@Landers92 name and shame!

@Landers92 Maybe use a spoiler?

@mariner4life said in All Blacks v France III:

In days gone by ah kuoi would be a solid Super Rugby cult hero.
The fact he's in line for a test is a sign of where we're at.

Hes jonno gibbes from wish

I will accept Temu Tanerau but won’t accept DSW comparisons lol

It seems like the mainstream NZ Rugby media have been briefed that there will be more changes than a toddler's mood in an afternoon.

So

Norris/Sami/Lomax/Patty T/Holland/Jacobson/Finau/RD
Bench: EDG/ McAlister/Tosi/Ah Kuoi/Paps

@mariner4life said in All Blacks v France III:

In days gone by ah kuoi would be a solid Super Rugby cult hero.
The fact he's in line for a test is a sign of where we're at.

Hes jonno gibbes from wish

Even when 5 capped locks are out injured.?

Barrett
Tuipolotu
Vaa'i
Lord
Darry

@Landers92 said in All Blacks v France III:

@Quarky said in All Blacks v France III:

@Landers92 No sneaky preview of the forwards yet?

No sorry.

I see the backline has made it to Facebook on a fan page so I might have to tone it back or may not find out at all moving forward if word gets back.

I know I sound like a hypocrite and understand it’s a forum and we all love to share the inside word but if anyone is sharing it, please make sure it isn’t being sent to a social media fan page or to someone you think could send it to something like that.

It may not have been from anyone on here but I just wanted to comment anyway on the off chance that it was. Want to be able to keep the sauce coming if possible and would hate to not be able to share it due to further leaks like that. Again, I know it sounds hypocritical but I hope you all understand where I’m coming from.

Appreciate the understanding. Cheers.

The Fern isn't completely private ...

@booboo I am well aware of that. Hence why I said it may not be someone who’s actually on here and just commented on the off chance it was. Could be a non registered person just browsing. Either way, you get the point.

@Landers92 said in All Blacks v France III:

@booboo I am well aware of that. Hence why I said it may not be someone who’s actually on here and just commented on the off chance it was. Could be a non registered person just browsing. Either way, you get the point.

Yeah, totally.

Maybe you've got to scale back to being enigmatic and darkly hinting at "rumours" ... makes no difference in the end, the team is the team even if we want to know it earlier.

@Landers92 that lashes guy read out exact backline yesterday on Radio and didn't mention any forwards .

@george33 said in All Blacks v France III:

@Landers92 that lashes guy read out exact backline yesterday on Radio and didn't mention any forwards .

Forget about who may have shared it on social media, the biggest mystery is have lashes and Landers92 ever been seen in the same room together……

Or Landers could just say that this is... "my guess at the team... "

@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks v France III:

@george33 said in All Blacks v France III:

@Landers92 that lashes guy read out exact backline yesterday on Radio and didn't mention any forwards .

Forget about who may have shared it on social media, the biggest mystery is have lashes and Landers92 ever been seen in the same room together……

The team is going to be named at 10:30 NZ time apparently so in 23 minutes.

The forwards are apparently:

De Groot, Taukei'aho, Lomax, Tuipolutu, Holland, Finau, Savea (c), Jacobson

All Blacks squad to play France

1- Ethan de Groot, 2. Samisoni Taukei’aho, 3. Tyrel Lomax, 4. Patrick Tuipulotu, 5. Fabian Holland, 6. Samipeni Finau, 7. Ardie Savea, 8. Luke Jacobson, 9. Cortez Ratima, 10. Damian McKenzie, 11. Rieko Ioane 12. Quinn Tupaea, 13. Anton Lienert-Brown, 14. Sevu Reece, 15. Ruben Love.

Reserves
16. Brodie McAlister, 17. George Bower, 18. Fletcher Newell, 19. Dalton Papali’i, 20. Du Plessis Kirifi, 21. Noah Hotham, 22. Timoci Tavatavanawai, 23. Will Jordan.

Big test for Finau. Let's see if he is the goods.

Can some nerd tell me out of interest the last time an AB match day squad had zero Barretts in it ?

So Papali'i covers lock.

@MN5 said in All Blacks v France III:

Big test for Finau. Let's see if he is the goods.

We know that PT won't last the game so the plan will be for Finau to move to lock and for Papali'i to cover Finau if he gets injured.

@brodean said in All Blacks v France III:

So Papali'i covers lock.

I assumed they'd move Finau and shuffle the loosies maybe?

Biggest call for me is no Taylor

Interesting there is no BB on the bench. So Love covers 10.

Personally I would have gone with Lio Willie over Kirifi. Lio Willie has been accurate and performed his core role although a bit quite.

Not a very big backline. But 4 7s in the 23..

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks v France III:

Not a very big backline

Yes though probably France's won't be big either.

A late change with BB not on the bench. Have just asked why that changed

It's surprising that they didn't include Ah Kuoi in the team. Ah Kuoi and Papali'i makes more sense

Yes it was an opportunity to test another lock/6 methinks.
They seem to like Finau and want to give Kirifi another chance

Worst case scenario is that Tuipulotu goes down early. Having lock cover on the bench would be better than expecting Finau to play big minutes there.

Noah Hotham's Dad should be able to see him play as he is currently in NZ with the Hong Kong U20s.

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks v France III:

Not a very big backline. But 4 7s in the 23..

3 guys over 100kg and we know Ratima is a gym powerhouse. They'll be ok.

Perhaps they have chosen to stick to named squad, then confirmed injury replacements to replicate a tour or RWC situation. I.e. testing their planned contingency options to the max.
Thought Norris might play given his feature article. Is that 7 Waikato players in starting lineup though?
I am hoping the plan is to play an expansive style this week and move the French forwards around a lot.
I have tickets and am looking forward to this.

@Landers92

I think I read somewhere BB had a hand injury?

@Pepe said in All Blacks v France III:

@Landers92

I think I read somewhere BB had a hand injury?

Typical bloody Aucklander (just getting in there before Canerbry)

@bayimports said in All Blacks v France III:

@mariner4life said in All Blacks v France III:

In days gone by ah kuoi would be a solid Super Rugby cult hero.
The fact he's in line for a test is a sign of where we're at.

Hes jonno gibbes from wish

I will accept Temu Tanerau but won’t accept DSW comparisons lol

bro he's a filthy Marist player from Wellington, i feel no loyalty at all.

@MN5 said in All Blacks v France III:

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks v France III:

Not a very big backline. But 4 7s in the 23..

3 guys over 100kg and we know Ratima is a gym powerhouse. They'll be ok.

Height lad, height. Ok midfield, Ioane good winger size but doesn't jump and rest of backline not tall. I expect France to kick to them, a lot.

And I haven't really seen this raw gym strength from Ratima at test level.

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks v France III:

And I haven't really seen this raw gym strength from Ratima at test level.

Amazing power to weight ratio but no, neither have I.

Considering he can lift more than quite a number of forwards he should be dominating more.

Really don't see the point of picking Bower when he wasn't even named in the original squad. Norris is the future, so why not give him another go. Happy with the other selections.

Who will lead the Haka?