All Blacks v France III

[Bones]

@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks v France III:

Are there any fit locks around if Patty is ruled out?

That's why I was trying to figure out what the issue would be with Ah Kuoi playing.

[sparky]

@booboo He's a very good player in form and confidence.

Roigard's clearly our top Half Back at the moment. But then it's very competitive between Ratima, Hotham and Fakatava for the back up spot. Nice problem to have.

[brodean]

@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks v France III:

@sparky said in All Blacks v France III:

@ACT-Crusader Finau's been disappointing in the first two Tests. If they select him, he'll need a good game to be retained in the squad for the RC.

I thought the first test he wasn’t too bad. Came on and did a number of things that had a positive impact.

Last weekend wasn’t great. He just needs one of those tests where he knuckles down and makes his tackles, create havoc at the tackle by playing quick off set piece and then provides at least 5-7 runs.

Well he had to play lock. He was fine. He contributed well to the breakdown, lineout, scrum and was accurate.

Kirifi was more of worry. Came on and gave away 3 penalties and turned the ball over within 20 minutes.

[ACT Crusader]

@Bones said in All Blacks v France III:

@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks v France III:

Are there any fit locks around if Patty is ruled out?

That's why I was trying to figure out what the issue would be with Ah Kuoi playing.

Haven’t heard anything concrete yet. At the very least we will need one new lock on the bench with Vaa’i out.

[ACT Crusader]

@brodean said in All Blacks v France III:

@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks v France III:

@sparky said in All Blacks v France III:

@ACT-Crusader Finau's been disappointing in the first two Tests. If they select him, he'll need a good game to be retained in the squad for the RC.

I thought the first test he wasn’t too bad. Came on and did a number of things that had a positive impact.

Last weekend wasn’t great. He just needs one of those tests where he knuckles down and makes his tackles, create havoc at the tackle by playing quick off set piece and then provides at least 5-7 runs.

Well he had to play lock. He was fine. He contributed well to the breakdown, lineout, scrum and was accurate.

Kirifi was more of worry. Came on and gave away 3 penalties and turned the ball over within 20 minutes.

It wasn’t the position that was the problem as the set piece wasn’t the issue. It was more about what he was and wasn’t doing around the park.

[Bones]

@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks v France III:

@Bones said in All Blacks v France III:

@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks v France III:

Are there any fit locks around if Patty is ruled out?

That's why I was trying to figure out what the issue would be with Ah Kuoi playing.

Haven’t heard anything concrete yet. At the very least we will need one new lock on the bench with Vaa’i out.

Might have been another thread where he was mentioned as an idiotic replacement (or some such) for PT.

[antipodean]

@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks v France III:

@brodean said in All Blacks v France III:

@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks v France III:

@sparky said in All Blacks v France III:

@ACT-Crusader Finau's been disappointing in the first two Tests. If they select him, he'll need a good game to be retained in the squad for the RC.

I thought the first test he wasn’t too bad. Came on and did a number of things that had a positive impact.

Last weekend wasn’t great. He just needs one of those tests where he knuckles down and makes his tackles, create havoc at the tackle by playing quick off set piece and then provides at least 5-7 runs.

Well he had to play lock. He was fine. He contributed well to the breakdown, lineout, scrum and was accurate.

Kirifi was more of worry. Came on and gave away 3 penalties and turned the ball over within 20 minutes.

It wasn’t the position that was the problem as the set piece wasn’t the issue. It was more about what he was and wasn’t doing around the park.

Possibly because he's busy trying to come to terms with being a blindside flanker at this level and then was shoved into playing another.

It's this level of midwittery that has me worried about the coaches.

[brodean]

@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks v France III:

@brodean said in All Blacks v France III:

@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks v France III:

@sparky said in All Blacks v France III:

@ACT-Crusader Finau's been disappointing in the first two Tests. If they select him, he'll need a good game to be retained in the squad for the RC.

I thought the first test he wasn’t too bad. Came on and did a number of things that had a positive impact.

Last weekend wasn’t great. He just needs one of those tests where he knuckles down and makes his tackles, create havoc at the tackle by playing quick off set piece and then provides at least 5-7 runs.

Well he had to play lock. He was fine. He contributed well to the breakdown, lineout, scrum and was accurate.

Kirifi was more of worry. Came on and gave away 3 penalties and turned the ball over within 20 minutes.

It wasn’t the position that was the problem as the set piece wasn’t the issue. It was more about what he was and wasn’t doing around the park.

Ok so you're saying the set piece wasn't an issue?

If a flanker is called to play lock and then the scrum is strong and stable, and we win all our lineout ball, then that's a win. We defended the maul well when he was on. His cleans were accurate and effective. He performed his core roles well as a lock.

Anything else is a bonus. He made some good tackles and a few carries. We didn't have a lot of possession for him to make 5 or 7 carries and that is not the primary role of a lock that comes on for 20 minutes.

He was involved in two breakdowns that won us penalties. He got his hand under the ball when Taofifenua busted over the line.

Not sure what else were you guys expecting? He makes a run down the side line like Issac Ross?

[Omega]

@brodean #Isaac Ross vs Matfield and Botha still give me nightmares.

[Bones]

@brodean said in All Blacks v France III:

Issac

I still don't understand how that is the go-to spelling.

[Quarky]

With Paddy T, SB and Vaa'i all out.. does that mean Holland and Ah kuoi to start?

[Nepia]

@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks v France III:

Too many Chiefs

Too many Reece's.

[voodoo]

@Nepia said in All Blacks v France III:

@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks v France III:

Too many Chiefs

Too many Reece's.

Totally. Why Reece over Narawa? Surely not just “work rate”.

Hate the quantity of changes, totally agree with @mariner4life post earlier. Sets these poor buggers up for failure. Especially if we see a few changes in the forward pack leading to our ball being slow/messy

[sparky]

@Landers92 said in All Blacks v France III:

Here you go. Very early this week which is nice. Backline for week 3.

9. Ratima
10. Dmac
11. Ioane
12. Tupaea
13. ALB
14. Reece
15. Love

Bench
21. Hotham
22. Tavatavanawai
23. B.Barrett

How about the following then?

1. De Groot
2. Taylor
3. Newell (Lomax)
4. Holland
5. Tuipolutu
6. Finau
7. A. Savea (c)
8. Jacobson
9. Ratima
10. DMac
11. R. Ioane
12. Tupaea
13. ALB
14. Reece
15. Love

---

16. Norris
17. McAlister
18. Tosi
19. Ah Kuoi
20. Kirifi
21. Hotham
22. Tavatavanawai
23. B. Barrett

[sparky]

@Quarky Is it confirmed that Patrick T is out?

[Quarky]

@sparky Aotearoa Rugby Pod said he is...

[sparky]

@Quarky Normally a good sauce.....

[Bones]

@sparky said in All Blacks v France III:

@Landers92 said in All Blacks v France III:

Here you go. Very early this week which is nice. Backline for week 3.

9. Ratima
10. Dmac
11. Ioane
12. Tupaea
13. ALB
14. Reece
15. Love

Bench
21. Hotham
22. Tavatavanawai
23. B.Barrett

How about the following then?

1. De Groot
2. Taylor
3. Newell (Lomax)
4. Holland
5. Tuipolutu
6. Finau
7. A. Savea (c)
8. Jacobson
9. Ratima
10. DMac
11. R. Ioane
12. Tupaea
13. ALB
14. Reece
15. Love

---

16. Norris
17. McAlister
18. Tosi
19. Ah Kuoi
20. Kirifi
21. Hotham
22. Tavatavanawai
23. B. Barrett

Jesus, you'd struggle to find a greener bench even in the French team.

[voodoo]

@Bones said in All Blacks v France III:

@sparky said in All Blacks v France III:

@Landers92 said in All Blacks v France III:

Here you go. Very early this week which is nice. Backline for week 3.

9. Ratima
10. Dmac
11. Ioane
12. Tupaea
13. ALB
14. Reece
15. Love

Bench
21. Hotham
22. Tavatavanawai
23. B.Barrett

How about the following then?

1. De Groot
2. Taylor
3. Newell (Lomax)
4. Holland
5. Tuipolutu
6. Finau
7. A. Savea (c)
8. Jacobson
9. Ratima
10. DMac
11. R. Ioane
12. Tupaea
13. ALB
14. Reece
15. Love

---

16. Norris
17. McAlister
18. Tosi
19. Ah Kuoi
20. Kirifi
21. Hotham
22. Tavatavanawai
23. B. Barrett

Jesus, you'd struggle to find a greener bench even in the French team.

It’s not called a “Bench” anymore bro, that’s our “Impact”

[sparky]

@Bones

Norris is worth persevering with IMHO and with experience he might offer more than De Groot.

Robertson has said all the squad originally named will play at some point so unless you're going to start McAlister, he will be on the bench. He's a better player than Bell IMHO.

I've read this morning that Lomax is in training so hopefully he starts or is on the bench.

With so many locks injured Ah Kuoi is next cab out of the bench. He might even be a starter if Patty T is injured with IWL the next cab off the rank, unless anyone has any better suggestions of uninjured NZ locks?

Papalii offers more than Kirifi IMHO but I think Kirifi will be given another chance.

Hotham and Big Jim have earned their opportunities.

Beauden Barrett has 136 international caps which is 76 more than the starting French XV last Saturday.