RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2)

booboo

@Billy-Tell said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):

Can’t believe Ben Smith not there.

Hansen really has balls, he just backs youth and go for it.

No complaints otherwise but I still dont know what I think our best midfield is.

Interesting comment on RS Breakfast this morning about the announcers watching games with coaches.

Nathan told the story of watching test with Razor where Lima Sopoaga was conservative with a penalty to touch and Razor said "You've got to be braver than that".

Looks like you need balls.

Frank

@rotated said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):

Experience, experience, experience.... then somehow we end up with four guys in the backline who had ~10 starts collectively in 2018 in Goodhue, ALB, Bridge and Reece.

So much for forward planning.

Forward planning depends on the guys with experience not having rather dramatic losses of form - Rieko, Ben Smith.

Would you still play them because of their experience, or are you just having a bitch?

Rembrandt

@KiwiMurph That post is not going to get likes

rotated

@antipodean said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):

@rotated said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):

Experience, experience, experience.... then somehow we end up with four guys in the backline who had ~10 starts collectively in 2018 in Goodhue, ALB, Bridge and Reece.

So much for forward planning.

So your argument would be if form and talent demand selection, fuck 'em because they didn't start enough Tests the year before?

Quite the opposite - weight form more throughout the cycle rather then crapping on about experience the whole time only to abandon it after Perth, two games from squad announcement.

Speaking of Perth - getting injured early in the game was probably the best thing that happened to Goodhue, if he played 80 he may well have also lost his spot.

Bovidae · @JK So why did we wait until 3:30 pm?

@JK said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):

@Bovidae said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):

@JK So why did we wait until 3:30 pm?

We didnt... It was posted yesterday or the day before wasn't it?

I meant I don't remember you confirming you had also heard that was the team.

Billy Tell

I think Schmidt will go Uber conservative with his selection. Contrasting styles already.

Bovidae

The Irish team is named at 8 pm NZT.

JK · @JK So why did we wait until 3:30 pm?

@Bovidae said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):

@JK said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):

@Bovidae said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):

@JK So why did we wait until 3:30 pm?

We didnt... It was posted yesterday or the day before wasn't it?

I meant I don't remember you confirming you had also heard that was the team.

Sorry didnt think I needed to as we all appeared to be under the impression that was the team. I just confirmed it once I saw it on nzherald while looking for something else.

JK

@Bovidae said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):

The Irish team is named at 8 pm NZT.

Can confirm I read this also

antipodean

@rotated said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):

@antipodean said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):

@rotated said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):

Experience, experience, experience.... then somehow we end up with four guys in the backline who had ~10 starts collectively in 2018 in Goodhue, ALB, Bridge and Reece.

So much for forward planning.

So your argument would be if form and talent demand selection, fuck 'em because they didn't start enough Tests the year before?

Quite the opposite - weight form more throughout the cycle rather then crapping on about experience the whole time only to abandon it after Perth, two games from squad announcement.

Form can fall off a cliff despite being great for three years prior to a RWC. Perth wasn't 2018.

rotated

It will likely be trotted out this centre combo have only started two tests together one against Namibia and one where Goodhue pulled up lame in the first 20 minutes.

But they've played two tests in the last TRC where Crotty was injured in the first 20 against Aus and Argentina and played the final 20 against England and Ireland last year and SA this year.

So of the options available they probably have played the most together over the past couple of years (at test level) and played some high intensity fixtures (with mixed results).

DMX

Pretty shocked not to see Bender on the bench. No way on earth anyone can convince me that Jordie is a better option. Unless he is injured that is a real head scratcher.

Hooroo

@DMX said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):

Pretty shocked not to see Bender on the bench. No way on earth anyone can convince me that Jordie is a better option. Unless he is injured that is a real head scratcher.

That's just pig-headedness though when he is the best option.

Has Reiko played his last game for the AB's? (Barring injury to the incumbents) Does that mean he may poke off overseas?

taniwharugby

@antipodean yeah I think maybe we (fans) are reading more into the Perth failure and the EP success than the coaches?

That said, I am surprised it isnt Crotyy/ALB starting in the mid-field.

This team is quite some way away from what most would have predicted midway through the Super season!!

Bovidae

Hansen is saying all players were fit and available for selection. I can only assume that the selection of JB is for a continuation of the duel playmaker roles if injury forced BB or Mo'unga off the field, and his performance vs Namibia convinced them of that.

Chris B.

So from Dublin a year ago, six guys hold their spots in the starting XV (Taylor, Retallick, Whitelock, Cane, Read and Goodhue) plus Ardie and Beaudy have positional shifts.

Laulala, Mo'unga and ALB are promoted from the bench, while Coles, Tu'ungafasi, Barrett, Todd and Perenara retain their bench spots.

Only two selections that are a bit surprising.

As I previously mentioned - Jordie in ahead of Bender - I reckon that's because Jordie is a better option to carry on with the two play-makers thing if either Richie or Beauden get hurt.;
and
Jack Goodhue in ahead of Ryan Crotty. My theory on this is that Crotty is more of a facilitator than an outright weapon - Goodhue's extra size provides a bit more punch. And with Aaron Smith, Mo'unga, Reece and Beaudy all in the team - Crotty would be yet another smallish back.

So it's a trade-off between Ryan's cool head and experience against a bit more physicality from Jack. Might be a little bit of looking ahead towards England in this selection as well.

jegga

@KiwiMurph said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):

No Ben Smith and no Crotty. Reminds me of no Doug Howlett in 07.....

I felt the same thing but didn’t want to be the first to say it .

taniwharugby

@jegga although 2007 would mean Bender was in at 13 too...

jegga

@taniwharugby said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):

@jegga although 2007 would mean Bender was in at 13 too...

Yeah that was a weird fixation we seem to have grown out of . I was thinking more of the lack of caps . Sexton is a limited enough player to probably enjoy using Trailles kicking tactics from 2007 .

Not that I remember the game of course , a few sessions of ECT took care of that.

rotated

@KiwiMurph said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):

No Ben Smith and no Crotty. Reminds me of no Doug Howlett in 07.....

Hopefully not, with there being two of them and Japan's thriving car industry this may not end well.

The Silver Fern

RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2)