Interesting observations regarding interaction between Boks attack and defense: https://www.planetrugby.com/news/how-the-springboks-changed-their-rugby-championship-plans-as-a-clear-theme-emerges

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

@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

If he s good enough, how long do you keep him in cotton wool ?

That's the issue, isn't it?

Should have been given more game time against Argentina or France. Then it wouldn't be as much a risk in a must-win game and, importantly, less of a pressure situation for the player.

And he’s now running out of time before the World Cup if he even wanted to ease players in. The time to start doing that was a year ago. Unless there’s an injury, which is the only way emerging talent get a chance now, Love and others in a similar situation will go into the World Cup with a handful of games against second tier and B teams and won’t be considered as options against anyone other than the minnows.

@ShaquilleOatmeal the driest of powder.

Stuffed reporting injury to Kyle Preston.
Sounds like good oil on a Fakatava joining squad - would be the prudent thing to do!

@nzzp said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

Stuffed reporting injury to Kyle Preston.
Sounds like good oil on a Fakatava joining squad - would be the prudent thing to do!

View embedded content

@nzzp said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

Stuffed reporting injury to Kyle Preston.
Sounds like good oil on a Fakatava joining squad - would be the prudent thing to do!

View embedded content

@nzzp said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

Stuffed reporting injury to Kyle Preston.
Sounds like good oil on a Fakatava joining squad - would be the prudent thing to do!

View embedded content

7 HBs selected or training that must be a first for injuries in one position

@nzzp said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

Stuffed reporting injury to Kyle Preston.
Sounds like good oil on a Fakatava joining squad - would be the prudent thing to do!

View embedded content

Kept out of NPC to avoid injury, misses out on valuable game time, gets injured at training.

TAB have us at $1.52, SA at $2.45. Surely that's worth loss insurance?

I wonder what options there are for Fakatava to turn it down (if he has decided he wants to play for Tonga) or if his NZR contract means he can't? He's only one injury away from restarting the clock again when it's been three years since he played for the ABs.

Tongue firmly in cheek. But this is a massive test for Razor.

Preston is out

I'm ready for the call Razor, I've been preparing for this moment for years by listening intently to audio recordings of TJ Perenara and Nic White in my sleep and channel other ABs halfbacks by going down to the beach three times a week to practice waving my arms like a seagull while forgetting to protect my towel from the incoming tide. I can kick just as well off my left as my right, same with passing. The Boks will certainly be confused by the unpredictability and Fern contributors will love the fact very few passes from set piece will make it to Beaudie, in fact muscle up forwards we'll be keeping things close...

Joking aside, this is becoming a real test of depth in a key position.

It's Tuesday, so SA must be naming their team.

So who is the next halfback in line?

Drummond
Funaki
Pledger
Viljoen
???

@booboo surely have to be Funaki if it isn't Fakatava right?

Boks naming Not til Thursday this week

@Bones said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@ShaquilleOatmeal the driest of powder.

Kegs in Wellington and Christchurch

Jason Holland on SportNation saying doesn't no were this Fakatava information has come from and bye the sounds of it Ratima training today .

@george33 said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

Jason Holland on SportNation saying doesn't no were this Fakatava information has come from and bye the sounds of it Ratima training today .

Yeah and he also said that Preston isn't injured.

@Yeetyaah said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@booboo surely have to be Funaki if it isn't Fakatava right?

After Fakatava. Hasn't he been called up?

@booboo said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@Yeetyaah said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@booboo surely have to be Funaki if it isn't Fakatava right?

After Fakatava. Hasn't he been called up?

Or not ... i give up

@taniwharugby said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

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He's lost weight

@taniwharugby said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

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Coming up on Piri’s Tiki Tour…

I have only just read Chris B.’s post of three days ago, in the context of some posts about the Grizz Wylie era. The number 7 through that Shield era, and against the 1971 Lions, was Alex Matheson.
Alex unfortunately passed two weeks ago.
He used to say that the violent legend of that game was exaggerated and mostly created by the northern media.
Fergie had a certain changing room reputation which you may have heard, Chris?

@UpTheHarbs said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@taniwharugby said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

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Coming up on Piri’s Tiki Tour…

In Piri we trust.

@Canes4life said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@UpTheHarbs said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@taniwharugby said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

View image

Coming up on Piri’s Tiki Tour…

In Piri we trust.

Roe is with the squad going by that article, surely they're not looking for someone else beyond that for this week?

So is Kyle Preston injured or not???

The Professor is with the team

The best solution to NZ Rugby seems to be to sack everyone and appoint Wayne Smith.

@Donsteppa said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

The best solution to NZ Rugby seems to be to sack everyone and appoint Wayne Smith.

Can we clone him?

@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@Chris said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@sparky said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

The side I'd pick is

1. De Groot
2. Taylor
3. Newell
4. S. Barrett
5. Holland
6. Vaii
7. A. Savea
8. Sititi
9. K. Preston
10. DMac
11. C.Clarke
12. J. Barrett
13. R. Ioane
14. W. Jordan
15. R. Love

---

16. Taukei'aho
17. T. Williams
18. Lomax
19. S. Darry
20. S. Parker
21. Lakai
22. Christie
23. Tupaea

Love at FB I am not sure that is a good idea you are throwing him in to a high pressure high ball game it might ruin his confidence.A hell of a big game to throw him in to.
A big call sink or swim scenario.

If he s good enough, how long do you keep him in cotton wool ?

Unless of course they don’t think he’s good enough, different story

But sometimes I think this conservative attitude we seem to have developed when it comes to selection is part of our downfall

Ruben Love is 24. 3 years older than Max Jorgensen and 2 years older than Suaalii. He played well vs France 3rd test.
He is also one of the best under the high ball. FFS let rhe man play!

Wayne Smith is effectively a consultant/coach for the coaches - this was well telegraphed when Razor signed. He does the same with the Black ferns.

Also, I’m not hearing Preston is injured. Sounds like a minor knock at training today but overblown by the media.

@Donsteppa said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

The best solution to NZ Rugby seems to be to sack everyone and appoint Wayne Smith.

He is a failure as an administrator (HB CEO) and as an AB head coach so let's not go that far ... he just has to be the assistant or at least kaumatua to every NZ rep team going forward.

@Nepia said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

@Donsteppa said in All Blacks v Springboks I:

The best solution to NZ Rugby seems to be to sack everyone and appoint Wayne Smith.

He is a failure as an administrator (HB CEO) and as an AB head coach

He was a pretty good coach for the Black Ferns (12 wins in a row I think?), Crusaders and Chiefs.. oh and Northampton Saints + Kobe Steelers Director of Rugby..