Bledisloe match this weekend

NEW ZEALAND: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Anthony Tuitavake, 13 Richard Kahui, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 10 Daniel Carter, 8 Andy Ellis; 8 Jerome Kaino, 7 Daniel Braid/Richie McCaw (c), 6 Rodney So'oialo, 5 Ali Williams, 4 Brad Thorn, 3 Greg Somerville, 2 Andrew Hore, 1 Tony Woodcock: Reserves: 16 Keven Mealamu, 17 John Afoa, 18 Anthony Boric, 19 Sione Lauaki, 20 Jimmy Cowan, 21 Stephen Donald, 22 Conrad Smith.

Yay for Kahui and Tuitavake in the backline! I like Kahui very much, as I have similar playing style to him (maybe).

I reckon they should have kept McCaw rested tho or make sure that injury is fully healed before fielding him. Again, I don't know what his state is, as I'm not a doctor, but injuries like that take a while to heal, even with right care etc...

Agree with most, but have felt conrad had deserved his spot. And Hore can get the drop IMO

I like it, quite harsh on Conrad I guess. Be great to see Kahui in action again though, think he's probably a better match up with Mortlock. Odd that they'd break the Nonu/Smith combo that was starting to gel pretty nicely however.

Tuitavake for Wulf is a superb call.

Gonna be an EPIC test match.

Tuitavake for Sivivatu would have been a much better call imo.

Nonu was poor against the Boks in Dunedin, I wonder if they could pair Kahui with Smith?

WTF?? Which game were you watching?

I wouldn't play McCaw either - he hasn't had enough match fitness.


Sivivatu has practically Zero defense (Get Victor Vito or Hosea Gear on the wing )

Mortlock out: http://www.stuff.co.nz/4627197a1823.html

McCaw should play if he's genuinely fit. He's the best player in the world, you don't leave him on the sidelines for a game like this.

I'm picking us to take this out... will be a tough game obviously, but I think the saffas were spent after two games against us, so last week is not necessarily a fair representation

Will also be funny if we do win to hear the excuses from the so-called NZers who support Deans and will be cheering for Aus.

Bledisloe would be so much better on it's own as a 3 match series.

No Mortlock this week. Being replaced by Ryan Cross.

I would say Sivivatu's defense is closer to -5 than zero.

No Mortlock has increased our chances significantly. Though the Boks probably thought that re: McCaw and the first test with us...

Deans is in an interesting position. He knows so much about All Blacks (in particular Canterbury players) and he is a coach for opposition. Must be weird for him.

And half the team know his coaching inside-out.

Gotta think that DC and Richie-Mac know exactly what he'll have planned...

I don't know I think it will be harder for the players to change their playing style than for Deans to come up with something new.

Once you are in the thick of things you go back to your natural game style and Deans will know what that is for most of the guys inside-out!

I tend to agree with Re-Action on this tbh.

Also, I still think Saffas will take out the Trinations. They will be a very difficult team to beat at home.

Or, as it has been suggested on Reunion last night, the Trinations title will be decided on amount bonus points.

Well, McCaw is out also...

http://www.rugbyheaven.co.nz/4628387a22363.html

you come up with some fucking corkers sometimes, fishy. Nonu is the most improved AB thus far this year.

Oh, and the NZers supporting Aussie because of the whole Deans/Henry fiasco can die in a fire. An Australian bushfire.

I thought Nonu was predictable and easily defeneded and has no ideas when the opposition is equally physical. When he did run at the boks he got isolated far to easily and subsequently turned the ball over to much.

What's pathetic is that the AB selectors continue to play Harbour players when Auckland has thrashed Harbour consistently for years.

2 Aucklanders for 2 titles in 3 years, whereas there are 2 Harbourites for zero titles in 20 years

How the fuck does that work?

3rded. I haven't actually heard of anyone doing this though? Only someone as insane as vads would do this, surely?

:>

correct. I haven't heard anyone do this either but I would think that it would be mostly (IF) people from ChurChur that will do that.

Because Auckland wins titles on the back of its large player base, and that normally means a team full of Juggernaut Pacific Islanders who win NPC titles just by bashing people

That bullying tactic dosnt work at international level where most individuals arent really scared of anyone

North Harbour by contrast doesnt have the playing numbers but still produces brilliant world class white and Maori footballers that make Auckland green. LukeyMac, Woodcock, Tuituvake etc etc

Yeah pretty much die hard chch freaks, can't wait for this test though. Setup to be one of the biggest contests.

My heart and head says All Blacks, these boys have been playing well under pressure. Even losing by two points they didn't crack and had all opportunity to win

GO THE FUCKIN BLACKS!!!!!!!!!

I havent heard anyone voice the pro Aussie thing IRL but theres plenty on sports radio and of course Rattue


Im not a fan of Henry and Tew....but sif Im gonna yell for the yellow. NEVER

He turned the ball over once in the whole game

Tew is a dipstick but I've got a lot of respect for Henry. If we even come close to winning the tri-nations this year, he deserves to be commended as he'll be doing so with a side decimated by the player exodus and against the world champions and a fledgling Aussie side run by Deans.

This is the funniest shit I've ever read!

I can't even be fucked commenting...

you're comparing the combined intelligence level of two Cantabrian rugger players vs a mastermind coach, lol!

that said, Deans is a long-term / harvest-style coach - and I don't think his alleged "inside knowledge" will have much bearing on the result of this game

as re-action alluded to, once the game gets going it's all up to the players. if we step up, we will easily beat them, simple as that.

Or two of the greatest players to ever strap on rugby boots vs. one Cantabrian rugger coach.

PFUnk, as a matter of principle, should you ALWAYS support the actions of your country?

For example if New Zealand committed genocide in Tuvalu or something?

I'm not saying it's the same, I'm simply asking if you believe in "my country right or wrong"

Especially as Auckland's "player base" doesn't include Harbour or Counties Manukau so is actually roughly 500,000 population, or the same as Wellington.

Yet Lukey Mac can't beat Auckland, can he?

So these brilliant players choke when they see the blue and white hoops in front of them

NZ has ONLY won a world cup with Aucklanders at 9 and 10.

Totally agree on both counts.

David Kirk is a Wellingtonian.

Nothing you say here in any way refutes what maestro said

The Geographical Location of players is completely derivative of their ability to play a game, their coordination and their resolve.

Cant you guys understand what vads is trying to say?!

It feels like it'll be a 21 - 19 game to me.



To the AB's.

Actually, I feel a sweepstake coming on.

Aussie will win by 5.

21-16

I must have been delusional because he played for Auckland?

Mehrtens was born in Seth Efrike, does that not make him a Cantab?

When you have won 16 out of 31 national championships, there is obviously a STRONG correlation between location and ability

When more than 40% of your countries population is from one city(Auckland) alone you sort of expect them to be way better, just because the pool of players is so much bigger.

Except that AUCKLAND doesn't include North Harbour or Counties Manukau

Population Statistics:
Auckland City 404,658 (16 titles)

North Shore 212,200 (0 titles)

Manukau 328,968 (0 titles)

Wellington 420,000 (2 titles)

DNT!!

Auckland steals its players from all over.

DNT.

Anyways, I'm excited about this match. For heaps of reasons. I get a lot of stick from my Aussie mates who for the first time actually confident about their team winning. I remember going to a Bledisloe match last year in Melbourne and my Aussie mate were actually saying that AB's would take it out.

Thats how most of Australia thought of their team then. We all know the outcome of that match. And then afterwards all of us going out... Not a good experience being an All Black supporter in Melbourne when Wallabies win. heh..

This year supporters are confident and by the looks of things Wallabies themselves are pretty confident.

So I say bring it on. I really hope AB's would give them a hiding.

But at the same time I think it will be a very close fought game with the best defense winning it.

If that's the case then Aussie will take it out. Defended superbly last week..

It's good that they're confident as well - much more dangerous playing them when they're the underdog.

It might come down to Carter vs Giteau penalty kicking. And if it does, we all know who will win that battle.

I won't be so sure mate. Not making excuses here but SA didn't look the goods last week and they looked tired. In 7 weeks they played 6 internationals and travels around the world. That has to take a massive toll, they didn't look like scoring at all not the team we saw in previous weeks.

I think Aus is in trouble. The boys will be out guns blazing tomorrow night!

So, if the Wallabies lose will it be Robbie's fault?

Coz if they win everyone (well, the media and a few people from down south) will say he's the reason.

AB's by HEAPS

Actually lately that's not correct, Auckland has a policy of developing it's own talent rather than looking elsewhere. Mind you, the Auckland side is basically bursting with enough talent that they struggle to hold onto players as it is, meaning they don't need to look elsewhere. Players like Evans opted to play for Auckland rather than being actively recruited. Whereas the talent they have both within NZ and to the Northern Hemisphere has been fairly significant.

However I don't agree with vads sentiments that Auckland players are automatically better than their Harbour counterparts. For example what Auckland prop is better than Tony Woodcock?

In both of the last two "Battles of the Bridge", Auckland SHUNTED the Harbour scrum. In the 23-3 game in 06, it was embarrassing.

lol vadz at your irrelevant replies to any points that you deem anti Auckland. That Auckland scrum prob weighed 200 kgs more than Harbours. That doesnt prove anything about Woodcock, was he even playing?

Luke McAlister is a better 10 than any Auckland have had since Fox, Woodcock a better prop since Olo. etc Theres little doubt awesome INDIVIDUALS come from Harbour

I actually blame much of the demise of All Black rugby and world cup failings square at the feet of Auckland rugby

So you're now saying Auckland has better teamwork?

Surely it makes more sense to select units with teamwork i.e. entire front rows, back 3s, and then play them for the ABs as their cohesiveness will be beneficial?

How come these awesome Harbour individuals CAN'T WIN A FUCKING THING?

Not ONE title. Ever. In 20 years of top flight rugby. Statistically they should have at least won one by now, especially with players better than Carlos Spencer, Olo Brown, Doug Howlett, Joe Rokocoko, Craig Innes, Steve Devine, Zinzan Brooke, Michael Jones, Gary Whetton and Sean Fitzpatrick

oops I forgot about Carlos.My bad

Let's see ... Lavea led Auckland to three NPCs. Lukey Mac led North Harbour to none.

That's the difference. Lavea is a winner. Lukey Mac is a LOSER.

Carlos... from Levin.. in the Horowhenua... where he played NPC rugby first.

At age 16. I saw his Eden Park debut

Rugby is an individual sport! aye vadz!

Id love to see Levea get English rugby clubs knock themselves out and open up their walletts for "Tasea Lavea"

Actually Id like to just see Lavea play, where the fuck is he again? Nowhere... thats where, because hes a nobody, thats why

and thats a very good point

So in fact, since Foxy...North Harbour have produced TWO number 10's who are greater than anything Auckland has in the meantime. LukeyMac and Frano Botica


Look at all the champion number tens that come out of all the other provinces in the meantime.... Murhts, Brett, Evans, Brown etc etc

Im telling you vadz, Auckland over reliance on bone headed juggernaut Pacific Inslands is killing New Zealand rugby, and its probably the biggest single reason for our failures at world cups

You can keep your titles, they are hollow

Lol at this ref

Tasesa Lavea CV:
3 x NPC titles

Lukey Mac CV:
Knocked out in World Cup QF

...

It was only a matter of time :>

What a shambles

yells *OFFSIDE*

what a mess.

some good play from Kahui & some nifty lil moves from Carter, still -

Absolutely woeful. The only decent player for the ABs was Carter.

The ball handling? Where was it? It was worse than the referreeing. Some of the NZ players need to be ditched.

not only the ball handling - where were the black jerseys?!

I don't think the aussies played awesome I think we just played spectacularly poorly overall.

Support play was non-existent.

Lol at Lauaki's tits for hands

Attn: ABs

Yuo may not be as good as yuo think you are.

:>

Absolutly useless performance from the ABs bar 1 or 2.

Sione Lauaki, learn to hold onto the fuckn ball! How many turn overs did he cost us at the end? Too many.

Yet again the ABs panicked with pleanty of time left on the clock.

I think its time to ditch the rock star mentality the ABs have, get rid of the designer haircuts, the makeup,cut the partying out, get back to focusing on basic grassroots rugby. Make them earn their place in the team and if they dont perform get someone in who is hungry to be there.

Finally fitness, the ABs were very tired in the last 20 and it showed in their defence. I know it was a hard game and all but guess what, thats there job and if they cant last the distance then they dont deserve to wear the Black jersey.

I miss Richie *woe*

&

* OMFG * PENALTY TRY BITCHES *

RAH. It makes me so mad. They need a new rule that if the ref is shit they can sub him off for a better one. *nods, girl logic*

I'm struggling to remember a game in recent memory where the AB's loss rested so much on the terrible performance of one player. I really hope Lauaki doesn't put on the black jersey again for a very long time. He completely lost that second half for us, by continually fucking up at important moments.

Ellis needs to go as well, can someone tell me why he's starting ahead of Cowan? Yes you scored a try, and yes you got subbed off straight after. That's because you're not doing your fucking job properly.

If I was religious I'd be praying every night for Leonard's quick recovery.

I don't watch enough rugby, so this may be a silly question, but what's the deal with subs these days?

Ellis --> Cowan --> Ellis --> Cowan... Can you really do that?

Um, a lot of it has been covered. But the most frustrating thing was to watch NZ forwards. Why in the fucking hell have you started playing rugby union again mother fuckers? Oh yeah, that's right, you like the battle for the ball in rucks etc. Oh what, hang on, that's right, YOU DID NOT FIGHT FOR THE BALL.

Worse game ever. That is all.

Like I said, Nonu is predictable and easily defended against. He can't kick and he is hopeless at this level and he is only there cos we've got no one else. I would drop him and try ANYONE at 12 who has a more complete game.

We have no kicking game outside Carter, and the Aussie tactics were simplicity in itself: Kick the ball back to a team with one kicker and a huge defensive gulf behind the ruck.

The ELV's are all about having a good kick and chase and we fucking suck at it right now.

New Zealand rugby is weak at at 9, 11, 12, & 14 and we've got zero depth in those positions as well. We've got no backup for 4, 5, 7 or 15 as well. Our bench is weak, although Cowan is better than Ellis on the basis of this game.

Deans comprehensively outcoached Henry.

Time to wake and smell the coffee.

If there's an injury subbed players can come back on.

Oh and remember - Thorne is what - 34? - who the fuck is going to replace him? Boric? I fucking hope he comes through, because he is just potential right now. Zac Guilford needs a call up NOW. Sivivatu is a disgrace to the professional code. Wulf is an ordinary player, but he doesn't make the mistakes.

I'd drop Lauaki, if I could think of a decent replacement. Lets face it, we haven't had a decent No.8 since Brooke. We have to try the two centre arrangement, Nonu is quite the worst second five we've had EVER. If Kahui and Smith get it going, then we can hunt for the cover player.

bull fiucking shit. sivivatu was one of our best players. wolfe is fucking shit as is tuitavake. bring back rockococo

He's injured.

There is no room in the professional game for incomplete (to put it kindly - some would say lazy wife beater) players like Sivivatu. Professional sport:

First make no mistakes and be an absolute master of the tools of your trade.

Second, to be truly great: Have momenets of offensive brilliance.

Sivivatu has a bit of the second, but he is an anarchonism (like Nonu) in the profressional game.

Until we work out that hard working players who know their job and come with the occasional bit of brilliance will overcome coconuts who are lazy genisuses, we'll keep picking Nonu's and Sivivatus.

gummi has a point there , tuquri's *( I might add that his name is so easy to pronounce cause hes been in the game for so long ) comments were right about the all blacks aura *cough * of invincibility ... ab's have a great individual player with dan carter but if its not about the individual ..and more about the team then I think the evidence or proof is with robbie deans with his brilliance in bringing out the best in the aussie side....so f8ck ya

replace graeme henry ..? nah I don't nz has a better coach ...besides robbie deans

Last night was 'Sione's Funeral'...he had an absolute mare. See yah.

Basically, both teams had absolutely atrocious defences.
It just so happened they had more ball, thus more time to attack our defence. You shouldn't lose a test if you score three tries.

They could off brought in Messam, Reid, Latimer...

2nd 5 8 issue: bring Brett in and start developing Benson Stanley. I would also like to see Smith/Kahui combination in midfield. But imo we need a kicking 2nd 5 8 and I've only seen Kahui kick once - last night. Smith never kicks from memory.

Wings: Tuitavake is sweet. He hasn't put a foot wrong. Wulf has been solid. I don't get people hating on him so much. Fully agree with Sivivatu being mud. But it's unfair to bring his personal issues into the discussion, cause if he was playing well, you fishboy would not even bring those personal issues up.

Last night I've seen two outstanding performers in Carter and Mills. They've made mistakes, but damn they've tried their best. It's just looked like the rest of the team didn't turn up to the game...

PS. Try Stephen Donald at 2nd 5 8! Controversial I know.

PPS. Donald @ 10 and move Carter to 12. Even more controversial! pew pew...

Yeah, but is latimer ready? I suppose now is the time, and I would call up Kieran Reed(sp?). If we are gointg to lose a few, we might as well develop the rookies wh will hopefully take us through.

SBW @ 12!!

:>

Latimer = my third choice. Messam imo is ready. He played on the international lever for a while now, and has been consistent. In some cases outstanding. Also, he can cover any backrow position where we have issues.

Fuck Lauaki makes me mad. Any loosies from out team could off done a better job. In fact they do on the week to week basis. Wtf was he doing the bench? Why Thompson isn't there? Bah...

CONTROVERSIAL!!!!!

"The All Blacks were guilty of 16 handling errors, 25 turnovers and 36 missed tackles." - http://www.rugbyheaven.co.nz/4632557a22363.html



Fucking hell.

Why did he replace Braid? I guess they brought him on to make an impact. Didn't work. He left a nice hole for Rocky Elsom to run through...lazy d for a replacement.

Palu was mean lastnight. Another fukn Kefu .

Haha I've seen Roman and his Ponsonby outfit play better rugby than what was on display last night. And they lost as well!

Yeah, what? This is clearly the weakest ABs side in years, we are seriously depleted and lacking experience in key positions across the park. Not as good as we think we are? Pffft fark off

Aussie pasted us, 34-19 is a hiding - go Robbie Deans.

Only players that really stood up for us were Carter (who was fucking exceptional), Ali Williams, Rodney, Mils and Kahui who is the most impressive newcomer. No qualms with Tuitavake here although he was shut down last night.

Andy Ellis can get the fuck out, as can Sivi, who doesn't even give a shit most of the time. Was a shame we didn't get a penalty try when he was blatantly tackled without the ball 1m out from the tryline. Oh well.

Surprised there's been no talk of the Aussie scrum? Fucks me off how they know they can deliberately collapse it and 9 times out of 10 won't be penalised by refs who don't the know the rules. Such a degenerate style of rugby

Rodney needs to spend more time playing and less time with his hands in the air trying to get the Ref's attention.

Didn't think Kahui did much at all, spilled the ball a couple of times

Why all the Sivivatu hate ?

Him and Dan Carter made most of the line breaks in last nights game.

He had one major handling error at the end but otherwise he was awesome.

Nonu and Lauaki should be kicked off the team.

Wow... that was a disgrace of a game. They looked lethargic from the opening play :-/

Bright points: DC is probably the greatest player to ever play the game.
...
Not much else.

Kahui to 2nd five, SBW to centre? :>



Also, how can we play such a mistake-ridden, lethargic, directionless game, be disallowed a clear penalty try and still only lose by a fairly small margin?

Australia, perhaps YOU are not as good as you think :>

I hate to gloat, but:

Grant Fox in the Sunday-Star Times "...strides made by Ma'a Nonu this year, I still wonder if he is the answer at No 12..."


John DraKe in the Herald: "...his All Black squad is locked into having only one second five-eighths, Ma'a Nonu, who doesn't have a kicking game..."

Peter Bills, in the Herald: "...the one-dimensional Ma'a Nonu..."

Heard it here first folks!

What pisses me off most though is we still find it acceptable that a highly paid professional player selected as a midfield back can't kick. I would say ALL our Islander origin players are obsolete in professional rugby. They are big and one dimensional, and everyone is there size at international level - only the other guys are mentally tougher and have a greater skill set. The trouble is, New Zealand rugby is fixated on the big, naturally athletic and hugely physical Islanders. Why? Because our top down game is organised on the principle the All Blacks are everything, and everything is subservient to their needs. The NZRU has abandoned the provinces and has abandoned the idea of players serving an apprenticeship in their provinces in favour of talent identification at an early age and use of age group representative rugby to provide enough talent to the Super 14. To my mind, this system favours the big Islanders who stand out early on, and it means ALL the players picked have spent their whole playing career walking along the red carpet rolled out in front of them. The first time they experience something going wrong, something to sort the ferral and the cunning from the naive and the lazy, it's in the big time - when it is to late.