While I think that loose trio could actually work well, by fuck it would be funny for most of us to be fairly happy after the squad naming that things appeared to be going in the right direction, only for Razor to jump the innovative shark.

It would fucking idiotic to not start Finau. He's not established at international level and he's the only 6 selected. This is exactly when you play him ao he can fond his feet. I'll believe that selection when I see it - then i guess I'll express my disbelief again.

@reprobate bring back Ethan

Heard this is the team, apologies if already posted

1.Ethan De Groot 
2. Codie Taylor 
3. Tyrel Lomax 
4. Fabian Holland 
5. Scott Barrett 
6. Tupou Vaai 
7. Ardie Savea 
8. Christian Lio-Willie 
9. Cam Roigard 
10.  Beauden Barrett 
11. Rieko Ioane 
12. Jordie Barrett 
13. Billy Proctor
14. Sevu Reece 
15. Will Jordan 
 
16. Samisoni Taukeiaho
17. Ollie Norris
18. Fletcher Newell
19. Samipeni Finau
20. Du’Plessis Kirifi
21. Cortez Ratima
22. Damian McKenzie
23. Quinn Tupaea

Why the fuck would you move your best forward from 2024 out of his favoured position. It’s just baffling to me. Keep him at lock and develop a guy that actually plays that position. God damn. (Shakes fist)

@mariner4life didn't mention the whole team, did Reece actually travel

@Bones said in All Blacks Vs France, Test One, Dunedin:

@reprobate bring back Ethan

He’s there, in the 1 jersey.

@george33 said in All Blacks Vs France, Test One, Dunedin:

@mariner4life didn't mention the whole team, did Reece actually travel

with jordan potentially injured who else we got? Big Jim?

that could make for some wild rants

we have a lock playing 6, a 13 playing 11, a 12 playing 14, a 10 playing 15 (DMac), a 15 playing 10 and a 8 playing 7

interesting, given how the subs were run last year

Either Holland is going to play 80, or Vaai is expected to play 60-70 at blindside and then finish at lock (hope there aren't important late scrums).
We'll finish the test with Finau, Kirifi and Savea

The midfield will finish up with Jordie and Tupaea.
Jordan will get shunted to the wing for DMac

@mariner4life George thinks Jordan is injured

@Kiwiwomble he's definitely carrying injury.
Don't no if they will risk him.

Think Big Jim will be in 23

@JK said in All Blacks Vs France, Test One, Dunedin:

Heard this is the team, apologies if already posted

1.Ethan De Groot 
2. Codie Taylor 
3. Tyrel Lomax 
4. Fabian Holland 
5. Scott Barrett 
6. Tupou Vaai 
7. Ardie Savea 
8. Christian Lio-Willie 
9. Cam Roigard 
10.  Beauden Barrett 
11. Rieko Ioane 
12. Jordie Barrett 
13. Billy Proctor
14. Sevu Reece 
15. Will Jordan 
 
16. Samisoni Taukeiaho
17. Ollie Norris
18. Fletcher Newell
19. Samipeni Finau
20. Du’Plessis Kirifi
21. Cortez Ratima
22. Damian McKenzie
23. Quinn Tupaea

The bench is chiefly good. Not sure about Newell and Kirifi.

Thanks heaps @george33 for posting what you're hearing, despite certain posters taking issue with it for some reason.

On 6, that's a problem of their own making which is frustrating, but I can actually see the logic of Vai'i there. He definitely has the tools to go well, but it's a massive fucking gamble seeing he took a while to find his feet at lock at test level, now basically has to go back to the drawing board.

Also, the trio would look a LOT stronger (both ability and physically) with Hoskins at 8...

@Kiwiwomble disagree with this. Reiko is a winger! Ardie is a 7!

Think NZ Herald rugby writer has Reiko at 13 with Jordie 12 and Clarke 11

@george33 🤮

@george33 said in All Blacks Vs France, Test One, Dunedin:

Lio Willie 8

What I would do as a straight swap for Sititi keep Ardue where you want him.

The Vaai issue could have been dealt with if Razor actually had the guts to drop a Barrett, make Ardie captain and play TV in a position he has grown immensely in.

Vaa'i last played at 6 when he played against France in the RWC didn't he?

@No-Quarter said in All Blacks Vs France, Test One, Dunedin:

Also, the trio would look a LOT stronger (both ability and physically) with Hoskins at 8...

Hot take, Lio Willie is a better fit than Sotutu for how we will play. Think Rodders.

@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks Vs France, Test One, Dunedin:

@No-Quarter said in All Blacks Vs France, Test One, Dunedin:

Also, the trio would look a LOT stronger (both ability and physically) with Hoskins at 8...

Hot take, Lio Willie is a better fit than Sotutu for how we will play. Think Rodders.

Hopefully how we will play won't be similar to the 2007 RWC quarter against France.

@brodean said in All Blacks Vs France, Test One, Dunedin:

@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks Vs France, Test One, Dunedin:

@No-Quarter said in All Blacks Vs France, Test One, Dunedin:

Also, the trio would look a LOT stronger (both ability and physically) with Hoskins at 8...

Hot take, Lio Willie is a better fit than Sotutu for how we will play. Think Rodders.

Hopefully the style of play won't be similar to the 2007 RWC quarter against France.

Given it’s not a RWC or Barnes, thinking June series 2007 where we put a hundred points on the French

@mariner4life said in All Blacks Vs France, Test One, Dunedin:

@upthelanders said in All Blacks Vs France, Test One, Dunedin:

So going by @george33 the team is most likely:

Ethan De Groot
Codie Taylor
Tyrell Lomax
Fabian Holland
Scott Barrett
Tupou Vaa’i
Ardie Savea
Christian Lio-Willie

Cam Roigard
Beauden Barrett
Reiko Ioane
Jordie Barrett
Billy Proctor
Sevu Reece
Dmac/Ruben Love

…?

by fuck are we lucky that the real French team isn't coming, that seems just a little ordinary. A huge gamble on players finding form that might be years old, or immediately stepping up.

Probably just as good as the side that lost by a point in Paris !

And shouldve fucking won!

Holland is basically a young brodie retallick but heavier. Thats why they want him starting

Holland isn't as nasty as Guzzler was.

Holland's a big unit with a big engine but he isn't as menacing.

I don't think the Vaa'i selection is ideal but I'd agree with the selectors that drastic changes were needed for the loose forward-trio. Looking back at last year's Test matches, it's rather obvious now how underpowered they were, which severely hampered the way the ABs wanted to play.

And while I don't think Vaa'i is a particularly natural 6, what he does do well is carry and make metres around the ruck. He should work well together with someone like Lio-Willie in pressuring the French pillar defence. The AB coaches need to find ways to create more space out wide and condensing the defence by going up the middle is one typical way of doing it.

Liam Napier was suggesting four debuts: Holland, Lio-Willie, Kirifi, Tavatavanawai

I don't mind the Vaa'i selection it gives us a big forward pack with Holland starting,Vaa'i could be an imposing figure at 6, I am interested to see how it goes ,Vaa'i is a better player than he was when tried at 6 in that one game.

Vaa'i finished the game at 6 against SA in that Mt Smart test, which would seem a more sensible option than starting him there.

Shows they don't rate Finau much.

I am surprised Finau or CLW aren't there at 6.

@brodean said in All Blacks Vs France, Test One, Dunedin:

Holland isn't as nasty as Guzzler was.

Holland's a big unit with a big engine but he isn't as menacing.

He’s also only 22… plenty of room for growth. No need him to compare him to a great AB lock before he’s even played 1 test

@nostrildamus that wasn’t a confirmed team so we don’t know yet

@Landers92

I don't think it does him any favours comparing him to Retallick.

He doesn't have to have the same style as Retallick. He can have his own style.

Apart from the height they have different styles and that's OK.

Richie McCaw wasn't menacing but he was a great player.

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks Vs France, Test One, Dunedin:

I am surprised Finau or CLW aren't there at 6.

I’d be very surprised to see CLW play anything but number 8. He’s not in the side if Sititi is fit.

@Landers92 said in All Blacks Vs France, Test One, Dunedin:

@brodean said in All Blacks Vs France, Test One, Dunedin:

Holland isn't as nasty as Guzzler was.

Holland's a big unit with a big engine but he isn't as menacing.

He’s also only 22… plenty of room for growth. No need him to compare him to a great AB lock before he’s even played 1 test

And he is very similar to a young brodie retallick dont you think?

@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks Vs France, Test One, Dunedin:

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks Vs France, Test One, Dunedin:

I am surprised Finau or CLW aren't there at 6.

I’d be very surprised to see CLW play anything but number 8. He’s not in the side if Sititi is fit.

You don't see him as a 4th or 5th or 6th number 6? Because of his height? I thought he played a bit of 6 for the Crusaders (checked, ok he hasn't this season but I have read websites he can play 6 and 8).
This French team is tall, and Tupou may be moved to 6 because of it so I think in this situation CLW would be an unusual call, but he is a specialized loose forward.

I can understand the Finau thing, in the Blues game he was our MVP in the last ten minutes. That won't have impressed, when the pressure was on in the finals.

If that is the team, then I admire it because it's ballsy.

The chief problem last year was that Razor and co. were too safe in their selections and we got continuity Foster. I welcome Robertson being more confident in driving his vision of how the ABs can beat regularly the other best sides in the world.