All Blacks v Poms, Test 1 Auckland

[Tex]

English side named.

15-Mike Brown
14-Marland Yarde
13-Manu Tuilagi
12-Kyle Eastmond
11-Jonny May
10-Freddie Burns
9-Danny Care
8-Ben Morgan
7-Chris Robshaw (captain)
6-James Haskell
5-Geoff Parling
4-Joe Launchbury
3-David Wilson
2-Rob Webber
1-Joe Marler

Replacements: 16-Joe Gray, 17-Matt Mullan, 18-Henry Thomas, 19-Dave Attwood, 20-Tom Johnson, 21-Ben Youngs, 22-Danny Cipriani, 23-Chris Pennell

A few classy players in the team but the Darkness should absolutely pants them. Cipriani is back via the bench, with Owen Farrel being a late arrival to the squad. It'll be interesting to see how he goes at Eden Park - he was a windmill in defence for the Rebels.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Good looking pack, but if the AB's don't flog them I'd be surprised.

 

[ACT Crusader]

Danny Care under an injury cloud

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Like Retallick, I'd struggle to name more than about 6 of the Soap Dodgers run on squad. Many there I have not heard of.

 

[ChargerWA]

Like Retallick, I'd struggle to name more than about 6 of the Soap Dodgers run on squad. Many there I have not heard of.

You're 6 ahead of Rettalick then...

AB's by 40+

 

[Braveheart81]

That English front row looks like it could get absolutely demolished in the scrum.

 

[Muttonbird]

That English front row looks like it could get absolutely demolished in the scrum.

I'm sure Owens will even things up.

 

[Moono75]

I want the AB's to go through undefeated.......I want them fresh for the Wallabies to inflict maximum psychological damage...(insert evil laugh)

 

[badabing59]

From skysports, UK. Playing old footage of tests England won (not much footage )
The UK press is all over the upcoming test, with every man and his dog having an opinion. Must be a slow soccer week.
Most opinion reflects a growing confidence in Lancaster. Tomorrows test will be a lot closer than TAB odds predict, imo. Or it could be a complete blow out-harder to pick than a broken nose.

 

[Ulrich]

I like Lancaster and I've been saying it since his appointment that England will probably win 2015 - just a gut feeling I have.

So even though England may not win this series, they certainly have made sure of playing the top SH nations to give them the best preparation.

Don't write off England's chances completely. England have always had a quiet confidence about them under Lancaster.

 

[Muttonbird]

If England make the final in 2015 they are a good chance, but that is far from certain.

 

[USARugger]

England are a team that you can't really help but begrudgingly respect. They're masters of the art of winning dirty and that will serve them well in the RWC.

In the meantime they need to learn to play pretty if they want to compete regularly with NZ, Aus and SA.

The English pack should challenge NZ up front by the All Blacks' backs are just going to be way too good for England to cope with for an entire game, much less a series.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Tonight's forecast is 13 deg & foggy with 98% humidity. Hope that doesn't turn it into a kickathon, I wanna see some running rugby from both sides - after the fatties have set the platform, of course. TAB points start out to 19.5 ( from 18.5) which given the conditions I'd be jumping on England to beat.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

I can't see the Soap Dodgers getting within 20 points of The Darkness.

If they do, it will be a bigger capitulation from The Darkness than that of Iraq in Gulf War I.

 

[qwerty51]

England's full strength backline is better than the Boks.

 

[badabing59]

Couch ready
Remote ready
coffee made
beer chilling for later
full day of international rugby
Life is good.

 

[AngrySeahorse]

I've had a wicked cold & zero sleep over the last 24hrs but I'm hoping my baked dinner + Rugby will provide the right remedy.

AB's rightfully fav's but England certainly is a team that can dig its heels in so they could surprise.

I would have picked Barrett over Cruden to start at 10.

AB's by 13+.

 

[JSRF10]

Englands svcrum had been a weakness for a while but not sure BNZ have the ability there to capitalise.

England's trademark under Lancaster is a strong almost suffocating defense. To beat them you have to kick well and have good finishers. BNZ have both but I don't think that they will beat the spread.

Sent from my GT-I9305T using Tapatalk

 

[boyo]

Those GAGRs in the UK locale, do you have to endure the pommy commentators?

 

[badabing59]

Those GAGRs in the UK locale, do you have to endure the pommy commentators?

Yep

Nonu should have been yellow carded blah blah blah