The torpedo
Peter Fenwicke (45)
I reckon ABs by 30+
Who do you reckon wins?
Who do you reckon wins?
Matt Todd & Kane Hames added to AB squad as injury cover for Sam Cane (still on concussion watch) & Joe Moody (neck, hasn't played since May):
Forwards: Dane Coles, Nathan Harris, Codie Taylor, Wyatt Crockett, Charlie Faumuina, Owen Franks, Kane Hames, Joe Moody, Ofa Tu'ungafasi, Brodie Retallick, Patrick Tuipulotu, Samuel Whitelock, Sam Cane, Jerome Kaino, Kieran Read, Ardie Savea, Liam Squire and Matt Todd.
Backs: Tawera Kerr-Barlow, TJ Perenara, Aaron Smith, Beauden Barrett, Aaron Cruden, Lima Sopoaga, Ryan Crotty, Malakai Fekitoa, Anton Lienert-Brown, George Moala, Israel Dagg, Waisake Naholo, Julian Savea and Ben Smith.
Dane Coles still not 100% but they obviously feel there's enough cover already (or that the next cab(s) off the rank aren't quite up to it).
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...de-injury-cover-for-all-blacks-trip-to-sydney
@The torpedo I see what you're trying to do there but no way do AB's beat your blokes by 30 in Sydney. Nek week in Auckland, possibly, but not this week. AB's by >12 would be my guess.
Rugby: All Blacks prepare for niggle
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It's probably not such a bad thing that World Rugby wasn't interested in delving too deeply into what happened the last time the All Blacks played the Wallabies.
All the governing body cared about was that the two sides had put on an epic World Cup final that brought a superb tournament to an appropriate close. There was no need, reckoned World Rugby, to be asking whether David Pocock had, in fact, stamped on Richie McCaw's head.
They were not interested in reviewing how many times Sekope Kepu had late-tackled All Blacks or how many times Michael Hooper had held back jerseys at rucks.
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They had also been braced to be played off the ball by the Wallabies in the final, having endured a fair bit of it in their other two games against Australia last year.
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That has extended, though, to what can only be described as developing a culture of niggle as part of the masterplan to intimidate and frustrate teams, particularly the All Blacks.
In the test in Sydney last year - the first the Wallabies had played against their old foe under Cheika - Australia were good value for their victory and upset the All Blacks more than they possibly imagined they could by working them hard off the ball.
They blocked All Blacks runners trying to make their way to the breakdown. They held down players after they had made a tackle and sometimes pulled jerseys as All Blacks were trying to break free to make it to the next phase.
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When McCaw suggested midway through the game that either the officials managed the situation or the All Blacks would, the response from Barnes was to say: "Are you threatening me?"
Left with a choice to make, the All Blacks decided not to take matters into their own hands, concluding that was precisely what the Wallabies were hoping would happen.
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The Wallabies played their underhand card throughout the June series against England - the worst aspect being Hooper trying to throw sand from the churned Melbourne field into English players' eyes.
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http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?
Some highlights from Gregor Paul's epic trolling masterpiece.....
He probably thinks it's payback for the "Richie McGrub" thing last year...
I've been thinking about the Wobblies talking about kicking more & wondering do they plan on (A) kicking long & for touch to pressure our lineout (bad move IMO as your lineout's now as pants as your scrum ever was); (B) long & not out to rush our back three (likely to be Dagg, Smith & Savea or Naholo so good luck with that); or (C) short & in behind whichever of Savea or Naholo starts? Option (C) at least has a chance of working, they both turn like an oil tanker, but what if we counter by having Dagg drift to that wing & take the ball going forward? Could all be a Jaws-size red herring, IMO. Can't wait to find out, tho!
I reckon ABs by 30+
Who do you reckon wins?
I would say a little bit of (C) with a lot more of (A).
Our lineouts actually pretty good with Simmons/Douglas/Fardy.
I presume you're confusing losing a lock early in the game (without a backup on the bench) with a weakness.
The problem was injury plus selection tactics (or lack of them)
Our lineout will be fine if Cheiks learnt from his mistakes.
Obviously it's been weaker when Skelton has been on the field, but it's also been fairly pants when we're fielding our top side......
The only game against a top tier team recently where we displayed some lineout dominance was actually when Simmons was out injured.
I've been thinking about the Wobblies talking about kicking more & wondering do they plan on (A) kicking long & for touch to pressure our lineout (bad move IMO as your lineout's now as pants as your scrum ever was); (B) long & not out to rush our back three (likely to be Dagg, Smith & Savea or Naholo so good luck with that); or (C) short & in behind whichever of Savea or Naholo starts? Option (C) at least has a chance of working, they both turn like an oil tanker, but what if we counter by having Dagg drift to that wing & take the ball going forward? Could all be a Jaws-size red herring, IMO. Can't wait to find out, tho!
Something the ABs have never done, of course. They have special dispensation to clean out uninvolved players."how many times Michael Hooper had held back jerseys at rucks."
HaHa. Did anyone see Matt Bourkes 15 in the SMH.
4-8: Douglas, Skelton, McMahon (6),Pocock (8),Hooper (7).
What an awesome lineout that would be.
The blokes a genius.
I'm actually flabbergasted! We are obviously not worried about the lineout at all.This was his full side (for anyone wondering):
That is 4 Tahs, 3 Brumbies, 2 Reds, 1 Rebel, 1 Force & 4 Foreign (1 ex-red, 1-ex brumby & force, 1 ex-red, force & tah & 1 ex-brumby & tah)
- Sio
- Moore
- Kepu
- Skelton
- Douglas
- McMahon
- Hooper
- Pocock
- Genia
- Giteau
- Mitchell
- Kerevi
- Folau
- AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
- DHP