa Tu'ungafasi (7)
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Scott Barrett (10)
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Ardie Savea (19)
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TJ Perenara (36)
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Lima Sopoaga (10)
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Anton Lienert-Brown (16)
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@pakman the well trodden "Crotty isn't a physical threat" line is an absolute myth.
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@pakman said in All Blacks vs Boks:
The matchday 23 (with Test caps in brackets) is:
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Kane Hames (2)
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Dane Coles (51)
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Nepo Laulala (6)
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Brodie Retallick (67)
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Samuel Whitelock (90)
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Liam Squire (10)
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Sam Cane (47)
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Kieran Read (103) - Captain
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Aaron Smith (64)
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Beauden Barrett (56)
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Rieko Ioane (6)
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Sonny Bill Williams (39)
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Ryan Crotty (29)
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Nehe Milner-Skudder (9)
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Damian McKenzie (5)
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Codie Taylor (22)
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Wyatt Crockett (64)
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Ofa Tu'ungafasi (7)
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Scott Barrett (10)
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Ardie Savea (19)
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TJ Perenara (36)
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Lima Sopoaga (10)
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Anton Lienert-Brown (16)
Pretty much the A team given availbilty IMO.
Surprised Hames over Crockett. Maybe that's a starter v best bench option option.
Difficult to quibble with the rest. It would really only be twraking around the edges to fit Fifita in. And BB at fullback really isn't a starting option.
Not that I'm advocating him (i like these eing options) but what's happened to Naholo?
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Hames didn't win much game time through a combination of form, injury and suspension - what was he suspended for?
Edit: ha, punching current team mate: http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/66546721/highlanders-prop-kane-hames-suspended-for-five-weeks-for-punching-dominic-bird
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@JayCee In Hames' defense, Bird does have one of those faces. Besides, they should have been knocked a few weeks off as a reward for Hames being able to jump that high.
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Thought for sure Fifita's performance would've scored him a bench spot, especially since Ardie doesn't really offer a whole lot of impact when he comes on.
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@Milk said in All Blacks vs Boks:
@JayCee In Hames' defense, Bird does have one of those faces.
Your honour, he had a hittable face.
Love it
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@Unco Hansen was saying on the news this morning his shoulder isn't right...
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@taniwharugby Ah, that'd make sense then. Pity, I would've liked to see what he can do against better opposition.
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Some of that Gregor Paul article isn't really correct. Hames came to Tasman for the 2015 NPC season and, as I recall, pretty much smashed everyone he came up against. I thought he was a good shot to be called up to the ABs when they took Paulasi Manu to the RWC.
There was quite a bit of amazement on here (especially by me) when he didn't get a Super contract in 2016, but eventually it got clarified that he was re-habbing serious knee injuries and wasn't expected to play the 2016 Super season. Eventually he got called up late by the Chiefs and progressed to getting a Bledisloe test.
Be interesting to see how he goes. In another article Marc Hinton is saying he's not a renowned scrummager, which again I think is incorrect. He gets pinged a lot, but he's also pretty destructive - especially at NPC level - he's smashed most tightheads in the two seasons he's played for Tasman - especially with Hammer's tactic of bringing him off the bench. Obviously not test rugby, but nonetheless. If he goes well he's got a chance to give big Wyatt's place in the pecking order a nudge.
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This AB team looks about the best that we can field, though I'm a bit surprised Hames is starting and Crockett is on the bench.
Missing about a third of our best starting XV though - with Franks, Moody, Kaino, and two of Dagg, Ben Smith and Jordie ahead of DMac and NMS in my opinion.
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Ioane should be ahead of Savea.
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@Tim He is!
Ah - you mean the other one. Might not be a game for a debutant.
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@Chris-B. Ioanes >> Saveas
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@Tim Wouldn't surprise me. I doubt we'll see Jules play for the ABs again unless there's an awful lot of injuries - so Rieko is a banker.
Ardie's got a fight on his hands - and not just with Akira.
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@Chris-B. especially as his 'impact' as a sub has been rather average this season, and even the Ardie > Cane brigade seem to have quietened as well.
He still has a lot to offer, but his form is off right now.
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Jesus - the ABs have called Tim Perry into the squad. I'd missed that piece of news.
Can't anyone else produce props except Tasman?!!!
Hansen is sending our Mitre10 Cup campaign to Davy Jones locker.
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Crockett has been a very good finisher and will be a good insurance blanket for Hansen if Hames is struggling.
Whilst I was hopeful Fifita would be fit, Hansen and co are investing plenty into Ardie. Hopefully he has a big one off the bench this weekend.
Just on the midfield, it's clear that Sonny Bill is a senior AB in this squad and unlikely to lose his starting spot unless for suspension or injury. What I'd like to see is some adjustment in the attack with SBW and Crotty interchanging a bit more at both set piece and phase play. Sonny is like an extra forward out there and you can see why the coaches love having him close to the ball. But he's pretty effective with a bit more space as well.
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@Chris-B. It's pretty amazing to think that we are going into a test match against the Boks with Hames and Laulala as the starting props and a tighthead back up that is still trying to establish himself at this level.
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@Chris-B. "Produce"
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@Unco The term might be slightly loose.
But, Owen Franks, Ben Franks, Wyatt Crockett, Kane Hames, Tim Perry - they've all spent time on our "conveyor belt" somewhere!Tim Perry got a rare game for the Crusaders this year against one of the Oz teams and he got completely smashed in the scrum - lifted off his feet.
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@Chris-B. Clearly Hames' rise through the rugby ranks is all down to his time spent in Hawkes Bay at Te Aute College.
