RWC: All Blacks v Canada (Pool B)

@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

Any mention of Cane in the announcment? Seems odd he doesn't have Savea's spot on the bench. Already short of a gallop this year coming back from injury, with his start cut short last week - would have though 20 minutes off the bench would have done him more good than Savea.

@rotated
My guess is that he will be starting on Sunday with Ardie rested entirely.

I wonder if Retallick will be involved at all during the pool.

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

Any mention of Cane in the announcment? Seems odd he doesn't have Savea's spot on the bench. Already short of a gallop this year coming back from injury, with his start cut short last week - would have though 20 minutes off the bench would have done him more good than Savea.

there's only 4 days between Canada and Namibia - so I supsect all the available players will roll out next week. Cane, Retallick if fit, etc

@mofitzy_ think they mentioned Retallick was targeting the Namibia game?

Don't know if anyone saw (Or mentioned) a sound bite from.Hansen on Jordie.

He said that with older siblings in the team he can sometimes try too hard at proving himself for bros and misses the odd step and sometimes needs to slow down a bit.

That wasn't verbatim but thought it was an interesting point that I hadn't considered, when living in the shadows of your brothers, particularly Beauden who usually dominates headlines.

Ingrained sibling rivalry or competition doesn't stop when you become an AB, especially as the youngest.

@ACT-Crusader reckon Bender will get plenty of time once they've had BB stretch his legs a bit. Wondering how much mixing and matching we'll see at 12/13 with our starters + Crotty. This is the biggest midfield combo we've rolled out in ages, Canada must be mucho excited lol

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

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

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

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Holy shit , imagine the carnage if both of his eyes worked properly?

Good on him. I wonder what it's like when he plays in the rain?

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

Good on him. I wonder what it's like when he plays in the rain?

He'll need little windscreen wipers on them.

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

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

Good on him. I wonder what it's like when he plays in the rain?

He'll need little windscreen wipers on them.

we finally found a use for halfbacks!

I only remember Italian international Ian McKinley wearing goggles. Have there been more players playing test rugby with them?

@jegga

Holy shit , imagine the carnage if both of his eyes worked properly?

He wasn't exactly Brad Shields was he.

Ardie gets ready for the next Marvel movie....

that is one of the most ridiculous things i have ever seen. he's not serious about playing in those is he? I'm being merked here right?

@mariner4life said in RWC: All Blacks v Canada (Pool B):

that is one of the most ridiculous things i have ever seen. he's not serious about playing in those is he? I'm being merked here right?

Fuck no! He is getting a special cape as well.

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

I only remember Italian international Ian McKinley wearing goggles. Have there been more players playing test rugby with them?

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Kareem Abdul Jabber played basketball in some pretty silly looking goggles too

@mariner4life said in RWC: All Blacks v Canada (Pool B):

that is one of the most ridiculous things i have ever seen. he's not serious about playing in those is he? I'm being merked here right?

It may look unusual, but protecting your eyesight is more important than looking cool.

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

@mariner4life said in RWC: All Blacks v Canada (Pool B):

that is one of the most ridiculous things i have ever seen. he's not serious about playing in those is he? I'm being merked here right?

It may look unusual, but protecting your eyesight is more important than looking cool.

If he was worried about looking cool the sideshow Bob haircut isn’t helping, actually the eyesight might explain the hairstyle choice.

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

@mariner4life said in RWC: All Blacks v Canada (Pool B):

that is one of the most ridiculous things i have ever seen. he's not serious about playing in those is he? I'm being merked here right?

It may look unusual, but protecting your eyesight is more important than looking cool.

i couldn't give a fuck about how it looks.

As someone who lives and spends a lot of time training in a high heat, high humidity environment, i have a little experience about how glasses and goggles deal with it. I'll be very interested to see how he deals with that. If he drops a ball because there is sweat on his lenses people are going to lose their shit.

@mariner4life unfortunately he hasn't been training in them all week, otherwise they would have discovered and sorted all these issues.

@Machpants training and games, very much the same thing

@mariner4life it is when you are playing Canada.

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

@mariner4life it is when you are playing Canada.

that is a very fair point.

@mariner4life think how much better he should be if he can now see shit.

After the Higher Ground of SA, he'll be a Master Blaster against Canada, have a little Faith My Cherie Amour.

Why can't he wear contacts?

@mariner4life said in RWC: All Blacks v Canada (Pool B):

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

@mariner4life said in RWC: All Blacks v Canada (Pool B):

that is one of the most ridiculous things i have ever seen. he's not serious about playing in those is he? I'm being merked here right?

It may look unusual, but protecting your eyesight is more important than looking cool.

i couldn't give a fuck about how it looks.

As someone who lives and spends a lot of time training in a high heat, high humidity environment, i have a little experience about how glasses and goggles deal with it. I'll be very interested to see how he deals with that. If he drops a ball because there is sweat on his lenses people are going to lose their shit.

Agree ... I know plenty of tennis players who wear glasses in everyday life. None of them wear them on the court.

Don’t know why Ardie doesn’t just get contact lenses like all the others

Because they are to protect his other eye. Reading between the lines he is going blind in his left eye, and wants to protect his right eye from possible damage. They aren't glasses, they are goggles. He may well be wearing contacts underneath.

"Savea said when he realised that he could potentially lose his sight if his other eye was damaged, then it had been an easy decision to make."

To add to @Machpants post: not everyone can wear contact lenses due to medical/eye conditions. I'm one of them.