All Blacks vs Wallabies 2

BerniesCorner

Winning Wallabies 2 is very important. Small steps.

sparky

Australia were lucky to keep it close yesterday. I can't see them doing that two weeks in a row. Australia at home is the most straight-forward fixture of the AB's season.

cgrant

Will they call someone as injury cover for Jordie ? If we have a look at the NPC, then Higgins is the form 2nd Five. But he has barely played in SR so I think they won't call him. So who ? AJ Lam, McLeod (he's a Cantab), Tanielu Telea, TUJ ?

family man

Higgins for me! The guy oozes class

canefan

Lam was standout in SR

Mr Fish

Don't imagine they'll call up a player for one Test in NZ but they might bring in a local Wellington body or two to help with training - but then that doesn't necessarily have to be a midfielder.

Otherwise, probably Quinn Tupaea.

KiwiMurph

I think Razor did hint that they might bring cover in.

Lam looked a million bucks at 12 for Blues in the playoffs and had a standout game for Auckland at 12 yesterday.

Machpants

@antipodean said in All Blacks vs Wallabies 2:

@sparky said in All Blacks vs Wallabies 2:

@antipodean I did.

Let's stop pretending that beating Australia is a big achievement.

The away games against England, Ireland and France are all going to be much more challenging.

No shit Sherlock. So the win against a donkey opposition by only three points should have you concerned about replacing most of the good players for the next fixture.

The so called 'good' ie experienced players are the ones stinking up the joint. ALB, DMac, Cane, Ardie, etc. It's some of the noobs who are playing well

Machpants

@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks vs Wallabies 2:

I think Razor did hint that they might bring cover in.

Lam looked a million bucks at 12 for Blues in the playoffs and had a standout game for Auckland at 12 yesterday.

Yeah he said they would look at bringing someone in to be a training body

Bovidae

Finally a journo is questioning the captaincy of Barrett.

nzzp

@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks vs Wallabies 2:

I think Razor did hint that they might bring cover in.

Lam looked a million bucks at 12 for Blues in the playoffs and had a standout game for Auckland at 12 yesterday.

Love it, but he's played a handful of games there. It's a massive risk - he looks good, but inexpereince is real. A season at 12 in Super however, and if he handles what gets thrown at him will show he's at least a level below Tests and may step. up.

KiwiMurph

@nzzp said in All Blacks vs Wallabies 2:

@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks vs Wallabies 2:

I think Razor did hint that they might bring cover in.

Lam looked a million bucks at 12 for Blues in the playoffs and had a standout game for Auckland at 12 yesterday.

Love it, but he's played a handful of games there. It's a massive risk - he looks good, but inexpereince is real. A season at 12 in Super however, and if he handles what gets thrown at him will show he's at least a level below Tests and may step. up.

I would say coming through the business end of Super Rugby at the position has shown he is up to 12 at the level below.

I think you are over egging the massive risk part. Jordie plays a fairly simple game at 12 currently where he essentially trucks the ball up and realistically - whoever they bring in isn't going to be starting anyway.

He's an experienced player who had played a lot of rugby and anyone can see he looks super comfortable at 12. With his utility value he could be an intriguing bench option (God knows we need help there).

nzzp

@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks vs Wallabies 2:

ordie plays a fairly simple game at 12 currently where he essentially trucks the ball up

He's been frustratingly poor at doing this with any physicality. And teh big boot seems to have disappeared. The two big reasons he seemed a sensible option at 12!

kiwiinmelb

@nzzp said in All Blacks vs Wallabies 2:

@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks vs Wallabies 2:

ordie plays a fairly simple game at 12 currently where he essentially trucks the ball up

He's been frustratingly poor at doing this with any physicality. And teh big boot seems to have disappeared. The two big reasons he seemed a sensible option at 12!

I remember as a young fella he appeared to have a good wide passing game too , not sure what happened there

Snowy

@Bovidae said in All Blacks vs Wallabies 2:

Finally a journo is questioning the captaincy of Barrett.

I’m not a journo.

reprobate

Firstly, there's a month off after this game so nobody needs a rest to prepare for the EOYT. Hopefully Razor resists the urge to give out participation caps and give everyone a run.
De Groot needs game time, and Williams has had enough to gain confidence. Stay the same.
Taylor has been good, Aumua needs a start to gain confidence. Swap them.
Lomax has been good, Tosi needs decent minutes if we want to develop him. Swap them.
Keep the starting locks as they are. Finau to cover lock from the bench as an impact sub.
Savea to the bench, Sititi to 8. Blackadder to 6, Dalton to 7.
Backline stays the same, but ALB in for the injured JB.

gt12

To what extent has Proctor played at 12?
If he wants a bench spot, he needs to be able to cover 12.

Canes4life

@gt12 said in All Blacks vs Wallabies 2:

To what extent has Proctor played at 12?
If he wants a bench spot, he needs to be able to cover 12.

He's played there a couple times for Wellington and a couple times for the Canes and didn't go badly but he's obviously more astute at 13.

I think Saturday is the perfect opportunity to start ALB and Proctor together again.

1kiwi

ALB will start at 12 and they'll likely go for DH on the bench is my pick.
Think they should drop ALB out of the 23 altogether after his YC last week and give Plummer a run at 10. We need to see what Plummer can bring at this level for more than two minutes as DMac isn't the answer. Put DH at 12 and start Proctor at 13. DH can't do any worse than the drivel JB has offered up this year.
Keep Cortez at 9 and bring Hotham onto the bench. Time to start looking to the future in terms of the halfbacks.

frugby

Think this team could be quite interesting. Jordan was good at fullback, there is conjecture about McKenzie's efforts. I therefore think B Barrett will probably start at 10. In his last outing for the ABs, I think Perenara will start. ALB comes in, he worked well with Proctor so there is a fair chance they bring him in on his home track. Clarke will also start, so only question is on the right wing I think. They might just have a look at Rieko, or they'll go back to Tele'a...

9 Perenara
10 B Barrett
11 Clarke
12 ALB
13 Proctor
14 Ioane/Tele'a
15 Jordan

21 Hotham
22 Plummer
23 Havili/Ioane

The Silver Fern

All Blacks vs Wallabies 2