TRC: Pumas v All Blacks

[sparky]

@Kirwan If fit, surely SBW is running out of time and opportunities now.

Crotty, Laumape, Goodhue and ALB look like the midfielders for the RWC (if all fit), unless SBW can roll back the years and produce something magical.

[Daffy Jaffy]

@sparky My understanding is that it was illness rather than injury that led to Tuinukuafe missing the last weeks of super rugby. He apparently had Meningitis, which is a tough ask for a big man to regain energy, strength and fitness after. So either he is not yet up to speed to play or they are lining him up for the bench vs the Boks next week

[Frank]

SBW and Crotty both injured.
Fuck me, that's never happened before.

[canefan]

@Frank said in TRC: Pumas v All Blacks:

SBW and Crotty both injured.
Fuck me, that's never happened before.

[Daffy Jaffy]

Argentina: 15 Emiliano Boffelli, 14 Matías Moroni, 13 Matías Orlando, 12 Jerónimo de la Fuente, 11 Ramiro Moyano, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Tomás Cubelli, 8 Javier Ortega Desio, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Tomás Lavanini, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Juan Figallo, 2 Agustín Creevy, 1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro
Replacements: 16 Julián Montoya, 17 Mayco Vivas, 18 Santiago Medrano, 19 Matías Alemanno, 20 Tomás Lezana, 21 Felipe Ezcurra, 22 Joaquín Díaz Bonilla, 23 Joaquín Tuculet

[Billy Tell]

@ACT-Crusader said in TRC: Pumas v All Blacks:

Last test in BA we had a bit more experience in starting lineup and bench.

G. K. Tu'inukuafe
C. J. D. Taylor
A. O. H. M. Tuungafasi
S. L. Whitelock (C)
S. K. Barrett
S. M. Frizell
S. J. Cane
A. S. Savea
T. T. R. Perenara
B. J. Barrett
R. E. Ioane
S. W. Williams
R. S. Crotty
W. R. Naholo
B. R. Smith

RESERVES
N. P. Harris
T. G. Perry
A. W. F. Ta'avao
P. T. Tuipulotu
J. N. Hemopo
A. L. Smith
R. F. Mo'unga
A. R. Lienert-Brown

Should you not change your username to A. C. T. Crusader?

[cgrant]

Good test for Atu Moli against Juan Figallo. If he holds his own in the set scrums and shows what he can do in the loose, he'll be on the plane to Japan.

[mofitzy_]

Is Bridge being rested?

[Hooroo]

@Daffy-Jaffy said in TRC: Pumas v All Blacks:

Argentina: 15 Emiliano Boffelli, 14 Matías Moroni, 13 Matías Orlando, 12 Jerónimo de la Fuente, 11 Ramiro Moyano, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Tomás Cubelli, 8 Javier Ortega Desio, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Tomás Lavanini, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Juan Figallo, 2 Agustín Creevy, 1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro
Replacements: 16 Julián Montoya, 17 Mayco Vivas, 18 Santiago Medrano, 19 Matías Alemanno, 20 Tomás Lezana, 21 Felipe Ezcurra, 22 Joaquín Díaz Bonilla, 23 Joaquín Tuculet

I recognise that team from a recent event......

[Duluth]

@mofitzy_ said in TRC: Pumas v All Blacks:

Is Bridge being rested?

I wouldn't read anything into the selections at this stage. They'll give most of the squad a run in the first few games

I remember 1014 mentioning match day 23's in 2015. Basically the selectors tested a few players out early and then dialled their squad in. Each Test got closer and closer to the RWC side.

So for the first Test in 2015 (v Samoa) there were 9 players not named in the RWC squad:
Andy Ellis, Charles Piutau, George Moala, Israel Dagg, Hikawera Elliot, Nepo Laulala, Matt Todd, Brad Webber, Charlie Ngatai

The 2nd Test (v Argentina) there were 5 players not named in the RWC squad:
Charles Piutau, Israel Dagg, Nepo Laulala, Jeremy Thrush, Andy Ellis

I suspect Hansen will follow a similar pattern this year. This 23 seems comparable to that game v Samoa

[Bovidae]

@cgrant said in TRC: Pumas v All Blacks:

Good test for Atu Moli against Juan Figallo. If he holds his own in the set scrums and shows what he can do in the loose, he'll be on the plane to Japan.

The Jags scrum has been ordinary in the games I watched (I didn't see the final so can't comment on that). In the two games the Chiefs played against them the Chiefs had an obvious advantage. We will find out whether the addition of Figallo makes a huge difference to the Pumas' scrum.

[E African Troll]

@Bovidae said in TRC: Pumas v All Blacks:

@cgrant said in TRC: Pumas v All Blacks:

Good test for Atu Moli against Juan Figallo. If he holds his own in the set scrums and shows what he can do in the loose, he'll be on the plane to Japan.

The Jags scrum has been ordinary in the games I watched (I didn't see the final so can't comment on that). In the two games the Chiefs played against them the Chiefs had an obvious advantage. We will find out whether the addition of Figallo makes a huge difference to the Pumas' scrum.

Figallo was a key cog for the Pumas scrum last year He started vs SA in Mendoza and Pumas had scrum ascendancy

Even scored a try off 1st phase scrum Ofa T at #1 is okay but hardly a stellar player TBH

Add Sanchez at #10 and Pumas improve markedly at two positions of weakness

If Pumas can have a good 1st half & not be 15-20 points behind like they've been in recent games in BA vs ABs they'll have a great chance of winning the game

AB bench is average compared to their normally high standards

[Chris B.]

Hansen not picking George Bridge for this one seems a bit odd to me.

Hansen says, "We're pretty comfortable with George's ability; he's been around as a player of some standard with the Crusaders for a while. He had a good week with us in Japan and played really well (after coming on at halftime in Tokyo last year)."

That makes it sound like George is pretty much a sure thing for the RWC, but in reality he's played half a game for the ABs vs Japan.

If they're only taking four outside backs to the World Cup and Ben Smith, Jordie and Reiko have three of the spots locked up, I'd have thought giving the next cab off the rank (which in my view should clearly be Bridge) pretty much every game would have been sensible. And would have been pretty easy to pair Bridge and Reece as the wings.

[KiwiMurph]

@Chris-B I get the sense Hansen wanted some more experience in the back 3 rather than essentially 2 rookie wings (whilst at the same time seeing how Jordie goes as a potential left wing option as they already know what Rieko offers)

[Chris B.]

@KiwiMurph Probably, but I would then have picked George instead of Sevu.

Unless they're seriously considering taking Reece to the RWC or Jordie as a big game wing, this pairing seems a waste of what could be critical experience for George.

[Bovidae]

Bridge probably playing SA but on which wing? Rieko will be back and is the senior winger. I know Ioane did play a game for the Blues on the right wing but I'd put Bridge there to see if he offers any utility value.

[Chris B.]

@Bovidae I'd guess that's the pairing they have in mind for SA.

Will be interesting to see how they sort them out. How come we seem to have more good options on the left wing than the right? These guys all play for Marist?

[KiwiMurph]

@Chris-B said in TRC: Pumas v All Blacks:

@KiwiMurph Probably, but I would then have picked George instead of Sevu.

Unless they're seriously considering taking Reece to the RWC or Jordie as a big game wing, this pairing seems a waste of what could be critical experience for George.

I'd say both of these are very still much in play. We took 2 rookie wingers to the last RWC 2015.

[ACT Crusader]

@Bovidae said in TRC: Pumas v All Blacks:

Bridge probably playing SA but on which wing? Rieko will be back and is the senior winger. I know Ioane did play a game for the Blues on the right wing but I'd put Bridge there to see if he offers any utility value.

Bridge’s utility is that he can play fullback.

I think the interesting selection is Ennor on the bench.

[Bovidae]

@ACT-Crusader said in TRC: Pumas v All Blacks:

Bridge’s utility is that he can play fullback.

I know that, but it's the right wing position that seems to be undecided in the starting XV (unless Ioane is moved).

With DMac injured I expect BFA to remain at fullback now. Jordie seems to be pencilled in as the ultimate outside back utility who could play at 12 too if required. That might mean they are reconsidering the makeup of their midfield/outside back balance.

Ennor is the midfield cover so that makes sense.