TRC 2016: Matches not involving Australia

[waiopehu oldboy]

Flown there many times, it's about a 10 hour flight. Malaysian airlines used to fly directly from Buenos Aires back in the days. You could also fly VARIG from Sao Paolo to JHB.

Not sure what it's like lately.

Watched a video report from one of the journos travelling with the team who said they had a five hour layover in Sao Paolo & a two hour one in Jo'burg, so 18 hours actual flying time. Plus they wear those weird-as masks that supposedly keep you hydrated & filter out all the bugs floating around in the recycled air.

Invented by a former flight attendant & apparently been in use for some years so presumably they work.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=11721684

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

George Moala is now able to be considered for selection, suggesting 12. Crotty 13. Lienert-Brown 23. Moala for Sunday & DMac to work on his work-ons.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...nders-create-welcome-headaches-for-all-blacks

 

[Bullrush]

Oh yeah....George Moala is a bloody good player

 

[ACT Crusader]

George Moala is now able to be considered for selection, suggesting 12. Crotty 13. Lienert-Brown 23. Moala for Sunday & DMac to work on his work-ons.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...nders-create-welcome-headaches-for-all-blacks

I'd bring Fekitoa back into the frame. He's played his best test footy to date against the Boks.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Opta facts for Sunday's match:

o The All Blacks have won eight of their last nine matches against South Africa.

o New Zealand’s 28-point winning margin against South Africa earlier in this tournament was their joint-third biggest ever victory against the Springboks.

o Five of the six previous meetings between these sides at Kings Park have been decided by fewer than 10 points (three wins each).

o Morne Steyn scored 31 points (1T, 1C, 8P) for the Springboks the last time these two teams clashed at this venue (2009), the most ever by a player against New Zealand.

o When these sides met earlier in the tournament, the All Blacks’ starting backline tallied 18 defenders beaten between them, over twice as many as South Africa’s corresponding players (7).

o New Zealand have won their last 16 matches, victory here would extend that run to 17 and equal the record by a tier one nation (currently held by themselves and South Africa).

o The All Blacks have already scored 205 points and 29 tries in this tournament, both record tallies in a single Rugby Championship/Tri Nations campaign.

o Three of the four players to make the most clean breaks in this year’s edition of the competition are All Blacks (Julian Savea 11, Ben Smith 10, Israel Dagg 8), the other being Argentina’s Facundo Isa (8).

o South Africa have enjoyed less possession than any other side this year, a total of just 1hr 10m 24s over their five games so far (14m 5s per game).

o No player has won more turnovers than Francois Louw in the 2016 Rugby Championship (7, same as Michael Hooper and Agustin Creevy), more than twice as many as any New Zealand player (Sam Cane, Ardie Savea & Brodie Retallick have all won 3 each).

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/match.cfm?season=2017&competition=214&match=2885

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Aaron Smith has gone home to "deal with the fallout" from a "Dunny Bill" type incident after the Christchurch Test:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...aron-smith-leaves-all-blacks-tour-in-disgrace

 

[zer0]

I love how they hypocritically claim that they're not "narking or gossiping" but then go and sell their story to NZ's equivalent of the Daily Mail.

 

[Micheal]

I love how they hypocritically claim that they're not "narking or gossiping" but then go and sell their story to NZ's equivalent of the Daily Mail.

Regardless the mud sticks - Smith has been a dickhead (again) and deserves to be reprimanded for it (again).

Its a bad look for the team / the brand but more importantly its just a low act for Smith. Hopefully he learns something from this.

If you want to go around doing the dirty with strange women in strange places don't drag a girlfriend along on the side.

 

[Dan54]

I love how they hypocritically claim that they're not "narking or gossiping" but then go and sell their story to NZ's equivalent of the Daily Mail.

And even better hubby was recording it!!
Look I agree Smith was being a dickhead, but hasn't really broken any laws, actually it his girlfriend I feel the sorriest for.
And can I say I may get struck down for thinking that it fortunate that TJP is in the form of his life!!

 

[amirite]

And even better hubby was recording it!!
Look I agree Smith was being a dickhead, but hasn't really broken any laws, actually it his girlfriend I feel the sorriest for.
And can I say I may get struck down for thinking that it fortunate that TJP is in the form of his life!!

Yeah, there's articles about it in the NZ press with her photo in it. Poor girl.

Also there's women being hounded about being the girl in the video. Apparently they haven't found her yet.

I doubt Smith will have to deal with the law, but I'd imagine having sex in 'public' (even a bathroom) would be breaking some law.

 

[FrankLind]

Glad to see the back of Fekitoa with ALB and Crotty being retained and Moala given the sub role.
Also like Naholo being preferred to Savea.
I like Todd at 7 with Ardie coming on as impact.
Only surprise for me was Pat T. not being selected.

All Blacks line-up for the test against the Springboks:

1. Joe Moody (18)
2. Dane Coles (44)
3. Owen Franks (85)
4. Brodie Retallick (55)
5. Samuel Whitelock (80)
6. Jerome Kaino (72)
7. Matt Todd (4)
8. Kieran Read - captain (92)
9. TJ Perenara (24)
10. Beauden Barrett (44)
11. Waisake Naholo (7)
12. Ryan Crotty (22)
13. Anton Lienert-Brown (4)
14. Israel Dagg (56)
15. Ben Smith (56)
16. Codie Taylor (9)
17. Wyatt Crockett (53)
18. Charlie Faumuina (40)
19. Liam Squire (4)
20. Ardie Savea (7)
21. Tawera Kerr-Barlow (22)
22. Lima Sopoaga (4)
23. George Moala (2)

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Very glad they've stuck with the dual fullback system, essential with kickbot at 10 for the Bokke IMO. I doubt we've "seen the back of" Fekitoa, wouldn't be at all surprised if he's in the 23 for Bled 3, it's just that Moala needs a run & he's hardly (if at all) a step down quality-wise. As for Mr Smith, he's clearly an idiot but has he actually done anything illegal? If not I doubt the people calling for his head are going to be happy with the outcome of the NZRU hearing.

EDIT: You know things are seriously fucked up when Mark Reason sounds like, well, a voice of reason........

 

[Dan54]

Yep I worry when I agree with Reason too WOB, and amirite it is illegal to have sex in a public place, but a defence is if you don't think anyone can see it or whatever!
Lets face it there would be an awful lot of us have been law breakers in our youth!!
Also agree we haven't seen the last of Fekitoa, not sure why he cops as much criticism as he does, he not a bad player.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^^^^^^^^ I suspect Reason Snr would forgive Smith his indiscretion then pillory him for being blatantly & wilfully an All Black

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Similar actions have allegedly cost at least one former Man in Gold their contract in the past.

My young'uns are saying "WTF was he thinking. His GF is totally hot. He's a total dickhead. She'll drop him. Why would he do that to her? What a loser?"

Another one said "Where was Dunny Girl before the Bledisloe Cup? We need some of the Mungoball Camp followers from Northies to hang around outside the NZL Rugby Team's hotel. We may have found a new Suzie the Waitress chink in the armour of The Darkness".

One wonders how many current "Pillars of Society" and "Captains of Industry" would have become pilloried rather than Pillars of Society if mobile phones with video cameras in them and "social media" were widely available in the 1960's-1980s.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Coetzee finally names his team:

South Africa: 15 Patrick Lambie, 14 Francois Hougaard, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morne Steyn, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Teboho Mohoje, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Adriaan Strauss (c), 1 Tendai Mtawarira. Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Stephen Kitshoff, 18 Julian Redelinghuys, 19 Lood de Jager, 20 Willem Alberts, 21 Jaco Kriel, 22 Lionel Mapoe, 23 Willie le Roux

The suspense was killing me!

 

[dru]

Interesting tinkering in the backline by Coetze. Some of it so minor that you wonder if he feels that he's nailed it.

The big changes:
Paige dropped for de Klerk. (Cant be a rotation, Paige has only played one game)
Lambie dropped for Goosen (Cant be a rotation, Lambie has only played one game)
Jesse Kriel out, this could be rotation?

What is intriguing is the minor tweaks.
Hougaard and Habana swap wings. Odd to take this long to decide they are widdershins.

A flip in the centres, de Jognh goes out one from IC to OC, and de Allende comes in at 12 for Jesse Kriel who was 13.

Bench identicle, has Coetze found his "finishers"?

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^^^^^^^^^^ Paige came off v Wobs & failed a SCAT, presumably he's now working through the return to play protocols. Jesse Kriel was reported as having a groin injury, presumably he's unfit for selection. Goosen for Lambie is just plain weird, unless of course they're suddenly going to unleash the Lions-like game everyone's been hanging out for (unlikely with 10. Kickbot but, hey, y'never know, eh )

 

[PaarlBok]

The big changes:
Paige dropped for de Klerk. (Cant be a rotation, Paige has only played one game)
Lambie dropped for Goosen (Cant be a rotation, Lambie has only played one game)
Jesse Kriel out, this could be rotation?
Kriel & Paige is injured. Goosen is a chicken runner and never should have been in the team

 

[Brumby Runner]

I keep seeing comments about Goosen replacing Lambie, but the team list at post 336 shows Lambie at No 15. Who is in and who is out?