Spring Tour: New Zealand vs Ireland - 3rd Test. (23/6/2012, 07:35 GMT)

[Darwin]

Waikato Stadium, Hamilton (23/06/2012, 07:35 GMT)

Referee: Romain Poite (France)

[TABLE="class: cms_table_cms_table_grid, width: 360, align: center"]
<tbody>[TR]
[TD="align: center"]New Zealand[/TD]
[TD="align: center"][/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Ireland[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Israel Dagg[/TD]
[TD]15[/TD]
[TD]Rob Kearney[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Ben Smith[/TD]
[TD]14[/TD]
[TD]Fergus McFadden[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Conrad Smith[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]Brain O'Driscoll (c)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Sonny Bill Williams[/TD]
[TD]12[/TD]
[TD]Paddy Wallace[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Hosea Gear[/TD]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]Keith Earls[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Aaron Cruden[/TD]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD]Jonathan Sexton[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Aaron Smith[/TD]
[TD]9[/TD]
[TD]Conor Murray[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Richie McCaw (c)[/TD]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]Peter O'Mahony[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Sam Cane[/TD]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD]Sean O'Brien[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Liam Messam[/TD]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD]Kevin McLaughlin[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Samuel Whitelock[/TD]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]Donnacha Ryan[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Luke Romano[/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]Dan Touhy[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Owen Franks[/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]Mike Ross[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Andrew Hore[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]Rory Best[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Tony Woodcock[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]Cian Healy[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Keven Mealamu[/TD]
[TD]16[/TD]
[TD]Sean Cronin[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Ben Franks[/TD]
[TD]17[/TD]
[TD]Declan Fitzpatrick[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Brodie Retallick[/TD]
[TD]18[/TD]
[TD]Donncha O'Callaghan[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Adam Thomson[/TD]
[TD]19[/TD]
[TD]Chris Henry[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Piri Weepu[/TD]
[TD]20[/TD]
[TD]Eoin Reddan[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Beauden Barrett[/TD]
[TD]21[/TD]
[TD]Ronan O'Gara[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Tamati Ellison[/TD]
[TD]22[/TD]
[TD]Andrew Trimble[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]
​

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Never heard of the referee - this will be interesting!

News tonight is that Weepu's under a wee bit of an injury cloud and that Read didn't train.

 

[lynam1104]

Read will be a big loss for the AB's if true when he left the field at half time it was felt.

 

[Darwin]

Read will be a big loss for the AB's if true when he left the field at half time it was felt.

Yeah he would be a massive loss. Not only is he a world class player (the best number 8 in the world in my opinion), but if he is out it is possible NZ will go into the game without a genuine Number 8 (McCaw could play 8, with Thomson and Cane on the flanks). If Read is out I hope they bring Messam straight into the starting lineup at number 8, and keep McCaw at 7 (with Cane on the bench).

 

[lynam1104]

While i think calling up Messam is the best option I feel Hansen will be reluctant to do so and McCaw will most likely play at 8 with Cane at 7.

 

[Amiga500]

I'm not optimistic at the best of times...

So can't see far beyond a bloody new zealand backlash...

 

[Feicarsinn]

Yeah he would be a massive loss. Not only is he a world class player (the best number 8 in the world in my opinion), but if he is out it is possible NZ will go into the game without a genuine Number 8 (McCaw could play 8, with Thomson and Cane on the flanks). If Read is out I hope they bring Messam straight into the starting lineup at number 8, and keep McCaw at 7 (with Cane on the bench).

Yup, the loss will be mitigated by us losing Jamie Heaslip though. They're probably of equal importance to the two sides, so it should cancel out.

 

[lynam1104]

Although we do have an endless supply of quality back rows.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Although we do have an endless supply of quality back rows.

I assume you're taking the ****?

 

[lynam1104]

Yep we're short at the moment we've lost 2/3 of our first choice loosies.

 

[big ginger 8]

Backrow is still our best position in terms of depth though most of them are 6's.

Never heard of the referee - this will be interesting!

News tonight is that Weepu's under a wee bit of an injury cloud and that Read didn't train.

Don't worry you'll know him well enough after the Romain Poite show!

 

[big ginger 8]

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0620/1224318256349.html

Smith's really impressed me this season has one of the best passes I've seen since Stringer's.

In the last two tests we've made 197 and 182 tackles respectively that's crazy.

EDIT: Apparently McCaw was training at 8 with Read advising him yesterday,

 

[coonor]

Carter out!

 

[Irishflanker]

New Zealand: 15-Israel Dagg; 14-Ben Smith, 13-Conrad Smith, 12-Sonny Bill Williams, 11-Hosea Gear; 10-Aaron Cruden, 9-Aaron Smith; 8-Richie McCaw (captain), 7-Sam Cane, 6-Liam Messam, 5-Sam Whitelock, 4-Luke Romano, 3-Owen Franks, 2-Andrew Hore, 1-Tony Woodcock
Replacements: 16-Keven Mealamu, 17-Ben Franks, 18-Brodie Retallick, 19-Adam Thomson, 20-Piri Weepu, 21-Beauden Barrett, 22-Tamati Ellison

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/06/20/rugby-zealand-team-idUKL3E8HK4GH20120620

 

[big ginger 8]

Brilliant pity that Cruden and Barrett have been on brilliant form. Will be easier to send runners at (not saying either is a poor tackle though Barrett isn't great) as both are a lot smaller than Carter. Also of course he's ****ing Dan Carter.

New Zealand: 15-Israel Dagg; 14-Ben Smith, 13-Conrad Smith, 12-Sonny Bill Williams, 11-Hosea Gear; 10-Aaron Cruden, 9-Aaron Smith; 8-Richie McCaw (captain), 7-Sam Cane, 6-Liam Messam, 5-Sam Whitelock, 4-Luke Romano, 3-Owen Franks, 2-Andrew Hore, 1-Tony Woodcock
Replacements: 16-Keven Mealamu, 17-Ben Franks, 18-Brodie Retallick, 19-Adam Thomson, 20-Piri Weepu, 21-Beauden Barrett, 22-Tamati Ellison

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/06/20/rugby-zealand-team-idUKL3E8HK4GH20120620

If we play like we did last week we can beat this team. Balance is off in the backrow with McCaw at 8, Romano is on debut and I've never been overly impressed by him while there is no Dan Carter! Would be much happier if Weepu was starting. Our midfield will have to watch out for Gear popping up there.

 

[smartcooky]

Never heard of the referee - this will be interesting!

Imagine a taller, slimmer, French version of Matt Goddard without actually being a ****** and you just about have Mr Poite. Just pray he pulls a hammie between now and Saturday night, because with his appointment, the odds on an Irish win have just gotten significantly better. Might well be worth putting a lazy ton on the boys in green at the TAB.

This is the same idiot that refereed Munster v All Blacks at Thomond Park in 2008, so if you remember how poor he was in that match, nothing much has changed since then.

He was good at the RWC2011, but normal transmission has been resumed this season.

 

[Dizzy]

Brilliant pity that Cruden and Barrett have been on brilliant form. Will be easier to send runners at (not saying either is a poor tackle though Barrett isn't great) as both are a lot smaller than Carter. Also of course he's ****ing Dan Carter.
.

Cruden is a strong defender, he makes his tackles and very rarely misses any.. Barrett, not too good on defence..

I'm surprised not to see Nonu in there somewhere. With all the changes he's made, surely Nonu could've got a run in there. Oh well, I look forward to seeing the "no pressure knock on" lol...

 

[Larksea]

I like this team it's pretty good considering Read and Carter are out, I think it has better balance with the Physicality of Messam and Romano.

But I dont like how McCaw at 8 I think messam would be a better option. I still dont understand the resistance to putting McCaw at 6. Cane to 7 McCaw to 6 and Messam to 8 seems lkike the logical thing to do. The only reason I can think of is that #8 is more of a playmaker position recieving the ball from the scrum and messam wont be up on the plays as he's not been in the squad long.

other than that I like the 22. I think Ben Smith should have been one of the wingers from the start, I would have kept Hika Elliot maybe even started him and I would have considered Ellison Ahead of Gear on the other wing for this match.

Also very interesting we have got to match 3 and still no Nonu. I think the coaches/selectors think more than anything Nonu needs a few weeks off.

For the future I think the coaches should look at the makeup of this squad, 5 props and only 5 loose forwards. I think for some time now clearly loose forwards are more likely to get injured and also having more loose forwards in the squad offers tactical options more than prop options. Maybe they should go back to 6 loose forwards.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

For the future I think the coaches should look at the makeup of this squad, 5 props and only 5 loose forwards. I think for some time now clearly loose forwards are more likely to get injured and also having more loose forwards in the squad offers tactical options more than prop options. Maybe they should go back to 6 loose forwards.

Especially as it was pretty clear cut who the top three props were, not so much the top three loosies. Of course in the future you'll have more props in the squad by virtue of having two on the bench, but meh.

Interesting changes - I do quite like seeing how 'experimental' lineups go, so this should be fun. Surprised Retalick moved to the bench - guess they just want to see how Romano goes in a start.

 

[big ginger 8]

Cruden is a strong defender, he makes his tackles and very rarely misses any.. Barrett, not too good on defence..

I'm surprised not to see Nonu in there somewhere. With all the changes he's made, surely Nonu could've got a run in there. Oh well, I look forward to seeing the "no pressure knock on" lol...

I know Cruden is a good tackler but as I said he's easier to send runners at because he's only 82kg! Probably won't be a source of line breaks but will help get us over the advantage line.