All Blacks vs Tonga
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One more, what was with the ball? It looked like they lost the match ball and had to play with the old faded training ball
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@Chris-B said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
@Billy-Tell I reckon they might go:
A. Smith, Mo'unga, Bridge, SBW, ALB, B.Smith, Barrett
TJP, Crotty, Ioane/Reece
I’m intrigued to see. Goodhue either starts or not in the 23. ALB and Crotty cover 12/13. SBW as a “game changer” probably in the 23. I personally think Ben Smith is now 15 only. Good headache to have.
@Billy-Tell said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
@Chris-B said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
@Billy-Tell I reckon they might go:
A. Smith, Mo'unga, Bridge, SBW, ALB, B.Smith, Barrett
TJP, Crotty, Ioane/Reece
I’m intrigued to see. Goodhue either starts or not in the 23. ALB and Crotty cover 12/13. SBW as a “game changer” probably in the 23. I personally think Ben Smith is now 15 only. Good headache to have.
I think Jack won't have played for a month and there's not much to choose between him, ALB and Crotty - so they'll go with the other two. Crotty could start with ALB on the bench. I'm pretty sure they'll start SBW, they pretty much have any time he's fit.
Ben Smith hasn't got searing pace on the wing, but he's not exactly a cripple playing there either - played lots of tests there last year and was excellent yesterday - whereas I thought Sevu made a couple of errors.
In fact, thinking more about it, I think definitely Reiko in my 23 - with one of him or George at 11 and the other on the bench. I think George has taken his chance with both hands so they might go with form on the left and experience on the right.
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@Billy-Tell said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
@Chris-B said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
@Billy-Tell I reckon they might go:
A. Smith, Mo'unga, Bridge, SBW, ALB, B.Smith, Barrett
TJP, Crotty, Ioane/Reece
I’m intrigued to see. Goodhue either starts or not in the 23. ALB and Crotty cover 12/13. SBW as a “game changer” probably in the 23. I personally think Ben Smith is now 15 only. Good headache to have.
I think Jack won't have played for a month and there's not much to choose between him, ALB and Crotty - so they'll go with the other two. Crotty could start with ALB on the bench. I'm pretty sure they'll start SBW, they pretty much have any time he's fit.
Ben Smith hasn't got searing pace on the wing, but he's not exactly a cripple playing there either - played lots of tests there last year and was excellent yesterday - whereas I thought Sevu made a couple of errors.
In fact, thinking more about it, I think definitely Reiko in my 23 - with one of him or George at 11 and the other on the bench. I think George has taken his chance with both hands so they might go with form on the left and experience on the right.
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@Chris-B booooo
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@mariner4life What about?
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@mariner4life There's so many things it could be. I've picked your man ALB above. You don't want him paired with Sonny Bill? There's only one vacant space in that midfield, my friend - you know it and I know it!
Rieko? Ben Smith?
@Chris-B said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
@mariner4life There's so many things it could be. I've picked your man ALB above. You don't want him paired with Sonny Bill? There's only one vacant space in that midfield, my friend - you know it and I know it!
Rieko? Ben Smith?
If you don’t declare ALB starting, captain, our most important player and one of our best ever midfielders then you will attract the ire of @mariner4life
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@Chris-B said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
@mariner4life There's so many things it could be. I've picked your man ALB above. You don't want him paired with Sonny Bill? There's only one vacant space in that midfield, my friend - you know it and I know it!
Rieko? Ben Smith?
If you don’t declare ALB starting, captain, our most important player and one of our best ever midfielders then you will attract the ire of @mariner4life
@No-Quarter said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
@Chris-B said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
@mariner4life There's so many things it could be. I've picked your man ALB above. You don't want him paired with Sonny Bill? There's only one vacant space in that midfield, my friend - you know it and I know it!
Rieko? Ben Smith?
If you don’t declare ALB starting, captain, our most important player and one of our best ever midfielders then you will attract the ire of @mariner4life
AND all right minded rugby viewers.
Any other suggestions are just bog standard trolling
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@No-Quarter said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
@Chris-B said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
@mariner4life There's so many things it could be. I've picked your man ALB above. You don't want him paired with Sonny Bill? There's only one vacant space in that midfield, my friend - you know it and I know it!
Rieko? Ben Smith?
If you don’t declare ALB starting, captain, our most important player and one of our best ever midfielders then you will attract the ire of @mariner4life
AND all right minded rugby viewers.
Any other suggestions are just bog standard trolling
@mariner4life http://stats.allblacks.com/asp/profile.asp?ABID=1153
The number of times he's worn those 22 and 23 jerseys - Hansen's trolled you quite a lot!
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Only watched the first half, but will drop these truth bombs and then vacate
Bridge looks to me like RW or utility playing on the wrong wing. But still good, but would like to see Reiko back on his game.
Smith still looked a bit slow when put in space.
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If I'm honest, the midfielder selection doesn't worry me in the slightest. While I really like ALB (hard to believe I know) any combination of the 4 will be pretty fucking good. We're very stacked at 12 and 13.
@mariner4life said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
If I'm honest, the midfielder selection doesn't worry me in the slightest. While I really like ALB (hard to believe I know) any combination of the 4 will be pretty fucking good. We're very stacked at 12 and 13.
Yeah.
After yesterday I can't believe I'd leave Crotty out of the 23, but I would. (12 Dubs, 13 Goodhue, 22. ALB)
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@mariner4life said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
If I'm honest, the midfielder selection doesn't worry me in the slightest. While I really like ALB (hard to believe I know) any combination of the 4 will be pretty fucking good. We're very stacked at 12 and 13.
Yeah.
After yesterday I can't believe I'd leave Crotty out of the 23, but I would. (12 Dubs, 13 Goodhue, 22. ALB)
@booboo said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
@mariner4life said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
If I'm honest, the midfielder selection doesn't worry me in the slightest. While I really like ALB (hard to believe I know) any combination of the 4 will be pretty fucking good. We're very stacked at 12 and 13.
Yeah.
After yesterday I can't believe I'd leave Crotty out of the 23, but I would. (12 Dubs, 13 Goodhue, 22. ALB)
From being an area of uncertainty MF is now looking pretty flush with options. The team are coming together right on time
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@booboo said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
@mariner4life said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
If I'm honest, the midfielder selection doesn't worry me in the slightest. While I really like ALB (hard to believe I know) any combination of the 4 will be pretty fucking good. We're very stacked at 12 and 13.
Yeah.
After yesterday I can't believe I'd leave Crotty out of the 23, but I would. (12 Dubs, 13 Goodhue, 22. ALB)
From being an area of uncertainty MF is now looking pretty flush with options. The team are coming together right on time
@canefan said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
The team are coming together right on time
you mean like the coaches knew what they were upto all along?
#trusttheprocess
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One more, what was with the ball? It looked like they lost the match ball and had to play with the old faded training ball
@mariner4life said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
One more, what was with the ball? It looked like they lost the match ball and had to play with the old faded training ball
Yeah I never noticed but it looks crap
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@mariner4life said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
One more, what was with the ball? It looked like they lost the match ball and had to play with the old faded training ball
Yeah I never noticed but it looks crap
@Machpants said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
@mariner4life said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
One more, what was with the ball? It looked like they lost the match ball and had to play with the old faded training ball
Yeah I never noticed but it looks crap
That's what happens when you keep grounding it for a try.
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@Machpants said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
@mariner4life said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
One more, what was with the ball? It looked like they lost the match ball and had to play with the old faded training ball
Yeah I never noticed but it looks crap
That's what happens when you keep grounding it for a try.
@antipodean said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
@Machpants said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
@mariner4life said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
One more, what was with the ball? It looked like they lost the match ball and had to play with the old faded training ball
Yeah I never noticed but it looks crap
That's what happens when you keep grounding it for a try.
I saw it but couldn't make out the pattern. Thought it might be a tropical flower on each end
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@Nepia said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
TBH, the coaches can't have learned anything from this match.
Really? Think they did some good stuff they'll build on. Particularly early. Later on, not so much.
@booboo said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
@Nepia said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
TBH, the coaches can't have learned anything from this match.
Really? Think they did some good stuff they'll build on. Particularly early. Later on, not so much.
I was more meaning about making comparisons between players. It was nearly an opposed training run rather than a proper match.
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@booboo said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
@Nepia said in All Blacks vs Tonga:
TBH, the coaches can't have learned anything from this match.
Really? Think they did some good stuff they'll build on. Particularly early. Later on, not so much.
I was more meaning about making comparisons between players. It was nearly an opposed training run rather than a proper match.
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Very one-sided affair. ABs forwards looking to be in great condition. Excellent passing performance by the inside backs. Woeful defence from Tonga. ABs' Back Three had enough about them to cut a disorganised defence to pieces again and again. Good to give Josh Ioane some game time, just in case they need to fly him out to Japan later in the tournament.
Two negatives for me.
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No Jack Goodhue. Been out with the hamstring injury for a while. Is he going to be fit for RWC?
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Beauden Barrett's kicking from hand was substandard. Richie M is now the clear first-choice First Five.
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