RWC Week 4: All Blacks v Italy
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What a game! What a night! Loved the Lyon stadium set-up. Got to yarn to a few Kiwis and supporters over cold beer. JB was immense in midfield and made a real mess of their defence. Frizz was huge on defence as well, Ardie seemed to revel in more freedom. DMac was smiling, Roigard showed his quick feet, and by jeez that boy does have a slick pass! Telea the eel was his slippery self, BBBR put in some decent shots and RMo was in control. Even the shit crowd control system at the end couldn't take away from the match it was a great spectacle. On the way back we spied a crowded Italian pizzeria that was still open, so grabbed a bite to eat and downed a few cold ones. The Italians there were good value and jovial too, and we swapped anecdotes about the game over the meal and drinks. They were impressed by our strength in depth felt their boys were a bit overawed by the occasion, lamented Colt leaving and the state of their domestic league. All in all it was a fantastic and fun night, bring on Uruguay!
@Jailbreak7 said in RWC Week 4: All Blacks v Italy:
by jeez that boy does have a slick pass!
It's not peak Nuggie but it's farking good
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Just curious, would you guys be concerned that NZ haven't had a tough game since the opener against France? Uruguay next and Foster will probably rest most of the first team players. While Ireland (if they get past the Scots) will have had a few crunch games coming straight into the quarters. It sounds reasonable that a well rested team for a big game is a plus, but maybe battle hardened could possibly be a better prep for such a game?
@The-Irishman said in RWC Week 4: All Blacks v Italy:
Just curious, would you guys be concerned that NZ haven't had a tough game since the opener against France? Uruguay next and Foster will probably rest most of the first team players. While Ireland (if they get past the Scots) will have had a few crunch games coming straight into the quarters. It sounds reasonable that a well rested team for a big game is a plus, but maybe battle hardened could possibly be a better prep for such a game?
If there's something we can worry about we'll worry about it.
I'd like to say it's Ireland’s QF to lose.
But we're not qualified yet ...
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@MajorRage said in RWC Week 4: All Blacks v Italy:
@MiketheSnow said in RWC Week 4: All Blacks v Italy:
Ball in play time is not determined by the referee
It’s determined by the team who are in charge
Last night NZ were very much in charge
If NZ want the ball in play time to be greater then they have to be dominant in the basics
It’s pretty simple really
Yes and no.
Doesn't matter how dominant you are, when the opposition prop goes down for the 457th time and the referee allows it, the ball in play time is going to be less even if they stop the clock.
My head can't get round that maths/logic
It's like one of those,
Train A leaves Los Angeles at 8:00 traveling at 100kph, and train B leaves NY at 9:00 traveling at 200kph
Where do they meet?@MiketheSnow Denver?
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@Machpants Not sure I’d describe the AB defence as “very passive” though. Your words were more accurate.
And what Mr Kearney didn’t mention is that some of those Ireland players are good ball players because they’re Kiwis who have come through the NZ system.
Because it has no relevance to the conversation
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Surely we see Finlay Christie in the quarter finals
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Surely we see Finlay Christie in the quarter finals
@Yeahtheboys said in RWC Week 4: All Blacks v Italy:
Surely we see Finlay Christie in the quarter finals
We surely will. In the stands having a yarn and a laugh with Richie, Steve and Conrad.
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Certain Northern Hemisphere scribes we’ve admired so much over the years were getting ready yesterday to bury All Blacks Rugby and shit on its grave.
Our guys gave a performance of genuine passion and intensity. I can imagine lots of very disappointed NH Rugby pundits this morning.
@sparky said in RWC Week 4: All Blacks v Italy:
Certain Northern Hemisphere scribes we’ve admired so much over the years were getting ready yesterday to bury All Blacks Rugby and shit on its grave.
Our guys gave a performance of genuine passion and intensity. I can imagine lots of very disappointed NH Rugby pundits this morning.
The forwards were back to their best and Ryan, Foster & co had clearly done the business after the last two games - kudos to them.
But as @reprobate has said, there's still issues on exits and the attacking kicking game doesn't come off often enough. Foster picked up on the lack of focus at the start of the second half at the presser so clearly there's an issue still being fixed.
It was great performance, but I'm still being very cautious. We still have the capacity to go from outstanding to crap in one game.
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@Damo said in RWC Week 4: All Blacks v Italy:
@Billy-Tell said in RWC Week 4: All Blacks v Italy:
Operation ¼ final now. Not sure how to prepare for Uruguay in a dead rubber.
Play the same team. Build the combinations.
No need to experiment or give anyone else a run at this stage.
Start Roigard - DMac
@BerniesCorner said in RWC Week 4: All Blacks v Italy:
Start Roigard - DMac
Start one but not the other. Need to give Cam more time with RMo - he's been eased in and now looks comfortable at 9.
He hasn't been tested under pressure but he's been eased in and now looks confident ^ comfortable at 9 and a better bet than Christie even for the big games
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Surely we see Finlay Christie in the quarter finals
@Yeahtheboys said in RWC Week 4: All Blacks v Italy:
Surely we see Finlay Christie in the quarter finals
I think they have been careful with Roigard to ease him in, give him game time and build his confidence playing in Black.
He may be untested under pressure but now looks really comfortable and for me, a better bet than Christie on the bench for big games.
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@KiwiMurph Needs to be less sly next time. When a prop goes down in the quarters I want to see the ABs absolutely laying into him and the ref.
@game_film said in RWC Week 4: All Blacks v Italy:
@KiwiMurph Needs to be less sly next time. When a prop goes down in the quarters I want to see the ABs absolutely laying into him and the ref.
Should just say what he wants to say outright. Put it in the ref's mind if he can. No point saying it after we lose
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Great performance but fuck me why is our defence still so passive. Ireland thrive when they have time and space to implement their intricate attack. Take that away and they become very beatable as SA displayed last week.
We have had 4 years to at least try out a rush system, and we never did. This is a huge black mark against Foster and McLeod.
@akan004 said in RWC Week 4: All Blacks v Italy:
Great performance but fuck me why is our defence still so passive. Ireland thrive when they have time and space to implement their intricate attack. Take that away and they become very beatable as SA displayed last week.
We have had 4 years to at least try out a rush system, and we never did. This is a huge black mark against Foster and McLeod.
It's a rope-a-dope except rope-a-doping ourselves.
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@sparky said in RWC Week 4: All Blacks v Italy:
Rob Kearney before yesterday’s game having a go at NZ’s “quality of player.”
Can't say I disagree with what was said.
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@sparky said in RWC Week 4: All Blacks v Italy:
Rob Kearney before yesterday’s game having a go at NZ’s “quality of player.”
Can't say I disagree with what was said.
@Crazy-Horse I’ll save my judgment on our quality of players until the end of the tournament, but if Sam Whitelock wins three World Cups he’ll arguably supersede any of the players Rob Kearney mentioned.
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@akan004 I’m certain there’s a different AB defence pattern that we’ll see in the knock outs against either of those sides.
@sparky said in RWC Week 4: All Blacks v Italy:
@akan004 I’m certain there’s a different AB defence pattern that we’ll see in the knock outs against either of those sides.
That would be the dryest of powders, since forever! Never tested, always dry - Fosters amazing rush defence
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@sparky said in RWC Week 4: All Blacks v Italy:
Rob Kearney before yesterday’s game having a go at NZ’s “quality of player.”
Pretty much agree with what was said in that video, the quality of players has evened up dramatically in the last 5-10 years. Matt Williams comment on the top teams beating each other regularly was really interesting - we've seen the same thing happening at U20 level - and that's why this RWC is arguably the most open for years.
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@sparky said in RWC Week 4: All Blacks v Italy:
@akan004 I’m certain there’s a different AB defence pattern that we’ll see in the knock outs against either of those sides.
That would be the dryest of powders, since forever! Never tested, always dry - Fosters amazing rush defence
@Machpants said in RWC Week 4: All Blacks v Italy:
That would be the dryest of powders, since forever! Never tested, always dry - Fosters amazing rush defence
Foster just needs to tell Ryan he's hidden a couple of donuts in the match ball and that's the forwards sorted at least.
