Italy vs All Blacks

Gunner

Don’t get the hate for Naholo.
He’s not first choice, but he’s a handy back up. I though he was ok today. The game didn’t really go his way but he went looking for work.

Dane, how I have missed you and your wide running game.

Loved seeing Fifita bumping blokes off and making a few dominant tackles, good to know he can get amongst the physical stuff as well as run around blokes.

Loving our propping depth right now.

Laumape simply must be Goodhue’s midfield partner next year, with ALB on the bench. As good as they’ve been, it’s time to ship the other two blokes off to the retirement village.

DMac, great tour.

Bovidae

@pukunui said in Italy vs All Blacks:

Building the combination? That combo has had very few minutes together. It could be a very important one next year and time to build it is running out.

It's actually more games than I had thought:
vs SA 29 mins
vs Arg 21 mins
vs Aust 12 mins
vs England 17 mins
vs Ireland 24 mins

Mo'unga and DMac before the Italian test = 0 mins

The coaches should be looking at all combinations because you never know when an injury can occur.

And for the record, I've always been in the BFA at fullback camp but I can understand why they want him on the right wing. One of the most important reasons is that he is the best AB at challenging high kicks which is easier to do from the wing as the fullback is often putting the high kicks up. For the Highlanders Sopoaga would have to drop back to do that as a second fullback.

Bovidae

@gunner said in Italy vs All Blacks:

Don’t get the hate for Naholo.
He’s not first choice, but he’s a handy back up. I though he was ok today. The game didn’t really go his way but he went looking for work.

Agree with that assessment. The other thing is that if Ioane didn't play Naholo is the best option as the power winger.

Loved seeing Fifita bumping blokes off and making a few dominant tackles, good to know he can get amongst the physical stuff as well as run around blokes.

Fifita played much tighter than we all expected and did more of the hard work he says he doesn't enjoy. His runs were up the middle not on the flanks.

booboo

@pukunui said in Italy vs All Blacks:

@mariner4life said in Italy vs All Blacks:

@pukunui said in Italy vs All Blacks:

@mariner4life said in Italy vs All Blacks:

@pukunui said in Italy vs All Blacks:

@mariner4life said in Italy vs All Blacks:

Sorry @pukunui but that's just bullshit about DMac, in this game and the whole tour. It's preconception not reality

Meh, just my opinion vs yours. I much prefer the cool, calm and collected style of Ben Smith at fullback. You know, Ben Smith, the best fullback in the world.
For me Dmac is better suited to the super sub role.

That's not what you said though is it?

I said he is a massive question mark FOR ME. A massive question mark in the role they seem to be playing him in, which is starting fullback. You just read it as an attack and jumped to his defence.

I think it deserves defense when he has been arguably our best player on tour, and you're still trotting out 2017 cliches about team mates standing around wondering what he is going to do next.

After this tour i am happier with DMac 15 and B Smith at 14, than B Smith at 15 and ? at 14

I would agree that he has been better this year than last and I would have him in the 23 definitely.
However i don't see that he has eliminated those aspects enough to be the confirmed starting 15 at this stage.
He still runs sideways and still has guys around him not knowing where to put themselves to support. He is also not afraid to take a high risk option. You call it cliches, I call it observations.

And i agree that Dmac 15, B Smith 14 might end up the best combination. However i don't think it is ideal and it may well change before the rwc. Hence the question mark.

Last night when he didn't run straight he was running into gaps ... his team matea seemed to know exactly what he was doing

cgrant

Is Owen Franks still the best THP in NZ ?
From what I have seen this year's competitions and EOYT, Laulala, Tu'ungafasi and Ta'avao look better.

ACT Crusader

@cgrant said in Italy vs All Blacks:

Is Owen Franks still the best THP in NZ ?
From what I have seen this year's competitions and EOYT, Laulala, Tu'ungafasi and Ta'avao look better.

Is Dan Carter still the best 1st 5?
Is McCaw still the best openside?
Is Woodcock past it?

booboo

@act-crusader said in Italy vs All Blacks:

@cgrant said in Italy vs All Blacks:

Is Owen Franks still the best THP in NZ ?
From what I have seen this year's competitions and EOYT, Laulala, Tu'ungafasi and Ta'avao look better.

Is Dan Carter still the best 1st 5? No
Is McCaw still the best openside? No
Is Woodcock past it? Yes

Just in case these were serious questions ...

ACT Crusader

@booboo I don’t know if they were serious questions, but they were questions we heard going into previous World Cup campaigns and all of them played their role in delivering the goods.

Franks will be there.

pakman

@cgrant said in Italy vs All Blacks:

Is Owen Franks still the best THP in NZ ?
From what I have seen this year's competitions and EOYT, Laulala, Tu'ungafasi and Ta'avao look better.

If referring to scrummaging, the answer is yes. Laulala also world class there.

Ofa an excellent all round prop, but not a top drawer starter. Angus developing well, and along with Hames (fitness permitting) will be in back ups for RWC.

For me, Ofa, Moody and Karl T our best ball carrying props.

antipodean

I noticed Laulala dropped off a number of tackles against Italy.

Unite

@antipodean said in Italy vs All Blacks:

I noticed Laulala dropped off a number of tackles against Italy.

He was keeping his powder dry

Crucial

@jegga I m just at maccas in Rome airport with the whole team. Should I say hi to anyone for you?

BTW Ardie is short

sparky

@crucial Try to get on video them saying thank you to the boys and girls from SilverFern.

sparky

@crucial

Ask them whether they are keeping their powder dry?

sparky

@crucial

Which players are pigging out at Maccas? Any of the current squad as big fans of Junk food as Neemia Tialata and Piri Weepu?

Crucial

@sparky said in Italy vs All Blacks:

@crucial

Which players are pigging out at Maccas? Any of the current squad as big fans of Junk food as Neemia Tialata and Piri Weeping?

All of them. Hangover feed for some by the looks

sparky

@crucial

I hope none of them are heading to the Disabled Toilet with an Italian lady they met last night.....

Crucial

Azza was keeping his wick dry as well as his powder

mariner4life

@sparky said in Italy vs All Blacks:

@crucial

I hope none of them are heading to the Disabled Toilet with an Italian lady they met last night.....

I hope they are!! This is what you want from your professional sports men!

The Silver Fern

Italy vs All Blacks