@act-crusader apart from injuries that's a bloody decent team. Can't wait to see how that loose forward trio works together against a bigger Springbok pack. I'm glad they've stayed with the Jordie / Jordan combo because that will only get better with time.
@kiwiwomble said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
i dont mind it
I'm underwhelmed a bit but I don't know what I would change with no ALB. Can't argue with forwards though.
Some facts:
Beauden Barrett will be playing his 15th Test against South Africa and Brodie Retallick his 12th. Eight players (Akira Ioane, Luke Jacobson, David Havili, Will Jordan, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Ethan Blackadder, Brad Weber and Quinn Tupaea) will be playing them for the first time.
I like what they’ve done with the front row too. Strong starting 3 and with Ofa and Sami off the bench together, that’s some firepower.
@kiwiwomble said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
i dont mind it
Me neither. Loosies possibly better than if Ardie was at 8 and at least Blackadder is in form.
Would have been nicer to have ALB with RI on the wing but the combo has at least had plenty of time.
As much as Bridge offers little in attack except linking he is a tidy player to tidy up the attempts to gain territory.
Have to say that a year ago a good 23 without ALB, Whitelock, Mounga and Smith would have looked a big stretch. This looks pretty good so hats off to the coaching team for getting things in order. Let's hope they now play well.
Tough on Sevu Reece, but otherwise a strong team.
Is that 4 out 6 frontrow players having Tongan heritage?
@bovidae said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
Some facts:
Beauden Barrett will be playing his 15th Test against South Africa and Brodie Retallick his 12th. Eight players (Akira Ioane, Luke Jacobson, David Havili, Will Jordan, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Ethan Blackadder, Brad Weber and Quinn Tupaea) will be playing them for the first time.
Wow! That is quite a stat. I like that.
Good team selection I think,Taking into account injuries etc.
The selection looks like it has been well thought out to combat the Boks usual game plan.
No mention of injuries but we can assume that ALB isn't 100% yet, and likely Papalii isn't either.
@hooroo said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
@kiwiwomble said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
i dont mind it
I'm underwhelmed a bit but I don't know what I would change with no ALB. Can't argue with forwards though.
Whilst still a work in progress, Ioane is the second best centre in the squad, so he has to play there.
I would’ve gone for Reece on the wing, but can’t complain about the other two selected.
Will be interesting if one of our wingers has to go off, will they put Tups on and move Ioane or do they put DMac on and move Jordie. If it’s early in the game I reckon the latter because of experience.
@mariner4life said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
well if it goes tits up you can't blame the selectors. That's the clear best 23 available.
Missed opportunity not to play Scott Barrett at 6 though 
@bovidae said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
Some facts:
Beauden Barrett will be playing his 15th Test against South Africa and Brodie Retallick his 12th. Eight players (Akira Ioane, Luke Jacobson, David Havili, Will Jordan, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Ethan Blackadder, Brad Weber and Quinn Tupaea) will be playing them for the first time.
Havili has played South Africa.
@frye said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
@bovidae said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
Some facts:
Beauden Barrett will be playing his 15th Test against South Africa and Brodie Retallick his 12th. Eight players (Akira Ioane, Luke Jacobson, David Havili, Will Jordan, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Ethan Blackadder, Brad Weber and Quinn Tupaea) will be playing them for the first time.
Havili has played South Africa.
That's right. He made the pass to DMac for that try. Blame allblacks.com.
Let's hope these are correct.
Stats and facts
The 100th Test will be played in the centenary year of the famous All Blacks- Springboks rivalry. The very first Test was played at the historic Carisbrook ground in Dunedin on 13 August 1921, with the All Blacks winning 13-5 that day. The last Test match was the Pool match at RWC2019 which the All Blacks won 23-13.
In the 99 Tests to date, the All Blacks have won 59 times, South Africa 36, with four drawn matches. The All Blacks have scored 2,050 points in that time including 225 tries while the Springboks have scored 1,577 points, including 153 tries.
The teams will once again be playing for The Freedom Cup, which was introduced in 2004. The All Blacks have held the Cup since 2010.
The All Blacks have scored 16,997 points in Test matches and are set to be the first international team to top 17,000 points.
@kiwimurph said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
Can't argue with that. Strongest 23 available. Bring it on.
@bovidae said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
Let's hope these are correct.
The 100th Test will be played in the centenary year of the famous All Blacks- Springboks rivalry. The very first Test was played at the historic Carisbrook ground in Dunedin on 13 August 1921, with the All Blacks winning 13-5 that day. The last Test match was the Pool match at RWC2019 which the All Blacks won 23-13.
Pub trivia question: where was the 100th test between the ABs and Spingboks played?
Clue: it wasn’t a World Cup year.
Answer: Townsville
I'm hoping that BB can just focus on playing well and directing the team without the burden of knowing he is also the goal kicker.
Shame Paps and ALB ain't available.
I 'm really not sold on George Bridge, apart from that this XXIII looks right.
@chris said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
Good team selection I think,Taking into account injuries etc.
The selection looks like it has been well thought out to combat the Boks usual game plan.
Looks the best team if ALB and Paps are out.
Happy to see Jacobson at 8 anyway.
Totally expected to see George Bridge regardless given the Bok style of play.
Works for me too ...
Bridge has played okay, especially in the last test where he was superb under the high ball. It's tough on Reece because he the far more threatening attacker, but with Will Jordan you kind of get the best of both worlds.
For me the big thing is that the selection are looking both coherent and consistent, which I haven't seen until recently. Certainly seems to help the players.
In Fozzie we trust ... well, maybe we trust a bit more.
Let's give it a bit more time I reckon ... :winking_face:
@act-crusader said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
Samisoni Taukei’aho (6)
Karl Tu’inukuafe (22)
Ofa Tuungafasi (40)
Gotta say, those are some big bodies to bring on with 30 to go.
I was also shocked to see Patty has 39 tests which might be an indication of our locking depth at the moment. He is a great player I just don't think he has ever quite made it at test level. I hope to be proven wrong this weekend.
I'm actually pretty impressed with how our forwards look, that tight 5 is very experienced and the loosies are good. If we had Whitelock and Cane back that would be some forward pack.
Could be bad news for the Boks. They're going through what must be a crisis of confidence considering their A gameplan isn't working. And it would be a pretty bad idea to try a different gameplan against the All Blacks (of all sides), especially attempting a game that could involve playing wider.
So they might be stuck somewhere in between. And an indecisive Springbok team is not exactly a dangerous Springbok team.
Their best hope is that they find an emotional gear they haven't found since the Lions. Which they're capable of but still, if their execution is lacking it could be a loong day at the office.
@frye said in All Blacks vs Springboks I:
Could be bad news for the Boks. They're going through what must be a crisis of confidence considering their A gameplan isn't working. And it would be a pretty bad idea to try a different gameplan against the All Blacks (of all sides), especially attempting a game that could involve playing wider.
So they might be stuck somewhere in between. And an indecisive Springbok team is not exactly a dangerous Springbok team.
Their best hope is that they find an emotional gear they haven't found since the Lions. Which they're capable of but still, if their execution is lacking it could be a loong day at the office.
I think they tried their arm a little Vs Wallabies in the second game. I think all this talk of 'lost their soul' etc means they will go even harder into their Vs lions gamelan
