@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

They obviously want to do as much practise with Beau'unga as possible.

@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.

Even if they deliberately limit their game, the margin will still be close to 40.

@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.

@Bones said in RWC: All Blacks v Canada (Pool B):

@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.

Like 2015 Shag will make the boys work harder at training than the games

I'm wondering if the selection of RM at 10 is also to give the RM/SBW/JG combo a run together. A chance to build some confidence and momentum in that midfield combo, as it still must be a chance to either start or finish games when we get to the knockout stages (with ALB either starting at 12 or as bench cover for both spots)

So who's got the day off?

Moody
Coles
Smith
Cane
BBBR
ALB
Bridge
Reece

is that it?

Ardie may get some time at 8 , and let Todd and frizell run out full games I’d reckon