@sparky said in RWC: All Blacks v Canada (Pool B):
Team I'd pick:
Moli, Coltman, Laulala, Whitelock, Tuipulutu, Frizell, Todd, Read (c), Weber, J Barrett, Ioane, SBW, Goodhue, Reece, B.Smith
Bench: Taylor, Ofa T, Ta'avao, S. Barrett, Cane, TJP, Crotty, B.Barrett.
I’d start one of B. Barrett or Mo’unga. Jordie can play wing and cover 1st 5.
Can Frizell play no8? If so I’d play him there and give Cane a start in the blindside with Todd at openside. Cane had a short run against the Boks.
@Crucial said in RWC: All Blacks v Canada (Pool B):
@rotated said in RWC: All Blacks v Canada (Pool B):
Centre combo is the interesting one. They want to give everyone a run, but they've been doing that for four years, its about time the chosen two settled down and developed a combo for at least 2 of the next 3 games.
According to Fozzie that isn't the philosophy anymore. They want an interchangeable pool of centres and see that as a strength.
Ah yes, the Black Caps strategy. We don't want a long term pair of test openers instead an interchangeable pool of 5-10 guys on a conveyor belt is much better.
Agree to disagree , everyone will play in my scenario, with only Moli , Fritzell and Goodhue needing the opportunity to show form and/or fitness to force/remain in top 23. Also can imagine TJ needing to play at 10 against Namibia so you may need Weber on the bench against Canada and starting against Namibia. Let’s see what he actually does.
I'll leave this here ...
@booboo said in RWC: All Blacks v Canada (Pool B):
I'll leave this here ...
Likely?
It’s an option for sure but I don’t think it’s likely except for him being in the 23 and may end up there late in the game.
More likely is that Crotty will play 10 at some stage as he is more likely to be in a big game 23 and would be contingency.
Seems a long bow to draw to assume JB plays there against Canada. But obviously he is going to get a run there at some point.
One would assume minimal workload between Canada and Namibia - so whatever formations Napier has seen at training could well be for Namibia.
I would guess full strength for Canada with an early sub for one of Barrett or Mo'unga who then ride the pine against Namibia with Perenara to cover Jordie at 10.
You could play me at five-eighth against Canada. They'll be looking to give everyone a run. Timing wise it makes more sense to have the rest of the squad play this week and back up heavily against Namibia.
From there it's form and fitness for Italy.
I would think that getting everyone a game in the first two is necessary given the 10 day gap. If you make some wait until Namibia they will feel like bag carriers. I thought we learned that lesson at tournaments and tours years ago. It is only a 32 man squad, you need everyone involved.
@DMX said in RWC: All Blacks v Canada (Pool B):
Did Hansen say everyone gets a run first two games? If he did apologies I didn’t see that , then I would only say I would do things a little different, make sure everyone gets a run over first 3 games.
I can't actually find anything, but I thought I recall something from maybe post the Tonga game? It's been repeated quite a bit here.
@Stargazer Thank goodness for you. I genuinely wanted to know when it would be named and knew I wouldn't get a straight answer on here! 
@antipodean said in RWC: All Blacks v Canada (Pool B):
You could play me at five-eighth against Canada.
There have been worse performances at 10 against Canada in RWC for the ABs! Colin Slade the day after Carter injured himself in 2011 comes to mind!
@rotated said in RWC: All Blacks v Canada (Pool B):
@antipodean said in RWC: All Blacks v Canada (Pool B):
You could play me at five-eighth against Canada.
There have been worse performances at 10 against Canada in RWC for the ABs! Colin Slade the day after Carter injured himself in 2011 comes to mind!
Jesus he looked uncomfortable out there that day , his facial expression looked like he’d taken laxatives to try and pass a hedgehog he’d swallowed whole .
@Siam said in RWC: All Blacks v Canada (Pool B):
When's the team named?
He says in all innocence
Fathers day
Here's the All Blacks team to face Canada (test caps in brackets):
1: Atu Moli (2)
2: Liam Coltman (6)
3: Angus Ta’avao (9)
4: Patrick Tuipulotu (26)
5: Scott Barrett (32)
6: Shannon Frizell (6)
7:Matt Todd (21)
8: Kieran Read - captain (123)
9: TJ Perenara (60)
10: Richie Mo’unga (13)
11: Rieko Ioane (26)
12: Sonny Bill Williams (54)
13: Jack Goodhue (9)
14: Jordie Barrett (12)
15: Beauden Barrett (79)16: Codie Taylor (46)
17: Ofa Tuungafasi (31)
18: Nepo Laulala (21)
19: Samuel Whitelock (113)
20: Ardie Savea (40)
21: Brad Weber (2)
22: Ryan Crotty (46)
23: Ben Smith (81)
Here's the All Blacks team to face Canada (test caps in brackets):
1: Atu Moli (2)
2: Liam Coltman (6)
3: Angus Ta’avao (9)
4: Patrick Tuipulotu (26)
5: Scott Barrett (32)
6: Shannon Frizell (6)
7:Matt Todd (21)
8: Kieran Read - captain (123)
9: TJ Perenara (60)
10: Richie Mo’unga (13)
11: Rieko Ioane (26)
12: Sonny Bill Williams (54)
13: Jack Goodhue (9)
14: Jordie Barrett (12)
15: Beauden Barrett (79)
16: Codie Taylor (46)
17: Ofa Tuungafasi (31)
18: Nepo Laulala (21)
19: Samuel Whitelock (113)
20: Ardie Savea (40)
21: Brad Weber (2)
22: Ryan Crotty (46)
23: Ben Smith (81)
@Hooroo said in RWC: All Blacks v Canada (Pool B):
Here's the All Blacks team to face Canada (test caps in brackets):
1: Atu Moli (2)
2: Liam Coltman (6)
3: Angus Ta’avao (9)
4: Patrick Tuipulotu (26)
5: Scott Barrett (32)
6: Shannon Frizell (6)
7:Matt Todd (21)
8: Kieran Read - captain (123)
9: TJ Perenara (60)
10: Richie Mo’unga (13)
11: Rieko Ioane (26)
12: Sonny Bill Williams (54)
13: Jack Goodhue (9)
14: Jordie Barrett (12)
15: Beauden Barrett (79)16: Codie Taylor (46)
17: Ofa Tuungafasi (31)
18: Nepo Laulala (21)
19: Samuel Whitelock (113)
20: Ardie Savea (40)
21: Brad Weber (2)
22: Ryan Crotty (46)
23: Ben Smith (81)
Really is the second stringers bar a couple
@Machpants said in RWC: All Blacks v Canada (Pool B):
They obviously want to do as much practise with Beau'unga as possible.
I reckon they'll want to put as many points on as possible in the first half, then spell the pair of them. With any of TJ, Jordie or Ryan Crotty to close out the game at #10
@westcoastie Interesting idea!
Forward pack looks distinctly B-ish.
Backline looks close to what I would have picked as my A team a week or so ago ... (barring Jordie and TJ)
Weird that both our tens are playing, so does that mean neither play vs Namibia in 4 days? I can't see them starting two close games like that. But if they do or get lots of minutes, they maybe will skip Italy? I can't make much sense of the picks in that dept, be interesting to know their plans and contingencies
@Machpants you'd have to think that what westcoastie has alluded to will occur and this will dictate who starts at 10 v Namibia.
Based on what we have seen of Canada in recent times, that side should be far too good, but no egg counting just yet
@Machpants To me it makes sense if they want to give RM and BB a lot more game time together before the QFs. Maybe one of them gets 40 minutes, the other 60 minutes and then the other guys can finish the game. Several variations are possible, without giving them too many minutes.
@Machpants said in RWC: All Blacks v Canada (Pool B):
Weird that both our tens are playing, so does that mean neither play vs Namibia in 4 days? I can't see them starting two close games like that. But if they do or get lots of minutes, they maybe will skip Italy? I can't make much sense of the picks in that dept, be interesting to know their plans and contingencies
Apparently within the last hour Brett Cameron was said to be dusting off his passport...
That’s quite a bench for a Canadian fullback to see coming at him for the last half an hour.
@antipodean Hmmm given what happened with Ireland and Aus, I hope we don't take Canada or Namibia too lightly. I don;t think we can afford to. These guys need to take the field and play, not just turn up and expect to win as Ireland did.
Italy seem to have lifted their game for the WC. Looks like they may be the new Argentina.
@Jailbreak7 said in RWC: All Blacks v Canada (Pool B):
@antipodean Hmmm given what happened with Ireland and Aus, I hope we don't take Canada or Namibia too lightly. I don;t think we can afford to. These guys need to take the field and play, not just turn up and expect to win as Ireland did.
Italy seem to have lifted their game for the WC. Looks like they may be the new Argentina.
i don't want to sound arrogant (even though i really am)
but even if we play at half speed we will finger those teams like drunk first years.
@Jailbreak7 said in RWC: All Blacks v Canada (Pool B):
@antipodean Hmmm given what happened with Ireland and Aus, I hope we don't take Canada or Namibia too lightly. I don;t think we can afford to. These guys need to take the field and play, not just turn up and expect to win as Ireland did.
Italy seem to have lifted their game for the WC. Looks like they may be the new Argentina.
Bit of a difference.
Japan 9th vs Ireland 2nd
Not sure what you mean about Aus do you mean Fiji or losing to a superiorly ranked Wales.
Aus 6th Fiji 10th
All Blacks 1st vs Canada 22nd and Namibia 23rd.
Looking forward to seeing Frizell get a good run and really stamp his mark as an AB.
Canadian loosies aren’t too bad and probably where their best players are, so we need Frizell to bring some intensity.
I like that this wasn’t the game to start someone other than Mo’unga or B. Barrett at 1st 5. We’ve had a long break and Mo’unga in particular needs to keep building on that body of work at test level.
The bench probably the only real talking point insofar that I’m surprised Crotty and Bender are both on it.
@Machpants said in RWC: All Blacks v Canada (Pool B):
Weird that both our tens are playing, so does that mean neither play vs Namibia in 4 days? I can't see them starting two close games like that. But if they do or get lots of minutes, they maybe will skip Italy? I can't make much sense of the picks in that dept, be interesting to know their plans and contingencies
In the same vein as m4l, bear in mind that these games are only a step above opposed training run. I can't see both playing out a full match either.
