June Internationals not involving Australia

[waiopehu oldboy]

Wales 22-20 South Africa (with 13 debutants in the 23) in Washington DC, USA

https://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Spr...gn-off-to-horror-start-in-washington-20180603

Not a good venue choice, apparently:

"According to reports, World Rugby had to pitch in with a financial rescue package to bail out the organisers of the match after it failed to hit the break-even target of 27 000 spectators through the turnstiles.

"The official attendance was 21 357, according to the Wales Online website - less than HALF the stadium's 45 596 capacity.

"Quite what SA Rugby's share of the revenue will be, remains to be seen."

https://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Spr...es-a-flop-at-the-turnstiles-20180603#cxrecs_s

 

[dru]

Both teams played 2nd XVs as the first were generally not released as it was outside the international window.

Wales win, but I think it counts as a home game - if so shouldn't be too painful in the rankings albeit Bok fans must be fuming.

 

[Braveheart81]

Kind of shows that unless you're the All Blacks you're not really going to cash in by playing a test match in the USA.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Was a rubbish game to boot. Poor advertisement for rugby in the states all round

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

AB's have assembled in Auckland, minus SBW (knee surgery, out for 4-6 weeks) & Brodie Retallick (pec injury, no time-frame for a return) plus RIoane has a cut above the eye due either to an altercation with another Bloos player or "hijinks/ foolish antics" depending on whether you go by the Hurld or stuff.co.nz

Luke Romano & Tom Franklin come in as lock options but supposedly Whitelock will play as will Crotty & Cane. Matt Todd also called in but he's covering Ardie who took a few knocks on Friday night.

After Saturday I don't think you can have DMac as the backup 10, just cant control a game well enough yet IMO, but they'll probably pick him anyway & hope Beaugan doesn't get hurt early on.

I think they'll go with:

Moody, Taylor, Franks
SBarrett, Whitelock
Fifita, Cane, Squire
ASmith, Beaugan
Crotty, AL-B
Reiko, Naholo, Bender

Harris, Tu'ungafasi, Perry, Romano, Ardie if fit or Todd, TJP, DMac, NM-S

I'd have Goodhue instead of AL-B & Mo'Unga instead of DMac, but that's maybe 'cos I'm a one-eyed Cantab

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Fifita, Cane, Squire

this has 2009 written all over it

Crotty, AL-B

if 1 of these 2 goes off injured (LET ME GUESS, CROTTY?) surely Dmac cannot play in the midfield? Isaia Toeava would be a TERRIBLE option. The supremely athletic Byron Kelleher could probably manage it. They'd have to have JBarrett on bench ahead of NMS?

Reiko, Naholo, Bender

the only All Black-level looking part of this team.

I'd have Goodhue instead of AL-B & Mo'Unga instead of DMac, but that's maybe 'cos I'm a one-eyed Cantab

I would too. Although Mounga might only be looking so good cos he has an armchair ride behind the AB cantab pack..... like Bryn Hall's getting.... and Hall didnt look too flash behind the backpedalling pansy Blues pack last season

ALB seems to just blend in in soup season but then really does the business in black

 

[Derpus]

ALB seems to just blend in in soup season but then really does the business in black

Isn't this every All Black regular? Once they are 'in' they just phone the Soup season in.

I'm pretty sure Keiran Reid has given up playing Super rugby altogether.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

I'm pretty sure Keiran Reid has given up playing Super rugby altogether.

Tenured faculty. Hardly fired a shot since 2016. It's the Cantabs way. Mccaw and Carter weren't Crusaders. Once established they just treated S15 as the clock-in then feet-up-on-the-desk day gig between tests.

Byron Kelleher never put his feet up at work. What a player he was. Isaia Toeava should have quit on his first day at work and saved everyone the trouble.

Jesus fucking Christ, it's only Wednesday.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^^^^^^^ GOAT 145 Super Rugby caps, 148 AB; DC 141/112; Read 133/109.

 

[zer0]

Won't happen, but I'd go with something like:

1. Moody
2. Taylor
3. Franks
4. S.Barrett
5. Whitelock (C)
6. Squire/Taufua
7. Cane
8. Taufua/Squire
9. A.Smith
10. Mo'unga
11. Ionae
12. Crotty
13. Goodhue
14. B.Smith
15. B.Barrett

16. Harris
17. Tu'ungafasi
18. Perry
19. Romano
20. Todd
21. Perenara
22. Lienert-Brown
23. J.Barrett

Or you could start Cane/Todd/Squire and have Taufua on the bench. Plenty of smarts in the backline and B.Barrett is back at his proper position where he has space and, more importantly, time to make his plays. Lienert-Brown covers the midfield/Crotty first, outside backs second. J.Barrett the outside backs first, midfield second. Unlikely that both Mo'unga and B.Barrett go down, so B.Barrett covers Mo'unga from the back.

Contemplated having Milner-Skudder on the bench, but it's a bit too risky to carry two injury prone players in Crotty and Milner-Skudder.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

All Blacks team to play France:

15. Jordie Barrett, 14. Ben Smith, 13. Anton Lienert-Brown, 12. Ryan Crotty, 11. Rieko Ioane, 10. Beauden Barrett, 9. Aaron Smith, 8. Luke Whitelock, 7. Sam Cane, 6. Liam Squire, 5. Scott Barrett, 4. Sam Whitelock (c), 3. Owen Franks, 2. Codie Taylor, 1. Joe Moody.

Reserves: 16. Nathan Harris, 17. Karl Tu'inukuafe, 18. Ofa Tuungafasi, 19. Vaea Fifita, 20. Ardie Savea, 21. TJ Perenara, 22. Damian McKenzie, 23. Ngani Laumape.

Main talking points will be omission of Naholo (presumably expecting France to kick a lot hence want two guys who are good under the high ball), inclusion of LWhitelock (expecting France to attack around the fringes so want a defensive 8 rather than a guy who runs wide a la Read?) & the Barretts becoming the first trio of bros to be named in an AB starting XV (as opposed to a 23 which they did twice last year).

 

[Dan54]

Lol a bit of laziness by Shag there I think, by naming 3 Barrett brothers, 2 Whitelock bros and 2 Smiths he obviously found it easier to just cut and paste names on team sheet. One would think he was feeling generous with Lienert-Brown!

 

[Dismal Pillock]

most underwhelming match day 23 in living memory. The bench, oh god. TJ Flapenara might bail them out but if theyre under the kosh that could go from bad to worse. Reminiscent of 09 loss when they started Donald and Toeava (DIPSHIT). Not even the legendary brainpower of Byron Kelleher (OBE, MBE, OBE) couldve saved them on that day.

When Luke Whitelock is named to start a test for NZ at #8 and no one even blinks you know youre about to look back at a 1991 storm that is about to happen again

^^^^^^^ GOAT 145 Super Rugby caps, 148 AB; DC 141/112; Read 133/109.

clocking in, clocking out. Check out all the titles the 2 of the best players ever won under Toddy...

​

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

France: Maxime Medard, Teddy Thomas, Mathieu Bastareaud (c), Geoffrey Doumayrou, Remy Grosso, Anthony Belleau, Morgan Parra, Kevin Gourdon, Fabien Sanconnie, Judicael Cancoriet, Yoann Maestri, Paul Gabrillagues, Uini Atonio, Camille Chat, Dany Priso.

Reserves: Adrien Pélissié, Cyril Baille, Rabah Slimani, Bernard Le Roux, Alexandre Lapandry, Baptiste Serin, Jules Plisson, Gael Fickou.

EDIT: I'm only familiar with ten of those names.

 

[Derpus]

Bastareaud should be fun to watch. Centre in a props body.

 

[Blake]

Petty happy with that All Black 23. Hansen’s got it Spot on IMO.

Glad they didn’t try to push Barrett to centre - could have been a fatal move.

B Smith on the right wing is a good option. Good luck to French if they plan on playing a kicking game. With Crotty keeping it tight in the middle hard to see where they will look to target.

 

[Dan54]

No actual surprises in team, Naholo probably unlucky and Goodhue maybe, though he been sick. Apparently Taufua carrying a calf injury didn't help him, but I think I would of preferred Whitelock anyway. Only thing I have to do now is make sure I get to pub or something in city to watch this before going into Suncorp.
I also think the Jordie at 15 is a pointer to how they may want to counter Folau later in the year!

 

[Blake]

No prizes for guessing why the crusaders always win in the rain.

1. Moody
2. Taylor
3. Franks
4. S.Barrett
5. Whitelock (C)

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

SOUTH AFRICA: Willie le Roux, S'busiso Nkosi, Lukhanyo Am, Damian de Allende, Aphiwe Dyantyi, Handre Pollard, Faf de Klerk, Duane Vermeulen, Jean-Luc du Preez, Siya Kolisi (captain), Franco Mostert, RG Snyman, Trevor Nyakane, Bongi Mbonambi, Tendai Mtawarira. Reserves: Akker van der Merwe, Steven Kitshoff, Wilco Louw, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Ivan van Zyl, Elton Jantjies, Warrick Gelant.

ENGLAND: Elliot Daly, Jonny May, Henry Slade, Owen Farrell (captain), Mike Brown, George Ford, Ben Youngs, Billy Vunipola, Tom Curry, Chris Robshaw, Nick Isiekwe, Maro Itoje, Kyle Sinckler, Jamie George, Mako Vunipola. Reserves: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Joe Marler, Harry Williams, Brad Shields, Nathan Hughes, Ben Spencer, Piers Francis, Denny Solomona.

 

[Ulrich]

Honestly don't know what to expect from the Boks. Can much easier go wrong than well I reckon, but if it goes well they could win well.