The Silver Fern

ABs have confirmed

Caleb out

Narawa 14
Rieko 11

@MN5 said in All Blacks v France 2:

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks v France 2:

It would help if he was in the squad but would Lam have been fast enough to replace Clarke at 11? Maybe he has potential at 13 one day?

Not really a case of how fast he is, more if he could book a flight from Auckland to Wellington and get here on time. Air New Zealand would be a more reliable option than Jetstar.

Considering Lam is in Adelaide preparing for the AU/NZ game vs Lions tomorrow I'm not sure how useful an Auckland to Wellington flight is

@African-Monkey said in Crusaders 2026:

From a Blues perspective, sadly it looks like we jumped the gun and signed Bradley Slater when we could have fit him in.

I truly don't understand how these contract situations work

How could you sign Slater without fully exploring the Moananu situation

It makes no sense.

@Dan54 said in AUNZ XV vs British and Irish Lions:

@MajorRage said in AUNZ XV vs British and Irish Lions:

I don't really understand this game. Lions tours are so rare, so hyped up, so talked about and for one of the games they are playing a team no heritage, no pedigree and worst of all, no real selection philosophy other than who isn't in their respective countries first team squads.

I with you Major, seems like a Baabaas game to me, hard to get interested, which is saying something for me. Basically the rugby in Aus struggles for enough depth to find teams to play, so they filling in the gaps. Mind you I didn't get excited about Bok/Baabaa game a couple of weeks back. Just don't find these thrown together teams of players from around world, where I get feeling it's a week on the piss for most of the players as not my thing.

I get the feeling this week is a bit more serious than a Baabaas week

But proof will be in the pudding on Saturday

I like the concept.

Despite the insurance challenges they've got a good group of players and with Kiss and Foz there's plenty of coaching talent too.

Excited for Saturday.

Perfect oil for the backs @Landers92

I'm pleased they've resisted too many changes in the forwards.

That was an enjoyable mid week watch

Wallabies have some serious depth at wing. Jorgensen, Piestch, Toole, Potter, and then guys like Kellaway and Daugunu

James Lowe making easy finishes look very difficult

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks v France 2:

Am a little bit concerned Ioane has mostly played 11 not 14, then I saw his first season at Blues was at 14! But that was nearly a decade ago..

Another way of looking at it is he hasn't played much 11 this decade either.

He has moved to 14 for ABs mid-game in recent seasons

@frugby said in All Blacks v France 2:

I think if it was pre-planned TT would surely have played in Dunedin.

I wouldn't be so sure. 4 debutants was already plenty for week 1 and not all rookies are the same - i.e. some could use an extra week or 2 in camp before debuting. Razor has made it clear that he intends to give everybody game.time across the series.

No QT looks like a pre planned change decided prior to last weekend.

@ploughboy said in All Blacks v France 2:

PT to lock
Clarke to 11
RI to 14
TT to 22
RL to 23

What you would like to see or some inside oil?

No specific timeline but it reads as if Noah's Lions series is done.

Rugby Australia  /  Jul 8

Media Statement: Noah Lolesio

I'm not sure Ah Kuoi is still with the squad.

@Mr-Fish @Catogrande

I don't think that's exactly true.

If the attacking phase is under two phases (which this was) then the TMO can go back 2 phases

See note at the bottom of the below 2025 TMO protocols

@cgrant said in All Blacks v France I:

Kirifi is not solid enough in that kind of phase against big forwards. Remember his game against the Brumbies in the quarter final.

Didn't Kirifi win a last minute breakdown penalty in this game to give Canes one last shot at winning?

@antipodean said in Brumbies v British & Irish Lions:

@Bovidae said in Brumbies v British & Irish Lions:

It seems unusual that Brousset is the referee so soon after doing the Aust-Fiji test.

Looking at who is available, I'm expecting Doleman will get a Lions Test.

Lions refs have already been announced a couple of months ago

Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand) test 1, Andrea Piardi (Italy) test 2 and Nika Amashukeli (Georgia) test 3.

@barbarian said in Wallabies v Fiji:

It's not a great trial game for the Lions, stylistically. I know the Lions aren't as stodgy as they once were, but they certainly aren't playing Fijian rugby out there and it makes this game a bit hard to judge in that light.

The physicality was very useful for a pre Lions hit out though

@Nepia said in All Blacks v France 2:

@canefan said in All Blacks v France 2:

@Nepia said in All Blacks v France 2:

I don't see the point in playing Finau off the bench, yes he played there a bit this year, but if we want to see if he's our Kaino-like (acknowledging no one will ever be completely that level) then he has to start.

It is completely weird to pick a 6 in a squad, the only true blue 6, and then play him off the bench.

They have a bunch of pieces that don't quite fit. Or they can't make them fit yet

If they're just killing time until bringing back Frizell my ditching of rugby might happen sooner than I thought.

Simon Parker is the guy I hope they are waiting on

@Mr-Fish said in All Blacks v France I:

Again, I just think there's an interesting double standard between what we expect from a lock (in particular, this lock) and what we expect from any of our loose forwards.

It's not a double standard - they are completely different roles.