Not selecting Darry is a war crime.
said in NC: All Blacks v Ireland:
@antipodean said in NC: All Blacks v Ireland:
For the loose forwards, ideally Jacobson is fit and has the game he did against the French, Lakai also plays a blinder and Savea plays the way he did in the second half against the Italians (inability to take a winger to ground notwithstanding). Segner on the bench.
Moorby stays in the 23 - starting if neither Fehi nor Clarke are 100% fit).
With Darry having a blinder the last two weeks, I'd pair him with Lord and keep Vaa'i on the bench.
If they stick with Taylor starting, then Aumua must surely get a chance.
Props pick themselves.
Proctor (despite regularly getting done on the outside) should start again. I think we'll just score more often than the Irish can.
Vaai at 6 maybe?
Called it.
@BerniesCorner said in NC: All Blacks v Ireland:
Moorby is a Snakey reincarnation. Always good value.
Josh "Snake Eyes" Moorby .
@ShaquilleOatmeal said in NC: All Blacks v Ireland:
Vaa’i at blindside confirms they’re still searching for the right option there and don’t yet know who, if anyone, will provide it. Parker can’t be doing enough at training for Rennie’s liking.
Like others, I find it strange that Taylor is starting all three tests. At the very least, he could have been on the bench for one game to give another hooker more game time.
Tuipulotu straight into the starting lineup is interesting too, especially because he seemed like he’d fill the bench role so well. He might end up the midweek captain so this selection may reflect that.
And Beauden Barrett may have played his last test, which I have no issue with.
Razor should be so angry at himself.
All us armchair experts were calling that for a couple of years now.
Rennie has come in and done what needed to be done.
Roberto Martinez just died at the altar of Cristiano Ronaldo like Foster and Razor did with Beaudy.
The head coach is supposed to be the adult in the room. A little bit cold and lacking sentiment.
@Bones said in NC: All Blacks v Ireland:
Little bit of oil.
We're going to try and score more points than Ireland, while attempting to keep them to less points than us. Hence the selections.
Coach said if we score more points than them we got a good chance of winning.
I think we should have built on our momentum and ensured a clean sweep.
Ireland are no easy beats. We should have been solidifying our status as being “back” and to be feared.
Darry had to play.
Samisoni should be there.
Plenty of time to rest lads throughout the year.
How often were Whitelock and Retallick rested?
Patty T getting the Irish first game back is a tough shift in my opinion.
This Ireland team are going to score 25 points minimum this weekend.
I trust Dave all that being said.
@BerniesCorner said in NC: All Blacks v Ireland:
Thank goodness for this game. For 80 minutes in a game football is actually very boring
yeah
I dont watch a lot of soccer football these days
just the collision football (AB/SR/NRL/NFL)
I watched all the SWC, took a little while to get used to it
those sliding leg tackles tho
nasty
not surprised that someone got their leg snapped
surprised there are not more
The reason why the Taylor pick at hooker is ever so slightly aggravating is because his absence in the Bok test at Wellington last year was a big reason for the capitulation - the lineout went to complete shit for ten minutes, from approx the 60th to 70th minute ABs won only one lineout out of 5 on own throw. The lineout was markedly worse than it had been in Eden Park the week prior.
Taylor is a trusty and reliable hooker but they need to give the other guys reps so that in the event he gets injured everything doesn't fall apart.
@Jet said in NC: All Blacks v Ireland:
I think we should have built on our momentum and ensured a clean sweep.
Ireland are no easy beats. We should have been solidifying our status as being “back” and to be feared.Darry had to play.
Samisoni should be there.
Plenty of time to rest lads throughout the year.How often were Whitelock and Retallick rested?
Patty T getting the Irish first game back is a tough shift in my opinion.
This Ireland team are going to score 25 points minimum this weekend.
I trust Dave all that being said.
Early on in their careers, they weren’t selected for every test. With Whitelock there were others that got opportunities- Boric, Thorn, Donnelly, Ali, Hoeata,
@Bones said in NC: All Blacks v Ireland:
Nah, Ireland are poke
Agreed. Totally shit team. Have been since 2022 - now much worse. Never believed all the hype about then being No.1 in the IRB Rankings going into RWC2023. Heck, even Foster & Razor-coached AB teams managed to beat them - and that was without Roigard, Love and Moorby.
50+ points easily...
They’re a nation in decline with a 10 who’d fit in just fine with the Wallabies. They’re not scaring anyone and need to be turned over.
That said, the ABs haven’t proven to be good enough to put a team like this away comfortably in many years.
@JK said in NC: All Blacks v Ireland:
All Blacks: 1. Ethan de Groot, 2. Codie Taylor, 3. Tyrel Lomax, 4. Josh Lord, 5. Patrick Tuipulotu, 6. Tupou Vaa'i, 7. Luke Jacobson, 8. Ardie Savea (c), 9. Cam Roigard, 10. Ruben Love, 11. Josh Moorby, 12. Jordie Barrett, 13. Quinn Tupaea, 14. Will Jordan, 15. Damian McKenzie.
Bench: 16. Asafo Aumua, 17. Xavier Numia, 18. Fletcher Newell, 19. Anton Segner, 20. Peter Lakai, 21. Cortez Ratima, 22. Anton Lienert-Brown, 23. Caleb Clarke.
Unavailable: Fehi Fineanganofo (shoulder), Leroy Carter (shoulder)
I'm sure it's done to death but ...
...talking poInts for me.
Is not hugely controversial. All players picked are capable.
Biggest surprise for me is Darry missing out, given three locks in the starting XV. He'd been excellent till now and he was not not named in the injured. Lord and Paddy T are well uo to the job, but IMO Darry would be incrementally better. Not losing sleep though.
Next biggest personally is I would have gone Newell to start, with Tosi on bench. Only coz lack of footy for Lomax. Lomax is my starter all things bring equal, just felt he's missing some rugby. Fletch on the bench I'm surprised at. Having said that there us plenty of imoact from AA, XN and loosies (see below).
Kinda similar at hooker. I'd have started Sami T, AA on the bench. Not that I'm complaining.
Interesting TV at 6. Not unhappy. Them Paddies have some size that need combating. And I like the height.
Hopefully LJ plays like he did against the Frogs.
Interesting bench and the whole lock loose forward mix. I assume the intent to to match them up front early, then run them off their feet.
Moorby played well and deserves the start.
Bench covers appropriately.
Re the players who did not get selected for any of the Squads? Meh. So what?
Am sure for some the sky is falling. But personally am happy enough with XV and XXIII.
@Bones said in NC: All Blacks v Ireland:
Rattle JGP, get him off his game and they're a bit of a nothing side now.
Same could be said for Roigard
@Victor-Meldrew said in NC: All Blacks v Ireland:
@Bones said in NC: All Blacks v Ireland:
Nah, Ireland are poke
Agreed. Totally shit team. Have been since 2022 - now much worse. Never believed all the hype about then being No.1 in the IRB Rankings going into RWC2023. Heck, even Foster & Razor-coached AB teams managed to beat them - and that was without Roigard, Love and Moorby.
50+ points easily...
They suffer from not having enough Kiwis in the side.
The Vaa’i selection to me is mostly a response to the likely Irish game plan, which will be similar to their Dublin strategy against Scotland in the Six Nations: disrupt the breakdown, slow down opposition attack and frustrate opposition halfbacks.
The Scottish and AB attacks are currently very similar: gain momentum through quick ball, keep the ball alive and find the attacking space before opposition defence can realign.
The Irish, however, led by Beirne, completely shut down this quick ball against the Scots, limiting them to just 34% LQB (the ABs had 85% against the French, remember). They consistently put multiple defenders into the breakdown (winning 6 turnovers to zero from the Scots), denying the Scots quick ball and any attacking momentum.
Vaa’i is there to help with securing the breakdown, counter Beirne and to help the ABs go through the middle. Tuipulotu is the battering ram. Whereas the halfbacks were crucial against the French, this match will be decided by the back 5 and who can dominate the breakdown.
Whether it will work remains to be seen but it’s a very logical selection, once again. In terms of strategy and selection, Rennie is doing well right now.
@MiketheSnow said in NC: All Blacks v Ireland:
@Bones said in NC: All Blacks v Ireland:
Rattle JGP, get him off his game and they're a bit of a nothing side now.
Same could be said for Roigard
Nah.
@pakman said in NC: All Blacks v Ireland:
Lineout formation will be interesting. Patty and Josh both typically jump at 4.
Funnily enough I've had some more oil that they won't both be jumping at 4 at the same time.
Which makes it slightly less interesting.
@pakman said in NC: All Blacks v Ireland:
@Bones By George that's insightful.
Do you really want to hurt me
@MiketheSnow said in NC: All Blacks v Ireland:
@Bones said in NC: All Blacks v Ireland:
Rattle JGP, get him off his game and they're a bit of a nothing side now.
Same could be said for Roigard
Roigard's yesterday.
Moorby's now the man.
@Bones said in NC: All Blacks v Ireland:
@pakman said in NC: All Blacks v Ireland:
Lineout formation will be interesting. Patty and Josh both typically jump at 4.
Funnily enough I've had some more oil that they won't both be jumping at 4 at the same time.
Which makes it slightly less interesting.
I got to keep reading the oil, it's so enlightening mate!!
Geez after watching the team naming press conference with Rennie and co, anyone else get the impression of a fair bit of openess etc from this group?
@Dan54 said in NC: All Blacks v Ireland:
Geez after watching the team naming press conference with Rennie and co, anyone else get the impression of a fair bit of openess etc from this group?
You mean they're not completely full of shit, out of their depth and bluffing everyone into thinking they know what they're doing?
@booboo said in NC: All Blacks v Ireland:
@ACT-Crusader said in NC: All Blacks v Ireland:
@The-Irishman said in NC: All Blacks v Ireland:
Easy win for the AB's.
We will play an aging rake, don’t have any world class locks, can’t even decide who our best 6, 7 or 8 are, have a rookie 10, a revolving door at centre and left wing. Add to that a new game plan that barely got us over the line against a France D side. Plus the daunting unbeaten record since forever at Eden Park. Take all that into account and add that Ireland have NZs greatest ever non-AB halfback.
Ireland by 10
Add in a fullback prone to choking
A right-wing who should be fullback
Severe drop off to back up 9
Too many Crusaders
...
Guys, we have Sam feckin Prendergast! An aging forward pack, (VDF hasn't played to his past standards for a long long time, Furlong and Ryan the same), and let's not forget fortress Eden Park. This is not the team to break that record. A lucky win against the Aussies (look what the French B team did to them) and a poor display against Japan. No, easy win for the AB's. 10-15 points or more.
@Mauss said in NC: All Blacks v Ireland:
The Vaa’i selection to me is mostly a response to the likely Irish game plan, which will be similar to their Dublin strategy against Scotland in the Six Nations: disrupt the breakdown, slow down opposition attack and frustrate opposition halfbacks.
Let's hope Nic Berry is better at policing the breakdown than Luke Pearce was that day.
@ShaquilleOatmeal said in NC: All Blacks v Ireland:
@Dan54 said in NC: All Blacks v Ireland:
Geez after watching the team naming press conference with Rennie and co, anyone else get the impression of a fair bit of openess etc from this group?
You mean they're not completely full of shit, out of their depth and bluffing everyone into thinking they know what they're doing?
Well that's one way of putting it, but I like to be polite.
@Mauss said in NC: All Blacks v Ireland:
The Vaa’i selection to me is mostly a response to the likely Irish game plan, which will be similar to their Dublin strategy against Scotland in the Six Nations: disrupt the breakdown, slow down opposition attack and frustrate opposition halfbacks.
The Scottish and AB attacks are currently very similar: gain momentum through quick ball, keep the ball alive and find the attacking space before opposition defence can realign.
The Irish, however, led by Beirne, completely shut down this quick ball against the Scots, limiting them to just 34% LQB (the ABs had 85% against the French, remember). They consistently put multiple defenders into the breakdown (winning 6 turnovers to zero from the Scots), denying the Scots quick ball and any attacking momentum.
Vaa’i is there to help with securing the breakdown, counter Beirne and to help the ABs go through the middle. Tuipulotu is the battering ram. Whereas the halfbacks were crucial against the French, this match will be decided by the back 5 and who can dominate the breakdown.
Whether it will work remains to be seen but it’s a very logical selection, once again. In terms of strategy and selection, Rennie is doing well right now.
But, if that is the case then:
Vaa'i is a good breakdown lock, but is he really the best 6 in the country at securing fast ruck ball?
Why drop Darry, who is our lock (maybe even player in any position) who hits the most rucks?
I tend to think the selections are more focused on disrupting their set-piece, as a combination of Darry+Vaa'i at lock and Parker at 6 would be better to secure our breakdown, whereas Tuipolotu and Newell on the bench suggests a scrum focus, and Vaa'i is by streets our best lineout option at 6.
Vaa'i having to get to breakdowns and tackling a bit wider than usual strikes me as one of the risks of the approach - especially given we've still picked a backline to spread the ball.
Our accuracy at the ruck is definitely going to be tested and it's going to be interesting to see how it plays out, can't wait.
@Dan54 said in NC: All Blacks v Ireland:
Geez after watching the team naming press conference with Rennie and co, anyone else get the impression of a fair bit of openess etc from this group?
I have loved the subtle measured digs at the TMO/refs from Rennie and Barnes. Just planting seeds. We have been sorely lacking in those respects since the 2017 Lions series. We were more interested in winning as the good guys, than just winning at all costs.
I like that he said Sititi has been given clear messaging as to what’s expected.
I like how he said Mo’unga won’t be going to S.A.
It’s refreshing.
