Rotation. A 6:2 bench.

1 George Bower (Crusaders / Otago)
2 Kurt Eklund (Blues / Bay of Plenty)
3 Marcel Renata (Blues / Auckland)
4 Isaia Walker-Leawere (Hurricanes / Hawke’s Bay)
5 Naitoa Ah Kuoi (Chiefs / Bay of Plenty)
6 Caleb Delaney (Hurricanes / Wellington)
7 Du’Plessis Kirifi (Hurricanes / Wellington)
8 Simon Parker (Chiefs / Northland)
9 Finlay Christie (Blues / Ta$man)
10 Josh Jacomb (Chiefs / Taranaki)
11 Kini Naholo (Hurricanes / Taranaki)
12 Riley Higgins (Hurricanes / Wellington)
13 Dallas McLeod (Crusaders / Canterbury)
14 Quinn Tupaea (Chiefs / Waikato)
15 Shaun Stevenson (Chiefs / North Harbour)

16 Bradley Slater (Chiefs / Taranaki)
17 Xavier Numia (Hurricanes / Wellington)
18 Saula Ma’u (Highlanders / Otago)
19 Fabian Holland (Highlanders / Otago)
20 Corey Kellow (Crusaders / Canterbury)
21 Devan Flanders (Hurricanes / Hawke's Bay)
22 Noah Hotham (Crusaders / Ta$man)
23 Chay Fihaki (Crusaders / Canterbury)

Oh fuck off, is Fihaki covering 10?

Stevenson I reckon. No AJ Lam, who has the most utility value.

@Bovidae this doesn't feel like a purely McMillan selection...

Yeah. We can assume that Bower is rated ahead of Numia, and Christie ahead of Hotham.

I think this is a big game for Simon Parker. I watched him pretty closely this Super Rugby season because I think he has a lot of good facets to his game – high defensive work-rate, physical in contact, solid skills in the lineout – but there were times where he just didn’t get involved enough. I remember Finau getting injured midway through the season and Parker being asked to fill in at 6 and he sort of just drifted throughout those games. The game against the Rebels in Melbourne especially he just couldn’t find a way to impact the game, and the lack of physical edge was really noticeable for the Chiefs team and the way they want to play.

As the starting number eight he has to be able to demand the ball and make plenty of carries. That Georgian defence is going to sting, though, so it’s going to be a pretty big test for him. That said, it certainly looks like he feels more comfortable at eight than at six, so hopefully he can provide good impact there.

@Bovidae said in All Blacks XV v Georgia:

Yeah. We can assume that Bower is rated ahead of Numia, and Christie ahead of Hotham.

Surely some of these selections are to see how fringe players go. Holland and Hotham not starting? Tupea on the wing? No AJ Lam? Simon Parker in the team. Flanders on the bench.

I seriously worry about the maul and offensive ruck. Without Holland, Dyer, and Haig in that lineout, I think the Georgians will see a massive opportunity to flex a bit of physical dominance

Seems odd. So many of the better players mot starting.

Maybe they're saving Holland or want to see the impact he has off the bench?

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks XV v Georgia:

Maybe they're saving Holland or want to see the impact he has off the bench?

It’s definitely a rotation team. The team last week was the top team (with the exception of Hotham and Love) was the best team. Parker at 8 and Tupea on the wing is a bit of a joke

The team was always going to get rotated.

Bradley Slater, Saula Ma'u, Xaver Numia, Noath Hotham and Corey Kellow are the only players to not get a start and apart from Ma'u, they've all been given two runs off the bench.

Six players will have started in both matches.

@Bovidae so Christie has leapt ahead of Hotham? That would go against the biasness we have come to expect...

@Mauss yeah Parker is an interesting one, big unit, does the work, but for me seems more Reuben Thorne-like in the way he gets through his work, doesn't Carry as much as id like/expect.

Parker did a lot of ball-carrying last year for Waikato, so that can be a strength of his game. I've always said that no.8 is his best position, and criticised McMillan for playing him at 7. He is tall so is a handy lineout option too.

@Bovidae yeah I'm basing on what I saw at NPC for northland...don't get me wrong he played consistently well and i thonk was well up on most stats, but i probably expected more, guess it ain't all about YouTube reels...

Parker's a big lump and if he were a bit more aggressive he could be a gun player. He can be a bit passive at times but has all the attributes and skills to be a very good player.

AJ Lam is with the ABs.

@Bovidae said in All Blacks XV v Georgia:

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Wow, I was going to ask if there are 2 Georgian scripts and apparently there are 3!

Things have really gone downhill with Georgian rugby, now multiple players with surnames not ending in dze or ili. Not just one or two. Sad days

Georgia grab the first try but ABs XV have just scored one of their own via Kurt Eklund.

Not the most open game so far, 15 minutes in.

Fuck he's a shit ref, unbelievable sometimes. Georgian lying right over the top of the ruck and in from the side, gets a not releasing penalty.

Georgia seem to be numbering up well on defence but they've struggled to bring players to ground at times.

The crowd is amazing. Georgia vs NZ XV in Montpellier in a large stadium and it’s a sellout. No way Georgia vs France A in nz sells out a stadium.

@Billy-Tell said in All Blacks XV v Georgia:

The crowd is amazing. Georgia vs NZ XV in Montpellier in a large stadium and it’s a sellout. No way Georgia vs France A in nz sells out a stadium.

A sell-out is always great but not sure I'd say 16k is a large stadium?

@Mr-Fish said in All Blacks XV v Georgia:

@Billy-Tell said in All Blacks XV v Georgia:

The crowd is amazing. Georgia vs NZ XV in Montpellier in a large stadium and it’s a sellout. No way Georgia vs France A in nz sells out a stadium.

A sell-out is always great but not sure I'd say 16k is a large stadium?

Ok not huge but still a decent size

@Billy-Tell said in All Blacks XV v Georgia:

@Mr-Fish said in All Blacks XV v Georgia:

@Billy-Tell said in All Blacks XV v Georgia:

The crowd is amazing. Georgia vs NZ XV in Montpellier in a large stadium and it’s a sellout. No way Georgia vs France A in nz sells out a stadium.

A sell-out is always great but not sure I'd say 16k is a large stadium?

Ok not huge but still a decent size

As you say, wouldn't get those numbers to the reverse fixture in NZ!

19-10 to the All Blacks XV after 35 minutes.

Tries to Eklund, McLeod and Christie so far.

Haven't been paying too much attention to the accuracy of Christie's passing, but outside of that he's playing bloody well.

Perfect timing, he goes hungus and fluffs a try.

Scores one try then ruins another haha.

Jacomb also going well.

Fuck I wish we could get a chance to see how Stevenson goes in the main squad. Has the added bonus of the sweet combination with DMac too.

@Bones It will probably happen if Will Jordan has a long-term injury again.

@sparky said in All Blacks XV v Georgia:

@Bones It will probably happen if Will Jordan has a long-term injury again.

Would be nice to see how we go with a fullback that can run as well as kick and pass.

Reckon ah Khoi has gone well. Georgia is a good choice to play because you have to win the forward battle.

Has the stream cut out for anyone else or is my phone playing up?

@Billy-Tell said in All Blacks XV v Georgia:

Reckon ah Khoi has gone well. Georgia is a good choice to play because you have to win the forward battle.

He's certainly busy and vigorous. If the ABs are looking for a lock/6, he's looking a better bet than Scooter/Delaney/Finau/Vaai/etc.

@Mr-Fish said in All Blacks XV v Georgia:

Has the stream cut out for anyone else or is my phone playing up?

It's halftime if that helps...