@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.
@Stargazer Who? MSR would start with Hicks on the bench.
Given the way Fozzie was talking last week I'd say it's more likely Papalii is at 6 and Sowakula is on the bench (Sowakula came on at 8 didn't he?). I'd like to see PGS get a crack at 6 though.
@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
In breaking news, Cane’s injury from earlier this season has flared up and he’s been ruled out, Whitelock has caught COVID, Ardie has symptoms - Scott Barrett has been named AB captain
You can piss off too, Nostradamus!
@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).
MSR ... but "better people .."
@Chris-B eh.. strange looked promising two years ago, been plagued with Injuries since, Josh Dickson is currently in the best form of his career & won't look out of place if he's wearing 19 on Saturday
@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.
Looks like Dickson is at home on baby watch!
@ACT-Crusader 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.
Looks like Dickson is at home on baby watch!
That is handy for him and the excuses for Shannon.
@KiwiMurph yep. I can’t see PGS starting unless we lost maybe one, possibly two others.
I think he packed at number 8 on that one attacking scrum where he scored and had Papali’i on the blind and Ardie on the openside.
@antipodean said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
None of this is ideal
Now imagine if Aaron Smith goes down 
@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
@antipodean said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
None of this is ideal
Now imagine if Aaron Smith goes down
Do you mind not doing any more crystal ball gazing?
@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
@antipodean said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
None of this is ideal
Now imagine if Aaron Smith goes down
@FakatavaAllBlack Yeah - every time he gets an opportunity to have a run of starts for the Crusaders, he gets injured himself.
Quinten can play though - and he's got a hard edge to him. He won't jump over Dickson this week as cover, but "he won't be far away".
@Chris-B seems like there's a mako arriving at Abs training every few days first it was former mako Telea, then Lomax, now Frizell & you seem to think quin isn't far away
@FakatavaAllBlack said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
@Chris-B seems like there's a mako arriving at Abs training every few days first it was former mako Telea, then Lomax, now Frizell & you seem to think quin isn't far away
It's because the NZR salary top up is minimised due to the lavish Mako contracts.
@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
@antipodean said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
None of this is ideal
Now imagine if Aaron Smith goes down
I have a sauce in camp. I'll let you know.
@FakatavaAllBlack said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
@Chris-B seems like there's a mako arriving at Abs training every few days first it was former mako Telea, then Lomax, now Frizell & you seem to think quin isn't far away
Geez what they been doing letting Josh Dickson and Patrick Tuipulotu huh Faka?? They must of pretended they were with Ta$man!!
@Machpants said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
Have BBBR and Barrett started together before?
Yes, as Whitelock was missing from those games in Aust last year.
@taniwharugby Tuipulotu played a full 80 for Ponsonby , looked in amazing shape , had a good natter to him
@mariner4life said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
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.
Didn't you play lock bro? Time to book a flight...
@voodoo said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
@mariner4life said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
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.
Didn't you play lock bro? Time to book a flight...
Lol considering even at my playing weight I was about thr size of Ben Smith this place would fucking erupt
I mean, even I would log in to rubbish my selection
@mariner4life isn't that the beauty of the fern? i would say even the worse AB was an order of magnitude better than any of us...but we call them shit and we'd all put on the Black jersey in a heartbeat if asked
@mariner4life said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
@voodoo said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
@mariner4life said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
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.
Didn't you play lock bro? Time to book a flight...
Lol considering even at my playing weight I was about thr size of Ben Smith this place would fucking erupt
I mean, even I would log in to rubbish my selection
You'd get a big money offer from the Canes though.
@Chris-B said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
@FakatavaAllBlack Mitch Hunt is practicing hard!
The Henry days of having our 6th and 7th 1st 5 ready to go are over. Sorry Mitch.
@Kiwiwomble said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
@mariner4life isn't that the beauty of the fern? i would say even the worse AB was an order of magnitude better than any of us...but we call them shit and we'd all put on the Black jersey in a heartbeat if asked
Not me.
I was a toss of a coin away from AB selection.
No - sorry, the point I wanted to make is that I'd be crippled for life in the first tackle, so I am "unavailable for selection"!!!
@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
@Chris-B said in All Blacks Vs Ireland - 2nd Test:
@FakatavaAllBlack Mitch Hunt is practicing hard!
The Henry days of having our 6th and 7th 1st 5 ready to go are over. Sorry Mitch.
Harsh, but fair.
