Italy v All Blacks

[MiketheSnow]

You pick your best side otherwise like others who’ve underestimated Italy you could be wearing egg

[canefan]

@MiketheSnow said in New Zealand v Italy:

You pick your best side otherwise like others who’ve underestimated Italy you could be wearing egg

We don't want to fall into the Fozzie trap of flooding the team with newbies. But I would like to see at least a couple of the fringe players getting a run

[MiketheSnow]

@canefan said in New Zealand v Italy:

@MiketheSnow said in New Zealand v Italy:

You pick your best side otherwise like others who’ve underestimated Italy you could be wearing egg

We don't want to fall into the Fozzie trap of flooding the team with newbies. But I would like to see at least a couple of the fringe players getting a run

Outside of injury they should be riding the pine desperate to get on

[Mr Fish]

Ethan de Groot
Asafo Aumua
Pasilio Tosi
Patrick Tuipulotu
Josh Lord
Ardie Savea
Sam Cane
Peter Lakai
Cam Roigard
Damian McKenzie
Caleb Clarke
David Havili
Anton Lienert-Brown
Mark Tele'a
Ruben Love

George Bell
Ofa Tu'ungafasi
Fletcher Newell
Fabian Holland
Christian Lio-Willie
TJ Perenara
Stephen Perofeta
AJ Lam

[Bones]

@Billy-Tell said in New Zealand v Italy:

@Bones said in New Zealand v Italy:

I bet they still ignore Proctor.

Given he’s no longer in the squad I’d say you’re right.

Disgraceful.

[frugby]

I am happy to give Lam a crack, but long-term I’m not sure he is the answer. Good player, but not really what we need at 12… another outside back. Need a good hard runner, who can distribute. Despite the criticism, the ABs were massively worse after taking J Barrett off

[Bones]

@frugby said in New Zealand v Italy:

Need a good hard runner, who can distribute

That's exactly what Lam is.

[canefan]

@Bones said in New Zealand v Italy:

@frugby said in New Zealand v Italy:

Need a good hard runner, who can distribute

That's exactly what Lam is.

He did that during SR. For what it's worth....

[Bones]

@canefan said in New Zealand v Italy:

@Bones said in New Zealand v Italy:

@frugby said in New Zealand v Italy:

Need a good hard runner, who can distribute

That's exactly what Lam is.

He did that during SR. For what it's worth....

He did it more recently than that.

[booboo]

@frugby said in New Zealand v Italy:

I am happy to give Lam a crack, but long-term I’m not sure he is the answer. Good player, but not really what we need at 12… another outside back. Need a good hard runner, who can distribute. Despite the criticism, the ABs were massively worse after taking J Barrett off

Not sure it was a choice

[Bones]

Real shame ENS got injured, he's accurate and well rounded, could go great guns at test level. Fihaki is unexplainable.

[brodean]

@Bones said in New Zealand v Italy:

Real shame ENS got injured, he's accurate and well rounded, could go great guns at test level. Fihaki is unexplainable.

Yeah he's even luckier than Havili.

He's still in the squad isn't he? Or will Tele'a be fit?

The update said Plummers injury was minor leg injury. Will Lam be retained?

[brodean]

@Mr-Fish said in New Zealand v Italy:

Ethan de Groot
Asafo Aumua
Pasilio Tosi
Patrick Tuipulotu
Josh Lord
Ardie Savea
Sam Cane
Peter Lakai
Cam Roigard
Damian McKenzie
Caleb Clarke
David Havili
Anton Lienert-Brown
Mark Tele'a
Ruben Love

George Bell
Ofa Tu'ungafasi
Fletcher Newell
Fabian Holland
Christian Lio-Willie
TJ Perenara
Stephen Perofeta
AJ Lam

The starting midfield has a bit of a tang to it.

[Mr Fish]

@brodean It does but it's hard to see Razor plumping for any other options given they're both part of the original EOYT squad and neither has seen significant minutes.

I don't really think AJ Lam is the long-term answer either so while I'd prefer to see him get a run ahead of Havili so he can at least prove me wrong, it's not something I'll be losing sleep over.

Would love to have had Billy Proctor, Quinn Tupaea or Riley Higgins in there as a better option but don't think they're with the squad.

Maybe (and I'm only half joking here) Chay Fihaki?

[frugby]

@booboo said in New Zealand v Italy:

@frugby said in New Zealand v Italy:

I am happy to give Lam a crack, but long-term I’m not sure he is the answer. Good player, but not really what we need at 12… another outside back. Need a good hard runner, who can distribute. Despite the criticism, the ABs were massively worse after taking J Barrett off

Not sure it was a choice

No, but that second half, I think showed how important he is to us (at least while we don’t have a gun 10)…

[nostrildamus]

@frugby said in New Zealand v Italy:

I am happy to give Lam a crack, but long-term I’m not sure he is the answer. Good player, but not really what we need at 12… another outside back. Need a good hard runner, who can distribute. Despite the criticism, the ABs were massively worse after taking J Barrett off

Um are we talking about Lam's game at 12? He can run pass and tackle. One thing I haven't seen enough of to judge is his kicking.

[nostrildamus]

@brodean said in New Zealand v Italy:

The starting midfield has a bit of a tang to it.

Tang? What do you mean? I thought it meant something sharp?

[frugby]

@nostrildamus said in New Zealand v Italy:

@frugby said in New Zealand v Italy:

I am happy to give Lam a crack, but long-term I’m not sure he is the answer. Good player, but not really what we need at 12… another outside back. Need a good hard runner, who can distribute. Despite the criticism, the ABs were massively worse after taking J Barrett off

Um are we talking about Lam's game at 12? He can run pass and tackle. One thing I haven't seen enough of to judge is his kicking.

Kicking a big issue I think… the other thing which we won’t know until tried also, is his running lines. Havili and ALB both struggle to carry straight up the guts at the top top level.

Lam in theory should be able to do it, but it does not always play out like that

[canefan]

@frugby said in New Zealand v Italy:

@nostrildamus said in New Zealand v Italy:

@frugby said in New Zealand v Italy:

I am happy to give Lam a crack, but long-term I’m not sure he is the answer. Good player, but not really what we need at 12… another outside back. Need a good hard runner, who can distribute. Despite the criticism, the ABs were massively worse after taking J Barrett off

Um are we talking about Lam's game at 12? He can run pass and tackle. One thing I haven't seen enough of to judge is his kicking.

Kicking a big issue I think… the other thing which we won’t know until tried also, is his running lines. Havili and ALB both struggle to carry straight up the guts at the top top level.

Lam in theory should be able to do it, but it does not always play out like that

Only one way to find out. Proctor is ahead, but he isn't there. So I'd like to see Lam get some time. I fear that Razor will waste minutes on DH instead

[frugby]

Team I’d personally pick (and I am fully aware the team won’t be anywhere near this):

1. de Groot
2. Bell
3. Tosi
4. Holland
5. Barrett
6. Lio-Willie
7. Cane
8. Lakai
9. Roigard
10. McKenzie
11. Tele’a
12. Lam
13. Ioane
14. Jordan
15. Love
16. Taylor
17. Williams
18. Newell
19. Lord
20. Savea
21. Perenara
22. Perofeta
23. Lienert-Brown