@shark said in Bledisoe #1:

I'm pleased with the backline. I think it's our strongest combination, sans SBW or Crotty off the bench for Laumape. Does anyone else feel like Goodhue has played at least another season longer than he actually has? Seems like he should have 20 odd caps rather than just 8!

In the forwards I'm worried about a couple of things. Potential lack of height in general, mainly thanks to the inclusion of Savea, Cane and Todd in the same group of loose forwards, plus the combination of Read/Cane/Savea and how they'll gel. It would be really interesting to see what they did if we lost a loosie - any loosie - to injury. Does Todd come on, or does Pat T come on and Barrett goes to 6? I guess the scenario at the time will dictate this. I do find it odd though that they have a third openside flaker on the bench. Does this mean they're hell-bent on playing two opensiders at any given time?

Yeah - I like the backs and am keen to see the Mo'unga/Barrett combo work. If it fires it could be the lethal edge we need.

Not surprisingly, I'm less keen on the forward pack than most. Sub in Taylor for Coles and Todd for Cane and it's got a real Crusaders look to it - with Ardie playing the Taufua small six role and Scott Barrett as a pretty small test match lock.

Looks to me that they're hell-bent on playing at speed - there's no really big munter in the midfield either - so Todd will presumably come on in the last quarter as fresh and fast legs, unless we're getting out-muscled and need more power, in which case maybe Barrett shifts to six.

At the start of RWC, speed and mobility could be a master-stroke against South Africa in the pool matches - recalling how the Sunwolves beat the Blues in the heat a couple of years ago and the Chiefs beat the Crusaders in Suva - but, by the business end of the tournament, heat shouldn't be a factor.

@ACT-Crusader said in Bledisoe #1:

@kiwiinmelb said in Bledisoe #1:

@Siam said in Bledisoe #1:

@Crucial I guess all of us remember where we were for that game. The emotional rollercoaster was immense.

In the cold light of day though, jeez our defence to let them back in was a black mark.

But, a win's a win

I was pissed off we let them back in that easily , I didnt enjoy that game the way most did for that reason..... but Im probably a grumpy bastard .

If we are being honest with ourselves, the Aussies had a better side than ours and I know even when we were up that OZ would make some sort of run.

Yep 100 %, and it used to piss me off

@Chris-B said in Bledisoe #1:

Looks to me that they're hell-bent on playing at speed

Which is not the way Tests against Lions, SA, Eng, Ire etc have gone in the last couple of seasons.

Are they predicting rugby suddenly becomes more like the first half of 2003? Maybe it works against the Aussies but does that mean it works against the other RWC threats?

What is the weather like in Japan in late October? Perhaps it's related to that?

@Duluth Might be pretty hot at the start of RWC, but by end of October it shouldn't be.

Yeah - we might find out if it's not going to work tonight, but we won't find out if it really will work against the very best teams until October. Pretty much the opposite strategy to Eddie's use of two blindsides (if he's still doing that).

Whatever happens tonight we are lucky enough to be around during such a time of sweet sweet domination

@Machpants love it for most tries,: Mcawesome

@nzzp said in Bledisoe #1:

@Machpants love it for most tries,: Mcawesome

11 wins for Gregan, 9 losses for Marshall and Mehrts. Ugh.

@Snowy said in Bledisoe #1:

@mariner4life said in Bledisoe #1:

This smells like loser talk

Sorry, but what does?

Like the Connor reference but @Jaguares4real has been banned at least twice but still doesn't walk out of a fight. Small kudos for that.

What were the bannings for?

@Machpants said in Bledisoe #1:

@Jaguares4real said in Bledisoe #1:

View image

Neither, in that case, has England

Or Argentina

Or, in fact, the 120 odd other nations who are eligible

Eh? Not sure England or Arg can play for the Bledisloe...

@nzzp McCaw was superb against Australia year after year after year.


@sparky said in Bledisloe #1:

@nzzp McCaw was superb against Australia year after year after year.

Cheated his way to 13 Bledisloes....

@kiwiinmelb said in Bledisloe #1:

@ACT-Crusader said in Bledisoe #1:

@kiwiinmelb said in Bledisoe #1:

@Siam said in Bledisoe #1:

@Crucial I guess all of us remember where we were for that game. The emotional rollercoaster was immense.

In the cold light of day though, jeez our defence to let them back in was a black mark.

But, a win's a win

I was pissed off we let them back in that easily , I didnt enjoy that game the way most did for that reason..... but Im probably a grumpy bastard .

If we are being honest with ourselves, the Aussies had a better side than ours and I know even when we were up that OZ would make some sort of run.

Yep 100 %, and it used to piss me off

I remember well walking back to the car after that fateful day in 1978 when the world tilted on its axis. Took over 30 years for AB dominance over Wannabees to be restored.

I'm home. I'm buckled. I'm in front of the rugby.

Let's go everyone

@mariner4life said in Bledisloe #1:

I'm home. I'm buckled. I'm in front of the rugby.

Let's go everyone

State of sobriety and TAB accounts please!

@Higgins said in Bledisloe #1:

@mariner4life said in Bledisloe #1:

I'm home. I'm buckled. I'm in front of the rugby.

Let's go everyone

State of sobriety and TAB accounts please!

Bent. TAB account up, but not much

Could be a rather trying evening watching the test with the atmospheric conditions in the last hour or so in my part of Welllington causing a number of Sky interruptions. Radio Sport's Nigel Yalden could be our saviour tonight.

@mariner4life Shouldn't you be watching your favourite team, Waikato?

same old same old for us kiwis based in aus

Sit here and listen to the Aussie commentary team talk themselves up before the game

I get whatever Setanta have paid for as a feed in Indonesia.
I think I might have to suffer through Kearns and co.