I've only seen bits and pieces of this game (will watch the full replay tonight), but I think they got the selection of the AB XV wrong. In multiple positions, but I'd like to stress that Mikeale-Tu'u is the best non-All Black no. 8 we have at the moment. Better than Jacobson.

After last week's game, I expected more from Dmac and Stevenson. This was not their game.

Oh, and all those people who suggested that the Baabaas would be easy beats: go eat humble pie! They played well!

Finally, RAZOR WON!!!

@Stargazer said in All Blacks XV v Barbarians:

Mikeale-Tu'u is the best non-All Black no. 8

Peter Lakai says hi.

@Canes4life A young promising puppy, but not quite there yet. Has never played at a level above NPC. Will get there, hopefully. Someone to watch for after the 2023RWC.

@Stargazer said in All Blacks XV v Barbarians:

Finally, RAZOR WON!!!

and O'Gara...

@nostrildamus Yep.

@Stargazer said in All Blacks XV v Barbarians:

@Canes4life A young promising puppy, but not quite there yet. Has never played at a level above NPC. Will get there, hopefully. Someone to watch for after the 2023RWC.

100%, I was only being cheeky. No point rushing someone that young. I wouldn't mind if MMT got a run in the ABs, would prefer him to some other loose forwards in there personally.

Did anyone else hear the commentator say that (Levi) Aumua will join the Barbarians after this match? Or was it my imagination?

@Stargazer said in All Blacks XV v Barbarians:

Did anyone else hear the commentator say that (Levi) Aumua will join the Barbarians after this match? Or was it my imagination?

Mckenzie is also playing a few games for them also by the looks.

I got confused who I was supporting at one stage when Ihaia West was on the field in a black and white striped jersey.

Not really fussed about the result. This team is as thrown together as the Baabaas are.

Mercer the best NZer on the field.

I tried to tune the commentator out due to his mispronunciation of so many of the AB XV player names. The first time I can remember where the commentator says the hooker throws to a player and neither were currently on the field.

@Bovidae said in All Blacks XV v Barbarians:

I tried to tune the commentator out due to his mispronunciation of so many of the AB XV player names. The first time I can remember where the commentator says the hooker throws to a player and neither were currently on the field.

I'm unsure why it would bother you after listening to Nisbett all these years?

@Nepia said in All Blacks XV v Barbarians:

@Bovidae said in All Blacks XV v Barbarians:

I tried to tune the commentator out due to his mispronunciation of so many of the AB XV player names. The first time I can remember where the commentator says the hooker throws to a player and neither were currently on the field.

I'm unsure why it would bother you after listening to Nisbett all these years?

Nisbett even gets his own name wrong now, even when he is looking in the mirror.

@broughie said in All Blacks XV v Barbarians:

@nostrildamus they seemed to be winning in the forwards and making gains up the middle and around the rucks. Maybe credit to Razor.

Yes considering Razor and the other coaches only had 2 training sessions with the team and were only together 6 days.

@Crazy-Horse said in All Blacks XV v Barbarians:

@cgrant said in All Blacks XV v Barbarians:

Lack of physicality up front for the AB XV. Christie was everywhere but he is not strong enough to be effective. Jacobson was outmuscled by Mercer. Gardiner was good in open play but was nowhere to be seen in the tight exchanges. Tamaiti Williams is not a tight head prop. Even in the NPC, he was not at ease on this side of the scrum. He should concentrate on the loose head IMO but with Jager out, I fear the Crusaders will use him on the tight head as they have Moody (?), Bower and Brewis for the Nr.1 jersey. McAllister had a game to forget. Makalio did better when he came in. Dickson was very good during the first spell before fading during the second. I was expecting more from PT. A few strong carries though. Aidan Ross was solid but failed to show that he is AB material. Cortima brought his dynamism and strength when he came in. He was pretty good. DMac tried too much at times, but we are used to it. He showed a few moments of sheer brilliance, such as his pass for the first try and his kick for Stevenson. The latter again showed his class but seemed lost at times. His positioning was caught badly a few times. He is a better wing than fullback IMO. Nankivell was outstanding till his injury. Sullivan did well when he came in and showed his pace. Aumua and Heem were mostly anonymous. All in all, it seems that the team lineup against Ireland A was far better, particularly in the loose forwards.

Someone must have done something right because the difference was two missed conversions - 5 tries each wasn't it? If I didn't know the score, after reading above I would have guessed NZ got pumped.

Did you watch the game ? The NZ forwards got pumped in the set phases. They lost a number of their throws in the LO and were back pedalling in the scrums. They were outmuscled in the rucks too. They were kept in the game thanks to a few Babaas errors (Sullivan's try, for instance).

@cgrant said in All Blacks XV v Barbarians:

@Crazy-Horse said in All Blacks XV v Barbarians:

@cgrant said in All Blacks XV v Barbarians:

Lack of physicality up front for the AB XV. Christie was everywhere but he is not strong enough to be effective. Jacobson was outmuscled by Mercer. Gardiner was good in open play but was nowhere to be seen in the tight exchanges. Tamaiti Williams is not a tight head prop. Even in the NPC, he was not at ease on this side of the scrum. He should concentrate on the loose head IMO but with Jager out, I fear the Crusaders will use him on the tight head as they have Moody (?), Bower and Brewis for the Nr.1 jersey. McAllister had a game to forget. Makalio did better when he came in. Dickson was very good during the first spell before fading during the second. I was expecting more from PT. A few strong carries though. Aidan Ross was solid but failed to show that he is AB material. Cortima brought his dynamism and strength when he came in. He was pretty good. DMac tried too much at times, but we are used to it. He showed a few moments of sheer brilliance, such as his pass for the first try and his kick for Stevenson. The latter again showed his class but seemed lost at times. His positioning was caught badly a few times. He is a better wing than fullback IMO. Nankivell was outstanding till his injury. Sullivan did well when he came in and showed his pace. Aumua and Heem were mostly anonymous. All in all, it seems that the team lineup against Ireland A was far better, particularly in the loose forwards.

Someone must have done something right because the difference was two missed conversions - 5 tries each wasn't it? If I didn't know the score, after reading above I would have guessed NZ got pumped.

Did you watch the game ? The NZ forwards got pumped in the set phases. They lost a number of their throws in the LO and were back pedalling in the scrums. They were outmuscled in the rucks too. They were kept in the game thanks to a few Babaas errors (Sullivan's try, for instance).

No I didn't that's why I asked

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks XV v Barbarians:

@cgrant said in All Blacks XV v Barbarians:

Lack of physicality up front for the AB XV. Christie was everywhere but he is not strong enough to be effective. Jacobson was outmuscled by Mercer. Gardiner was good in open play but was nowhere to be seen in the tight exchanges. Tamaiti Williams is not a tight head prop. Even in the NPC, he was not at ease on this side of the scrum. He should concentrate on the loose head IMO but with Jager out, I fear the Crusaders will use him on the tight head as they have Moody (?), Bower and Brewis for the Nr.1 jersey. McAllister had a game to forget. Makalio did better when he came in. Dickson was very good during the first spell before fading during the second. I was expecting more from PT. A few strong carries though. Aidan Ross was solid but failed to show that he is AB material. Cortima brought his dynamism and strength when he came in. He was pretty good. DMac tried too much at times, but we are used to it. He showed a few moments of sheer brilliance, such as his pass for the first try and his kick for Stevenson. The latter again showed his class but seemed lost at times. His positioning was caught badly a few times. He is a better wing than fullback IMO. Nankivell was outstanding till his injury. Sullivan did well when he came in and showed his pace. Aumua and Heem were mostly anonymous. All in all, it seems that the team lineup against Ireland A was far better, particularly in the loose forwards.

Well summarised. MMT more impactful than Jacobson at 8 IMO.
NZ XV did well considering they were so behind with 2 yellow cards.
Ngatai waddles like a burst duck but still made incisive 'runs' - weird to watch.
Also weird-Christie looked like a boy AND an old man!
Yes Razors team looked better coached - did he really only have 2 weeks?

From time Maori Jesus did reply haka we woz doomed.

@pakman said in All Blacks XV v Barbarians:

Expect XV to get shunted in scrums, so lineouts will be key.

The La Rochelle 10 isn't someone I've really seen, and much will turn on him.

Seems the lineout also struggled.

First 5 minutes.

Aumua and Nankivell with some great appearances, Christie walks into a ruck standing up and gets blown out for the turnover, Stevenson then shows ridiculous talent and pumps it 60 odd from the Marler kick.

Then Nankivell and DMac combine smoothly to put Heem over with an accuracy we're dying to see at the next level...

8 minutes.

I probably won't do much more play by play commentary.

Hah, Christie binned and Bridge tries to have a laugh with him, Christie too serious to even look at him. It's a festival game fella...

Funny to see Marler being made to look small at the scrum. Williams is a bloody monster.

A monster that Marler walked backwards at a fast pace... multitasking too, scooping the ball back and demolishing his opposite!

Robertson seen in the coaching box laughing about it. Disgusting. We can't have a coach for the ABs that delights in foreigners cheating.

20 minute update. Stevenson still ridiculous, Nankivell and Aumua still looking like very good midfielders.

Thomas looking like he'll be back in the french squad in no time.

25 minutes, Dickson has also looked handy.

I found it really funny how Razors masterstroke was to target the weaknesses he knew about of all the Saders players. There's a good reason that Christie has never been mentioned in dispatches until this team and Razor made the most of it.

Mercer makes Mounga look like a defensive rock.

30 minutes.

Interesting contrast. ABXV backline looking handy as, forwards getting worked.

Marler easily walks Williams back again.

Irish git somehow mistakes Aumua for Stevenson. How do you do that without being Nisbo?

Nankivell again showing a step up.

Love the state of commentary these days.

Nankivell plays under Leon Macdonald at Ta$man.

Halftime.

The good:
Nankivell and Aumua looking very comfortable indeed,
Dickson with some good aggression.
Stevenson stevensoning.
DMac on attack.

The bad:
Williams and Christie well and truly out of their depth.
Tuipulotu, Jacobson and Faingaanuku invisible.

The where:
Is razor.

Halftime interview with Codie McAlister.

Codie.

42 minutes.

How the fuck were half a dozen Baabaas allowed to contest for a ball that went straight up from behind the ruck, without retreating first?

45 minutes.
Stevenson, ridiculous. Has a really short stride unless he's stretching out eh, makes for some brilliant deceptive running.

47 minutes.

Bridge in open space but Williams is chasing so ref decides to spare Bridge's dignity.

51 minutes.

More razor brilliance as Thomas and Marchant freak it up for a brilliant try.

56 minutes.

More razor brilliance as he glares at Stevenson from the stands just as he's about to pull a ridiculous chip in from the heavens to score. Stevenson, unsurprisingly, drops it.

63 minutes.

Shit what did I miss while I was replying to crucial.