@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.

@frugby said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@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.

Well I'm done with backline conservatism because it's just fudge for ain't working.
The backs are letting the forwards down.

@BerniesCorner said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@frugby said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@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.

Well I'm done with backline conservatism because it's just fudge for ain't working.
The backs are letting the forwards down.

Scooter needs to channel some Grizz Wyllie...

"Don't give the backs the ball, they'll just stuff it up!"

Captaining Canterbury many years ago.

@Chris-B
Well if Roigard was fit I'd say no ball past 9 in the pre match pep talk.

@frugby said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@BerniesCorner I'm not sure Love and Narawa really move the needle - but they should definitely be tried.

Love's pretty exciting actually, might make mistakes, might fail, but I like his competitive spirit.
As for Narawa, he can still catch and kick and run, can't he? That would have been useful in the last game.

Seems like they'll likely have to use Fin Christie at halfback, so I reckon beyond that there will be a maximum of two changes in the backs.

Vaguely possible that they'll switch Beaudy for DMac, but given they've hitched the wagon to BB for all the preceding tests, I don't see this happening. If Eden Park is a disaster, that change will get made.

Jordie is locked in.

Proctor has been a bit of an experiment - not entirely successful, but worth continuing with in the long run. But, maybe not for this game. I could see Rieko possibly moving to the 13 jersey.

I think they'll be watching Caleb Clarke's form anxiously in NPC this weekend. Now that he's got his motorcycle madness out the way, hopefully he can be focussed and recapture last year's form. If he goes well, I reckon he'll be in. If Rieko doesn't move to centre, there's a possibility he'd move to right wing for Sevu - but, probably not. Narawa also a possibility to replace Sevu.

Jordan locked in at fullback - would be quite a surprise for me if they shifted him to wing to accommodate DMac or Love.

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

@BerniesCorner said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@frugby said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@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.

Well I'm done with backline conservatism because it's just fudge for ain't working.
The backs are letting the forwards down.

Scooter needs to channel some Grizz Wyllie...

"Don't give the backs the ball, they'll just stuff it up!"

Captaining Canterbury many years ago.

I assume the thug Fergie wasn't included in that directive?

Also, is that how one of the provinces who makes up your franchise of Ta$man managed to take the Shield of them? They used their backs because it was supposed to be an easy game?

@Nepia Different game, I think!

Actually, I think the Canterbury players knew that Marlborough would be very tough.

It gets addressed at Grizz's funeral - from 1.33.12

@Nepia Chairing the Syd Nomis Appreciation Society?

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

@Nepia Chairing the Syd Nomis Appreciation Society?

And all other victims.

@Nepia Actually, I've seen the Nomis incident on the internet, but I can't find it right now. It's there somewhere if someone wants to look hard.

It's not as blatant as I expected it to be... given the era.

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

@Nepia Actually, I've seen the Nomis incident on the internet, but I can't find it right now. It's there somewhere if someone wants to look hard.

It's not as blatant as I expected it to be... given the era.

I've barely seen any of the incidents but have read about them, my grandfather and old man always said he was a dirty bastard (I think they said it admiringly, they also thought Willment was a much better player though), and one of my mate's Dads got clocked by him as a teen in a provincial match (which I think he's proud of considering how much he brings it up).

I used to wind up one of the PR Cantabs about it because he knew Fergie and would get all defensive.

@Nepia It was a different time.

I think they would've said Fergie was hard in those days. And Grizz. And Meads. And many others - including some of your HB legends.

I met Fergie as an underage drinker at the Cantabrian Hotel. He had a sense of humour.

The guy from that era I knew best was Alistair Hopkinson - you couldn't meet a more pleasant or funny person. He was a livestock auctioneer. Died very young.

Because its the Springbok thread . . .
Kevin de Klerk wouldn't last more than a few minutes on a rugby field to-day.
Even in olden times he was old school.

As for Canterbury hard men; the team in the 1971 game against the Lions would have to take the first rank.

@sparky Things getting serious.

Who does the Fern think Razor will actually select as the back three.

I am guessing either Love, Jordan Clarke
or
Jordan, Narawa, Clarke

I also think there's a chance Reiko reclaims the 13 jersey.

@Frank said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

Who does the Fern think Razor will actually select as the back three.

I am guessing either Love, Jordan Clarke
or
Jordan, Narawa, Clarke

I also think there's a chance Reiko reclaims the 13 jersey.

He probably won't make any changes. Why deviate from his current strategy?

@Frank Sevu I think will remain on the right wing (not what I want) Clarke looked in good enough shape earlier today guess his selection is dependant on if Ioane moves to 13 in place of Proctor

@Grooter said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@Frank Sevu I think will remain on the right wing (not what I want) Clarke looked in good enough shape earlier today guess his selection is dependant on if Ioane moves to 13 in place of Proctor

I'd guess they'd choose Clarke over Ioane for wing esp given the suspected aerial bombardment but overall they'll remain conservative and yes, sigh, I think they may keep Reece. I prefer Narawa but I suspect they don't.