All Blacks v France Test #2
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When the team being named?
With no judicial reviews on the card and no-one hobbling off, do we expect the exact same team and bench?
Media saying SBW will be ready for the third test. Ready for what?? Surely not to play as why would we weaken this team.....
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@hooroo said in All Blacks v France Test #2:
When the team being named?
With no judicial reviews on the card and no-one hobbling off, do we expect the exact same team and bench?
Media saying SBW will be ready for the third test. Ready for what?? Surely not to play as why would we weaken this team.....
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All signs are the same 23. Which seems pointless to me. What do we learn by handing out another hiding. That score line doesn’t fool me at all: ABs looked extremely rusty and we shouldn’t need opposition cards to pull away.
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I wouldn’t count on the 23 being available ...
The media campaign about the non citing is off the scale here a I guarantee Gosper and Pichot phones and inboxes are going mental.
Don’t be surprised to see World Rugby pull out there “this needs further investigation” card here.
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Nah that's not going to happen.
I think we will see tweaking, but no major changes. The only time the ABs roll the same team out is when there is something on the line, like rwc knock outs - best team every game. But they'll change a few around, not the experienced core, or those that need more game time. ALB maybe, different bench? I don't know but things will change a little bit
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I'd like to see Laumape get a start at 12.
Not sure we had a hard effective runner in the midfield. Crotty and ALB tried hard, but I don't think they were as physical or effective as we'd like
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@nzzp I'd love to see a Laumape-Goodhue mid-field, but it wont happen with both being greener than green eggs and ham.
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@taniwharugby said in All Blacks v France Test #2:
@nzzp I'd love to see a Laumape-Goodhue mid-field, but it wont happen with both being greener than green eggs and ham.
Laumape has started against the Lions. If you're good enough ...
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@majorrage said in All Blacks v France Test #2:
I wouldn’t count on the 23 being available ...
The media campaign about the non citing is off the scale here a I guarantee Gosper and Pichot phones and inboxes are going mental.
Don’t be surprised to see World Rugby pull out there “this needs further investigation” card here.
Where are you living? Ireland?
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@nzzp who'd he have alongside him?
Just as a pairing I cant see them starting together, maybe finish a test?
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@taniwharugby said in All Blacks v France Test #2:
@nzzp who'd he have alongside him?
Just as a pairing I cant see them starting together, maybe finish a test?
I'd be more than happy to have a Laumape Crotty midfield.
Goodhue probably needs to come off the bench - they usually do that to ease people into Test rugby.
also, had a verbal report from a mate who was near the coaches box at halftime on Saturday. Hansen and Fossie apparently had faces of thunder, and slammed/vigorously closed the doors behind them on the way down to the HT team talk. I think the blowdryer came out.
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@billy-tell aren't the French being bolstered this week from their 'good' players?
@nzzp yeah I think NL/RC might be the best option, but the prospect of NL/JG does seem exciting.
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Joe Moody hobbled off, but heard no other news about that.
I think there will be a few changes - given what Stargazer said about everyone getting a run and an assumption that they won't leave all those changes until the third test.
I reckon Mo'unga might get a start in the third test, in which case TTT needs to come onto the bench for the second test, because you don't want to have those two paired up.
Changes in the midfield are good bet, with Goodhue featuring somewhere.
Finally, if Naholo and NMS are both to get a run somewhere, then there probably needs to be a change in the back three for this test. I'm inclined to think they'll want Jordie to go again, so maybe NMS in for Ben Smith (to pair the Hurricanes boys) - with a Rieko, Naholo, BSmith back three in the third test? Or maybe vice-versa. Or something else.
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Speaking of midfields you would like to see , obviously not this week ,
But sbw goodhue are a couple that might compliment each other
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Midfield is really interesting.
Last weekend's backline didn't really have an obvious crash ball exponent (Savea, Nonu, SBW) until Laumape came on and he showed what he could do.
I really like Goodhue - he's a combination of power and finesse, so he and SBW could be a good fit - as could he and Crotty, or eventually he and Laumape.
I wonder whether they might start Laumape and Crotty this weekend and stick Goodhue on the bench. Or, even start the Crusaders' boys - probably with Laumape on the bench (though both options would risk a Laumape-Goodhue midfield for quite a lot of the match - not that I'd be particularly concerned about that).
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@chris-b said in All Blacks v France Test #2:
@kiwiinmelb "Nice guns, Sonny".
"Thanks, Jack - I like your hair".
Best post ever
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@mn5 said in All Blacks v France Test #2:
@chris-b said in All Blacks v France Test #2:
@kiwiinmelb "Nice guns, Sonny".
"Thanks, Jack - I like your hair".
Best post ever
No shit, it actually brightened my morning when I read that post.
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@majorrage said in All Blacks v France Test #2:
I wouldn’t count on the 23 being available ...
The media campaign about the non citing is off the scale here a I guarantee Gosper and Pichot phones and inboxes are going mental.
Don’t be surprised to see World Rugby pull out there “this needs further investigation” card here.
That would be the end of Gosper's tenure.
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@antipodean said in All Blacks v France Test #2:
@majorrage said in All Blacks v France Test #2:
I wouldn’t count on the 23 being available ...
The media campaign about the non citing is off the scale here a I guarantee Gosper and Pichot phones and inboxes are going mental.
Don’t be surprised to see World Rugby pull out there “this needs further investigation” card here.
That would be the end of Gosper's tenure.
Really? He's been pretty anti NZ his whole tenure and both him and Pichot have poked their noses in when they feel like it.
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@nepia I have it on reasonable authority that there have been conversations on maintaining the integrity and impartiality of the position.
Swings and roundabouts...
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@antipodean said in All Blacks v France Test #2:
@nepia I have it on reasonable authority that there have been conversations on maintaining the integrity and impartiality of the position.
Swings and roundabouts...
Sweet, that would be good!
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@antipodean said in All Blacks v France Test #2:
@nepia I have it on reasonable authority that there have been conversations on maintaining the integrity and impartiality of the position.
Swings and roundabouts...
I'm not totally comprehending this.
Are you saying his interjection re: Adam Thomson has been called out, 'unofficially ' but at executive levels?
P.S wow, Adam Thomson seems an age ago, is that from a pre-2011 tour?, Gosper must have been CEO for a very long time now.
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@rocky-rockbottom A total asshole!
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The Crusaders will play the French Barbarians this Friday so I expect Goodhue and Mounga to be released for this game : the French Barbarians look as "strong" as the national team and won't be pushovers, especially upfront where they have a number of big men.
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The coaches signalled before the 1st test that some of the squad might not even play, and that if the series was won before Dunners they would use the 3rd test to give new players an opportunity. Of course, Hansen and co might change their minds.
There maybe some minor tweaks in the 23 because of injury/wear and tear for this Sat but I don't expect many changes.
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@cgrant if he is released, I'd think he will likely play 12 too with Tamanivalu at 13...?
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@taniwharugby Only if the AB coaches specifically ask for Goodhue to play at 12. Against the Chiefs, Havili played at 12, with Goodhue at 13 and Tamanivalu at 14.
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@rapido that's the impression I was left with. He's been CEO since 2012
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Can't see forwards changing. I expect Fifita will get more game time this week. Interesting that he replaced Whitelock (L) rather than a lock. Scrum markedly less powerful with no established TH lock.
In backs run on, hard to see any change other than possibly in midfield. It would not surprise if Laumape got a run with ALB on pine.
Do hope Mo'unga and Goodhue get some game time in third.
BTW has Taufua been released from squad, which would justify Todd staying on?
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@pakman Taufua is injured and out of the series, but I think he's still with the squad (going by the photos I saw on instagram, but I'm not sure where/when they were taken). Todd is indeed staying with the squad.
Edit: Taufua is definitely still with the squad in Wellington (see Naholo's insta).
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If anyone is skating on the selection thin ice it must be Squire. Maybe Taufua's injury has saved him but we need to find the new JK this year.
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Squire will start on Saturday.
Watch a replay and see how much work he got through at Eden Park.
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@stargazer If Taufua is out, does this mean Akira Ioane comes in and gets gametime?
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@infidel said in All Blacks v France Test #2:
Squire will start on Saturday.
Watch a replay and see how much work he got through at Eden Park.
Fair call. I just thought at first watching that he didn't display much dominance.
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@infidel said in All Blacks v France Test #2:
Squire will start on Saturday.
Watch a replay and see how much work he got through at Eden Park.
I'll have another look, because apart from one line out steal, I can't remember him being much chop - certainly he didn't make many metres, although he may have been clearing bodies all day and I didn't see it. He certainly didn't make as big of a splash around the field in comparison to the last time he played the french.
Stats suggest that Squire had the most carries (12), but only made 15 metres, a few less than Whitelock, who played 6 less minutes. Squire made 5 tackles and missed 1 in comparison to Whitelock's 4 with one miss.
From the stats, Cane originally looked like the worst loosie out there, but I see he lead the tackle count (6) and did that in 64 minutes, while making five passes, and conceding one penalty.
Based on the stats, all the loosies look alike, and Whitelock doesn't seem to pass enough (only 2?) which suggests he isn't really playing a Read game.
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@frank No, I understand from what has been said in the media that Todd is staying (initially, he was only there temporarily as injury cover for Cane) and takes Taufua's spot (despite Taufua still being with the squad, I assume because they want to give him game time at a later stage this year).
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@stargazer said in All Blacks v France Test #2:
@frank No, I understand from what has been said in the media that Todd is staying (initially, he was only there temporarily as injury cover for Cane) and takes Taufua's spot (despite Taufua still being with the squad, I assume because they want to give him game time at a later stage this year).
Perhaps if Akira comes in officially they have to pick up his food bill?
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Pichot has tweeted that he should have been cited after pressure from the UK brigade ...
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@majorrage said in All Blacks v France Test #2:
Pichot has tweeted that he should have been cited after pressure from the UK brigade ...
In response to the Walrus claiming it was a criminal offence. Glad to know that Mr Jones is an expert on NZ criminal law now as well.
Loads of over-reactive people commenting based on a tiny clip at the worst possible angle. No showing how the French player ducked into contact.I have no problem with the incident being cited to assess properly, but accusations will fly after that as well.
