Very good team.Grandpa wrote: Wed Sep 06, 2023 4:06 pm Dalton Papalii is not a 6!!! He's played what, half a test there for the All Blacks? Hardly ever for the Blues... what's going on? No faith in Jacobson as a 6 then? Why did they pick him?
Finaly Christie on the bench...
No Jordie and Narawa out the tournament. Finau has to come in...
One good thing is Leicester on the bench....
The dirty bastard ignored this blatant offside ruck infringement, where he started to the side, and around and blatantly booted it out, which immediately led to a try. France should have still been on 0 !!Torquemada 1420 wrote: Wed Sep 06, 2023 1:23 pmOr a bent ref in Jouberttc27 wrote: Wed Sep 06, 2023 9:56 am England got to the final despite loosing a pool game in 20007, as did France in 2011 (and they would have won if it had being held in a neutral venue).
Last RWC was a good advert for peaking at the right time. England blew their load in the semi whereas SA grinded out a win against Wales (despite IMO being a much better side).
Well that sucks balls.Grandpa wrote: Wed Sep 06, 2023 4:06 pm Dalton Papalii is not a 6!!! He's played what, half a test there for the All Blacks? Hardly ever for the Blues... what's going on? No faith in Jacobson as a 6 then? Why did they pick him?
Finaly Christie on the bench...
No Jordie and Narawa out the tournament. Finau has to come in...
Could be worse.. imagine if we lost Ardie Savea, Aaron Smith and Richie Mounga to tournament ending injuries... then we'd really be screwed!Gumboot wrote: Wed Sep 06, 2023 6:32 pmWell that sucks balls.Grandpa wrote: Wed Sep 06, 2023 4:06 pm Dalton Papalii is not a 6!!! He's played what, half a test there for the All Blacks? Hardly ever for the Blues... what's going on? No faith in Jacobson as a 6 then? Why did they pick him?
Finaly Christie on the bench...
No Jordie and Narawa out the tournament. Finau has to come in...
This team looks weak. You're right Gramps, Papali'i is not a blindside. Laulala's handling is shit, and his defence is so sloppy he might as well not bother. Christie ahead of Roigard? Fuck. Right. Off.
My earlier prediction of a 29-point thrashing might have been too conservative. We're screwed.
4 years of unsettled selections and combinations under Fozzie, with a few years of it under Hansen, will have the players well primed and ready for continued disruption. Suddenly, it's all looking like a masterclass in 4 1/2 D chess.Grandpa wrote: Wed Sep 06, 2023 9:36 pmCould be worse.. imagine if we lost Ardie Savea, Aaron Smith and Richie Mounga to tournament ending injuries... then we'd really be screwed!Gumboot wrote: Wed Sep 06, 2023 6:32 pmWell that sucks balls.Grandpa wrote: Wed Sep 06, 2023 4:06 pm Dalton Papalii is not a 6!!! He's played what, half a test there for the All Blacks? Hardly ever for the Blues... what's going on? No faith in Jacobson as a 6 then? Why did they pick him?
Finaly Christie on the bench...
No Jordie and Narawa out the tournament. Finau has to come in...
This team looks weak. You're right Gramps, Papali'i is not a blindside. Laulala's handling is shit, and his defence is so sloppy he might as well not bother. Christie ahead of Roigard? Fuck. Right. Off.
My earlier prediction of a 29-point thrashing might have been too conservative. We're screwed.
I know I predicted a NZ win... but I feel uneasy now...
They said it could be a loose forward... which it should have been anyway... instead of Clarke.,..Kiwias wrote: Wed Sep 06, 2023 11:12 pm So who is the replacement for Narawa? Stevenson surely is the first cab off the rank
Apart from a couple of nice touches on attack, Stevenson was pretty average against Otago last night; error prone defensively poor.Kiwias wrote: Wed Sep 06, 2023 11:12 pm So who is the replacement for Narawa? Stevenson surely is the first cab off the rank
I think they have enough cover for outsides, a loosie is more on the cards. Finau for me.Gumboot wrote: Wed Sep 06, 2023 11:51 pmApart from a couple of nice touches on attack, Stevenson was pretty average against Otago last night; error prone defensively poor.Kiwias wrote: Wed Sep 06, 2023 11:12 pm So who is the replacement for Narawa? Stevenson surely is the first cab off the rank
I hope they pick Finau or Lord instead of a replacement outside back. At least Clarke's still out of the 23.
I'd be very happy with Finau there.Guy Smiley wrote: Thu Sep 07, 2023 12:19 amI think they have enough cover for outsides, a loosie is more on the cards. Finau for me.Gumboot wrote: Wed Sep 06, 2023 11:51 pmApart from a couple of nice touches on attack, Stevenson was pretty average against Otago last night; error prone defensively poor.Kiwias wrote: Wed Sep 06, 2023 11:12 pm So who is the replacement for Narawa? Stevenson surely is the first cab off the rank
I hope they pick Finau or Lord instead of a replacement outside back. At least Clarke's still out of the 23.
Just watched the highlights and he was far from convincing on defense for Otago's first two tries.Gumboot wrote: Wed Sep 06, 2023 11:51 pmApart from a couple of nice touches on attack, Stevenson was pretty average against Otago last night; error prone defensively poor.Kiwias wrote: Wed Sep 06, 2023 11:12 pm So who is the replacement for Narawa? Stevenson surely is the first cab off the rank
I hope they pick Finau or Lord instead of a replacement outside back. At least Clarke's still out of the 23.
Fixxed.OomStruisbaai wrote: Thu Sep 07, 2023 3:26 am France to put out a marker tomorrow. Never underestimate them.
Marc Hinton
His team-mates have dubbed him Mr Fixit, and All Blacks coach Ian Foster was backing veteran midfielder Anton Lienert-Brown to capably fill the void
Fuck.The 26-year-old Barrett picked up a knee injury in the wake of the Twickenham shellacking at the hands of the South Africans, and though Foster confirmed it was not considered serious, it was bad enough to keep him off the training paddock all week in Lyon. The coach said he had no hesitation in turning to the 28-year-old, 63-test Lienert Brown to partner Rieko Ioane in midfield.
This.OomStruisbaai wrote: Thu Sep 07, 2023 3:26 am All Blacks to put out a marker tomorrow. Never underestimate them.
This. They'll do to France the same as they did to SA and Australia in the last competitive matches they played... France will wonder what has hit them...OomStruisbaai wrote: Thu Sep 07, 2023 3:26 am All Blacks to put out a marker tomorrow. Never underestimate them.
Has been said many times by me and the likes of J2M, but Christie is no intl SH. Laulala is not in the side for his handling! I don't get the move of the dim Barrett to lock. Surely there were other candidate for 2nd row rather than messing around with your backrow?Gumboot wrote: Wed Sep 06, 2023 6:32 pmWell that sucks balls.Grandpa wrote: Wed Sep 06, 2023 4:06 pm Dalton Papalii is not a 6!!! He's played what, half a test there for the All Blacks? Hardly ever for the Blues... what's going on? No faith in Jacobson as a 6 then? Why did they pick him?
Finaly Christie on the bench...
No Jordie and Narawa out the tournament. Finau has to come in...
This team looks weak. You're right Gramps, Papali'i is not a blindside. Laulala's handling is shit, and his defence is so sloppy he might as well not bother. Christie ahead of Roigard? Fuck. Right. Off.
My earlier prediction of a 29-point thrashing might have been too conservative. We're screwed.
Scott Barrett is a lock. He rarely plays at 6... agree about Christie and Laulala though...Torquemada 1420 wrote: Thu Sep 07, 2023 10:43 amHas been said many times by me and the likes of J2M, but Christie is no intl SH. Laulala is not in the side for his handling! I don't get the move of the dim Barrett to lock. Surely there were other candidate for 2nd row rather than messing around with your backrow?Gumboot wrote: Wed Sep 06, 2023 6:32 pmWell that sucks balls.Grandpa wrote: Wed Sep 06, 2023 4:06 pm Dalton Papalii is not a 6!!! He's played what, half a test there for the All Blacks? Hardly ever for the Blues... what's going on? No faith in Jacobson as a 6 then? Why did they pick him?
Finaly Christie on the bench...
No Jordie and Narawa out the tournament. Finau has to come in...
This team looks weak. You're right Gramps, Papali'i is not a blindside. Laulala's handling is shit, and his defence is so sloppy he might as well not bother. Christie ahead of Roigard? Fuck. Right. Off.
My earlier prediction of a 29-point thrashing might have been too conservative. We're screwed.
Just as Papali'i is a 7 and plays there for the Blues, so Scott Barrett is a lock. We have to get past an obsession with shoe-horning players into positions they hardly ever play.Grandpa wrote: Thu Sep 07, 2023 11:06 amScott Barrett is a lock. He rarely plays at 6... agree about Christie and Laulala though...Torquemada 1420 wrote: Thu Sep 07, 2023 10:43 amHas been said many times by me and the likes of J2M, but Christie is no intl SH. Laulala is not in the side for his handling! I don't get the move of the dim Barrett to lock. Surely there were other candidate for 2nd row rather than messing around with your backrow?Gumboot wrote: Wed Sep 06, 2023 6:32 pm
Well that sucks balls.
This team looks weak. You're right Gramps, Papali'i is not a blindside. Laulala's handling is shit, and his defence is so sloppy he might as well not bother. Christie ahead of Roigard? Fuck. Right. Off.
My earlier prediction of a 29-point thrashing might have been too conservative. We're screwed.
Then I guess the question is what cover was there for BS?Grandpa wrote: Thu Sep 07, 2023 11:06 amScott Barrett is a lock. He rarely plays at 6... agree about Christie and Laulala though...Torquemada 1420 wrote: Thu Sep 07, 2023 10:43 amHas been said many times by me and the likes of J2M, but Christie is no intl SH. Laulala is not in the side for his handling! I don't get the move of the dim Barrett to lock. Surely there were other candidate for 2nd row rather than messing around with your backrow?Gumboot wrote: Wed Sep 06, 2023 6:32 pm
Well that sucks balls.
This team looks weak. You're right Gramps, Papali'i is not a blindside. Laulala's handling is shit, and his defence is so sloppy he might as well not bother. Christie ahead of Roigard? Fuck. Right. Off.
My earlier prediction of a 29-point thrashing might have been too conservative. We're screwed.
We all said the squad had too many wingers and not enough flankers/locks... and so it rears it's head in the first match! A lock and flanker injured and we're a bit stuffed... but I still think NZ can win tomorrow... will all depend on their emotional state.. and France's.Torquemada 1420 wrote: Thu Sep 07, 2023 1:56 pmThen I guess the question is what cover was there for BS?Grandpa wrote: Thu Sep 07, 2023 11:06 amScott Barrett is a lock. He rarely plays at 6... agree about Christie and Laulala though...Torquemada 1420 wrote: Thu Sep 07, 2023 10:43 am
Has been said many times by me and the likes of J2M, but Christie is no intl SH. Laulala is not in the side for his handling! I don't get the move of the dim Barrett to lock. Surely there were other candidate for 2nd row rather than messing around with your backrow?
God I’d love us to eat our words, but by fark has there been a worse duo than Foster and Cane? They have truly set so many new records.Jethro wrote: Thu Sep 07, 2023 7:36 pm Reviewing the AB lineup for the first up game against France, who are admittedly missing a couple of players, zero confidence. We are going to get bounced in this one by thirty odd points. On the bright side we should still make the quarters, where we'll get bounced anyways. Thanks for the memories Fozz, or should I say nightmares.
Yep, our first ever loss to the Azzurri is very much on the cards.Ymx wrote: Thu Sep 07, 2023 7:44 pmGod I’d love us to eat our words, but by fark has there been a worse duo than Foster and Cane? They have truly set so many new records.
What’s next? Loss to Italy to send us packing sounds like the apt farewell.
Have you not paid attention to the Glorious Reign of Ian fucking Foster?
These teams have met seven times at World CupsGuy Smiley wrote: Thu Sep 07, 2023 8:58 pm I know the way world rugby runs that there really aren't that many teams that get to play in the world cup (which is fucked, for my money) but have NZ and France played in them more than any other two team combination?
I thought Wales vs Fiji would be up there but I guess not?Grandpa wrote: Thu Sep 07, 2023 9:24 pmThese teams have met seven times at World CupsGuy Smiley wrote: Thu Sep 07, 2023 8:58 pm I know the way world rugby runs that there really aren't that many teams that get to play in the world cup (which is fucked, for my money) but have NZ and France played in them more than any other two team combination?
France v NZ
England v Australia
Australia v Wales
https://www.rugbyworldcup.com/2023/news ... n-fixtures
TBF, if France has any realistic pretensions of winning the thing, they need to defeat NZ. With all due respect to the ABs, Ire and SA are far sterner tests at the moment.
