Pumas vs All Blacks
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Jesus, it's the year for props to have an early Christmas isn't it?
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If the weather is shite it'll be tough and Beaudy better have his tactical kicking boots on! SBW will have to play 80 when Crotty goes off early, or Reiko to 13....
@Tim I think the front row is fine too. Locks and loosies will have to step up in the tackle/break down. -
Wow, good on Ta'avao! What a year for him. I'm not that worried about the FR, apart from hooker. Perry has shown he deserves to be there so far, Ta'avao has been very good this year.
I'm more worried about what happens when SBW and Crotty disappear before halftime and Naholo/Smith gets an injury. TJP to the wing again I guess.
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Wow, good on Ta'avao! What a year for him. I'm not that worried about the FR, apart from hooker. Perry has shown he deserves to be there so far, Ta'avao has been very good this year.
I'm more worried about what happens when SBW and Crotty disappear before halftime and Naholo/Smith gets an injury. TJP to the wing again I guess.
Bones said:
Wow, good on Ta'avao! What a year for him. I'm not that worried about the FR, apart from hooker. Perry has shown he deserves to be there so far, Ta'avao has been very good this year.
Every prop is either a current or former Blues player. Three of them deserve to be there. Perry is a steaming pile of poo
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What exactly am I missing with Nathan Harris? He must be pretty good but I’m just not seeing it.
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Bones said:
Wow, good on Ta'avao! What a year for him. I'm not that worried about the FR, apart from hooker. Perry has shown he deserves to be there so far, Ta'avao has been very good this year.
Every prop is either a current or former Blues player. Three of them deserve to be there. Perry is a steaming pile of poo
@Duluth said:
Bones said:
Wow, good on Ta'avao! What a year for him. I'm not that worried about the FR, apart from hooker. Perry has shown he deserves to be there so far, Ta'avao has been very good this year.
Every prop is either a current or former Blues player. Three of them deserve to be there. Perry is a steaming pile of poo
Well when you put it like that....
Is he though? He doesn't seem to have been poo for the ABs.
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Not too many surprises with the team then. Would like to see Wise go well as he and Rieko offer an awful lot of firepower on the wings with BFA at the back.
Feel like A Smith could be very handy off the bench in the final 20 to up the ante when they are tiring a bit.
Looking forward to this match, always interesting when the ABs have faced a bit of adversity.
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I wonder where Goodhue sits in the view of the selectors? Surely he has to be the number one 13. SBW and Crotty fighting it out to partner him.?
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Bones said:
Wow, good on Ta'avao! What a year for him. I'm not that worried about the FR, apart from hooker. Perry has shown he deserves to be there so far, Ta'avao has been very good this year.
Every prop is either a current or former Blues player. Three of them deserve to be there. Perry is a steaming pile of poo
Duluth said:
Bones said:
Wow, good on Ta'avao! What a year for him. I'm not that worried about the FR, apart from hooker. Perry has shown he deserves to be there so far, Ta'avao has been very good this year.
Every prop is either a current or former Blues player. Three of them deserve to be there. Perry is a steaming pile of poo
That's a bit harsh on Perry.
I'm no great fan of him and still somewhat amazed that he's risen to All Black heights, but he's not let us down in any of his AB starts - not yet anyway. Steaming pile of poo is a bit shit!
Has to be said, though, that Tu'inukuafe has been the find of the season and I reckon Hansen is breathing considerably easier seeing him make every post so far a winner.
He can plan around Moody and Franks being his big game starters, with Tu'inukuafe and Tu'ungafasi capable of playing both sides at a pinch (though I'd rather not see the theory on Ofa at loosehead tested in a big game) and then, hopefully, fit Laulala and Hames in the mix next year plus Perry, Toomaga-Allen and Ta'avao as somewhat dodgy options if necessary.
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I wonder where Goodhue sits in the view of the selectors? Surely he has to be the number one 13. SBW and Crotty fighting it out to partner him.?
@crazy-horse I think if SBW hadn't been last time he may have been named but they wanted to give him a break I think.
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I wonder where Goodhue sits in the view of the selectors? Surely he has to be the number one 13. SBW and Crotty fighting it out to partner him.?
@crazy-horse I reckon Hansen and Co still regard SBW and Crotty as their top combo - and ALB is their best midfield utility (actually it's Crotty, but he's down to start).
I'd say they see Goodhue as their second best centre and Crotty as their best centre and second best second five.
IMO...
2nd five
SBW
Crotty
Laumape (possibly generous)
ALB
Goodhue (possibly generous)Centre
Crotty
Goodhue
ALB
SBW (possibly generous)
Laumape (probably generous)
