North vs South
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so, two trophies up for grabs...looks a little fragile
@Kiwiwomble said in North vs South:
so, two trophies up for grabs...looks a little fragile
Be ok as long as SI don't win it. Too many Saders.
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god, at least there is one you can smash beers out of
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@Kiwiwomble said in North vs South:
smith not starting the only surprise for me
Aaron Smith played a huge number of minutes for the Highlanders, is 31 and is clearly the Half Back in NZ. I can understand the AB selectors trying to manage his workload.
@sparky said in North vs South:
@Kiwiwomble said in North vs South:
smith not starting the only surprise for me
Aaron Smith played a huge number of minutes for the Highlanders, is 31 and is clearly the Half Back in NZ. I can understand the AB selectors trying to manage his workload.
...probably the least amount of rugby he's played in a decade
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@sparky said in North vs South:
@Kiwiwomble said in North vs South:
smith not starting the only surprise for me
Aaron Smith played a huge number of minutes for the Highlanders, is 31 and is clearly the Half Back in NZ. I can understand the AB selectors trying to manage his workload.
...probably the least amount of rugby he's played in a decade
@Kiwiwomble The other point to consider is, by the next RWC in 2023, Aaron Smith who will be nearly 34 may be used as a finisher by the ABs.. No harm in giving him experience being one.
I'm as disappointed as anyone that Aaron Smith is not in the North starting XV, but I can understand the selectors looking ahead a bit.
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@Tim said in North vs South:
@Hooroo In the wet the South will target the set piece, and could do quite well there. Don't count them out, especially with the Crusaders combos.
What's the forecast for Wellybops on the weekend? If it is wet, same result but the margin may flatter the South.
@Tim said in North vs South:
It doesn't look like it's going to be as bad as in 1980 (Palmerston North): -
@Kiwiwomble The other point to consider is, by the next RWC in 2023, Aaron Smith who will be nearly 34 may be used as a finisher by the ABs.. No harm in giving him experience being one.
I'm as disappointed as anyone that Aaron Smith is not in the North starting XV, but I can understand the selectors looking ahead a bit.
@sparky said in North vs South:
@Kiwiwomble The other point to consider is, by the next RWC in 2023, Aaron Smith who will be nearly 34 may be used as a finisher by the ABs.. No harm in giving him experience being one.
I'm as disappointed as anyone that Aaron Smith is not in the North starting XV, but I can understand the selectors looking ahead a bit.
Three years out from the world cup, least rugby played in the professional era - we've got to protect our senior players!
Don't be such a cuck.
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@Tim said in North vs South:
It doesn't look like it's going to be as bad as in 1980 (Palmerston North):@Stargazer nothing is ever as bad as Palmerston north
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@sparky said in North vs South:
@Kiwiwomble The other point to consider is, by the next RWC in 2023, Aaron Smith who will be nearly 34 may be used as a finisher by the ABs.. No harm in giving him experience being one.
I'm as disappointed as anyone that Aaron Smith is not in the North starting XV, but I can understand the selectors looking ahead a bit.
Three years out from the world cup, least rugby played in the professional era - we've got to protect our senior players!
Don't be such a cuck.
@Tim said in North vs South:
@sparky said in North vs South:
@Kiwiwomble The other point to consider is, by the next RWC in 2023, Aaron Smith who will be nearly 34 may be used as a finisher by the ABs.. No harm in giving him experience being one.
I'm as disappointed as anyone that Aaron Smith is not in the North starting XV, but I can understand the selectors looking ahead a bit.
Three years out from the world cup, least rugby played in the professional era - we've got to protect our senior players!
Don't be such a cuck.
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@sparky said in North vs South:
@Kiwiwomble The other point to consider is, by the next RWC in 2023, Aaron Smith who will be nearly 34 may be used as a finisher by the ABs.. No harm in giving him experience being one.
I'm as disappointed as anyone that Aaron Smith is not in the North starting XV, but I can understand the selectors looking ahead a bit.
Three years out from the world cup, least rugby played in the professional era - we've got to protect our senior players!
Don't be such a cuck.
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Like the look of the North team. Mixture of experienced pros and exciting young talent. Solid tight five. Powerful back row, TJP-BB reuniting, Reiko's chance to nail down the ABs 12 jersey, super fast Wings.
I'm a little concerned about DMac at 15 who was mediocre for the Chiefs in Super Rugby Aotearoa (not sure he scored a try). Hope he goes okay.
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Like the look of the North team. Mixture of experienced pros and exciting young talent. Solid tight five. Powerful back row, TJP-BB reuniting, Reiko's chance to nail down the ABs 12 jersey, super fast Wings.
I'm a little concerned about DMac at 15 who was mediocre for the Chiefs in Super Rugby Aotearoa (not sure he scored a try). Hope he goes okay.
@sparky said in North vs South:
I'm a little concerned about DMac at 15 who was mediocre for the Chiefs in Super Rugby Aotearoa (not sure he scored a try). Hope he goes okay.
Not sure if he scored a try but he was playing for the Chiefs so there weren't really too many opportunities. He did have the most carries, the second most metres (I think they only calculate the ones going forward
), squeaked into the top 10 of most defenders beaten ... so he might be okay, especially as he's not surrounded by Gatland coached Chiefs players. -
NZ Rugby:
OK, this might well be the only rep rugby this year, so we'd better deliver something special.
Also NZ Rugby:
Right, got it. Lets start a 20 yo lock who is clearly substandard at Super Rugby level, and Aaron Smith is on fire at the moment, so we'll put him on the bench. That should get the fans really pumped!
@Tim said in North vs South:
Right, got it. Lets start a 20 yo lock who is clearly substandard at Super Rugby level
No
@Tim said in North vs South:
Aaron Smith is on fire at the moment, so we'll put him on the bench. That should get the fans really pumped!
Yes
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@Stargazer nothing is ever as bad as Palmerston north
@mariner4life said in North vs South:
@Stargazer nothing is ever as bad as Palmerston north
I'm here right now.
Can confirm.
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Lucky I didn't read the south team first and see Goodhue named at twelve and piss myself laughing. The comedown upon seeing Perenara starting would have been horrific.
Barring a Mounga miracle, North have this.
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@Duluth said in North vs South:
Vaa'i getting a start is a surprise
I would agree. The same for Christie over Hunt in the SI team. The SI has a lot of Crusaders' combos which will be an advantage. Favourites!
Here are the players that aren't in the match-day squads:
NI
Kurt Eklund, Alex Fidow, Lachlan Boshier, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Mark TeleaSI
Andrew Makalio, Daniel Lienert-Brown, Reed Prinsep, Mitchell Drummond, Sio Tomkinson@Bovidae said in North vs South:
@Duluth said in North vs South:
Vaa'i getting a start is a surprise
I would agree. The same for Christie over Hunt in the SI team. The SI has a lot of Crusaders' combos which will be an advantage. Favourites!
Here are the players that aren't in the match-day squads:
NI
Kurt Eklund, Alex Fidow, Lachlan Boshier, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Mark TeleaSI
Andrew Makalio, Daniel Lienert-Brown, Reed Prinsep, Mitchell Drummond, Sio TomkinsonNorth has stronger rejects!
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Grant Fox explains the selections for North v South match (audio is different from text)
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@sparky said in North vs South:
I'm a little concerned about DMac at 15 who was mediocre for the Chiefs in Super Rugby Aotearoa (not sure he scored a try). Hope he goes okay.
Not sure if he scored a try but he was playing for the Chiefs so there weren't really too many opportunities. He did have the most carries, the second most metres (I think they only calculate the ones going forward
), squeaked into the top 10 of most defenders beaten ... so he might be okay, especially as he's not surrounded by Gatland coached Chiefs players.@Nepia said in North vs South:
@sparky said in North vs South:
I'm a little concerned about DMac at 15 who was mediocre for the Chiefs in Super Rugby Aotearoa (not sure he scored a try). Hope he goes okay.
Not sure if he scored a try but he was playing for the Chiefs so there weren't really too many opportunities. He did have the most carries, the second most metres (I think they only calculate the ones going forward
), squeaked into the top 10 of most defenders beaten ... so he might be okay, especially as he's not surrounded by Gatland coached Chiefs players.Most carries for DMac = more opportunities to stuff it up.
I’m not a hater but he was very poor this year.
