Aus vs NZ - 1st Test Sydney 17Aug2013

[Blue]

Ash
I have been watching rugby for almost 40 years and I haven't heard the Highlanders called 'The Clan' before.

I just read this. You are taking the piss right? People here and on NZ forums call them the Clan. The students in Dunedin call them The Clan. They play bagpipes before games and have a Maori dressed in a kilt before games for gods sake.

I suggest you get your facts straight.

Edit: okay I see everyone has moved on already. Oh well.

 

[ACT Crusader]

I just read this. You are taking the piss right? People here and on NZ forums call them the Clan. The students in Dunedin call them The Clan. They play bagpipes before games and have a Maori dressed in a kilt before games for gods sake.

I suggest you get your facts straight.

Edit: okay I see everyone has moved on already. Oh well.

Nothing to see here Blue.....

As for the ABs, the backline from 11-15 will be the same one from test 1 vs France. Carter will come into 10 if he gets throught he finals okay.

The two likely starting halfbacks - Smith and Weepu - aren't playing finals footy, so it could be a toss of the coin between the two of them. Smith still concerns me greatly, but I can see why Hansen and co like his play because he is very quick, very swift pass (if not wayward) and is a very good support player. Big fan of Weepu finishing games though.

9. Smith
10. Carter
11. Savea
12. Nonu
13. Smith
14. Smith
15. Dagg

The bench of Weepu, Cruden and Piutau

 

[Zander]

3 Smiths in the backline, would that be a record?

 

[Dan54]

And Zander, it's even A,B & C Smith, that would be close to record, though perhaps they should of held David Smith back from going to Toulon, just to add the D!!

 

[Hugh Jarse]

3 Smiths in the backline, would that be a record?

The Welsh had about 12 Jones's and 5 Williams's in their squad a year or two back.

 

[GaffaCHinO]

So best new i have had all month.

Boss comes to me says im going to Sydney on Sunday 18th for a show starting on the Monday.

My brain kicks into action remembering the first test is the night before.

I ask to leave the day before and ill pay the extra night so i can go to the game.

Boss say dont worry about it they will pay the extra night BOOM.

Nek Minit Going to my First Bledisloe for FREEEEEEEEE! Bring it!

 

[Blue]

Nothing to see here Blue...

As for the ABs, the backline from 11-15 will be the same one from test 1 vs France. Carter will come into 10 if he gets throught he finals okay.

The two likely starting halfbacks - Smith and Weepu - aren't playing finals footy, so it could be a toss of the coin between the two of them. Smith still concerns me greatly, but I can see why Hansen and co like his play because he is very quick, very swift pass (if not wayward) and is a very good support player. Big fan of Weepu finishing games though.

9. Smith
10. Carter
11. Savea
12. Nonu
13. Smith
14. Smith
15. Dagg

The bench of Weepu, Cruden and Piutau

Smiff to Smiff to Whitelock to Smiff to Smiff to Franks to Franks to Smiff...

Jaysus stop marrying your cousins over there.

And then you have the little commentary Smiff midget whingey whiney bloke. Decent countries have laws against these sort of things.

 

[barbarian]

Yeah I love that Blue. Can just imagine:

"Great try by Smith there. All came courtesy of the break from Smith, who was put into the hole thanks to a beautiful flat ball from Smith. What did you think of that, Smithy?"
.

 

[Bruwheresmycar]

What if G&GR runs a "Smuth of the match award", sponsored by Smuths Chups.

 

[Ruggo]

Too many people dumping shit on Douglas for having an off Lions series. He didn't have a great series but put some context into some of the other things the young bloke had going on in life at the same time. The bloke is young and just lost his mother way before her time. That alone explains why he probably didn't have his head in the game despite without doubt he would have tried to.

Douglas is a great prospect and I have no doubt he will have many good moments in the Wallaby jersey to come.

As for Simmons as reserve lock. What do you wan't in your reserve lock? My answer to this is a technically sound lock and despite what people may say about other parts of his game, he most certainly is technically sound lock. Calls lineouts and can pack both sides of the scrum well if required. People can harp on about impact from the bench but this is naive to the fact that often fate dictates when these players are required to enter the game rather than just the coaches will to just freshen things up.

If one thing is to be learned from Link's tenure at the Reds is that he doesn't select 15 individuals. Every player needs to compliment the players beside him and often that means half your team is less than fashionable. I wouldn't be expect Link to be trying to cram all the superstars into the starting 15. One player I would not be surprised to see come back into the Wallaby fold is Anthony Fainga'a. I would not be surprised to see him as the preferred 12 outside Cooper and Lilo being the player moved to 15. Folou will remain on the wing and with the right structures he will be lethal in benefiting from Coopers strong peripheral vision. The other wing spot becomes very contestable and depends on how Link wants to use him. Honey Badger, Mogg or JOC (James O'Connor) all in the mix. Will Link tolerate JOC (James O'Connor)'s crap or tell him to bugger off and earn the jersey back is the big question.

The front row will only change with Slipper replacing Alexander. Link will take Sio into his squad and onto his bench I suspect and I suspect Greg Holmes will be in his thoughts also. Alexander may survive via the Bench or he may not. This may be where Holmes comes into consideration.

I think the back row will change and Palu put out to pasture. Link will want players he can work with into the future leading toward the 2015 RWC and the fact that Cliffy just might not hold the body together will be a factor in this thought process. Noodles won't factor into consideration as his Wallaby future is limited by his move to France and Link won't want a short term solution when viable longer term solutions exist. Mowen I suspect will be the new Wallaby number 8 I suspect and potentially for some time to come. He has great skills at the back of the scrum and is a better 8 than six in my view. Blindside looking toward this RC will be MMM I suspect though with a view to the future I suspect Higgers will become the number one option. MMM has the same issues as Cliffy and this won't escape Link. Gill I suspect will replace Hooper. Both fantastic players but in a different way and Gill as the breakdown work horse will suit better. Pocock will feature into the future and Hooper may become the modern day Crofty and be a fantastic player in his own right but just not enough spots for all.

Lock becomes interesting but one thing is for sure in that locks from now on will require the ability to perform the bread and butter jobs that locks do. We got some good stocks here to choose from. Pyle and Carter I would not be surprised to see enter contention.

 

[ACT Crusader]

Smiff to Smiff to Whitelock to Smiff to Smiff to Franks to Franks to Smiff.

Jaysus stop marrying your cousins over there.

And then you have the little commentary Smiff midget whingey whiney bloke. Decent countries have laws against these sort of things.

The term 'bro' isn't just a colloquial one

 

[Muttonbird]

No. He will be playing Quadeball and I hope he has got cheap shots at Ritchie out of his game or we could be in trouble.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

"Quadeball". Excellent!

 

[Muttonbird]

Will never get an atmosphere like Lions tests, I been going to tests for 30 odd years and can assure you Lions tests have great atmosphere with their supporters, it doesn't take Einstein to work out why. Generally they have travelled from other side of world and here or in NZ/SA for a holiday as well as watching rugby. As a rule the supposters are older, tend to be real rugby people, and tend to be more successful (they need to be to afford and spend money on the trip) than your general Aus/Kiwi/Saffa bogan supporter that are part time rugby supporters that will annoy the shit out of us at games.
Anyway ,I not going to Sydney, but going to 2nd test in Wellington with a few mates, both Aus and Kiwi.

Not sure what you mean there. Resident New Zealanders anyway are "real" rugby people. In fact, you cannot get more rugby than that. Only half the Lions supporters would have been "real" anyway because the other half would have been their wives, as you say, on holiday.

Yes, the sing-song atmosphere of a Lions test is the same sing-song atmosphere that makes the Six Nations a "great" competition. It's not the rugby on the pitch, it's the money in the stands.

 

[Muttonbird]

I know Australians like to nickname people at the drop of a cork hat but this is driving me nuts.

Who is MMM?

Google yields no answer.

 

[barbarian]

Who is MMM?

Hugh McMeniMan

 

[Muttonbird]

Thanks. McMeniman was the name I'd got closest to but you wouldn't believe how hard it is to get confirmation on something like that, even on the internet.

21 Wallaby caps over 8 years, right? 29 Reds caps? That will be why I've not heard much about him.

 

[Dan54]

Not sure what you mean there. Resident New Zealanders anyway are "real" rugby people. In fact, you cannot get more rugby than that. Only half the Lions supporters would have been "real" anyway because the other half would have been their wives, as you say, on holiday.

Na Muttonbird, don't you worry, we got plenty of "part time" rugby people in NZ as have every country, by that I mean ones who just go along tp tests/S15 games a couple of times a year, and usually when team is winning, and wouldn't know what the inside of a rugby club looked like!!

 

[Ash]

Thanks. McMeniman was the name I'd got closest to but you wouldn't believe how hard it is to get confirmation on something like that, even on the internet.

21 Wallaby caps over 8 years, right? 29 Reds caps? That will be why I've not heard much about him.

29 Reds caps and 21 Wallaby caps in 5 years due to injury, had huge raps on him. Went to Japan due to being continually injured in 2010, came back this year.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

I know Australians like to nickname people at the drop of a cork hat but this is driving me nuts.

Who is MMM?

Google yields no answer.

Think of it as a bit of a heteronym.

Context is important.

MMM is also the Mighty Manly Marlins.

If you struggle with the Aussie way, how do you go with these heteronyms from English?
The farm was used to produce produce.
With every number I read, my mind gets number and number.
I don't object to that object you have.

 

[Rassie]

Yeah I love that Blue. Can just imagine:

"Great try by Smith there. All came courtesy of the break from Smith, who was put into the hole thanks to a beautiful flat ball from Smith. What did you think of that, Smithy?"
.

Smitty: Nonu has been quite magnificent coming inside Carter, and I'm looking forward to seeing more of the same today.