This is the first game of the weekend.

No word yet on replacements for Aumua and Harmon makes me think they aren't going to fly any new players over.

So who plays in the first game? Do any of the ABs start?

My guess is the team will look something like this:

1 Ross
2 McAlister
3 Mafileo (could be Williams but he is more suited to LH)
4 Tuipulotu
5 Dickson
6 Mikaele-Tu'u
7 Jacobson (the only real option now, plan B would be Lio-Willie)
8 Lio-Willie
9 Perenara
10 McKenzie
11 Lam (or Ennor)
12 Nankivell (or Tuivasa-Sheck)
13 Aumua
14 Sullivan/Stevenson/Heem/Tuivasa-Sheck
15 Love

16 Thompson
17 Brewis
18 Mafileo/Rakete-Stones
19 Gallagher
20 Gardiner
21 Roigard
22 Ioane
23 Heem/Sullivan

@Bovidae said in All Blacks XV vs Ireland A:

This is the first game of the weekend.

No word yet on replacements for Aumua and Harmon makes me think they aren't going to fly any new players over.

So who plays in the first game? Do any of the ABs start?

My guess is the team will look something like this:

1 Ross
2 McAlister
3 Mafileo (could be Williams but he is more suited to LH)
4 Tuipulotu
5 Dickson
6 Mikaele-Tu'u
7 Jacobson (the only real option now, plan B would be Lio-Willie)
8 Lio-Willie
9 Perenara
10 McKenzie
11 Lam (or Ennor)
12 Nankivell (or Tuivasa-Sheck)
13 Aumua
14 Sullivan/Stevenson/Heem/Tuivasa-Sheck
15 Love

16 Thompson
17 Brewis
18 Mafileo/Rakete-Stones
19 Gallagher
20 Gardiner
21 Roigard
22 Ioane
23 Heem/Sullivan

Why couldn’t they call in a genuine open-side for Harmon?

This AB XV seems kind of pointless to me. You’ve got Lio-Willie who hasn’t really done much to warrant selection, you’ve got Nankivell and Aumua who will never make the ABs unless a large number of injuries strike and you’ve got an openside that isn’t even an openside.

Is this meant to be a team full of players ready to replace players in the ABs or is it a development squad? I think they’ve seriously blurred the lines here with some poor selections.

I’d be giving RTS and Ennor another start together. I thought there was actually something there in that first half of the Japan test. I’d be surprised if they weren’t given the match now that they’ve been sent there.

@Canes4life I don’t mind Jacobson at openside and given the amount of players already on tour I don’t think they need to call in another. Plus he’s on the fringe of the ABs and needs to show more.

If the game is Thursday then wasn't enough time to get anyone over for this game?? But maybe Eklund and Kirifi will be on standby now if any further injury in either squad hookers or loosies...
Odd that Pat T and DMac sent back to xv in a sense. May be forced to play BB at fullback when he should be 10 on Saturday. And expect BBR to get 3 weeks.

@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks XV vs Ireland A:

I’d be giving RTS and Ennor another start together

Good idea, but 4 midfielders in squad already for just 2 games. Surely RTS is on wing where they are short handed?
I have found the AB XV selections very odd indeed.

@ARHS said in All Blacks XV vs Ireland A:

@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks XV vs Ireland A:

I’d be giving RTS and Ennor another start together

Good idea, but 4 midfielders in squad already for just 2 games. Surely RTS is on wing where they are short handed?

For that reason I think that both could be on the wing. I'd want our midfield to make some tackles as Ireland A will provide the same test that Ireland did for the ABs. Ennor only attempted 2 tackles and missed both against Japan, and won't have fond memories of the bad miss at Eden Park.

@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks XV vs Ireland A:

I’d be giving RTS and Ennor another start together. I thought there was actually something there in that first half of the Japan test. I’d be surprised if they weren’t given the match now that they’ve been sent there.

@Canes4life I don’t mind Jacobson at openside and given the amount of players already on tour I don’t think they need to call in another. Plus he’s on the fringe of the ABs and needs to show more.

RTS & Ennor kept running into the same channel. I noticed it happened a couple of times with RTS/Rieko for the Blues as well. Most likely a combination thing coupled with RTS inexperience.

Looks like Stan aren’t showing this one but they are showing the Barbarians match, any other viewing options for this one?

@Unite said in All Blacks XV vs Ireland A:

Looks like Stan aren’t showing this one but they are showing the Barbarians match, any other viewing options for this one?

Virgin Media Player (in Ireland) will be showing the match. You will need a VPN, naturally, but at least it's free.

Ireland ‘A’ v All Blacks XV
15. Michael Lowry (Ulster/Banbridge) 1 cap
14. Jimmy O’Brien (Leinster/Naas) uncapped
13. Jamie Osborne (Leinster/Naas) uncapped
12. James Hume (Ulster/Banbridge) 3 caps
11. Jacob Stockdale (Ulster/Lurgan) 35 caps
10. Ciaran Frawley (Leinster/Skerries) uncapped
9. Craig Casey (Munster/Shannon) 5 caps Captain

1. Jeremy Loughman (Munster/Garryowen) uncapped
2. Dave Heffernan (Connacht/Buccaneers) 7 caps
3. Tom O’Toole (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 3 caps
4. Joe McCarthy (Leinster/Dublin) uncapped
5. Gavin Thornbury (Connacht) uncapped
6. Cian Prendergast (Connacht) uncapped
7. Nick Timoney (Ulster/Banbridge) 2 caps
8. Gavin Coombes (Munster/Young Munster) 2 caps

Replacements:

16. Diarmuid Barron (Munster/Garryowen) uncapped
17. Dave Kilcoyne (Munster/UL Bohemians) 48 caps
18. Marty Moore (Ulster) 10 caps
19. Ross Molony (Leinster/UCD) uncapped
20. Max Deegan (Leinster/Lansdowne) 1 cap
21. Caolin Blade (Connacht/Galwegians) 1 cap
22. Jack Crowley (Munster/Cork Constitution) uncapped
23. Calvin Nash (Munster/Young Munster) uncapped

@Daffy-Jaffy said in All Blacks XV vs Ireland A:

Ireland ‘A’ v All Blacks XV
15. Michael Lowry (Ulster/Banbridge) 1 cap
14. Jimmy O’Brien (Leinster/Naas) uncapped
13. Jamie Osborne (Leinster/Naas) uncapped
12. James Hume (Ulster/Banbridge) 3 caps
11. Jacob Stockdale (Ulster/Lurgan) 35 caps
10. Ciaran Frawley (Leinster/Skerries) uncapped
9. Craig Casey (Munster/Shannon) 5 caps Captain

1. Jeremy Loughman (Munster/Garryowen) uncapped
2. Dave Heffernan (Connacht/Buccaneers) 7 caps
3. Tom O’Toole (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 3 caps
4. Joe McCarthy (Leinster/Dublin) uncapped
5. Gavin Thornbury (Connacht) uncapped
6. Cian Prendergast (Connacht) uncapped
7. Nick Timoney (Ulster/Banbridge) 2 caps
8. Gavin Coombes (Munster/Young Munster) 2 caps

Replacements:

16. Diarmuid Barron (Munster/Garryowen) uncapped
17. Dave Kilcoyne (Munster/UL Bohemians) 48 caps
18. Marty Moore (Ulster) 10 caps
19. Ross Molony (Leinster/UCD) uncapped
20. Max Deegan (Leinster/Lansdowne) 1 cap
21. Caolin Blade (Connacht/Galwegians) 1 cap
22. Jack Crowley (Munster/Cork Constitution) uncapped
23. Calvin Nash (Munster/Young Munster) uncapped

Interesting spread.
6 x Ulster
6 x Leinster
7 x Munster
4 x Connacht

@Bovidae said in All Blacks XV vs Ireland A:

This is the first game of the weekend.

No word yet on replacements for Aumua and Harmon makes me think they aren't going to fly any new players over.

So who plays in the first game? Do any of the ABs start?

My guess is the team will look something like this:

1 Ross
2 McAlister
3 Mafileo (could be Williams but he is more suited to LH)
4 Tuipulotu
5 Dickson
6 Mikaele-Tu'u
7 Jacobson (the only real option now, plan B would be Lio-Willie)
8 Lio-Willie
9 Perenara
10 McKenzie
11 Lam (or Ennor)
12 Nankivell (or Tuivasa-Sheck)
13 Aumua
14 Sullivan/Stevenson/Heem/Tuivasa-Sheck
15 Love

16 Thompson
17 Brewis
18 Mafileo/Rakete-Stones
19 Gallagher
20 Gardiner
21 Roigard
22 Ioane
23 Heem/Sullivan

Close!

Gardiner at 6 in pack.

RTS and Ennor go again in backs.

Williams (T) reserve TH, which I expected.

So what was the point of selecting so many midfield backs in the original squad?

@Daffy-Jaffy said in All Blacks XV vs Ireland A:

View image

As a comparison, here is the team that played the Māori in Hamilton. Obviously a few first-choice players in this team.

1 Jeremy Loughman 2. Dave Heffernan 3. Tom O’Toole 4. Kieran Treadwell 5. Joe McCarthy 6. Cian Prendergast 7. Nick Timoney 8. Gavin Coombes 9. Craig Casey 10. Ciaran Frawley 11. Keith Earls 12. Bundee Aki (c) 13. Jamie Hume 14. Jordan Larmour 15. Jimmy O’Brien

Reserves: 16. Niall Scannell 17. Cian Healy 18. Finlay Bealham 19. Ryan Baird 20. Jack Conan 21. Conor Murray 22. Joey Carbery 23. Michael Lowry

@Bovidae

All Blacks XV: 1-Aidan Ross, 2-Brodie McAlister, 3-Tevita Mafileo, 4-Josh Dickson, 5-Patrick Tuipulotu (c), 6-Dominic Gardiner, 7-Luke Jacobson, 8-Marino Mikaele-Tu'u, 9-TJ Perenara, 10-Damian McKenzie, 11-AJ Lam, 12-Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 13-Braydon Ennor, 14-Shaun Stevenson, 15-Ruben Love

Reserves: 16-Tyrone Thompson, 17-Finlay Brewis, 18-Tamaiti Williams, 19-Zach Gallagher, 20-Christian Lio-Willie, 21-Cam Roigard, 22-Josh Ioane, 23-Alex Nankivell

Damian gets his big chance to see if he's got it as a 10

Anyone established if this is being screened in the UK? Can’t find any evidence.

@scribe The game will be shown live on Virgin Media Two with coverage starting at 7.00pm. It will also be streamed on the Virgin Media Player. according to the Independent.ie

Over 3 times the amount of test experience in the starting XV. This should be a strong victory to the ABXV honestly.

All Blacks XV:
1-Aidan Ross (1)
2-Brodie McAlister
3-Tevita Mafileo
4-Josh Dickson
5-Patrick Tuipulotu (c) (43)
6-Dominic Gardiner
7-Luke Jacobson (12)
8-Marino Mikaele-Tu'u
9-TJ Perenara (78)
10-Damian McKenzie (40)
11-AJ Lam
12-Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (3)
13-Braydon Ennor (6)
14-Shaun Stevenson
15-Ruben Love

Reserves: 16-Tyrone Thompson, 17-Finlay Brewis, 18-Tamaiti Williams, 19-Zach Gallagher, 20-Christian Lio-Willie, 21-Cam Roigard, 22-Josh Ioane (1), 23-Alex Nankivell

@Daffy-Jaffy said in All Blacks XV vs Ireland A:

@scribe The game will be shown live on Virgin Media Two with coverage starting at 7.00pm. It will also be streamed on the Virgin Media Player. according to the Independent.ie

I believe they’re Irish channels only so will require a VPN.

@Frye said in All Blacks XV vs Ireland A:

Over 3 times the amount of test experience in the starting XV.

It is all in the books of three players though, with a massive amount in one.

Will the All Blacks XV do the haka before the match? I couldn’t remember if the JABs did it before they were disbanded.

@ACT-Crusader The Junior ABs did do a haka. Don't all NZ rep teams?

v Tonga (2009):

v Samoa (2007):

Our pack might get outgunned here. Backs look more potent though.

@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks XV vs Ireland A:

Will the All Blacks XV do the haka before the match? I couldn’t remember if the JABs did it before they were disbanded.

TJ Perenara confirmed on Thursday that there would be a haka.

Is no one watching this?

Just turned it on.

Stevenson looking sharp. Lot of penalties against us so far.

@Crucial Can’t. VPN not working

@Crucial Yep.

Jeez wtf was that from Ennor.

Shocker of a pass - between 7 and 14.

TJ done again by the player standing in the ruck knocking his arm when he picks up the ball
I get that it is technically correct but it is a really dumb law interpretation IMO. Disruptive and negative and encourages “snakes” at rucks to clear the ball.
Faf dK was YCd for doing it not long back. That’s how stupid it looks to the eye.

Strong runs by Patrick

Great angle change to take the catch by Stevenson

2 crap pieces from Ennor , poor pass and a nothing kick

@Canes4life said in All Blacks XV vs Ireland A:

Jeez wtf was that from Ennor.

Yep

DMac s direction and kicking from hand very good so far.

Ensor however

Beautiful try.

@Duluth Yeah, both are standouts so far.