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[2014 Mid-Year Tests] New Zealand vs England (1st Test)

lol, there isn't a kiwi post here yet. Calmly confident in the shadows...
 
My predicted ABs side:

1. Woodcock
2. Coles
3. Franks
4. Retallick
5. Whitelock
6. Messam (6. Kaino, 8. Vito is also a distinct possibility, and my favoured option...)
7. McCaw
8. Kaino
9. Smith the 1st
10. Cruden (though they may pick the form man in Barrett)
11. Jane (assuming Savea is ruled out)
12. Nonu
13. Smith the 2nd
14. Smith the 3rd
15. Dagg

16. Mealamu
17. Crockett (I would prefer Franks)
18. Faumuina
19. Tuipulotu
20. Vito
21. Kerr-Barlow
22. Barrett
23. Fekitoa
 
isn't cruden out injured?

Do you think they'll go with jane on the wing? or maybe blood someone like Fekitoa, or even play Smith the 3rd on the right and Dagg make the team??

Also, this cr*p p*sses me off, how is that paying respect to the opposition?

"when lock Brodie Retallick was unable to name one member of Stuart Lancaster's touring party.

Asked if he knew any England player ahead of Saturday's series opener, Retallick responded "a couple". When pressed for a name, the second row said "Michael Lawes". Retallick appeared to mean Courtney Lawes, who is en route to New Zealand having helped Northampton win the Aviva Premiership final last weekend and is unavailable for the first Test."
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I don't believe in this day and age of video analysis that the AB's players don't know their opposite numbers...it's just idle trolling.
 
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goodNumber10 said:
Also, this cr*p p*sses me off, how is that paying respect to the opposition?



I don't believe in this day and age of video analysis that the AB's players don't know their opposite numbers...it's just idle trolling.
Click to expand...
Completely agree - especially as Retalick played against England like 6 months ago, as well. If he can't remember the name of a single one of those players...
 
goodNumber10 said:
isn't cruden out injured?

Do you think they'll go with jane on the wing? or maybe blood someone like Fekitoa, or even play Smith the 3rd on the right and Dagg make the team??

Also, this cr*p p*sses me off, how is that paying respect to the opposition?



I don't believe in this day and age of video analysis that the AB's players don't know their opposite numbers...it's just idle trolling.
Click to expand...

Cruden is back from injury now - he played off the bench 2 weeks ago (against the Canes) and started last weekend against the Sharks. He was far from convincing in either match, but I suspect the ABs selectors will back him to get back to his best quickly...

With Piutau out we only have 4 specialist outside backs in the squad. If all 4 are fit I would suspect Jane would miss out on the starting lineup (indeed he would be lucky to make the 23). It looks like Savea may miss the match though so Jane should start. Fekitoa is an option I suppose, but has basically no experience on thr wing, so would be a big risk. He will have a good shot of making the bench though as midfield/wing cover....
 
I hadn't noticed Cruden started last week.. he is quality, and i enjoy watching him play, even against us.
 
goodNumber10 said:
Also, this cr*p p*sses me off, how is that paying respect to the opposition?


I don't believe in this day and age of video analysis that the AB's players don't know their opposite numbers...it's just idle trolling.
Click to expand...

I think they asked him his opposite number and he obviously got the first name wrong by mistake, later in the article Nonu gets asked a similar question and talks about Tuilagi. Don't be offended, simple mistake. Retallick really isn't the type to try to needle the opposition in the media trust me.

I'd say Jane will be on the right wing, since he has the best left hand fend in world rugby. Ben Smith can play on the left, he isn't as one-sided.
 
Seriously looking forward to this. This is pretty well the only time I can fully get behind the All Blacks as an Australian. Looking to be a good series too with the squads on offer.
 
sanzar said:
Seriously looking forward to this. This is pretty well the only time I can fully get behind the All Blacks as an Australian. Looking to be a good series too with the squads on offer.
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Judas !!! Haha

You would never catch me cheering on the welsh or the scots .......... Ever !
 
Maverick1987 said:
Judas !!! Haha

You would never catch me cheering on the welsh or the scots .......... Ever !
Click to expand...


Apples and oranges. Kiwis are our brothers really - we've always been allies and share a lot in common, and so we have no where near the animosity that you lot have with the other home nations with whom you have historically fought against.

Moreover, as an Aussie we love to hate you lot in sport, so it's a no brainer that most Aussies will be cheering the ABs against you haha.
 
sanzar said:
Seriously looking forward to this. This is pretty well the only time I can fully get behind the All Blacks as an Australian. Looking to be a good series too with the squads on offer.
Click to expand...
Haha even I'm supporting the All Blacks, if anyone's going to beat them it better be us :p.

I will be looking at England closely however, I really don't follow NH rugby as closely as I should not because I dislike it or underestimate it at all I'm just not emotionally invested, I always plan to watch the 6N closely too get into the swing of things but it coincides with the start of Super Rugby which I'm always so excited about that the 6N kinda gets lost. The back line looks a bit different since the last time I looked. I like Care starting and I like someone other than Farrel (injury?) and Barret slotted in as well.

On the NZ side the side is fairly obvious and it's a pity Luatua was poor this season, but the loose trio has the right mix of mobility and physicality both on and off the breakdown. Read is big loss but it shouldn't make an awful lot of difference as the replacements are more than able (and Read, Kaino and Mccaw is probably not even sporting :p), I'd also really like to see Ben Smith get the starting berth at FB as he's just so consistently sublime, and he can get more involved at FB, but Dagg has done enough in recent weeks to hold on to his spot I suppose. Barret should be starting on form but I suppose there's no reason to rush him into the starting line-up, if he doesn't start I do think he'll get larger chunks of play time than he has in the past (don't remember him getting more than 10 minutes).
 
donmcdazzle said:
I think they asked him his opposite number and he obviously got the first name wrong by mistake, later in the article Nonu gets asked a similar question and talks about Tuilagi. Don't be offended, simple mistake. Retallick really isn't the type to try to needle the opposition in the media trust me.
Click to expand...

Sorry mate, but i don't believe that for one minute.

It happens every single time England play a SH team - "oh, we don't watch NH rugby".

These guys watch footage, and are press briefed, there is no way he doesn't know his oppo, or any of the opposition, it's just psychology, Rettalick is making a point with that statement.

donmcdazzle said:
I'd say Jane will be on the right wing, since he has the best left hand fend in world rugby. Ben Smith can play on the left, he isn't as one-sided.
Click to expand...

He is a superb player, and i'd love to see him back in full flight, juts he seems to not be favoured by Hansen.
 
goodNumber10 said:
Sorry mate, but i don't believe that for one minute.

It happens every single time England play a SH team - "oh, we don't watch NH rugby".

These guys watch footage, and are press briefed, there is no way he doesn't know his oppo, or any of the opposition, it's just psychology, Rettalick is making a point with that statement.
Click to expand...

No seriously, he isn't that sort of a guy. Go on youtube and watch 'The Crowd Goes Wild' and you'll see how casual these guys (especially the Chiefs with James McOnie) are with the media. I've met him a few times (through a friend) and he really is just a normal bloke who happens to be good at footy, he wouldn't have it in him to deliberately try to psychologically do whatever it is you think that is.

Is it poor of him to not know who he is potentially marking? Yes. Was it a deliberate ploy to try and rattle the English team? No. You're reading too much into it.
 
SomeOke said:
The back line looks a bit different since the last time I looked. I like Care starting and I like someone other than Farrel (injury?) and Barret slotted in as well.
Click to expand...

Because of the ridiculous scheduling no players from Northampton or Saracens can play in the first test, as they were involved in the Premiership final.
 
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SO Burns, Parling and Johnson are all in <_< luckily Johnson and Burns won't feature again when the finalist get over there.
 
Urgh.

Hopefully Sky are wrong. I know the Daily Fail are usually pretty spot on, not sure if they've named a side yet.
 
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Sky didn't make any mention of who will feature on the bench outside of Cipriani and Attwood.
 

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