All Blacks vs Tonga
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@nzzp said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
@Billy-Tell said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
@pukunui said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
@Billy-Tell said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
Does anyone else think that deliberately reducing your team to 14 players is a little bit against the spirit of rugby??
If that's how the ABs are going to play... #prayfornamibiaitalycanada
Plenty of ammunition there for mokey to launch Rieko Ioane's "everyone is against the Blues" comeback. Not. You can pencil in Reece and Bridge for the SA game
Who are our 3 midfielders for SA? ALB will be in the 23 and must be making some sort of case to start at 13 I have to say. Will they go with Crotty or SBW at 12?
I've watched a good bit of these warm-up games and the only contender for more impressive (and it was more impressive given the opposition) was England destroying Ireland.
Happy days.
#flatrackbullies i’d rather they play the top combo of Ioane, BB and Smith.
I put money on it that that is no longer our top combo.
I think they'll play Beaudy at 10, Smith at the back, Ioane on left wing and someone on the right - perhaps Bridge? Not sure the dual playmaker was anything but a practice run; everyone thinks that's what we'll roll out, but I"m not so sure.
What I do know is that no-one knows what we'll put out against SA or in the knockout rounds. Powder Dry!
Yeah I agree, I think they wanted to give them some time in that formation, and will use that combination in the 2nd 40 of the knockout games when they look to up the ante and run teams off the park with multiple points of attack.
Mo’unga is still green and bit of a risk to start in the big games.
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@Machpants said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
Still listening to the conference, Hansen very grumpy, back to bad old Hansen
Pressure baby. Worth a look - he's trolling the journalists, asking for good questions
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On the Bridge vs Rieko, if you think Rieko would not have cut that Tongan team to shreds you are smoking some good stuff. Rieko was only not considered due to injury, I’ve got him penned into my top side at the moment given he is generally very safe defensively and has the ability to break open a tight test.
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@No-Quarter said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
On the Bridge vs Rieko, if you think Rieko would not have cut that Tongan teams to shreds you are smoking some good stuff. Rieko was only not considered due to injury, I’ve got him penned into my top side at the moment given he is generally very safe defensively and has the ability to break open a tight test.
Coaches don't get NZR to pen a 5 year contract for a winger unless they are very very special.
Rieko is very very special.
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also, Rieko favourite to be the top try scorer at the RWC. Barring injury, reckon there's a good chance
https://www.betfair.com.au/exchange/plus/rugby-union/market/1.156984799
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@nzzp said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
also, Rieko favourite to be the top try scorer at the RWC. Barring injury, reckon there's a good chance
https://www.betfair.com.au/exchange/plus/rugby-union/market/1.156984799
Naholo, Dmac and Folau also on that list.
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@Machpants said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
Jules The Bus got a looooong contract too. Which worked OK until he was dropped for being not great and he left early...
Rieko is like 22. He still has at least 5 years to wreck havoc on the wing before moving to centre and finishing his career there retiring as one of our greatest ever.
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@pukunui said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
@Billy-Tell said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
Does anyone else think that deliberately reducing your team to 14 players is a little bit against the spirit of rugby??
If that's how the ABs are going to play... #prayfornamibiaitalycanada
Plenty of ammunition there for mokey to launch Rieko Ioane's "everyone is against the Blues" comeback. Not. You can pencil in Reece and Bridge for the SA game
Who are our 3 midfielders for SA? ALB will be in the 23 and must be making some sort of case to start at 13 I have to say. Will they go with Crotty or SBW at 12?
I've watched a good bit of these warm-up games and the only contender for more impressive (and it was more impressive given the opposition) was England destroying Ireland.
Happy days.
#flatrackbullies i’d rather they play the top combo of Ioane, BB and Smith.
Experienced combo, not sure about "top combo".
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@Nepia said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
Faster than his wing brother I reckon.
There are probably referees faster these days.
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@canefan said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
@Darren said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
@African-Monkey said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
@Billy-Tell Big deal it was Tonga. But I do agree on deliberately going down to 14 men. Bit of a dick move and disrespect doing that.
I’m not completely unconvinced that Crotty didn’t pick up a niggle and was pulled more for that reason.
Shag reckoned it was load management
Yeah, 14 times in less than 2 hours is too many for any man
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@Frank said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
Patty T monstering other forwards
I've a feeling Pat T could well be a sleeper this RWC.
He seems to have matured with responsibility with the Blues and was bloody impressive against the Shackledraggers in Bled II
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@Victor-Meldrew
Agreed. Gives us real go-forward. I think using him properly to get over the advantage line is part of our dry powder. -
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
@Frank said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
Patty T monstering other forwards
I've a feeling Pat T could well be a sleeper this RWC.
He seems to have matured with responsibility with the Blues and was bloody impressive against the Shackledraggers in Bled II
They’ve said they have his game day nutrition sorted. His energy levels during the game have improved as a result.
Has been great watching him smash people and move bodies at the ruck. Think he has surpassed Barrett now.
Good timing with Brodie out.
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@No-Quarter said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
@Machpants said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
Jules The Bus got a looooong contract too. Which worked OK until he was dropped for being not great and he left early...
Rieko is like 22. He still has at least 5 years to wreck havoc on the wing before moving to centre and finishing his career there retiring as one of our greatest ever.
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@Kirwan said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
They’ve said they have his game day nutrition sorted. His energy levels during the game have improved as a result.
Think his head is in a much better, more mature place as well.
Bit like Ali Williams during the 2005 Lions games.
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@Frank said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
@Victor-Meldrew
Agreed. Gives us real go-forward. I think using him properly to get over the advantage line is part of our dry powder.He'll start in a fortnight.
