@Crucial said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

Have Waikato been asked to urgently arrange a match against a neighbour so that DMac can run on for 10 minutes?
Surely 'special circumstances' apply when your squad is decimated.

gawd he's not even allowed to play club footy tried to this weekend club committee turned him down.

@ThecostlyJoel With a bit of cloning, my Mako boys could put out a set of backs that wouldn't get smashed by those ABs.

Mitch Hunt would have to play out of his skin though.

Christie, Hunt, Faingaánuku, Havili, Nankivell, Reece, Jordan.

Chapman/Hotham. Paea, Tavatavanawai.

Will Jordan won’t be the last to go down with covid in the camp.
The team that runs on the field Saturday may differ from the team named on Thursday.

@Chris If this continues, some MABs may play two games against Ireland, this week.

@Chris said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

Will Jordan won’t be the last to go down with covid in the camp.
The team that runs on the field Saturday may differ from the team named on Thursday.

Is that when the team is named? Thanks, I was about to ask.

@Chris-B You're not wrong, that's a strong back line. But what can be done with the players available to create a competing back line against a strong Irish side?

@ThecostlyJoel A bit of size about the backline with Leicester, Tupaea, Rieko and Jordie. Add Clarke say in jersey 23 and our backline has a bit of power and punch which it's often lacked in recent times.

If Jordie Barrett’s fit and okay and his brother and Mo’unga are in the 23 then I’d much prefer we have RTS/Clarke/LF/Reece on the bench in the 23 jersey.

Beuadie can cover fullback

was looking for a new profile pic on Getty images & discovered none other than former blues captain Paddy T was helping out at Training today

Is anyone else worried about Christie? Aside from being a ginga he was a handbrake for the Blues in their last two games, not balanced out by his handy defence.

Without any provincial bias at all I think they need to go with Fakatava.

@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

@Chris said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

Will Jordan won’t be the last to go down with covid in the camp.
The team that runs on the field Saturday may differ from the team named on Thursday.

Is that when the team is named? Thanks, I was about to ask.

Yes Named on Thursday.

@Nepia said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

Is anyone else worried about Christie? Aside from being a ginga he was a handbrake for the Blues in their last two games, not balanced out by his handy defence.

Without any provincial bias at all I think they need to go with Fakatava.

Yep could be a handbrake for our backline against Ireland as well,he doesn't fill me with confidence.

@Crucial said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

@1kiwi said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

Also word is that George Bower, Quinn Tupaea, & Will Jordan all currently have symptoms...

Would be funny if DeGroot got called up as cover then outscrummed the opposition.

Wouldn't be funny if Bridge was called up as cover and came on to drop a high kick or fail to beat a man.

Or played a blinder and scored a hat trick- nothing surprises me anymore

@Chris said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

@Nepia said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

Is anyone else worried about Christie? Aside from being a ginga he was a handbrake for the Blues in their last two games, not balanced out by his handy defence.

Without any provincial bias at all I think they need to go with Fakatava.

Yep could be a handbrake for our backline against Ireland as well,he doesn't fill me with confidence.

This post got me confused, I originally thought it was @Chris-B* ready to fight me, then saw the B was missing.

• I am actually trying to @ Chris B here and the forum keeps jumping to just Chris even thought I'm hitting B.

@Nepia said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

Is anyone else worried about Christie? Aside from being a ginga he was a handbrake for the Blues in their last two games, not balanced out by his handy defence.

Without any provincial bias at all I think they need to go with Fakatava.

I think there is a massive feeling of nervousness for all AB fans for both of these two.

@ACT-Crusader excitement for Fakatava rather than nevrousness

@FakatavaAllBlack said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

@ACT-Crusader excitement for Fakatava rather than nevrousness

I’m excited for any player that has their opportunity to debut for the ABs, but once they hit the field, I will be nervous. So a bit of nervous excitement for sure!

@Nepia said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

@Chris said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

@Nepia said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

Is anyone else worried about Christie? Aside from being a ginga he was a handbrake for the Blues in their last two games, not balanced out by his handy defence.

Without any provincial bias at all I think they need to go with Fakatava.

Yep could be a handbrake for our backline against Ireland as well,he doesn't fill me with confidence.

This post got me confused, I originally thought it was @Chris-B* ready to fight me, then saw the B was missing.

• I am actually trying to @ Chris B here and the forum keeps jumping to just Chris even thought I'm hitting B.

He has an invisible force field activated.

@ThecostlyJoel said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

@Stargazer said in All Blacks v Ireland - 1st Test:

@ThecostlyJoel Welcome to the Fern! :waving_hand:

Thanks for having me. Seems like a good place to discuss NZ rugby.

You would think so wouldn't you Just be careful wandering into the political threads and grumpy old men threads.

@Nepia Attention to detail and correct grammar.

You need a fullstop in my name!!!