RWC 2023 - All Blacks pool matches

[waiopehu oldboy]

I expect QF's & beyond will have their own match threads so thought I'd start one to cover the AB's pre-knockout matches.

Sat 26 Aug warmup v SA at Twickenham 0630 NZT

Sat 9 Sep v France at Stade de France 0715
Sat 16 Sep v Namibia at Stadium de Toulouse 0700
Sat 23 Sep v Italy at OL Stadium (Lyon) 0800
Fri 6 Oct v Uruguay at OL Stadium 0800

Shannon Frizell to miss SA & probably France with a hamstring niggle picked up in pre-departure camp. Lurch to miss SA & probably France with a knee injury from Bledisloe 2. Foster has declared the other 31 fit & available for SA.

Also available will be Josh Lord, Brad Weber & Samipeni Finau who unless required to travel on to France will then return to NZ for NPC duty.

 

[Mr Pilfer]

Surprising that they chose to play a warm up against springboks rather than try get one of the European teams just for a difference in playing styles and based on their likely fixtures

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ it's all about the £, € & $, I think.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

A journo interviewing Foster at the airport asked for his thoughts on leaving for his last World Cup. Foster shot back with "who says it's my last?". Had a bit of a grin on his face when he said it so probably just banter with a veteran journo but still, maybe there's some coaching life in the old dog yet.

 

[Dan54]

A journo interviewing Foster at the airport asked for his thoughts on leaving for his last World Cup. Foster shot back with "who says it's my last?". Had a bit of a grin on his face when he said it so probably just banter with a veteran journo but still, maybe there's some coaching life in the old dog yet.

Saw that too WOB and had a smile myself, kind of a good response, and as you say with a grin.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

A journo interviewing Foster at the airport asked for his thoughts on leaving for his last World Cup. Foster shot back with "who says it's my last?".

 

[KiwiM]

The All Black RWC squad balance is fucking nuts and is already being exposed.

They have 3 fit locks and 4 fit loosies meanwhile 6 outside backs if you could Beaudie as a 15.

They should have picked either Lord or Finau in the RWC squad and ditched a winger.

 

[Dan54]

The All Black RWC squad balance is fucking nuts and is already being exposed.

They have 3 fit locks and 4 fit loosies meanwhile 6 outside backs if you could Beaudie as a 15.

They should have picked either Lord or Finau in the RWC squad and ditched a winger.

Yep but they like all squads have until Aug 29th to make changes if needed.

 

[KevinO]

I hadn't really looked at the fixture for them and France, knew they played each other first up. Means by the time the QF comes around they both will have played 3 relatively soft test matches and risk entering the QF undercooked.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Springboks:

15 Damian Willemse, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Steven Kitshoff. Substitutes: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Ox Nche, 18 Trevor Nyakane, 19 Jean Kleyn, 20 RG Snyman, 21 Marco van Staden, 22 Cobus Reinach, 23 Willie le Roux.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Pretty strong hints from JRyan on news last night that AB will name their best available 23 for SA which given our Pool schedule probably isn't a bad thing.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

RWC Match officials have been appointed

AB v France
Referee: Jaco Peyper (SARU)
Assistant Referee 1: Karl Dickson (RFU)
Assistant Referee 2: Christophe Ridley (RFU)
TMO: Tom Foley (RFU)

AB v Namibia
Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU)
Assistant Referee 1: Andrew Brace (IRFU)
Assistant Referee 2: Jordan Way (RA)
TMO: Brian MacNeice (IRFU)

AB v Italy
Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU)
Assistant Referee 1: Nic Berry (RA)
Assistant Referee 2: Christophe Ridley (RFU)
TMO: Brett Cronan (RA)

AB v Uruguay
Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU)
Assistant Referee 1: Matthew Carley (RFU)
Assistant Referee 2: Jordan Way (RA)
TMO: Marius Jonker (SARU)

Full list of appointments here:

Match Officials Appointments | World Rugby

World Rugby match official appointments for international matches and tournaments.

www.world.rugby

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

All Blacks: Beauden Barrett, Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Mark Telea, Richie Mo’unga, Aaron Smith; Ardie Savea, Sam Cane (capt), Luke Jacobson, Scott Barrett, Sam Whitelock, Tyrel Lomax, Dane Coles, Ethan de Groot. Reserves: Samisoni Taukei’aho, Tamaiti Williams, Fletcher Newell, Josh Lord, Tupou Vaa’i, Dalton Papalii, Cam Roidard, Anton Lienert-Brown.

Not often AB go with a 6/2 bench but makes sense given how many backs cover multiple positions.

 

[zer0]

Spicy.

Good to see Roigard there.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ it's all about the £, € & $, I think.

Twickers reportedly sold out for this c.f. "only" 40K tix sold for Ringinland v Fiji on Sunday. Not quite apples & apples but a nice payday for NZR & SARU.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Not often AB go with a 6/2 bench but makes sense given how many backs cover multiple positions.

Apparently it's "never" rather than "not often".

 

[qwerty51]

Twickers reportedly sold out for this c.f. "only" 40K tix sold for Ringinland v Fiji on Sunday. Not quite apples & apples but a nice payday for NZR & SARU.

If only, I can't sell my ticket for face value.

 

[Dan54]

If only, I can't sell my ticket for face value.

I had same thing at Irish test in Wellington last year, Sister came down with covid day before match, I couldn't sell it at gate, there were a few people looking for tickets, but were all in small groups and wanted muti's. Mate has same trouble at Suncorp at a game few years back as it got close to test, he had someone pull out, and couldn't get rid of lone ticket, as those looking late seem to want to go with a friend ?

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

If only, I can't sell my ticket for face value.

Pretty sure SARU & NZR only care about sales that make them money...

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Late change to Bokke - le Roux out, Kwagga in so now a 7/1 bench!