Shalfoon would've been worth a place at lock? Darry would've been handy but got promoted due to Tuipulotu's injury.
Boshier is clearly not anywhere near this level. There are so many better players in NZ.
Riccitelli and Moananu are better hookers, but are both leaving NZ.
CLW is better than Flanders. Sotutu is injured.
Numia has been out of form this year. Fusitua is better.
Dyer doesn't seem to be up to this level.
@Bones said in Barbarians v All Blacks XV:
Boshier looks like a back in the forwards, must be the smallest. Great for a blindside.
The main lineout target. 
The AB XV are getting out-muscled in the forwards but have created some chances.
@ACT-Crusader said in Barbarians v All Blacks XV:
@Bones said in Barbarians v All Blacks XV:
Roe is a genius. Best player on the park.
Was a bit of a handbrake for 37 minutes! A couple hospital passes in there for good keeping too!
He was fucking awful, made me yearn for Christie. Think he threw a hospital for nearly every player on his side, in between throwing it at empty space, the ground and opposition players. That's when he wasn't flapping about miles away from the ball.
Call my crazy, but was this not predictable when 2/23 (both on the bench) are from the best NPC team and 0 from the second best? And then 21/23 are from NPC teams that can’t defend at a decent standard?
Also, what’s the game plan? What’s the structure? I get they haven’t been together long but that past two ABs XV teams have looked 1000% slicker
@jimmyb said in Barbarians v All Blacks XV:
Why did I go back from the pub early to watch this. Being an AB rugby supporter used to be fun. Wake me up when it’s 2015 again
In previous AB XV / NZ A teams we had starting lineups that were full of regular Super rugby starters and some ABs.
We have guys starting this game who barely start for their Super team and really in the ‘good NPC player’ class.
They may well be giving every one a run so some of the lesser players got a start in this one because the next two games look to be tougher.
@ACT-Crusader said in Barbarians v All Blacks XV:
@jimmyb said in Barbarians v All Blacks XV:
Why did I go back from the pub early to watch this. Being an AB rugby supporter used to be fun. Wake me up when it’s 2015 again
In previous AB XV / NZ A teams we had starting lineups that were full of regular Super rugby starters and some ABs.
We have guys starting this game who barely start for their Super team and really in the ‘good NPC player’ class.
They may well be giving every one a run so some of the lesser players got a start in this one because the next two games look to be tougher.
If JJ was under the impression this game was going to be easy, he’s an idiot.
@hikastags said in Barbarians v All Blacks XV:
Doesn't feel like there's many (or any) players in NZ atm that genuinely love smashing opposing players.
Seems everyone is so passive. Drives me nuts.
If Christie and CLW were out there…..
@hikastags said in Barbarians v All Blacks XV:
Doesn't feel like there's many (or any) players in NZ atm that genuinely love smashing opposing players.
Seems everyone is so passive. Drives me nuts.
Jona Nareki left at home I feel sick to my stomach
@ACT-Crusader Well they'd be a lot more effective than Flanders and Boshier!
Would like to see the BaaBaas bench forwards on. Vermaak, Venter, Wiese and specially Batho Hlekani should be a treat.
@Bones said in Barbarians v All Blacks XV:
Roe is a genius. Best player on the park.
Bones, your commentary is pure Fern genius :clapping_hands: :clapping_hands:
Painful though this game is, hopefully it is a brutal reminder to EVERYONE involved in NZ Rugby, that if you don't front up physically in the forwards in international rugby, then you're utterly buggered.
Picking midget Locks was suicide.
Not playing the Saffa Super regularly has been really detrimental to the general standard of our forwards.
@ACT-Crusader said in Barbarians v All Blacks XV:
@hikastags said in Barbarians v All Blacks XV:
Doesn't feel like there's many (or any) players in NZ atm that genuinely love smashing opposing players.
Seems everyone is so passive. Drives me nuts.
If Christie and CLW were out there…..
Zach Gallagher probably would've gone well also.
@jimmyb said in Barbarians v All Blacks XV:
@ACT-Crusader said in Barbarians v All Blacks XV:
@jimmyb said in Barbarians v All Blacks XV:
Why did I go back from the pub early to watch this. Being an AB rugby supporter used to be fun. Wake me up when it’s 2015 again
In previous AB XV / NZ A teams we had starting lineups that were full of regular Super rugby starters and some ABs.
We have guys starting this game who barely start for their Super team and really in the ‘good NPC player’ class.
They may well be giving every one a run so some of the lesser players got a start in this one because the next two games look to be tougher.
If JJ was under the impression this game was going to be easy, he’s an idiot.
I’m not implying that he (or the others involved in this squad) thought that this would be easy, but picking Roe ahead of the other two, plus JJ over Rivez tells me they never intended on picking their strongest team for this match and would prefer that to be against England A for example.
@hikastags said in Barbarians v All Blacks XV:
Doesn't feel like there's many (or any) players in NZ atm that genuinely love smashing opposing players.
Seems everyone is so passive. Drives me nuts.
We've gone in a little more from a decade from "Smash Em' Bro" to " Ohhh, you're not meant to hurt the opposition"
@ACT-Crusader said in Barbarians v All Blacks XV:
@jimmyb said in Barbarians v All Blacks XV:
@ACT-Crusader said in Barbarians v All Blacks XV:
@jimmyb said in Barbarians v All Blacks XV:
Why did I go back from the pub early to watch this. Being an AB rugby supporter used to be fun. Wake me up when it’s 2015 again
In previous AB XV / NZ A teams we had starting lineups that were full of regular Super rugby starters and some ABs.
We have guys starting this game who barely start for their Super team and really in the ‘good NPC player’ class.
They may well be giving every one a run so some of the lesser players got a start in this one because the next two games look to be tougher.
If JJ was under the impression this game was going to be easy, he’s an idiot.
I’m not implying that he (or the others involved in this squad) thought that this would be easy, but picking Roe ahead of the other two, plus JJ over Rivez tells me they never intended on picking their strongest team for this match and would prefer that to be against England A for example.
Fair, was more a comment directed at JJ than directly at your comment. But winning is winning. Picking thr top XV against England and South Africa B should have been a must
Give Robertson credit. The South Africa tour next year is obviously an identification of the desperate need to expose a large group of players to South African rugby
@WoodysRFC said in Barbarians v All Blacks XV:
Wonder how Kevin Pieterson feels about that white South African clapping and celebrating after that penalty?
Yeah how could that not be anyone's first thought.
@Bones said in Barbarians v All Blacks XV:
@WoodysRFC said in Barbarians v All Blacks XV:
Wonder how Kevin Pieterson feels about that white South African clapping and celebrating after that penalty?
Yeah how could that not be anyone's first thought.
Have you considered running an alternate commentary channel for rugby? Might be quit successful
@Bones said in Barbarians v All Blacks XV:
@WoodysRFC said in Barbarians v All Blacks XV:
Wonder how Kevin Pieterson feels about that white South African clapping and celebrating after that penalty?
Yeah how could that not be anyone's first thought.
@jimmyb said in Barbarians v All Blacks XV:
@Bones said in Barbarians v All Blacks XV:
@WoodysRFC said in Barbarians v All Blacks XV:
Wonder how Kevin Pieterson feels about that white South African clapping and celebrating after that penalty?
Yeah how could that not be anyone's first thought.
Have you considered running an alternate commentary channel for rugby? Might be quit successful
My ignorance is best served right here.
Ref has decided because it's an exhibition match, he's going to do his Jordan Way impression.
@hikastags said in Barbarians v All Blacks XV:
Semisi Tupou Tae'iloa should've been picked for this tour over the worst Boshier brother
Yeah, hardly proved any of the doubters wrong. I guess he's a good lineout target.
@Bones said in Barbarians v All Blacks XV:
Jacomb really has gone backwards in the last couple of years.
Thank god we’re shafting Millar for him
