Bledisloe # 3 - Saturday 31st October, ANZ Stadium
- Thread starter KOB1987
- Start date
Up the Guts
Steve Williams (59)
JOC (James O'Connor) fan club won’t be happy but Ben Darwin will be at full mast over Rennie starting a tried and tested provincial combination.
Dctarget
Tim Horan (67)
JO'C injured apparently.
Up the Guts
Steve Williams (59)
Oh, well that makes sense.
Banks doing his standard from the last few years. Gets picked early in the test season on the back of Super Rugby form and then gets dropped.
Won't be surprised if we don't see him again this year.
Won't be surprised if we don't see him again this year.
Dismal Pillock
Michael Lynagh (62)
Karl T starting? better not waddle around open field play like a fat unfit lost pudding this time.
Dalton Papalii oh fuck yeah. Hook Crossword Frizzle early and lets get the fuck you up party started.
Very cool to see Laumape back in ready to fuck shit up.
Rieko should be embarrassed that fullback work experience intern Jordie, parked out there till his brother vacates the 15 jersey, gets a wing spot at his expense.
Dalton Papalii oh fuck yeah. Hook Crossword Frizzle early and lets get the fuck you up party started.
Very cool to see Laumape back in ready to fuck shit up.
Rieko should be embarrassed that fullback work experience intern Jordie, parked out there till his brother vacates the 15 jersey, gets a wing spot at his expense.
rodha
Dave Cowper (27)
Good, it's about time.. why on earth would you put Dmac on the bench when you have Mo'unga, Barrett and J.Barrett in the starting 15?? Three of those players can cover 10 and two of them play fullback! Additionally, all 3 of them are more influential players than Mackenzie. We need wing cover, hence Ioane at 23. Clarke is the only specialist winger in the starting 15.
Dismal Pillock
Michael Lynagh (62)
Dctarget
Tim Horan (67)
bloody excited for Lolesio, he has a habit of beating NZ. Yet to see anything from Simone to prove that he deserves to be there and isn't last man standing. DHP back should give this green backline some experience.
Expect some shenigans between Daugunu & Wilson down Jordie's wing. Maybe throw in a McDermott dart on debut.
Expect some shenigans between Daugunu & Wilson down Jordie's wing. Maybe throw in a McDermott dart on debut.
TSR
Andrew Slack (58)
I’d prefer JOC (James O'Connor) was there - but Lolesio can’t have done much more to push his case this year. And he seems a bit like Wilson in terms of composure - so I’m sure he’ll relish the chance. Likewise To'omua/Simone at 12. They’ve both had fine seasons and their selections reward good form.
Look forward to both getting their shot.
Having said that it’s a very big initiation and I hope if it doesn’t go so well people are realistic post game.
Viking
Mark Ella (57)
Yesssss ! Loving these Rennie selection. What a big risk with both Simone and Noah, but it also has the biggest upside.
If Noah can keep a cool head, he is the most dangerous runner at 10, and a much better general play kicker then JOC (James O'Connor) so we should see an improvement from that alone IF he can handle the pressure. Personally, I think he can, going from his Super Rugby grand final form.
Simone I'm bit more worried about. In an ideal world you would have To'omua as 12 to take some pressure off Noah. Simone's H overall skillset is by far the most balanced from a 12 we have had in years but i feel he needs another year under his belt to get a bit more consistency in his game. but I hope I am proven wrong and steps up a level that is needed to match the All Blacks.
If Noah can keep a cool head, he is the most dangerous runner at 10, and a much better general play kicker then JOC (James O'Connor) so we should see an improvement from that alone IF he can handle the pressure. Personally, I think he can, going from his Super Rugby grand final form.
Simone I'm bit more worried about. In an ideal world you would have To'omua as 12 to take some pressure off Noah. Simone's H overall skillset is by far the most balanced from a 12 we have had in years but i feel he needs another year under his belt to get a bit more consistency in his game. but I hope I am proven wrong and steps up a level that is needed to match the All Blacks.
Derpus
Nathan Sharpe (72)
DHP will probably break down again.
rodha
Dave Cowper (27)
Yep, it makes a lot more sense to drop Dmac if he isn't starting, purely because a lot of his utility isn't needed with 2 other 10s in the starting line-up.
I think it's more a necessity than a calculated risk. Both the 10 and 12 from the last test are injured.
I don't think playing Paisami at 12 would have been a more conservative selection. That would be even riskier in my view.
Would Banks come straight back in though? I'm not so sure.
KiwiM
Arch Winning (36)
Also two fullbacks in the starting XV with Jordie on the wing.
Viking
Mark Ella (57)
I wouldn't be surprised to never see him again unless he is 'last man standing'. He has offered nothing on attack in all his Tests. Unless he can step up this area of the game I'd prefer to start blooding alternatives. And honestly, I don't think Banks can obtain better footwork overnight some of those elusive skills can't be trained so easily.
On second thought...he could possibly fit into a backline which is already stacked with attacking weapons: Tate, Dungunu, Lolesio, Kerevi, Petatia, Korobeti, Banks. But you'd still probably go with DHP wouldn't you.