Going to be interesting,

Before the Argie 2 game ,I honestly thought we might be on a upwards trajectory mainly due to the forwards , tight 5 in particular. Then we served up that pile of dog shit where it feels like any progress all came undone .

I suspect Rassie will target that tight 5 and holland in particular to see if he can find a chink and a barrage of high balls are coming our way , if we play the same back 3 I think we are in trouble.

If Clarke isn’t ready , I’d play love ( he’s 24 now if he’s not ready yet when is he ready ? ) at 15 Jordan at 14 , can narawa play 11 .? What is carter like under the high ball ?

Preston withdrawn from NPC.

Boks arrived nice and early been in NZ for almost 2 days already.

@booboo said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

Preston withdrawn from NPC.

Roigard not ready.

That's a worry. Not happy about needing a guy who has played what 3/4 of a super season, and looked to be struggling with the pressure off the bench in the final.

@Frank said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@booboo said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

Preston withdrawn from NPC.

Roigard not ready.

Any word on Ratima's injury? Could be related to that too.

@canefan said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@Nepia said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@canefan said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@Mr-Fish said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

Anton Lienert-Brown is probably the best distributing centre in NZ - just saying...

When he's not in the bin?

See, none of our contenders are perfect, ALB can't stay on the field, Rieko can't pass and Proctor can't walk on water defend.

And Leicester is laughing

@canefan said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@Nepia said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@canefan said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@Mr-Fish said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

Anton Lienert-Brown is probably the best distributing centre in NZ - just saying...

When he's not in the bin?

See, none of our contenders are perfect, ALB can't stay on the field, Rieko can't pass and Proctor can't walk on water defend.

And Leicester is laughing

Leicester is an even worse defender than Proctor.

@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

Yeah agreed on Ennor - thought he had by far his best season. I would welcome.him into the squad.

He drops the ball cold in front of the line every season. He's a butterfly fingers.

@brodean said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@canefan said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@Nepia said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@canefan said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@Mr-Fish said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

Anton Lienert-Brown is probably the best distributing centre in NZ - just saying...

When he's not in the bin?

See, none of our contenders are perfect, ALB can't stay on the field, Rieko can't pass and Proctor can't walk on water defend.

And Leicester is laughing

@canefan said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@Nepia said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@canefan said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@Mr-Fish said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

Anton Lienert-Brown is probably the best distributing centre in NZ - just saying...

When he's not in the bin?

See, none of our contenders are perfect, ALB can't stay on the field, Rieko can't pass and Proctor can't walk on water defend.

And Leicester is laughing

Leicester is an even worse defender than Proctor.

Amen, anyone who saw him in games in top 14 should tell you thst.
Then read his stats, really backs it up. Couple of games I saw, he didn't even look interested in tackling anyone who didn't rub directly at him.

@brodean said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@canefan said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@Nepia said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@canefan said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@Mr-Fish said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

Anton Lienert-Brown is probably the best distributing centre in NZ - just saying...

When he's not in the bin?

See, none of our contenders are perfect, ALB can't stay on the field, Rieko can't pass and Proctor can't walk on water defend.

And Leicester is laughing

@canefan said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@Nepia said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@canefan said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@Mr-Fish said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

Anton Lienert-Brown is probably the best distributing centre in NZ - just saying...

When he's not in the bin?

See, none of our contenders are perfect, ALB can't stay on the field, Rieko can't pass and Proctor can't walk on water defend.

And Leicester is laughing

Leicester is an even worse defender than Proctor.

Someone has to step up otherwise Razor won't hesitate to pull the trigger for Leicester

@canefan said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@brodean said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@canefan said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@Nepia said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@canefan said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@Mr-Fish said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

Anton Lienert-Brown is probably the best distributing centre in NZ - just saying...

When he's not in the bin?

See, none of our contenders are perfect, ALB can't stay on the field, Rieko can't pass and Proctor can't walk on water defend.

And Leicester is laughing

@canefan said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@Nepia said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@canefan said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@Mr-Fish said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

Anton Lienert-Brown is probably the best distributing centre in NZ - just saying...

When he's not in the bin?

See, none of our contenders are perfect, ALB can't stay on the field, Rieko can't pass and Proctor can't walk on water defend.

And Leicester is laughing

Leicester is an even worse defender than Proctor.

Someone has to step up otherwise Razor won't hesitate to pull the trigger for Leicester

I think Razor is aware of this hence why he rarely selected him at center for the Crusaders. Rieko at 11 is most at risk.

@brodean said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

butterfly fingers

Upvote

Mo for centre, you heard it here first.

@Bones said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

Mo for centre, you heard it here first.

Curly at 2nd five

@booboo said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

Preston withdrawn from NPC.

I’d start him.

It will be the same team, I suspect, but with Christie starting and Preston on the bench.

@sparky said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

It will be the same team, I suspect, but with Christie starting and Preston on the bench.

That would be just what a high performing team would do.

@sparky said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

It will be the same team, I suspect, but with Christie starting and Preston on the bench.

So no change on the wings????

If we look at who HASN'T been released to NPC, and assume the rest (apart from Patty T) are in 23 we get:

Will Jordan, Sevu Reece, Billy Proctor, Jordie Barrett, Rieko Ioane, Beauden Barrett, Kyle Preston, Ardie Savea, Du Plessis Kirifi, Tupou Vaa'i, Fabian Holland, Scott Barrett (capt), Fletcher Newell, Codie Taylor, Ethan de Groot.

Reserves: Samisoni Taukei'aho, Tamaiti Williams, Pasilio Tosi, Simon Parker, Wallace Sititi, Finlay Christie, Quinn Tupaea, Damian McKenzie.

@Frank Sadly not.

@booboo said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

Preston withdrawn from NPC.

Christie was bloody good last week.

But can he repeat that performance next week or did he just stand out because the rest of the team were pretty shit?

He was his slow, ponderous, day-walking self

Yeah I don’t think he was great but didnt bed shit as much as the rest of the backline

As Karl Dickson is the ref, you know what speed the game will be played at.

@Bovidae said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

As Karl Dickson is the ref, you know what speed the game will be played at.

Bloody Hell

Weather looks shit as well, as much as a 7 day forecast can be trusted

@reprobate said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

That's a worry. Not happy about needing a guy who has played what 3/4 of a super season, and looked to be struggling with the pressure off the bench in the final.

You're talking about Preston?

Started the Super season with a hiss and a roar, but I thought he got worse as the season progressed. Seem to recall saying that I'd have picked Drummie ahead of him when the play-offs came.

I'd say there's zero chance he starts if Christie is fit and I'm pretty happy with that. Massive dice roll to pick our fifth choice halfback to debut vs the Boks.

TBH - I'm surprised Xavier Roe isn't there ahead of him.

Ok fellas. a week out, had my say what I thought was wrong last week.
So if an idiot like me can see things, I sure the coaches can , and will fix it. So we got this !!!!

@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@booboo said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

Preston withdrawn from NPC.

Christie was bloody good last week.

But can he repeat that performance next week or did he just stand out because the rest of the team were pretty shit?

The type of game we played probably suited him , if we were playing well , his slow service probably handicaps us more . But he is tough and a scrapper , a messy game probably suits him

@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

Going to be interesting,

Before the Argie 2 game ,I honestly thought we might be on a upwards trajectory mainly due to the forwards , tight 5 in particular. Then we served up that pile of dog shit where it feels like any progress all came undone .

I suspect Rassie will target that tight 5 and holland in particular to see if he can find a chink and a barrage of high balls are coming our way , if we play the same back 3 I think we are in trouble.

If Clarke isn’t ready , I’d play love ( he’s 24 now if he’s not ready yet when is he ready ? ) at 15 Jordan at 14 , can narawa play 11 .? What is carter like under the high ball ?

Cant wait to see how Fabian gets on. For sure he is going to get his collar felt. Im looking forward to him getting roughed up a bit actually. See how he goes.

I expect the boks to lose this game, but I would like to see them try the tony ball at Eden park, with SFM running things. Run the ABs off their feet.

@W32 said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

I expect the boks to lose this game, but I would like to see them try the tony ball at Eden park, with SFM running things. Run the ABs off their feet.

We have worked very hard to claim underdog status thank you!

Not sure if I have missed something but has there been any comment anywhere at all from the team or NZR since the ABs got back home ?

If it is Christie and Barrett at 9 and 10, with Proctor at 13 + Ioane and Reece on the wings, we are in big trouble. We won't beat them up front, and that is a rubbish backline.

An expressive AB captain and minimal team errors would likely result in an AB win at Eden Park.
Frustratingly I think this Achilles heel will be our downfall.

@Chris-B said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@reprobate said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

That's a worry. Not happy about needing a guy who has played what 3/4 of a super season, and looked to be struggling with the pressure off the bench in the final.

You're talking about Preston?

Started the Super season with a hiss and a roar, but I thought he got worse as the season progressed. Seem to recall saying that I'd have picked Drummie ahead of him when the play-offs came.

I'd say there's zero chance he starts if Christie is fit and I'm pretty happy with that. Massive dice roll to pick our fifth choice halfback to debut vs the Boks.

TBH - I'm surprised Xavier Roe isn't there ahead of him.

Yeah, I don't think it is even fair on Preston to be honest. If he's on the bench, then we'll have an inexperienced at super level, franchise 2nd choice guy making his debut against the world champs in what is likely to be a tight game with a huge record on the line. Roe or Fakatava would be far better options for this week. Either that or they play Christie 80, in which case that isn't really fair on him either, and it tells Preston that they don't trust him.
That's the risk you run with bringing someone new into the squad to 'have a look at them' or whatever crap they trot out.
His super debut was bloody good, so maybe our brains trust are banking on that repeating...

Mind numbing we are not utilizing guys like Love, Narawa, QT and not using DMac more.
Captain and backs are the issue. This can be sorted but will it.

@BerniesCorner I'm not sure Love and Narawa really move the needle - but they should definitely be tried. If Clarke is back, I'd go with:

9. Christie
10. Love
11. Clarke
12. Barrett
13. Tupaea
14. Narawa
15. Jordan

Bench: Preston, McKenzie, Tavatavanawai

It's throwing Love in the deep end, but if he is good he will rise to the occassion. Sopoaga debuted at Ellis Park, so it has been done before.

I am 100% sure this won't be the backline, but man I'd like to see them take a punt on Love.

Razor will continue to select conservative

@frugby In the selectors eyes, I reckon you've got the fourth-ranked halfback, first five, centre and wing - along with the number-one second-five, wing and fullback.

Roigard, Ratima, Hotham, Christie
Richie, Beaudy, DMac, Love (at best)
Proctor, Ioane, ALB, Tupaea
Clarke, Ioane, Reece, Narawa

Had to include The Mo for a neat quartet - sorry!

Not entirely convinced they would see Love even as the fourth-best first five in the country, but that's purely a guess based on how little he's played there - but, he's a like-for-like with DMac as bench cover. I reckon when he gets a start it will be at fullback - or just possibly wing.