AB Test Team v France.
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Heres what I'd like to see... any other thoughts out there? Does Laumape get a go after the BaaBaa game?
Hames
Taylor
Laulala
Whitelock
Barrett S
Squire
Cane
Read
Smith A
Barrett B
Ioane RTamanivalu
Crotty
ALB
Naholo
MackenzieColes
Crockett
Tu'ungafasi
Tuipolutu
Todd
TKB
Sopoaga
SBWWould like to see DMac off the bench, I don't want him anywhere near the 10 shirt until after the super season. If hes on the bench we don't need to carry Sopoaga there...so it comes down to whos playing betterer Sopoaga or Havili.
think SBW needs to ride the pine and be that guy.
would like Laumape to be given the start, but don't think that will happen.
Happy to keep Todd on the bench from Brisbane, don't think Ardie has done that much. Plus I expect selectors to pick Todd, or I think he would've started the BaaBaa game.
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This is the second case of mumps in this squad. Rookie centre Jack Goodhue missed the opening match against the Baabaas with the same illness, staying at home to recover. He rejoined the team in London last Friday. It is believed he did not have contact with Ioane.
There's an outbreak in Auckland at the moment.
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Well bloody hell. Least we're dealing with some bad luck with injuries and things this year rather than 2019.
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Geez, why don't people get vaccinated? This is so preventable!
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@westcoastie I expect Coles will get the start, but understand the thinking regarding Taylor.
One area I do feel quite strongly on is that I'd start Romero. I totally get that he doesn't have the X-factor, but he brings serious grunt, and, given the first stringers out, we need more of that to add balance. I'd expect Whitelock to be more effective at LH lock. Barrett (S) to bench.
In backs I think SBW and Crotty are locked in. For me Crotty isn't looking comfortable at test level at 13 and SBW seems very predictable, so not a fan of combo. And ALB has seemed a little off: still good decision maker, but not as sharp as last year. I think he'll ride pine, but wouldn't mind seeing Laumape get a run.
And if this were the last game ever TKB would definitely be my reserve. He might not have the sheer athletic ability of ThomasJP, but he has a much calmer demeanour and gets the basics done efficiently, and that is what one generally wants in a closer. Not that the three wise men are going to agree!
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@stargazer said in AB Test Team v France.:
Geez, why don't people get vaccinated? This is so preventable!
Because idiots.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/98414734/antivaxxers-delusional-and-dangerous
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@westcoastie said in AB Test Team v France.:
Heres what I'd like to see... any other thoughts out there? Does Laumape get a go after the BaaBaa game?
Hames
Taylor
Laulala
Whitelock
Barrett S
Squire
Cane
Read
Smith A
Barrett B
Ioane RTamanivalu
Crotty
ALB
Naholo
MackenzieColes
Crockett
Tu'ungafasi
Tuipolutu
Todd
TKB
Sopoaga
SBWWould like to see DMac off the bench, I don't want him anywhere near the 10 shirt until after the super season. If hes on the bench we don't need to carry Sopoaga there...so it comes down to whos playing betterer Sopoaga or Havili.
think SBW needs to ride the pine and be that guy.
would like Laumape to be given the start, but don't think that will happen.
Happy to keep Todd on the bench from Brisbane, don't think Ardie has done that much. Plus I expect selectors to pick Todd, or I think he would've started the BaaBaa game.
I'm going Romero to start. S Barrett in the stand.
SBW to 12. Crotty to 13.
TJP off the bench.
ALB off the bench.
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@stargazer said in AB Test Team v France.:
Geez, why don't people get vaccinated? This is so preventable!
Education ?
When and where do we get these vaccinations?I remember when I was in primary we got some vacinnation shots.. I don't know what it was for though..
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@mimic said in AB Test Team v France.:
@stargazer said in AB Test Team v France.:
Geez, why don't people get vaccinated? This is so preventable!
Education ?
When and where do we get these vaccinations?I remember when I was in primary we got some vacinnation shots.. I don't know what it was for though..
MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) used to just be a standard shot from the doc when you were a kid. No questions asked, no M, M or R
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Hope the manās nuts survive. Mumps can cause sterility
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My preferred starting XV (but won't happen of course)
Crockett - Coles - Laulala
Romano - Whitelock
Squire - Read - CaneSmith - Barrett
SBW - Crotty
Ioane/Tamanivalue - McKenzie - NaholoHames - Taylor - Tu'angafasi
Barrett
Todd or FafitaTJP - Mo'unga - Laumape or Havili
I reckon our team is a little bit crap at the moment with all the injuries etc: especially Moody, Retallick, Jordie Barrett and BFA.
And we still haven't sorted out the midfield, 2 years after Nonu & Smith. I hope Goodhue gets at least 1 game. -
On current form giving Mac a go at 10 can't be much worse than BB or Lima.
BB is one of the worlds best when playing well but it seems a long time since seeing any great form from him.
I don't know if it is a gameplay thing but he is standing flat footed to take the ball from set piece.
It was really noticeable in the Baabaas game. I know TJP has a lot to answer for here but there was no evidence that BB was even looking for a ball delivered a metre and a half in front of him to punch onto.
BTW, I saw some old clip of the 2001 Auckland Northland game the other day (can't find it on youtube) and fuck those guys were popping passes into mid air for the support to catch at speed. Spencer was taking the ball at pace and causing havoc. Even the forwards were passing in front. Are the modern defences so good they have killed this off?
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@crucial its in the first post of this thread
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@taniwharugby said in AB Test Team v France.:
@crucial its in the first post of this thread
Not surprised you posted that!Great game.
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@crucial Amazing clip. Caucau was electric in those days. I know James Arlidge. Very nice bloke, who's now an accountant at Deloitte.
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@westcoastie said in AB Test Team v France.:
Well bloody hell. Least we're dealing with some bad luck with injuries and things this year rather than 2019.
I reckon this year will be the making of the side. A lot of new blood, real challenges, and the realisation of how tough Test Rugby really is for a lot of players.
2 years to go, and you will see this pay off at the cup I reckon. Very glass half full on this one.
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@nzzp said in AB Test Team v France.:
@westcoastie said in AB Test Team v France.:
Well bloody hell. Least we're dealing with some bad luck with injuries and things this year rather than 2019.
I reckon this year will be the making of the side. A lot of new blood, real challenges, and the realisation of how tough Test Rugby really is for a lot of players.
2 years to go, and you will see this pay off at the cup I reckon. Very glass half full on this one.
I'm hoping that the coaches learn from it as well.
You can't expect these cobbled together sides to play like the experienced guys do.
Look at the difference Cane made yesterday.
It took a short spell of focussing the guys onto running hard and direct before spotting the ,mismatches and going wide.
This season we have too often tried to play too much rugby without earning the right. When we had the McCaws, Nonus and Smiths we could do that because the right had been earned just by them being there but without them and without BBBR, BFA, Whitelock etc we can't expect to run around everyone. -
This season we have too often tried to play too much rugby without earning the right. When we had the McCaws, Nonus and Smiths we could do that because the right had been earned just by them being there but without them and without BBBR, BFA, Whitelock etc we can't expect to run around everyone.
this.
We have to earn the right.
I'm a bit curious as to why the tactic to run everything from the #9 in the first BIL test was shelved so quickly because geezus that was effective.
Maybe we didn't want to continue to show that. Maybe it was just by circumstance that we ran things that way.
Until SBW' red card, we were up by a whole bunch in that 2nd test too.
And in the third we blew enough chances to win by 21.All said & done, the trials and tribulations we're going through now is only a good thing. And it is Test rugby, I guess its not meant to be easy.
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@westcoastie said in AB Test Team v France.:
This season we have too often tried to play too much rugby without earning the right. When we had the McCaws, Nonus and Smiths we could do that because the right had been earned just by them being there but without them and without BBBR, BFA, Whitelock etc we can't expect to run around everyone.
this.
We have to earn the right.
I'm a bit curious as to why the tactic to run everything from the #9 in the first BIL test was shelved so quickly because geezus that was effective.
Maybe we didn't want to continue to show that. Maybe it was just by circumstance that we ran things that way.
Until SBW' red card, we were up by a whole bunch in that 2nd test too.
And in the third we blew enough chances to win by 21.All said & done, the trials and tribulations we're going through now is only a good thing. And it is Test rugby, I guess its not meant to be easy.
Probably because Gatland analysed and correctly identified that is exactly what we were doing.
However I agree completely, the hard direct runners coming off A Smith's shoulder worked a treat.
I would return to that - mix it up of course, but it was bloody effective. -
I think good fortune (as in we had very little) some well executed tactics (rush defence) and a few unfavourable calls conspired against us...
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@crash Analysing and Identifying It is different to Negating It and It's effectiveness.
Its just that we've shelved that so completely its all a bit curious. The AB's can be so goddam effective almost when we choose to be. I really hope we have a statement game on this tour, and I really want that to be vs Wales. Solid wins vs France & Scotland, then smacking the shit outta the Welsh.
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@stargazer whoās injured?
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@gunner Jerome? although he probably wasnt in line to start??
Must be all that extra workload on him this year...
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Luke Whitelock ?
Fern meltdown in t minus 10.....9.....8......
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@gunner I think Kaino. May have been the reason why Cane replaced him and not Ardie in the match?
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That's good.
He actually deserves it this time. Undoubtedly the second best Number 8 in the country at the moment.
Well done him.
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It's indeed for Kaino. Knee injury.
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Whitelock may get the midweek French game if JK is broken.
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@bovidae said in AB Test Team v France.:
Whitelock may get the midweek French game if JK is broken.
What does Ioane A have to do to get a run? Or is the fact he's with the Maori make it too difficult logistically?
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The Maori play the French Baabaas the day before the AB test so I assume it's about workload.
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It is interesting. Hard not to believe that ABs would have had first dibs. That said, we're likely talking French v NZ XVs, so not hugely significant. Expect Fifita to start that game, so they may have felt that Akira is too samey and Lucky Luke offers better balance.
Had looked at teams and hard to discern whether French XV will be much tougher oppo than French Barbers. -
@mn5 said in AB Test Team v France.:
Luke Whitelock ?
Fern meltdown in t minus 10.....9.....8......
It's incredibly difficult to shake a reputation huh?
Whitelock L has looked the goods the last couple of years.
I might have gone with Akira ... but have no issue with Luke.
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Whitelock was completely outplayed by Ioane a few weeks ago in Mitre 10 Cup. His selection is a joke.
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@pakman said in AB Test Team v France.:
It is interesting. Hard not to believe that ABs would have had first dibs. That said, we're likely talking French v NZ XVs, so not hugely significant. Expect Fifita to start that game, so they may have felt that Akira is too samey and Lucky Luke offers better balance.
Had looked at teams and hard to discern whether French XV will be much tougher oppo than French Barbers.There's another side to this as well. Akira is eligible for both the ABs and MÄori ABs. Luke Whitelock, on the other hand, isn't MÄori, so can't play for the MÄori ABs. Also, he's only in the squad as injury cover. No guarantees he'll actually play.
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@tim said in AB Test Team v France.:
Whitelock was completely outplayed by Ioane a few weeks ago in Mitre 10 Cup. His selection is a joke.
Not a highlanders fan huh? If itās not Squire itās whitelock who is pure shite.
Might have gone with Akira myself but whitelock is a better play than when first called up.
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Yes itās a tough crowd here, did not watch much Mitre 10 but Whitelock was outstanding in Super Rubgy this year, one of Highlanders best. Much tighter than any of our rangeier number 8 s who Hansen seems to prefer. Would walk into the test team in any other country.
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