@Tim said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
Love and Roigard need to take control.
Our forwards need to bar up as well
NC: All Blacks
Match thread
Italy
I'm pleased Love hasnt fallen apart but he needs to hopefully show some lessons learnt from halftime in the second 40
Agree with others Savea not showing any leadership - spending a lot of time out on the wing waiting for his big highlight reel moment. Sititi clearly brought back too early and looks leery of contact. ABs being frustrated and need to keep it tighter and more pragmatic. Tight five going OK, but once again no leadership and some silly of gifting of possession like being in front of the kicker at the restart. Tighter,, more kicking required and, given the ref, more discipline required. Agree with others - Savea is done and new leadership required in this team.
This looks like last year all over again .
What has changed not a lot.
SA will slow the game down and bury us.they will not let the ABs play at speed.
@Chris said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
This looks like last year all over again .
What has changed not a lot.
SA will slow the game down and bury us.they will not let the ABs play at speed.
That's assuming this 23 plays vs South Africa. If they do we are fucked. Hope Rennie is smarter than that
@W32 said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
@nostrildamus said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
@W32 said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
Come on Italy! Outstanding
I thought you were here for Bones. You're so loose with your affections...
I always pull for the underdog…
I expect your full support for the ABs in SA later in the year then....
@Chris said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
This looks like last year all over again .
What has changed not a lot.
SA will slow the game down and bury us.they will not let the ABs play at speed.
Pick the same players, expect the same results.
@KiwiMurph said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
@Chris said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
This looks like last year all over again .
What has changed not a lot.
SA will slow the game down and bury us.they will not let the ABs play at speed.That's assuming this 23 plays vs South Africa. If they do we are fucked. Hope Rennie is smarter than that
His first big test is coming quickly. Some of his big names are failing to deliver
@canefan said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
@W32 said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
@nostrildamus said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
@W32 said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
Come on Italy! Outstanding
I thought you were here for Bones. You're so loose with your affections...
I always pull for the underdog…
I expect your full support for the ABs in SA later in the year then....
NZ are always favorites..
@canefan said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
@KiwiMurph said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
@Chris said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
This looks like last year all over again .
What has changed not a lot.
SA will slow the game down and bury us.they will not let the ABs play at speed.That's assuming this 23 plays vs South Africa. If they do we are fucked. Hope Rennie is smarter than that
His first big test is coming quickly. Some of his big names are failing to deliver
Yeah I think rennie needed to see this for himself
@kidcalder said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
@canefan said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
@KiwiMurph said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
@Chris said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
This looks like last year all over again .
What has changed not a lot.
SA will slow the game down and bury us.they will not let the ABs play at speed.That's assuming this 23 plays vs South Africa. If they do we are fucked. Hope Rennie is smarter than that
His first big test is coming quickly. Some of his big names are failing to deliver
Yeah I think rennie needed to see this for himself
But will he act?
@KiwiMurph said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
@Chris said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
This looks like last year all over again .
What has changed not a lot.
SA will slow the game down and bury us.they will not let the ABs play at speed.That's assuming this 23 plays vs South Africa. If they do we are fucked. Hope Rennie is smarter than that
I think we need to be able to play tough as well as fast to beat them,
This squad doesn’t have enough players who can do that.
We need to find some more beasts
We could get smoked in some tour games as well as the tests.
@SouthernMann said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
@Canes4life said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
@sparky said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
@Canes4life said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
The quality of this game versus the Super final is night and day.
It's an entirely different game when you have a northern hemisphere ref looking to slow it down as much as he can.
And no punch up front. De Groot, Taylor and Lomax etc aren’t the types to bend a defensive line if we want to play optimistic rugby.
Grooter just carried pretty bloody well then.
He is quality link guy as well. Throws some really nice passes.
Got to get his Canes guys on.
@Bones said in 2026 Nations Championship: All Blacks v Italy:
Roigard has been pretty meh. Needs to sharpen up
I think he'll pick his moments in the second half.
Ardie looks like he should have been pulled after that collision in the first minute or two, I wouldn't be surprised if he's concussed.