ABs v Scotland
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Can we start on this one too? The midweek game is, well, a midweek game. The next test is against a sweaties team that is gaining in confidence and ability.
Need to take this one seriously and put on a really good show for me.
(Did I mention I am going to the game?)So Taylor for Coles and maybe Squire for Fifita. Other than that I don't see other changes.
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Scots team looking solid. Probably their most dangerous back three....well....ever ( I do get that this is a relative term ) and a solid midfield and poor man's Beauden Barrett in Finn Russell at 10. Not many hard men or ball carriers in their pack but they're definitely a team on the up.
As per usual I'll predict a gutsy 20 point loss.
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@mn5 what is a gutsy loss?
The French lost by 20 points, how would you describe that loss? Lucky? Unlucky? Gutsy? Typically French?
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@taniwharugby said in ABs v Scotland:
@mn5 what is a gutsy loss?
The French lost by 20 points, how would you describe that loss? Lucky? Unlucky? Gutsy? Typically French?
Between the Black Caps and Scottish Rugby teams I get gutsy losses all year round.
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@mn5 said in ABs v Scotland:
@taniwharugby said in ABs v Scotland:
@mn5 what is a gutsy loss?
The French lost by 20 points, how would you describe that loss? Lucky? Unlucky? Gutsy? Typically French?
Between the Black Caps and Scottish Rugby teams I get gutsy losses all year round.
Indian ODI and T20 not excepted
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@mn5 is gutsy different to plucky, brave or courageous? Poor Celts
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@taniwharugby said in ABs v Scotland:
@mn5 is gutsy different to plucky, brave or courageous? Poor Celts
It's all of the above but don't forget tenacious and dogged too....
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Scotland 44 - Samoa 38
All Blacks 78 - Samoa 0.
'nuf said.Like to see
Hames
Taylor
Laulala
Whitelock
Romano
Cane
Todd
Read
Smith
BBarrett
Ioane
Crotty
SBW
Naholo
Havili
Bench:
Ofa
Aumua (but suspect it'll be Harris)
Crockett
SBarrett
Squire (won't start coz playing game v French XV)
TKB
DMac
ALBReally want Dmac to start playing the 10/15 role. If we're up by heaps with 25 to go, he can go into 10 for Beauden. Otherwise he comes on for Havili about then. And Beaudy stays at 10. All game. No more 15 for Beaudy.
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@westcoastie said in ABs v Scotland:
Really want Dmac to start playing the 10/15 role. If we're up by heaps with 25 to go, he can go into 10 for Beauden.
Ahh no. He can learn to play 10 at Super level first.
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@westcoastie not sure if deliberate but you have SBW/Crotty round the wrong way.
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@taniwharugby said in ABs v Scotland:
@westcoastie not sure if deliberate but you have SBW/Crotty round the wrong way.
yup thats deliberate, I'd rather see Crotty at 12, SBW 13.
@antipodean said in ABs v Scotland:
@westcoastie said in ABs v Scotland:
Really want Dmac to start playing the 10/15 role. If we're up by heaps with 25 to go, he can go into 10 for Beauden.
Ahh no. He can learn to play 10 at Super level first.
Then its Sopoaga on the bench. But I expect him to not pay this week.
The selectors can afford to be a little looser with the first choice squad seeing as its just Scotland. They'll want to target the Welsh game with a statement performance.
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@westcoastie if you're gonna move Crotty in, I'd be inclined to run Goodhue at 13 (or ALB obviously) dont think SBW has performed as well at 13 as he does at 12.
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@dogmeat @taniwharugby
If I was selector, I'd move SBW to bench. Maybe drop him for being an egg. Happy to give Goodhue a go. (although he too is playing vs French XV)
yes combo did work better v French than at any other time recently.
It'll end up being SBW 12, Crotty 13. But yeh, I'd like the other way around -
@dogmeat said in ABs v Scotland:
I thought SBW/Crotty worked better than it has all season - until the obvious.
Shag obviously considers the combination our best option. In which case I'm all in favour of them having as much time together as possible
Agree, the SBW/Crotty combo was the highlight of the first half for me, and given the second half probably the highlight of the game bar Whitelock and Cane getting shit done on behalf of the rest of the team in the final 30 minutes.
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Crotty and Sonny Bill interchanged a bit in attack during the first half. It looked a bit different to what we've seen from the two.
Last year we saw when Crotty and ALB combined, they interchanged a bit and it looked the goods. They combined well with Barrett as well.
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@act-crusader said in ABs v Scotland:
Crotty and Sonny Bill interchanged a bit in attack during the first half. It looked a bit different to what we've seen from the two.
Last year we saw when Crotty and ALB combined, they interchanged a bit and it looked the goods. They combined well with Barrett as well.
This is what I was talking about in another thread about how the persistence from the selectors is all around getting SBW comfortable playing a multi skilled role (eg Nonu).
We saw good signs in that game especially the quality kick through for the try.Shag is not going to throw away his development plan because some reacts instinctively to a rare situation.
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people have become so blasé about when our team is named, Hansen is gonna delay it this week!
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@taniwharugby said in ABs v Scotland:
people have become so blasé about when our team is named, Hansen is gonna delay it this week!
My god! The fern will go into meltdown with people asking when the team will be named!
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@dogmeat said in ABs v Scotland:
But how do we know it's not FAKE NEWS!
Because @Salacious-Crumb hasnt posted a large font headline about it?
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Anyone think they’ll give Mo’unga a go from the bench? It would seem a good game for it, and he’s been relatively impressive so far.
Apart from that, the only other question is whether Squire/Ioane is needed. If Read is out, Barrett to captain with Fifita, Cane, and Squire? Or, do you give Ioane his chance?
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@gt12 if the Scottish pack fronts up, that's a non-entity back row. Fifita isn't good enough, Squire is a downhill skier. Cane will have to do it all alone again.
Get You-are-knee the larger in there.
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@mariner4life said in ABs v Scotland:
@gt12 if the Scottish pack fronts up, that's a non-entity back row. Fifita isn't good enough, Squire is a downhill skier. Cane will have to do it all alone again.
Get You-are-knee the larger in there.
The Scots back row is no great shakes either considering some of the good players they've had in the past.
Why the Fifita hate? He's incredible with ball in hand, is he no good at his core roles?
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@mariner4life it's Yo-Arnie!
Read will be sweet, just playing mind games to put the mighty Scots off their game.
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@mn5 said in ABs v Scotland:
@mariner4life said in ABs v Scotland:
@gt12 if the Scottish pack fronts up, that's a non-entity back row. Fifita isn't good enough, Squire is a downhill skier. Cane will have to do it all alone again.
Get You-are-knee the larger in there.
The Scots back row is no great shakes either considering some of the good players they've had in the past.
Why the Fifita hate? He's incredible with ball in hand, is he no good at his core roles?
god you tick so many "fairweather, glory hunting, barely knowledgeable rugby fan" boxes.
I'm sure his youtube highlight reel is just amazing
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Fifita, Cane, Ioane could be just as problematic; two players who don’t necessarily show it via work rate. With Todd and Barrett on the bench, they’d still be two reasonable back ups available.
For me, I’d rather give opportunities to some of the guys who had less minutes last game.
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@gt12 I'm in the minority i know, but Barrett isn't a good enough lock, let alone blindside, to play regular test rugby.
I love how the myth of Ioane's workrate continues. Haven't the Auckland and Blues guys dispelled that enough. Certainly whenever I've watched him in big games he's got through a shit ton of work. And been effective.
And i would have cut Fifita first, not Squire.
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@mariner4life said in ABs v Scotland:
@mn5 said in ABs v Scotland:
@mariner4life said in ABs v Scotland:
@gt12 if the Scottish pack fronts up, that's a non-entity back row. Fifita isn't good enough, Squire is a downhill skier. Cane will have to do it all alone again.
Get You-are-knee the larger in there.
The Scots back row is no great shakes either considering some of the good players they've had in the past.
Why the Fifita hate? He's incredible with ball in hand, is he no good at his core roles?
god you tick so many "fairweather, glory hunting, barely knowledgeable rugby fan" boxes.
I'm sure his youtube highlight reel is just amazing
Well yeah that's why I asked. My days of watching rugby every day are well and truly over. Luckily you guys have the time and inclination.
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@mariner4life said in ABs v Scotland:
@gt12 I'm in the minority i know, but Barrett isn't a good enough lock, let alone blindside, to play regular test rugby.
I love how the myth of Ioane's workrate continues. Haven't the Auckland and Blues guys dispelled that enough. Certainly whenever I've watched him in big games he's got through a shit ton of work. And been effective.
And i would have cut Fifita first, not Squire.
First impressions last I guess. It was one of his work ons, and it seems he has improved on it for him to get the call up ahead of Luke.
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@mariner4life Squire was sick wasn't he, so not dropped?
I think Fifita is better coming off the bench, but it does create an issue if Read is out, does Luke get the nod as the only other out and out 8?
could go with Cane, Todd & Savea to take the piss haha
