One of the things that really irritated me pre-WC was us going away from one of Hansen/Henry's positive strategies, which was to not run out a total B team in the easier tests. You learn nothing, you gain no useful combinations. It's either just charity minutes to give everyone a chance to participate in elite sport, which is a joke, or everyone needs a rest, in which case it shouldn't have been scheduled and isn't a proper test. Hopefully Robertson reverts, and only makes a few changes and not too many in any one unit.

Lomax, Aumua, De Groot
Vaii, Barrett
Savea, Sititi/Blackadder, Finau
Ratima, McKenzie
Jordie, Ioane
Narawa, Perofeta, Reece.
bench: newell, ofa, taylor, blackadder/sititi, proctor, whoever else.

@reprobate agreed in principle but i think proctor should get a run, midfield is something we've need to work on for a while...RI is what he is (world class in some aspects and never going to change others)....so lets test the other options

@Kiwiwomble I don't agree with the Ioane selection, Fiji is the perfect opportunity to give someone like Proctor a go to see how he performs at the next level. On form Ioane doesn't deserve to start all three tests to kick off the year. Proctor deserves his opportunity after been super consistent the last two years and it will be great to see an out and out centre back in the jersey again, noting that the distribution to our outsides has been poor so far.

@Canes4life ....so exactly what i was saying then? give Proctor a run?

@Kiwiwomble said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

@Canes4life ....so exactly what i was saying then? give Proctor a run?

Yeah sorry, I wasn't disagreeing with you. Was more responding to those selecting Ioane. Don't see the point. Ioane will get another opportunity, likely against Argentina.

Starting Proctor outside Jordie is also a no brainer considering their form in Super.

@booboo said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

@mikedogz said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

This game is being played at 2:30pm Saturday NZ time. Right when a lot of club finals are being played.

Bummer.

Needs better coordination

we're paying a home game against Fiji in the US. The wants or needs of the NZ rugby public actually matter fuck all to the NZRU

@Kiwiwomble I don't disagree at all that Proctor deserves a chance, but as of right now i think at least one wing and the halfback need to change more, and would like to retain some combinations.
Likewise in the forwards it would be nice to see the other props get a shot, but a very poor lineout and Taylor not going great make Aumua more of a priority.
And I would like to see what both Blackadder and Sititi can offer, but preferably not both at the same time.
It's a new team, new systems, and every game early on is an opportunity to build continuity - so once you've picked a side you don't want to make wholesale changes - which is also a reason I was disappointed with the conservative initial selections.

@mariner4life think that disconnect has been there for many years, made worse in the last decade or so.

Darry in for Patrick in the squad to rest Patricks body. Full squad travelled

Proctor and Clarke put up for the press, so assume that means they are starting.

I did hear that the team will still be named on Thu. They wouldn't want to break with tradition!

@mariner4life said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

@booboo said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

@mikedogz said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

This game is being played at 2:30pm Saturday NZ time. Right when a lot of club finals are being played.

Bummer.

Needs better coordination

we're paying a home game against Fiji in the US. The wants or needs of the NZ rugby public actually matter fuck all to the NZRU

I'm guessing this is to do with Silverlake's strategy for growing NZ Rugby and especially its revenue.

If we could get 1/100th proportion of American kids wandering round in $55 All Black caps that cost $5 to make - as there are NZ kids wandering round in NBA caps - then probably there's $50 million bucks.

These are made up numbers - but, there are 8 billion people wandering the planet and a good proportion of them would like to have a stylish black cap. NZ Rugby and Silverlake just need to work out how to make sure it has an AB logo on it.

These sort of games are a start.

@Chris-B said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

@mariner4life said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

@booboo said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

@mikedogz said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

This game is being played at 2:30pm Saturday NZ time. Right when a lot of club finals are being played.

Bummer.

Needs better coordination

we're paying a home game against Fiji in the US. The wants or needs of the NZ rugby public actually matter fuck all to the NZRU

I'm guessing this is to do with Silverlake's strategy for growing NZ Rugby and especially its revenue.

If we could get 1/100th proportion of American kids wandering round in $55 All Black caps that cost $5 to make - as there are NZ kids wandering round in NBA caps - then probably there's $50 million bucks.

These are made up numbers - but, there are 8 billion people wandering the planet and a good proportion of them would like to have a stylish black cap. NZ Rugby and Silverlake just need to work out how to make sure it has an AB logo on it.

These sort of games are a start.

that made me a little sick

@mariner4life said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

@Chris-B said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

@mariner4life said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

@booboo said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

@mikedogz said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

This game is being played at 2:30pm Saturday NZ time. Right when a lot of club finals are being played.

Bummer.

Needs better coordination

we're paying a home game against Fiji in the US. The wants or needs of the NZ rugby public actually matter fuck all to the NZRU

I'm guessing this is to do with Silverlake's strategy for growing NZ Rugby and especially its revenue.

If we could get 1/100th proportion of American kids wandering round in $55 All Black caps that cost $5 to make - as there are NZ kids wandering round in NBA caps - then probably there's $50 million bucks.

These are made up numbers - but, there are 8 billion people wandering the planet and a good proportion of them would like to have a stylish black cap. NZ Rugby and Silverlake just need to work out how to make sure it has an AB logo on it.

These sort of games are a start.

that made me a little sick

Well it's either that or all (rather than a few) our good players are offshore domestically, as we can't pay enough - professionalism

@Machpants said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

@mariner4life said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

@Chris-B said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

@mariner4life said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

@booboo said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

@mikedogz said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

This game is being played at 2:30pm Saturday NZ time. Right when a lot of club finals are being played.

Bummer.

Needs better coordination

we're paying a home game against Fiji in the US. The wants or needs of the NZ rugby public actually matter fuck all to the NZRU

I'm guessing this is to do with Silverlake's strategy for growing NZ Rugby and especially its revenue.

If we could get 1/100th proportion of American kids wandering round in $55 All Black caps that cost $5 to make - as there are NZ kids wandering round in NBA caps - then probably there's $50 million bucks.

These are made up numbers - but, there are 8 billion people wandering the planet and a good proportion of them would like to have a stylish black cap. NZ Rugby and Silverlake just need to work out how to make sure it has an AB logo on it.

These sort of games are a start.

that made me a little sick

Well it's either that or all (rather than a few) our good players are offshore domestically, as we can't pay enough - professionalism

because rugby economics make no sense. players are paid far to much given the broadcast revenue they generate.

@Kirwan said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

Darry in for Patrick in the squad to rest Patricks body. Full squad travelled

So - why not name him in the squad? Weird only taking 3 locks

@nzzp said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

@Kirwan said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

Darry in for Patrick in the squad to rest Patricks body. Full squad travelled

So - why not name him in the squad? Weird only taking 3 locks

especially as they now have to pay him anyway

@reprobate said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

@Kiwiwomble I don't disagree at all that Proctor deserves a chance, but as of right now i think at least one wing and the halfback need to change more, and would like to retain some combinations.
Likewise in the forwards it would be nice to see the other props get a shot, but a very poor lineout and Taylor not going great make Aumua more of a priority.
And I would like to see what both Blackadder and Sititi can offer, but preferably not both at the same time.
It's a new team, new systems, and every game early on is an opportunity to build continuity - so once you've picked a side you don't want to make wholesale changes - which is also a reason I was disappointed with the conservative initial selections.

I'd argue that the Barrett/Proctor combination is more comfortable than the Barrett/Ioane combo so I don't see too much risk having an extra newbie in there.

@Old-Samurai-Jack said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

@Bovidae said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

The carry metres from our starting pack don't make for good reading, particularly de Groot and Lomax who appear to have made 1 m between them in 6 carries.

It is easy to pick off one out runners no matter what their size or skill. Easy pickings for a good defense.

Especially off the glacial service Christie provides.... Literally let's the D set...the has a cuppa , then passing well back to our ball runners... very frustrating

@Canes4life that's fair, but rieko ought to have more established combos with telea, reece, perofeta, BB.

@reprobate said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

@Canes4life that's fair, but rieko ought to have more established combos with telea, reece, perofeta, BB.

Except I think only Beaudy will start from that lot this week.

@Canes4life which comes back to my whole point - wholesale changes mean you learn nothing, and gain nothing in terms of useful combinations for when one of the top XV gets injured.

@reprobate said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

@Canes4life which comes back to my whole point - wholesale changes mean you learn nothing, and gain nothing in terms of useful combinations for when one of the top XV gets injured.

I disagree, I think this is the perfect opportunity to test out a few new faces. Giving starting opportunities to Aumua, Proctor, Ratima and Sititi, with a few more guys off the bench is a no brainer. There is still enough experience out there to manage things if it gets tough but I don't think it will. We should win this with ease and if we don't then it will show that a few guys aren't ready for bigger occasions.

@Canes4life said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

@reprobate said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

@Canes4life which comes back to my whole point - wholesale changes mean you learn nothing, and gain nothing in terms of useful combinations for when one of the top XV gets injured.

I disagree, I think this is the perfect opportunity to test out a few new faces. Giving starting opportunities to Aumua, Proctor, Ratima and Sititi, with a few more guys off the bench is a no brainer. There is still enough experience out there to manage things if it gets tough but I don't think it will. We should win this with ease and if we don't then it will show that a few guys aren't ready for bigger occasions.

what you disagree with is not that at all, because a few new faces is exactly what i'm advocating for - it's just that your boy proctor isn't one of the few new faces i'd pick right now.

@reprobate said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

@Canes4life said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

@reprobate said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

@Canes4life which comes back to my whole point - wholesale changes mean you learn nothing, and gain nothing in terms of useful combinations for when one of the top XV gets injured.

I disagree, I think this is the perfect opportunity to test out a few new faces. Giving starting opportunities to Aumua, Proctor, Ratima and Sititi, with a few more guys off the bench is a no brainer. There is still enough experience out there to manage things if it gets tough but I don't think it will. We should win this with ease and if we don't then it will show that a few guys aren't ready for bigger occasions.

what you disagree with is not that at all, because a few new faces is exactly what i'm advocating for - it's just that your boy proctor isn't one of the few new faces i'd pick right now.

You just said wholesale changes mean you learn nothing and I'm disagreeing with you. You could change out the whole team, it's still test rugby and you will always learn a thing or two about a player on this stage.

Re Proctor, that's totally fine, you're allowed your own opinion. I think it's the perfect opportunity to throw him out there to show what he's got without the pressure of coming up against the tough opponent. I assume he's in the picture anyway after fronting the media.

yep, that's what I think. Individuals tend to not shine without combinations, and if you change everybody then the whole team looks disjointed and a bit shit. we still win, but nobody really advances their case, and the combinations that the 2nd-stringers build with each other are not as useful as a 2nd-stringer building combinations with the top guys - because if they get the call up through performance or injury, that's who they'll be playing with. The Dunedin test pre-WC is a perfect example.
Based on the media I assume they'll probably pick Proctor, and I hope he kills it. I also hope they don't pick all of the new guys at the same time - if he's outside hotham, beauden, ALB, with narawa on the wing then it'll be a pointless selection.

@reprobate said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

wholesale changes mean you learn nothing

You learn a lot about potential backup due to injuries

Ioane, who started his career at wing, was potentially one of the culprits. The former scrum-half felt “there were at least three, possibly four, times in that Test match where Rieko had an opportunity to distribute and didn’t”, and that it could cost him his spot in Robertson’s side.

“I’m sure the All Blacks will look at that, they will probably be pretty pleased they did create those three or four chances for him to distribute, which meant they’ve done enough to bring those defenders in,” he told The Platform.

We’ve got a full squad bar Patrick Tuipulotu,” said All Blacks attack coach Leon MacDonald.

Tuipulotu’s hallmark is his workrate and intensity and it appears that has worn on his body, with the All Blacks opting to give their 45-test lock a rest after playing the England series under a slight injury cloud.

“Patty’s was a decision around his fitness in terms of his body, his return into the [Super Rugby Pacific] final with a knee [injury], he rolled his ankle during that game and then two massive efforts against a really physical England pack. We just feel we need to look after him a little bit,” MacDonald said.

@Tim said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

View embedded content

We’ve got a full squad bar Patrick Tuipulotu,” said All Blacks attack coach Leon MacDonald.

Tuipulotu’s hallmark is his workrate and intensity and it appears that has worn on his body, with the All Blacks opting to give their 45-test lock a rest after playing the England series under a slight injury cloud.

“Patty’s was a decision around his fitness in terms of his body, his return into the [Super Rugby Pacific] final with a knee [injury], he rolled his ankle during that game and then two massive efforts against a really physical England pack. We just feel we need to look after him a little bit,” MacDonald said.

good he needs a rest. But thank you Patty.

@Winger you know what that article from Marshall needs? fucking videos. Show us the 3 or 4, show us what could have happened with a different play.

@mariner4life i'd be keen to see what he thinks he has seen too as his game analysis is usually more on point than his comms.

@mariner4life said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

@Winger you know what that article from Marshall needs? fucking videos. Show us the 3 or 4, show us what could have happened with a different play.

The reason I posted it is I thought the same during the game

But I haven't got time now to go and look at the game again. But IMO Reiko is too good to leave out but he's not a natural centre. And never well be. Unlike Savea or Tana who were fine at 2nd 5 or centre as they both like passing and are / were good passers and decision makers. Reiko prefers running with the ball not passing it. Hes a wing and should be moved back there. With Clarke

@Winger

Those days are gone, he's what, 27?

His future as an AB is at 13, 23, or as a squaddie.

If you want Proctor, make that argument.

You look at Telea (4 months older) who is hitting the golden age of not being young and fast enough for an AB wing spot.

Also, both Rieko and Clarke were/are best at 11, so your idea puts one of them on the wrong side anyway.

There were definitely three opportunities that I noticed where Ioane could have passed on Saturday night and there were a few in the test prior. This, coupled with the fact he hasn't had the most dominant season for the Blues means things aren't coming naturally to him at the moment.

Don't get me wrong though, Ioane has made huge strides at 13 over the last couple of years and he will get more opportunity there but I'd like us to give Proctor a go because he's been the form centre in NZ all year, showing the sort of form and skill set that these AB selectors are clearly after.

Who knows, Ioane took Julian's spot when no one saw it coming, Proctor might just do the same to him if he can take his opportunities with both hands. That's the sort of competition we want though, it will only push Ioane to be better and more accurate in his play knowing he has someone right on his heels.

@gt12 said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

Those days are gone, he's what, 27?

He still looks fast enough

I just want to move on from him at center. But keep him in the side if possible

@Canes4life there were two or three times in the two tests where had Rieko been at 11, he’d have run it in, and most likely ended up under the sticks.

@Winger said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

View embedded content

Ioane, who started his career at wing, was potentially one of the culprits. The former scrum-half felt “there were at least three, possibly four, times in that Test match where Rieko had an opportunity to distribute and didn’t”, and that it could cost him his spot in Robertson’s side.

“I’m sure the All Blacks will look at that, they will probably be pretty pleased they did create those three or four chances for him to distribute, which meant they’ve done enough to bring those defenders in,” he told The Platform.

Marshall isn't a big fan of either Ioane .. potentially biased..

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks vs Fiji:

Maybe we should also compliment the English forwards?

Yes, everytime De Groot and Lomax were trying to drive, they had to face two or three English tacklers. So it was hard for them to win many meters in those conditions. Moreover, they were standing still when Christie threw them the pill. Did Ofa T and Newell won more meters from their carries ?