Bledisloe #1 New Zealand vs Australia, August 7 2021
- Thread starter Dismal Pillock
- Start date
Up the Guts
Steve Williams (59)
Strange absence of bigger centres posts once NZ named two lightweights.
tragic
John Solomon (38)
Petaia is an immense talent but has been a bit patchy between injuries.
If there’s one benefit to this suspension debacle it’s that Jordie has an opportunity he may not have otherwise had.
Hope he has a blinder and forces his way into the starting side when koro returns for game 2.
If there’s one benefit to this suspension debacle it’s that Jordie has an opportunity he may not have otherwise had.
Hope he has a blinder and forces his way into the starting side when koro returns for game 2.
Dan54
David Wilson (68)
Naa mate, I realise you weren't just taking the p*** .
Dan54
David Wilson (68)
What?? How many games have you seen Genia, Beale,Foley and Leili'ifano etc play this year?
You don't possibly think that players are still as good as they were in prime. Bugger me that's like saying ABs should still be playing Kaino, Franks etc etc .
Brumby Jack
Steve Williams (59)
In these Covid times, it's not surprising to see an all NZ match official team 0
Bullrush
Geoff Shaw (53)
KiwiM
Arch Winning (36)
Last year I would have agreed with you. This year Reece and Rieko look back to their best.
I actually would call Havili flashy based on his 2021 play at 12 - flick passes, cut out balls, chips and grubbers.
If I would was Wallabies I would be looking to throw up a lot of contestable bombs vs the ABs back 3. Of course the key is getting the weight on the kicks right so they are contestable.
Dismal Pillock
Michael Lynagh (62)
Ardie to 6? FUCK NO. Speedbump City.
eastman
John Solomon (38)
This is a good point. I don't think the ABs would select the same backline against the Springboks/ England because they know it would likely be an attritional game (read box kicks galore) and that back 3 is potentially suspect under the high ball.
The ABs are aware Wallabies are unlikely to ever have a gameplan based primarily on kicking and applying pressure, so they are able to pick smaller/ more expressive backline with Mackenzie etc to focus on counterattack of turnovers etc.
I'm also not suggesting we head down the relentless box-kicking route; it's not in our DNA and I don't think rugby union in this country needs their most prolific team to emulate the Lions.
BDA
Jim Lenehan (48)
I'm expecting a comfortable All Blacks win.
I actually think we match up pretty well from 1 to 9. If this game was going to be played in the rain and became a tight affair, I think the wallabies would be a chance, particularly coming off a closely contested French Series. The problem for me is our backline; it just doesn't measures up well against theirs. Lolesi looks to be developing nicely as test 10, but Mo'unga is quite clearly the better 10 in 2021 and probably by some margin. I'd struggle to find anyone else in that wallabies backline that you'd pick ahead of their opposite number honestly. Even Petaia is playing out of position and coming off injury. The loss of both Koribete AND Vunivalu means we lack any genuine strike-power on the wings. The backline players they have coming off the bench are also clearly better options than we have. I'm expecting the All Blacks to carve us up out wide and Mo'unga to dominate the contest. Our best bet is probably to keep it tight, try to make it a close game and hopefully we can get some good purchase in the set piece.
I actually think we match up pretty well from 1 to 9. If this game was going to be played in the rain and became a tight affair, I think the wallabies would be a chance, particularly coming off a closely contested French Series. The problem for me is our backline; it just doesn't measures up well against theirs. Lolesi looks to be developing nicely as test 10, but Mo'unga is quite clearly the better 10 in 2021 and probably by some margin. I'd struggle to find anyone else in that wallabies backline that you'd pick ahead of their opposite number honestly. Even Petaia is playing out of position and coming off injury. The loss of both Koribete AND Vunivalu means we lack any genuine strike-power on the wings. The backline players they have coming off the bench are also clearly better options than we have. I'm expecting the All Blacks to carve us up out wide and Mo'unga to dominate the contest. Our best bet is probably to keep it tight, try to make it a close game and hopefully we can get some good purchase in the set piece.
Dan54
David Wilson (68)
Well noone else can get into country, so we get what we get, same as last year.
Lightblue
Arch Winning (36)
upthereds#!
Peter Johnson (47)
- Hodge
Done to death but I like this Game.
Not sure how DP, Morohan and Tomane get in the squad.
Up the Guts
Steve Williams (59)
Jury is out on Havili for me, played nearly all his top level rugby behind a perennially strong Crusader pack so interested to see how he goes if the momentum isn’t all behind him. ALB very solid but he’s never caused us a huge amount of problems at Wallaby level.
Wingers certainly have lifted on last year, although I’d be more worried about Ioane at 13. Struggle to see how McKenzie starts in 15.
Up the Guts
Steve Williams (59)
Au contraire, Petaia is contractually obliged to start any game Mo’unga is playing so he can run over him and generate advertising material. Not sure little Richard has ever successfully brought him down.
Rennie can pick a couple now if he wanted. If he wanted more they would change the rule to let him pick more. Realistically half the players you've named wouldn't add anything to our team.
The biggest difference between us and South Africa is distance. It's a lot harder to fly back from Europe and play here than it is in South Africa.
There's also the fact that some of the tests we play our outside the international windows.
I hope Rennie uses some overseas based players for the EOYT and then the RWC. Those are the times it actually makes sense.
Dismal Pillock
Michael Lynagh (62)
I could grease a few palms if I wanted to but I don't really want to.
