All Blacks v Wales Test #3
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="leytonandamanda" data-cid="590585" data-time="1466618858">
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<p>Must do yeah !<br>
No ardie savea so be concerned if cane gets injured<br><br><br>
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk</p>
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<p>I'll be a damn sight more concerned if I see Charlie Faumuina hobbling off in the first minute! :)</p>
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<p>Very surprising team and - I think - a slightly strange one. How come we ran out pretty much our strongest available team in tests 1 and 2 and then are running quite a markedly changed team in test 3?</p>
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<p>If Wales can summon 63 years of hunger, instead of having one foot on the plane, I think this could be a pretty exciting 80 minutes. Let's hope Beauden's got his kicking boots on!</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Chris B." data-cid="590652" data-time="1466636310">
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<p>I'll be a damn sight more concerned if I see Charlie Faumuina hobbling off in the first minute! :)</p>
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<p>Very surprising team and - I think - a slightly strange one. How come we ran out pretty much our strongest available team in tests 1 and 2 and then are running quite a markedly changed team in test 3?</p>
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<p>If Wales can summon 63 years of hunger, instead of having one foot on the plane, I think this could be a pretty exciting 80 minutes. <strong>Let's hope Beauden's got his kicking boots on!</strong></p>
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<p>does he own a pair?</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Tordah" data-cid="590581" data-time="1466615515">
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<p><strong>ALL BLACKS</strong>: Israel Dagg, Ben Smith, George Moala, Ryan Crotty, Julian Savea, Beauden Barrett, Aaron Smith, Kieran Read (captain), Sam Cane, Elliot Dixon, Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick, Charlie Faumuina, Dane Coles, Joe Moody. <strong>Reserves</strong>: Codie Taylor, Wyatt Crockett, Ofa Tu'ungafasi, Luke Romano, Liam Squire, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Lima Sopoaga, Waisake Naholo.</p>
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<p>decent team. Interesting to see Moala at 13 and not Tamanivalu</p>
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<p><img src="http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyu3qdOOhx1qir083o9_r1_400.gif" alt="tumblr_lyu3qdOOhx1qir083o9_r1_400.gif"></p>
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<p>I like it. First interesting team in years. All this stability and success was okay on some levels i guess, but where's the fun? </p>
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<p>okay, there was lots of fun, but this is different fun. Dixon and Squire are going to add something very different to what we have seen so far from Kaino and little Savea. </p>
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<p>This should be very interesting. Wales will feel they are a chance (i don't think they are)</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="mimic" data-cid="590694" data-time="1466640860"><p>I was hoping to see Ardie Savea on the bench to cover centre</p></blockquote>
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And why do we need Sopoaga on the bench when we have Dagg in the side? -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Nepia" data-cid="590630" data-time="1466633588"><p>Excited to see how the new boys go, bummed that Ngatai has missed this whole series.</p></blockquote>
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All good we can ease Ngatai into the side. We've got a couple of easier tests later in the year when we play the Wallabies.....
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MN5" data-cid="590611" data-time="1466630786"><p>
Is Dixon really cover for 7 ? he looks like a 6/8 and nothing else any day of the week to me.</p></blockquote>
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How many tests would Robshaw and Haskell have between them at 7? They have managed despite never looking likely as genuine opensides. I'd probably rate Dixon a better player to boot as well. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="SouthernMan" data-cid="590644" data-time="1466635678"><p>Dixon has started quite a few games on the openside for the Highlanders. Has always played quite well. But it's a change to international footy!</p></blockquote>
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Funnily enough I always feel like Cane plays more like a 6 than a 7. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Don Frye" data-cid="590712" data-time="1466643391">
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<p>How many tests would Robshaw and Haskell have between them at 7? They have managed despite never looking likely as genuine opensides. I'd probably rate Dixon a better player to boot as well.</p>
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<p>Brand Haskell would NOT like some nobody who isn't even an AB yet being spoken of as being better than him.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MN5" data-cid="590717" data-time="1466643962">
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<p>Brand Haskell would NOT like some nobody who isn't even an AB yet being spoken of as being better than him.</p>
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<p>and rightly so to be fair. While not a traditional 7, Haskell's performance in Brisbane is the best of all 7s in the June test matches so far (in my opinion). He wasn't too bad in Melbourne either.</p>
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<p>Having said that i'm very excited to see how Dixon goes - you get the sense his playing style suits test match rugby. Shall be fun.</p>
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<p>Pretty happy with the rest of the team, it's going to be interesting to see how these new ABs react - as we've seen in test 1 and 2 Wales have been right in the mix with the ABs up to the second half of these tests - these newer test players are going to be put under pressure I think - which is going to be great to watch.</p>
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<p>With Ngatai and SBW lurking for returns in the near future, Moala may not get too many more opportunities to stake his claim - it will be a big night for him.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="DMX" data-cid="590716" data-time="1466643717">
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<p>Funnily enough I always feel like Cane plays more like a 6 than a 7.</p>
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<p>as had McCaw for the past few seasons....or maybe McCaw just decided that was how a 7 should play :)</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="KiwiMurph" data-cid="590720" data-time="1466644350">
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<p>and rightly so to be fair. While not a traditional 7, Haskell's performance in Brisbane is the best of all 7s in the June test matches so far (in my opinion). He wasn't too bad in Melbourne either.</p>
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<p>Having said that i'm very excited to see how Dixon goes - you get the sense his playing style suits test match rugby. Shall be fun.</p>
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<p>Pretty happy with the rest of the team, it's going to be interesting to see how these new ABs react - as we've seen in test 1 and 2 Wales have been right in the mix with the ABs up to the second half of these tests - these newer test players are going to be put under pressure I think - which is going to be great to watch.</p>
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<p>With <strong>Ngatai</strong> and SBW lurking for returns in the near future, Moala may not get too many more opportunities to stake his claim - it will be a big night for him.</p>
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<p>Referring more to his personality which is pretty polarizing obviously.......</p>
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<p>As for Ngatai let's actually see him play more than a couple of minutes test rugby before putting him in that bracket huh ?</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="booboo" data-cid="590730" data-time="1466644806">
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<p>Re Romano. Am wondering if he is there instead of Pat T as he is a better scrummager to assist Ofa?<br><br>
More changes than I'd have gone for. Shag never listens to me... but despite that he's done ok to date. So I'll trust him this once.</p>
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<p>He completely ignored my post about having a strong ball runner at 12. Grrr, the man just never listens.</p> -
<p>Quite a sign of the times that the AB's have no real opportunities to test out new players under the current test fixture structure.</p>
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<p>A form of rotation is essential in the modern environment because otherwise there's always a question mark on how well a new AB will actually perform. More so now that it's a team of 23 and the replacements have just as many core roles as the run on side</p>
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<p>A tick for 3 test series I guess</p>
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<p>Also pretty much as well handled by the coaches as they could but the Welsh must smell a better than chance here than the previous games.</p> -
Naholo to cover midfield apparently says shag ???
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Siam" data-cid="590740" data-time="1466645848">
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<p>Quite a sign of the times that the AB's have no real opportunities to test out new players under the current test fixture structure.</p>
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<p>A form of rotation is essential in the modern environment because otherwise there's always a question mark on how well a new AB will actually perform. More so now that it's a team of 23 and the replacements have just as many core roles as the run on side</p>
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<p>A tick for 3 test series I guess</p>
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<p>Also pretty much as well handled by the coaches as they could but the Welsh must smell a better than chance here than the previous games.</p>
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<p>I guess we can look to the recent past of Hansen taking a punt per se on new players and throwing them into the test arena. That 2012 Ireland home test that was mentioned earlier being a case in point. J. Savea, A. Smith and B. Retallick all making their AB debuts as starters. </p>
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<p>I actually don't think the changes are that drastic. For the starters we've made one forced (Fekitoa), precautionary (Cruden) and a 'resting' (Kaino). Faumuina and J. Savea starting are hardly in the 'wow' category considering their relative paths thus far. </p>
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<p>They certainly could've been far more adventurous when you consider what Henry did under his watch. </p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MN5" data-cid="590732" data-time="1466644954">
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<p>Referring more to his personality which is pretty polarizing obviously.......</p>
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<p>As for Ngatai let's actually see him play more than a couple of minutes test rugby before putting him in that bracket huh ?</p>
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<p>Given the coaches said prior to the series that Crotty/Fekitoa would get first crack, I do wonder if the plan was to give Ngatai/Tamanivalu second crack.</p>
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<p>Moala appears to be in a fortunate position with Ngatai still crook and Fekitoa now injured. Plus Tamanivalu got an extended run last week and displayed a mixed bag. </p>
