Any other ideas on team? This is what we had from another thread

1. Ethan DeGroot

2. Samisoni Taukei’aho

3. Tyrel Lomax

4. Sam Whitelock

5. Tupou Vaa’i

6. Ethan Blackadder

7. Sam Cane

8. Hoskins Sotutu

9. Finlay Christie

10. Richie Mounga

11. George Bridge

12. Quinn Tupaea

13. Braydon Ennor

14. Will Jordan

15. Damian McKenzie

16. Dane Coles

17. Karl Tu’inukuafe

18. Angus Ta'avao

19. Josh Lord

20. Shannon Frizell

21. Brad Weber

22. Rieko Ioane/ALB/Havili

23. Sevu Reece

Could obviously swap some reserves/starters around (eg Coles/Samisoni and Frizzell/Blackadder).

Havent thought through the combos they may like to try at stages of the game either which could dictate bench strategy. eg does DMac start and move to 10 and maybe Jordan shifts to 15?

Papalii is fit again so he might start at 6 with Cane and Sotutu. Frizell to be the other loose forward in the 23.

@bovidae said in All Blacks vs USA:

Papalii is fit again so he might start at 6 with Cane and Sotutu. Frizell to be the other loose forward in the 23.

Good call.

Frizzle has an injury, dunno if he'll be alright.

@machpants said in All Blacks vs USA:

Frizzle has an injury, dunno if he'll be alright.

Waste of space.

@machpants So it's looking like:

4 Whitelock
5 Vaai
6 Papalii
7 Cane
8 Sotutu

19 Lord
20 Jacobson

Playing teams like the USA should be treated like mid-weekers. No one should get a Test cap for this "demonstration effort".

@antipodean said in All Blacks vs USA:

Playing teams like the USA should be treated like mid-weekers. No one should get a Test cap for this "demonstration effort".

Disagree. That is like the insults NZ Cricket used to get for decades.

Just because you aren't a top tier test team doesn't mean you don't deserve to play tests.
That's the point. You are testing yourselves against another team. That's how you get better and just one reason why the ABs won't be playing a 'demonstration'.
In fact those playing need to show they are worthy of the jersey they are wearing.
We have had plenty of touring players disappear from future squads after playing second tier teams.

Frank Halai, Francis Saili and Dom Bird would all agree that you need to show test qualities against 'lesser' teams and not treat them as 'exhibitions'.

@crucial said in All Blacks vs USA:

@antipodean said in All Blacks vs USA:

Playing teams like the USA should be treated like mid-weekers. No one should get a Test cap for this "demonstration effort".

Disagree. That is like the insults NZ Cricket used to get for decades.

Just because you aren't a top tier test team doesn't mean you don't deserve to play tests.

Of course they can, amongst their tier.

That's the point. You are testing yourselves against another team. That's how you get better and just one reason why the ABs won't be playing a 'demonstration'.

It is a demonstration. They lost to Uruguay.

In fact those playing need to show they are worthy of the jersey they are wearing.

Like they used to do in mid-weekers? USA are so bad, there's no way we're going to learn anything new about players. An opposed training run would provide more structure.

@antipodean said in All Blacks vs USA:

@crucial said in All Blacks vs USA:

@antipodean said in All Blacks vs USA:

Playing teams like the USA should be treated like mid-weekers. No one should get a Test cap for this "demonstration effort".

Disagree. That is like the insults NZ Cricket used to get for decades.

Just because you aren't a top tier test team doesn't mean you don't deserve to play tests.

Of course they can, amongst their tier.

That's the point. You are testing yourselves against another team. That's how you get better and just one reason why the ABs won't be playing a 'demonstration'.

It is a demonstration. They lost to Uruguay.

In fact those playing need to show they are worthy of the jersey they are wearing.

Like they used to do in mid-weekers? USA are so bad, there's no way we're going to learn anything new about players. An opposed training run would provide more structure.

South African fans probably said something like this on their version of the fern just before they lost to Japan for the first time.

@mn5 said in All Blacks vs USA:

@antipodean said in All Blacks vs USA:

@crucial said in All Blacks vs USA:

@antipodean said in All Blacks vs USA:

Playing teams like the USA should be treated like mid-weekers. No one should get a Test cap for this "demonstration effort".

Disagree. That is like the insults NZ Cricket used to get for decades.

Just because you aren't a top tier test team doesn't mean you don't deserve to play tests.

Of course they can, amongst their tier.

That's the point. You are testing yourselves against another team. That's how you get better and just one reason why the ABs won't be playing a 'demonstration'.

It is a demonstration. They lost to Uruguay.

In fact those playing need to show they are worthy of the jersey they are wearing.

Like they used to do in mid-weekers? USA are so bad, there's no way we're going to learn anything new about players. An opposed training run would provide more structure.

South African fans probably said something like this on their version of the fern just before they lost to Japan for the first time.

and im pretty sure we did before the argentina game last year, "these guys haven't played for nearly a year, probably only have 60mins in them etc"

“The only player’s that not available is Shannon Frizell, who’s still recovering from a knock that he got with the [ Ta$man] side a couple of weeks ago but apart from that, everyone else is good,” Plumtree confirmedd

@machpants seriously, there were already big question marks around him being in the team...and we've still taken him even though he had an injury before leaving?

@kiwiwomble said in All Blacks vs USA:

@machpants seriously, there were already big question marks around him being in the team...and we've still taken him even though he had an injury before leaving?

Yeah I certainly would not have the prat anywhere near a black jersey

@machpants said in All Blacks vs USA:

@kiwiwomble said in All Blacks vs USA:

@machpants seriously, there were already big question marks around him being in the team...and we've still taken him even though he had an injury before leaving?

Yeah I certainly would not have the prat anywhere near a black jersey

Sevu Reece is in the team though, what are your thoughts on him ?

@mn5 said in All Blacks vs USA:

@machpants said in All Blacks vs USA:

@kiwiwomble said in All Blacks vs USA:

@machpants seriously, there were already big question marks around him being in the team...and we've still taken him even though he had an injury before leaving?

Yeah I certainly would not have the prat anywhere near a black jersey

Sevu Reece is in the team though, what are your thoughts on him ?

Not a fan, can add samisoni to that as well, Reece is a double: a poach and a wife beater.

@machpants said in All Blacks vs USA:

@mn5 said in All Blacks vs USA:

@machpants said in All Blacks vs USA:

@kiwiwomble said in All Blacks vs USA:

@machpants seriously, there were already big question marks around him being in the team...and we've still taken him even though he had an injury before leaving?

Yeah I certainly would not have the prat anywhere near a black jersey

Sevu Reece is in the team though, what are your thoughts on him ?

Not a fan, can add samisoni to that as well, Reece is a double: a poach and a wife beater.

Cool just checking you weren’t playing favourites

@machpants said in All Blacks vs USA:

@mn5 said in All Blacks vs USA:

@machpants said in All Blacks vs USA:

@kiwiwomble said in All Blacks vs USA:

@machpants seriously, there were already big question marks around him being in the team...and we've still taken him even though he had an injury before leaving?

Yeah I certainly would not have the prat anywhere near a black jersey

Sevu Reece is in the team though, what are your thoughts on him ?

Not a fan, can add samisoni to that as well, Reece is a double: a poach and a wife beater.

Isn't Frizzel a double (or triple)?

@bones said in All Blacks vs USA:

@machpants said in All Blacks vs USA:

@mn5 said in All Blacks vs USA:

@machpants said in All Blacks vs USA:

@kiwiwomble said in All Blacks vs USA:

@machpants seriously, there were already big question marks around him being in the team...and we've still taken him even though he had an injury before leaving?

Yeah I certainly would not have the prat anywhere near a black jersey

Sevu Reece is in the team though, what are your thoughts on him ?

Not a fan, can add samisoni to that as well, Reece is a double: a poach and a wife beater.

Isn't Frizzel a double (or triple)?

Yup think so, at least Reece can be good!

@machpants said in All Blacks vs USA:

“The only player’s that not available is Shannon Frizell, who’s still recovering from a knock that he got..........

when the girl he hit unexpectedly punched him back.

1. Ethan de Groot (2)
2. Asafo Aumua (4)
3. Angus Ta’avao (19)
4. Samuel Whitelock (127) - captain
5. Tupou Vaa’i (7)
6. Luke Jacobson (10)
7. Dalton Papalii (9)
8. Hoskins Sotutu (8)
9. Finlay Christie (3)
10. Richie Mo’unga (27)
11. George Bridge (16)
12. Quinn Tupaea (4)
13. Braydon Ennor (2)
14. Will Jordan (9)
15. Damian McKenzie (37)
16. Dane Coles (76)
17. George Bower (8)
18. Tyrel Lomax (10)
19. Josh Lord - new cap
20. Sam Cane (74)
21. TJ Perenara (75)
22. Beauden Barrett (98)
23. Anton Lienert-Brown (53)

When did Braydon Ennor play for the ABs before?

@sparky said in All Blacks vs USA:

When did Braydon Ennor play for the ABs before?

He came off the bench in a Rugby Championship game and had played for ABs before that (vs Japan?)

@sparky said in All Blacks vs USA:

Braydon Enno

Argentina in 2019, I think. Dunno if in NZ or Argie-land.

@victor-meldrew said in All Blacks vs USA:

@sparky said in All Blacks vs USA:

Braydon Enno

Argentina in 2019, I think. Dunno if in NZ or Argie-land.

Yes, in Buenos Aires on 20 July 2019.

And most recently v Argentina on 18 September 2021 in Brisbane.

@crucial said in All Blacks vs USA:

@antipodean said in All Blacks vs USA:

Playing teams like the USA should be treated like mid-weekers. No one should get a Test cap for this "demonstration effort".

Disagree. That is like the insults NZ Cricket used to get for decades.

Just because you aren't a top tier test team doesn't mean you don't deserve to play tests.
That's the point. You are testing yourselves against another team. That's how you get better and just one reason why the ABs won't be playing a 'demonstration'.
In fact those playing need to show they are worthy of the jersey they are wearing.
We have had plenty of touring players disappear from future squads after playing second tier teams.

Absolutely spot on.

Another plus is it gives the game credibility in the US and helps it grow there.

@machpants said in All Blacks vs USA:

@mn5 said in All Blacks vs USA:

@machpants said in All Blacks vs USA:

@kiwiwomble said in All Blacks vs USA:

@machpants seriously, there were already big question marks around him being in the team...and we've still taken him even though he had an injury before leaving?

Yeah I certainly would not have the prat anywhere near a black jersey

Sevu Reece is in the team though, what are your thoughts on him ?

Not a fan, can add samisoni to that as well, Reece is a double: a poach and a wife beater.

Man these kind of posts get tedious.

Don't quite get why BB is needed. I would have thought that Reece needs more play and it is another chance to use DMac as a utility. Despite the claims from some that he 'still does the same thing' I think his pivot game has come on hugely. He gets the backs moving forward by delivering nicely weighted passes right in front of them to run on to (something that BB especially struggles with)

@crucial said in All Blacks vs USA:

Don't quite get why BB is needed.

That was my first thought too. I can only assume that the 1st 5 position for the Welsh test is still up for grabs and that BB will play decent minutes in the game at 10. Obviously the quality of the opposition won't tell us much.

@bovidae said in All Blacks vs USA:

@crucial said in All Blacks vs USA:

Don't quite get why BB is needed.

That was my first thought too. I can only assume that the 1st 5 position for the Welsh test is still up for grabs and that BB will play decent minutes in the game at 10. Obviously that quality of the opposition won't tell us much.

That's the reason I thought as well. IF BB travels straight away that is a signal to RM that he has already lost the competition.

A press conference in a couple of hours apparently.

Just clicked that BB is sitting on 98 tests. This gives him a chance to clock up the ton in a 'name' game at a big stadium.

Aumua starting probably means Taukei'aho gets the Italian test, and may even be on the bench next weekend if Coles isn't ready yet.

@daffy-jaffy said in All Blacks vs USA:

1. Ethan de Groot (2)
2. Asafo Aumua (4)
3. Angus Ta’avao (19)
4. Samuel Whitelock (127) - captain
5. Tupou Vaa’i (7)
6. Luke Jacobson (10)
7. Dalton Papalii (9)
8. Hoskins Sotutu (8)
9. Finlay Christie (3)
10. Richie Mo’unga (27)
11. George Bridge (16)
12. Quinn Tupaea (4)
13. Braydon Ennor (2)
14. Will Jordan (9)
15. Damian McKenzie (37)
16. Dane Coles (76)
17. George Bower (8)
18. Tyrel Lomax (10)
19. Josh Lord - new cap
20. Sam Cane (74)
21. TJ Perenara (75)
22. Beauden Barrett (98)
23. Anton Lienert-Brown (53)

That’s an abortion of a team. Not worthy of the name.

Any UK coverage anybody know?

@majorrage said in All Blacks vs USA:

@daffy-jaffy said in All Blacks vs USA:

1. Ethan de Groot (2)
2. Asafo Aumua (4)
3. Angus Ta’avao (19)
4. Samuel Whitelock (127) - captain
5. Tupou Vaa’i (7)
6. Luke Jacobson (10)
7. Dalton Papalii (9)
8. Hoskins Sotutu (8)
9. Finlay Christie (3)
10. Richie Mo’unga (27)
11. George Bridge (16)
12. Quinn Tupaea (4)
13. Braydon Ennor (2)
14. Will Jordan (9)
15. Damian McKenzie (37)
16. Dane Coles (76)
17. George Bower (8)
18. Tyrel Lomax (10)
19. Josh Lord - new cap
20. Sam Cane (74)
21. TJ Perenara (75)
22. Beauden Barrett (98)
23. Anton Lienert-Brown (53)

That’s an abortion of a team. Not worthy of the name.

Yes every team must always and without exception consist of the top 23. Development is a dirty word.