@Stargazer said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
@Kiwiwomble "Experience".
....but we didn;t feel we needed that spot to be filled with much experience before
Tuipulotu is 29. The next 2-3 years should be prime for a tight five player
If you think someone else is better that makes sense.
Claiming we need a younger player because we're building for the RWC is silly
@Frank said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
@Kiwiwomble The young up and comers are Vaai and Lord. Pari Pari is probably another (injured).
The Canterbury lock Gallagher looks good in what what I saw of him.
He's 20 years old. I'm a fan but let's not rush him in too early. He could be a great candidate for the All Black XV at the end of the year.
I'm not a huge fan of Tuipulotu as an AB but I can see the logic in this situation where you are coming in halfway through test week 2 of a 3 match series.
From Stuff: (I have corrected their typo).
Highlanders Josh Dickson and Shannon Frizell are training with the All Blacks but are not part of the official squad.
the other thing to consider, is the form of players returning from Japan...
@Steven-Harris interviewed Pat after his club game on Saturday, reckons he is in great shape, but, is that great shape for AB rugby?
I hope he pans out, he has all the physical attributes to be a world class lock.
@Daffy-Jaffy Bugger!
3 weeks ago we picked 5 locks, now we have 2, after 1 game. That's quite the attrition rate.
One assumes Patty T will come straight on to the bench. God help us if one of the starters goes down early.
@Duluth said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
So Retallick/Barrett with Lord on the bench?
Lord is out for year. Guess it means Barrett to lock, Akira to 6?
@KiwiMurph I think Gallagher is a good candidate for the All Blacks XV, later in the year.
@No-Quarter said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
Far out I'm glad we control World Rugby as that deserves a citing
The ghost of Paddy O’Brien lives on!
@Dan54 said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
@Duluth said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
So Retallick/Barrett with Lord on the bench?
Lord is out for year. Guess it means Barrett to lock, Akira to 6?
really? i'd missed it was that serious
I’d bring one of the Maori locks in for cover. Both of them acquitted themselves pretty well in that first tour match.
Quinten Strange won't be far away.
Fozzie has picked him previously, he got injured before getting a game.
@Duluth said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
@Bovidae Hmmm that suggests Ioane's foot might still be a problem
It could just be to make up numbers for training, and the location.
Tuipulotu was with the ABs in Auckland so they (the coaches) will know if he is ready to be a reserve.
@Chris-B said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
Quinten Strange won't be far away.
Fozzie has picked him previously, he got injured before getting a game.
Never seen him stand out at Super level. Seems hyped.
My take is that if Patty T gets through training and demonstrates he has the fitness then he’s on the bench. Dickson is match fit ready to go if he’s not.
Frizell is for training purposes only as they’ll need a blindside to run against the starters with Barrett moving to lock for training and PGS or Papali’i will run with the starters at 6. All assuming Ioane is not doing full contact training
Under the 12-day World Rugby stand down protocols, Whitelock is now expected to be unavailable for the remainder of the series.
@taniwharugby said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
@Duluth Lord was ruled out a few days after squad naming wasnt he?
Jeez so we go from 3 locks in the starting XV, to having to bring a player straight from Japan on the bench!
@Chris-B said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
@Frank You're picking Gallagher above, but once Quinten was fit again for the Crusaders, Razor picked him as the bench lock for the Super final.
What does he know? I'm on the Fern.
Actually curious that given we had three locks also play in the MAB team (2 starting and one reserve) who also played well that none were considered
@Kiwiwomble said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
@Crucial you still have to enter the ruck through the gate, like the Irish player is…SB has just walked up to the side or the ruck and touched it
He’s either bound legally but entered illegally or he’s not bound and offside
Must be a Taranaki gate
Whitelock is a big out for us given his high tackle rate and the fact he’s an 80 minute player. Assuming Ioane is still out I think we have to play Papali’i at 6 as a high workrate option.
Although I wonder if Fozzie is thinking of throwing Patty T straight into the starting lineup and leaving Barrett at blindside. Get 40-50 minutes out of Patty T and then bring on the impact?
@Bovidae said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
From Stuff: (I have corrected their typo).
Highlanders Josh Dickson and Shannon Frizell are training with the All Blacks but are not part of the official squad.
Well that f-ing sucks, that Frizell is still in the equation - I'd rather they bring in Grace, Jacobson or MMT.
@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
@Nepia Grace would be prepping for the Maori match and given they are down south they just need someone to run so went with a local that knows the stuff to run against the starters.
Dickson is in the same boat with the Maori. And for the local, I covered that with the part local MMT. 
I actually wouldn't be surprised if he was selected to start at 6 this week. Angry yep.
@ACT-Crusader Pat T & Brodie...yikes.
But yeah, this probably forces some shuffling in the lock / loosie dept.
@Nepia said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
@Nepia Grace would be prepping for the Maori match and given they are down south they just need someone to run so went with a local that knows the stuff to run against the starters.
Dickson is in the same boat with the Maori. And for the local, I covered that with the part local MMT.
I actually wouldn't be surprised if he was selected to start at 6 this week. Angry yep.
I think Big Peter Gus will be starting now.
But, if something happens to him in the next few days - and assuming Akira's foot isn't 100% then Shannon is another big body and familiar with the systems.
So, "training with the squad but not part of it".
Whitelock nearly took out Retallick with friendly fire to his eye, so it could have been much worse.
In another twist, Dickson, who represented the New Zealand Māori against Ireland in their victory in Hamilton last week, is training with his phone on as his wife is expecting their child.
I wonder whether the MABs have brought in an extra lock as cover for Dickon?
@Bovidae said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
Whitelock nearly took out Retallick with friendly fire to his eye, so it could have been much worse.
...especially if Scott was banned for six weeks!!! 
Since Sam is out, Scott needs to move back into lock. Patty T coming back from Japan should be slimmer and fitter than when he left which should help his ability to get around the park for 25-30mins if required.
If Akira's foot precludes him, I'd expect they'll look to have a backrow of Gus, Cane, Ardie.
None of this is ideal, we seem to be doing our best to give Ireland more than a fighting chance.
@Chris-B said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
@Nepia said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
@Nepia Grace would be prepping for the Maori match and given they are down south they just need someone to run so went with a local that knows the stuff to run against the starters.
Dickson is in the same boat with the Maori. And for the local, I covered that with the part local MMT.
I actually wouldn't be surprised if he was selected to start at 6 this week. Angry yep.
I think Big Peter Gus will be starting now.
But, if something happens to him in the next few days - and assuming Akira's foot isn't 100% then Shannon is another big body and familiar with the systems.
So, "training with the squad but not part of it".
I don't think being a big body and familiar with the systems really matters if your boy is hopeless at using his big body and is average within in the system.