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I’m pretty sure Lambert went to NZ just as extra cover in case Slipper had to switch to THP, so I think rule him out. Eddie seems to have been reluctant to cap Schoupp and I think he just wanted to get him into the environment and have a look at him. Gibbon is already capped and I think he’d...

As I was compiling it I thought that Gleeson may miss out but then realised there isn't anyone else that plays #8. We could get away with playing Holloway or Leota there against Portugal or something but if Valetini has to miss the Wales game or the first QF for whatever reason then we need a...

I have Perese in there, I don't think there is any point persisting with Hodge any more, may as well get some minutes into Donaldson against Georgia and Portugal. Perese, Petaia & Donaldson will effectively all be utility players. I suspect we will run the 1sts out against France in the warm...

Righto so here's my guess on the RWC 33: LHP: Bell, Slipper, Gibbon HKR: Porecki, Faessler, Uelese THP: Tupou, Faumasili, Nonggorr LCK: Skelton, Frost, Arnold, Philip BSF: Hooper, Holloway OSF: McReight, Hooper N8: Valetini, Gleeson HBK: McDermott, White, Lonergan 10: Gordon, Cooper IC: Kerevi...

That’s the thing though, unless they have done something illegal they shouldn’t be penalised. It doesn’t matter what ‘they’ ‘like to do’, thats what the laws are for. Your other paragraph does provide a bit of clarity on the last penalty though. The 30-40m advantage on the previous one was...

Ok so they have invented a law around it now, albeit a trial. I still think the sanction should be a short arm, alleviates any safety concerns whilst still giving said team the advantage but not gifting them points.

That’s TTs whole point. I think it needs as much attention as some as the other officiating anomalies that have been pointed out. The referee needs to pinpoint an infringement, but they rarely do, they just throw their arm up in the direction of the dominant scrum. In some cases there are...

Where precisely is the hate in my post, and the lack of options at fullback was the whole point of it. However, I’ll acknowledge that Kellaway runs great lines, and he has proper rugby smarts. Petaia put in some great footwork, maybe not as intelligent but needs more space maybe?

I’m a bit torn about what to do at fullback. Kellaway was OK today, and he’s safe as a house, but unless he gets put in a hole he doesn’t offer a lot in attack. I reckon Eddie needs to have a look at Petaia there in the game v France knowing that Ikitau will be back.

I didn’t time that one either. They said something about that in the commentary though, apparently they do allow something for a change in tee. The time of the game when that happened was a lot less consequential however - although rules are rules.

Except when he did

This one was sent to me privately, I haven’t checked it but I’m just going to put it up here: Law 8.21 Penalty Kick: The kick must be taken within 60 seconds (playing time) from the time the team indicated their intention to do so, even if the ball rolls over and has to be placed again...

The ABs C team with the unheard of Whitelock/Retallick second row pairing and that Savea muppet at 8. Obviously it wasn’t their best starting team, and there was a reason they had those blokes on the bench. I saw some significant improvement from our boys. No doubt the the team Rennie would...

You are right but then people realise the next in the queue are Donaldson and Foley, or Hodge and all of a sudden QC (Quade Cooper) is proclaimed as the messiah. Personally i think we may as well rip the band aid off and give Donaldson some time there in the pool games. Halfback options are a bit better with...

Without being clear on Eddies view on Gleeson I think Leota might be the backrower that gets cut from the squad.He is a good player no doubt and I think the opportunity was given to him to show that he has to make the cut after a year on the sidelines, but he hasn’t delivered and he is surplus...

Not the ref per se, the amount of penalty advantage the all blacks were given which ultimately gave them 17 points

Not related to the scrum but taking McReight off had a noticeable detrimental effect at the breakdown.

That will be v France with our likely RWC squad. Arnold did his core role OK for the first 10 minutes and then was invisible. He’d be my first change.

Fatigue. They are fitter than us

good to hear it from you. they handed the all blacks the game