All Blacks & Maori All Blacks EOYT's 2017

[waiopehu oldboy]

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Taylor gets nod for All Blacks
Date published: November 16 2017

New Zealand have made one change to their starting XV that will face Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday, with Codie Taylor in at hooker.

The matchday 23 features just three changes from the team which beat France 39-18 in Paris last weekend as Taylor replaces the injured Dane Coles, with Nathan Harris on the bench, and Liam Squire comes onto the bench in the 19 jersey.

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All Blacks Head Coach Steve Hansen said: “This Test against Scotland will be an opportunity for this group of players to take on the challenge of raising the bar on performance which was set down by their teammates on Tuesday.

“Scotland will be a formidable opponent who, from all indications, will be looking to play skilful rugby and an up-tempo game. Therefore, we will need to meet this challenge head on and be prepared to empty the tank and exert our own pressure upon them through both our physicality, our own tempo in the game and executing our skills at the highest level."

Hansen added: “We look forward to playing at Murrayfield. It is one of the iconic grounds in world rugby and there is a lot of history between the two countries. Scotland, as always, has been a great country to tour and visit, and the people are always welcoming and hospitable.”

New Zealand: 15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Waisake Naholo, 13 Ryan Crotty, 12 Sonny Bill Williams, 11 Rieko Ioane, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Kieran Read (c), 7 Sam Cane, 6 Vaea Fifita, 5 Samuel Whitelock, 4 Luke Romano, 3 Nepo Laulala, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Kane Hames
Replacements: 16 Nathan Harris, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 19 Liam Squire, 20 Matt Todd, 21 TJ Perenara, 22 Lima Sopoaga, 23 Anton Lienert-Brown

 

[Rugbynutter39]

What a match - every neutral was hoping Hogg would score on that last move....

Would have been great for the game if Scotland got up against the best side in the world but certainly the Scots should be very proud of that performance.....

 

[zer0]

Can't be very often that a sinbinning actually helps the team playing a man down. Hames and Laulala would, surely, now have cemented their positions as backups behind moody and Franks.

 

[Dan54]

Can't be very often that a sinbinning actually helps the team playing a man down. Hames and Laulala would, surely, now have cemented their positions as backups behind moody and Franks.

I tend to agree a bit here zer0, geez hasn't Hames come on with tis scrummaging? That was a messy win, but a win, and as Read said after the game (although i always hear he never gives opp any credit) that Scot team played bloody well, and we certainly seem to be struggling against the quick rush defence. I also think that was good for the game Scotland going so close, and perhaps the Wallabies owe the ABs a beer as I think with the injuries etc picked up by Scots they will be ripe for picking next week.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Highlights:

Good on the Scots & all that BUT to have that much of a possession & territory advantage plus playing 14 men for 20 minutes & still not winning is a fair reflection of where they're at right now IMO.

 

[Highlander35]

Highlights:

Good on the Scots & all that BUT to have that much of a possession & territory advantage plus playing 14 men for 20 minutes & still not winning is a fair reflection of where they're at right now IMO.

Think the ref wasn't harsh enough on the consistent AB infringements, but otherwise you're correct, we should have done better at converting the play into points.

Still not too bothered. Overall good performance, particularly given the quality of the opposition and the injury disruption to the side, both before and during the game.

Got to love the Murrayfield crowd though. Scotland chant drowning out the Haka. Magnificent.



Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

 

[Dan54]

Think the ref wasn't harsh enough on the consistent AB infringements, but otherwise you're correct, we should have done better at converting the play into points.

Still not too bothered. Overall good performance, particularly given the quality of the opposition and the injury disruption to the side, both before and during the game.

Got to love the Murrayfield crowd though. Scotland chant drowning out the Haka. Magnificent.
I thought the Murrayfield crowd were bloody good too Highlander, they got into the game didn't they and the team responded, or kept their excitement fed! I know I don't boo myself at games, but the odd booing at kicker and pointing out what they perceive as other teams mistakes usually means the crowd into the game. It was real good to see at Murrayfield, and was interesting to they all remained pretty quiet when the Scots winger flicked the ball into touch with hand (ala SBW) just before halftime. And I genuinely mean I thought it was all great, right from the Doddie Weir bringing the ball out at beginning to the end!

 

[Highlander35]

There's a lot of talk about residency, or somebody with a granny who was sort of born somewhere but didn't really have a connection to the place and that nonsense, removing the passion in playing and supporting the National sides. But I defy anyone to tell me that anyone in a Navy or tartan getup doesn't feel an up-swelling of passion when the pipes cut out and 67,000 people start belting out Flower of Scotland, naff as it may be in literally any other context. How do you feel about the crowd responding to the Haka? I know I absolutely adore it: I've always seen it as a challenge, and particularly in an ABs away match, I think that it should not only be the right of the crowd to respond, but an obligation: that is of course, as long as it's not abusive.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^^^^^^^^ Now that we've lost to Ireland, Scotland are officially the team I'd least hate to lose to regardless of how many or few of them had bilateral ancestors at Bannockburn or Culloden.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

RIoane (shoulder) & Romano out for Wales, Tuipolotu's citing dismissed:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...ner-as-rieko-ioane-ruled-out-for-wales-finale

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

AB's have again delayed naming their 23 until after Thursday's training, the biggest issue being Read's hip. Wales will be without Liam Williams & Alex Cuthbert:

http://www.planetrugby.com/news/wales-without-williams-and-cuthbert/

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Now ASav has the mumps;

https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/a...-the-third-all-black-to-pick-up-viral-disease

Like the story says you can't call it an epidemic but 3/38 coming down with it seems a lot.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

No teams yet but the match officials have been confirmed:

Wales vs New Zealand
@ Principality Stadium, Cardiff
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant referees: Jérôme Garcès (France), Frank Murphy (Ireland)
TMO: Rowan Kitt (England)

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Wales: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 Hallam Amos, 13 Scott Williams, 12 Owen Williams, 11 Steff Evans, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Rhys Webb, 8 Taulupe Faletau, 7 Josh Navidi, 6 Aaron Shingler, 5 Alun Wyn Jones (c), 4 Jake Ball, 3 Tomas Francis, 2 Ken Owens, 1 Rob Evans. Replacements: 16 Kristian Dacey, 17 Wyn Jones, 18 Leon Brown, 19 Cory Hill, 20 Justin Tipuric, 21 Gareth Davie, 22 Rhys Priestland, 23 Jamie Roberts

http://www.planetrugby.com/news/jones-back-to-lead-much-changed-wales/

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

RIoane's fit but Read's not so Sam Whitelock will captain:

ALL BLACKS: Damian McKenzie, Waisake Naholo, Ryan Crotty, Sonny Bill Williams, Rieko Ioane, Beauden Barrett, Aaron Smith; Luke Whitelock, Sam Cane, Liam Squire, Sam Whitelock (capt), Patrick Tuipulotu, Nepo Laulala, Codie Taylor, Kane Hames. Reserves: Nathan Harris, Wyatt Crockett, Ofa Tu'ungafasi, Scott Barrett, Matt Todd, TJ Perenara, Lima Sopoaga, Anton Lienert-Brown.

 

[zer0]

I'm looking forward to seeing Whitelock as captain. Apparently the Welsh scum shouldn't be up to much with its current personnel. If that is indeed the case, then I'm hoping to see him ram home the scrummaging advantage, just like he did with the mauls in the Crusaders/Blues match.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^^^^^^^ recent history suggests the scrum will dominate while Hames & Laulala are out there, maybe not so much once Ofa comes on and/ or Barnes takes a dislike to Crockett's technique. I wouldn't think we lose anything power-wise with Pat T instead of Romano & LWhitelock is reputedly not far off KRead

 

[zer0]

Then we'll just have to get all their front rowers red carded in the first half.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Cardiff
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)

Gatland. no Read. LUKE WHITELOCK. missing almost entire forward pack. last game of season, brains half on the plane home

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^^^^^^^^^^ Sam & Luke's grandfather was in the last AB team to lose to Wales:

http://www.sport.co.uk/rugby/sam-whitelock-does-not-want-to-emulate-grandfather-as-he-lea/9199193/

Also there's four Fielding High School old boys in the team - the Whitelocks, ASmith & Taylor. I wouldn't think there would be too many other schools who've had that many in the same XV.