New Zealand v Australia - Auckland - 23 August 2014

[KOB1987]

Quite simply, yes.

I would consider him a guaranteed selection in the backline along with AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Folau, and soon to be Speight.....

Whilst I do agree that Speight will be amongst those first picked by the time RWC 2015 comes around, I am not of the belief that he will walk straight in to jersey #11 or #14 as soon as he becomes eligible..and nor should he..

Firstly, he needs to displace someone..so that assumes that player is playing badly enough to be benched. Secondly, he will be returning from injury..

I don't know what Link's actual plans for him are, but I would suspect that his intentions are that provided he does enough to warrant it in the latter half of the RC, to have him in the side for Bledisloe 3..so I would be surprised if he doesn't come off the bench for at least 2, if not all of those final 3 RC games.

I don't think Link will rush him through the system put it that way..and there's always the EOY tour to ground him if necessary..

EDIT: Slim, you aren't necessarily suggesting that he will walk straight in to the team..but many others have..you post was just the prompt to write this

 

[qwerty51]

Considering right now our wingers are Horne and McCabe.. yes, Speight will walk right into the starting side.

 

[Train Without a Station]

Based on last weekend Speight will come into the side.

To say he's a guaranteed starter is Brumbies parochial hyperbole though. What if he lets the occasion get to him and has a shocker? No player yet to debut can be considered a lock in starter.

 

[Braveheart81]

I disagree. I think that providing Speight is training at full pace for a couple of weeks before he becomes eligible for the Argentina test on September 13 he will come into the starting side.

If McCabe and Horne both happen to be exceptional this weekend and then against the Springboks two weeks later, Speight may debut from the bench but I think it would take amazing performances from both of them to keep Speight out.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Thought the field looked great and whilst not dry, players seemed to handle it (the playing surface) pretty well.

Actually my only cricticism was the shithouse ground announcer and equally shithouse music. He did nothing to "rev" the crowd.

A mate of mine, sitting behind me made the comment and said that the Tahs final, crowd participation and so on was fantastic when compared to this match

 

[KOB1987]

we will see..even though it's v Argentina I still think he'll come off the bench..in fact that's probably an even bigger reason to ease him into it..

I wouldn't think it's fair for him to walk straight in if McCabe and/or Horne have to play blinders, I think they need to be underperforming..sends a bad message otherwise..even to Speight, he becomes complacent then..

 

[BPC]

It seems a little funny that Crotty is expected to be named at 12 after Fekitoa was pretty decent at 13 last Saturday and spent most of the Super Rugby season at 12 for the Highlanders with Smith at 13.

Good opportunity to rekindle that combination.

They're definitely two huge losses for the All Blacks though. Whilst Messam is an excellent replacement for Kaino, Kaino is far more physical. They'll certainly need more out of Read this week than they got in Sydney.

Crotty was more settled in his cameo than Fekitoa was all game so it is understandable. Conrad adds a lot of intelligence to the backline but less power so Feikitoa may be a more complementary partner than Crotty.

Messam is good but plays a looser style than Kaino. Kaino is a beast close to the ruck and his absence might make pick and go a viable option, particularly if it is pissing down.


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[BPC]

You thought White's service was good? Really?

Do you think any fly half plays as flat as they normally do when it's pouring with rain and the ball is harder to handle and the passing to them is less consistent? Really?

Anyway, this conversation is getting ridiculous. Your hatred of Beale seems to be almost apoplectic.

All I'm saying is that I thought our team played well given the conditions, Beale wasn't terrible and that I thought McKenzie would give the same team another shot. If any player was going to be dropped it would have been White who had a bit of a 'mare.

I thought Beale stood too deep and the poor passes from White don't explain all the problems. However it was pretty appalling weather and if we dropped a player after one poor match, we would be out of players to represent Australia by now except possibly for AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) who is always consistent. I would prefer Foley but we should give Beale a least a few matches before we unleash the lynch mob.


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[Scrubber2050]

Anyone reading this site would say that the All Blacks def Australia 50 squat

 

[Quick Hands]

Lots of rain swirling over the Auckland area

 

[KOB1987]

Lots of rain swirling over the Auckland area

all good it's only Tuesday..note the high pressure system over the bight, that's heading their way..

 

[Oldschool]

we will see..even though it's v Argentina I still think he'll come off the bench..in fact that's probably an even bigger reason to ease him into it..

I wouldn't think it's fair for him to walk straight in if McCabe and/or Horne have to play blinders, I think they need to be underperforming..sends a bad message otherwise..even to Speight, he becomes complacent then..

I'm no Brumby supporter, but the fact is the wallabies have converted two centers to wingers. Speight is a specialist winger that has speed and power to burn. Sorry McCabe you're on the bench.

 

[Train Without a Station]

If anything McCabe is a converted winger, not a converted centre. He had played all bar 4 super rugby games as a winger or fullback when Deans anointed him the future wallaby 12.

 

[KOB1987]

I've given this a bit of thought and I'm going to meet in the middle now..

I should point out that I am by no means anti-Speight, I can't wait to see him in a gold jumper as much as the next bloke..

However..primarily because he is returning from injury I think he will be blooded into the side from the bench against Argentina on Sept 13..but not 10 minutes at the end, probably the whole second half..and then be in the run on side v the Boks the next weekend..

thinking rationally, that is the way to go..

anyway, no need to argue, if he's in the side on the 13th I'm not going to whinge about it!

onwards to this weekend

 

[Braveheart81]

I think the easiest way to frame the Speight issue is to ignore his eligibility.

If he'd been fit in June would he have been selected on the wing against France? I think he would have.

If he'd been fit for the first Bledisloe, would he have been selected to debut ahead of either McCabe or Horne. Absolutely I think he would have.

That's why I think it will take something miraculous from the current wingers for McKenzie not to select him when he is healthy and available for selection.

 

[Interestedoz1]

My opinion of how to beat the AB's is as follows:

A) do not under any circumstances attempt to score a try against the AB's - it's too difficult now and hence can't form part of an effective game plan
B) achieve excellence in defence
C) achieve excellence in kicking penalties and field goals

Any team trying to win against the AB's by scoring tries is wasting their time in my opinion.

 

[Oldschool]

My opinion of how to beat the AB's is as follows:

A) do not under any circumstances attempt to score a try against the AB's - it's too difficult now and hence can't form part of an effective game plan
B) achieve excellence in defence
C) achieve excellence in kicking penalties and field goals

Any team trying to win against the AB's by scoring tries is wasting their time in my opinion.

Are you English?

 

[lewisr]

My opinion of how to beat the AB's is as follows:

A) do not under any circumstances attempt to score a try against the AB's - it's too difficult now and hence can't form part of an effective game plan
B) achieve excellence in defence
C) achieve excellence in kicking penalties and field goals

Any team trying to win against the AB's by scoring tries is wasting their time in my opinion.

Is that you, Robbie?

 

[KOB1987]

I think the easiest way to frame the Speight issue is to ignore his eligibility.

If he'd been fit in June would he have been selected on the wing against France? I think he would have.

If he'd been fit for the first Bledisloe, would he have been selected to debut ahead of either McCabe or Horne. Absolutely I think he would have.

I don't disagree with any of that except it ignores the fact that he is injured..and that combined with his ineligibity means he is short on match fitness..

 

[KOB1987]

My opinion of how to beat the AB's is as follows:

A) do not under any circumstances attempt to score a try against the AB's - it's too difficult now and hence can't form part of an effective game plan
B) achieve excellence in defence
C) achieve excellence in kicking penalties and field goals

Any team trying to win against the AB's by scoring tries is wasting their time in my opinion.

another huge debut!