[2014 Mid-Year Tests] New Zealand vs England (3rd Test)

[Maverick1987]

A tight one to call . Heart says England by 5 head says ABs by 5 . Hope my heart is right !

 

[austingtir]

A tight one to call . Heart says England by 5 head says ABs by 5 . Hope my heart is right !

I think we will win this test by a fair margin..... no way imo we are going to get another close test.

If its close it will show the England team have alot of heart.

I see Sam Burgess has signed for England? That will sort out your midfield a bit. But means nothing as SBW will be back with more experience than him and they will pretty much cancel each other out...

If Malakai plays to his potential tonight and gets used properly to his strengths (not trying to be like Conrad) which I hope he does that would give us the most complete and devastating midfield combinations in world rugby.

 

[nzlizard]

Was raining in Hamilton just before, but beautiful sunshine now.

Supposed to be showers today, dunno how long they going to last.

Still only 6 hours to go pretty much, will be taking the family tonight so just hope the weather is good and the game is great.

I'll be the one wearing black.

 

[Maverick1987]

I think we will win this test by a fair margin..... no way imo we are going to get another close test.

If its close it will show the England team have alot of heart.

I see Sam Burgess has signed for England? That will sort out your midfield a bit. But means nothing as SBW will be back with more experience than him and they will pretty much cancel each other out...

If Malakai plays to his potential tonight and gets used properly to his strengths (not trying to be like Conrad) which I hope he does that would give us the most complete and devastating midfield combinations in world rugby.

Not sure about Malakai at this level yet (obviously due to only just making debut . Looked a little uncomfortable at times) will be a great test against Tuilagi (who is imo the most destructive centre in world rugby when he wants to be)

Sam Burgess is apparently going to be played in the back row

 

[austingtir]

Not sure about Malakai at this level yet (obviously due to only just making debut . Looked a little uncomfortable at times) will be a great test against Tuilagi (who is imo the most destructive centre in world rugby when he wants to be)

Sam Burgess is apparently going to be played in the back row

Backrow? The English papers were reporting back in feb that they were locking at him as an inside centre... has that changed? He'll be wasted on the backrow imo

Malakai will be fine tonight he was over excited in the last game I reckon.

 

[Jaguares]

I love Malakai but Conrad is Conrad, the best Kiwi's centre I've seen with the black jersey, with Tana Umaga at the same level, IMO.

 

[Maverick1987]

Backrow? The English papers were reporting back in feb that they were locking at him as an inside centre... has that changed? He'll be wasted on the backrow imo

Malakai will be fine tonight he was over excited in the last game I reckon.

Yeh that's what I believe anyway . Think bath are keen to play him at blindside flanker . Id rather see him play outside centre the same as you

 

[Jaguares]

Not sure about Malakai at this level yet (obviously due to only just making debut . Looked a little uncomfortable at times) will be a great test against Tuilagi (who is imo the most destructive centre in world rugby when he wants to be)

Sam Burgess is apparently going to be played in the back row

Mmmm... what about the rucking of Burgess??

 

[austingtir]

I love Malakai but Conrad is Conrad, the best Kiwi's centre I've seen with the black jersey, with Tana Umaga at the same level, IMO.

Yeah thats fine but he's getting old like half of the rest of the team. And imo we need one or two more players that can create something. We lack depth at wing for the moment and Malakai is not an out and out wing and may or may not work like Kahui did for us out there.

+ the great thing about it is he can learn off Conrad directly.

I really look forward to seeing what he can do tonight theres no way this England team is going to be able to contain him Nonu, Ben Smith and Savea two games in a row + theres no way Jane can possibly play as bad as last week....

 

[Jaguares]

Yeah thats fine but he's getting old like half of the rest of the team. And imo we need one or two more players that can create something. We lack depth at wing for the moment and Malakai is not an out and out wing and may or may not work like Kahui did for us out there.

+ the great thing about it is he can learn off Conrad directly.

I really look forward to seeing what he can do tonight theres no way this England team is going to be able to contain him Nonu, Ben Smith and Savea two games in a row + theres no way Jane can possibly play as bad as last week....

Yes, Cory Jane was too bad. Israel Dagg too, I think with ALL players available, Charles Piutau must be right winger and Ben Smith must be the fullback.

 

[Peat]

England could get spanked, but it seems unlikely. It's been quite a long time since we have, and our last three games have all been pretty tight. Plus Jerry Guscott's worried about it and he's usually wrong.

My only worry is that tiredness seems to be setting in - Launch, imo, probably shouldn't be playing this one - and whether we've got the go to to stick with them for 80, I'm not sure. Considering that our method of staying close with them basically depends on stifling their pack and preventing good ball from source, that's a concern. If we've got the gas though, no reason we can't use our normal proven methods against them - mess up their breakdown, give them very little on the fringes, rush up to meet them. Not only does it make it difficult for them to get their attacking game going, it also flusters them and creates points scoring opportunities for us. Of course, we're unlikely to take them, so they should still win...

That's a bit harsh. It's obviously extreme in its views and undeniably flawed, but it's hardly any worse than the tripe Stephen Jones puts out from the UK - and he gets paid for his tripe!

Defending something by comparing it to Stephen Jones is basically recommending that the author should be executed. I'd just rather ignore the guy, some people don't deserve the oxygen of publicity.

 

[donmcdazzle]

I think we will win this test by a fair margin..... no way imo we are going to get another close test.

If its close it will show the England team have alot of heart.

I see Sam Burgess has signed for England? That will sort out your midfield a bit. But means nothing as SBW will be back with more experience than him and they will pretty much cancel each other out...

If Malakai plays to his potential tonight and gets used properly to his strengths (not trying to be like Conrad) which I hope he does that would give us the most complete and devastating midfield combinations in world rugby.

Mate you are so one eyed it isn't funny. No wonder people dislike NZ posters.

 

[donmcdazzle]

Really hate when people say poaching when they mean "they're in the country, they're eligible, they're picked".
NZ don't poach - they don't need to. If there's someone of Samoan heritage (or was born in Samoa etc.) living in NZ, and are eligible, why not pick them? They haven't gone abroad to find a player, then brought him across and waited. England are the same: All of our players that were born elsewhere were eligible long before we selected them - including Manu Tuilagi. Many of them were selecte because they're foreign (e.g. Shontayne Hape, an English born and bred player of the same ability wouldn't have been selected, Mouritz Botha too), but that's beside the point.

Ireland and Scotland are the real(/only, that I can think of) poachers, with their "project players"/actively searching abroad for players who are eligible via a granny, or who are interested in qualifying one day.

i don't want to go down this route at all in terms of turning this into a topic, but I couldn't resist. 10 years ago you would never ever have seen this sort of post from a northern hemisphere poster. Now the shoe is on both feet, you guys have gained some (belated) perspective.. Good post Olyy and I agree wholeheartedly.

 

[squirrel]

ive got a feeling England are going to get spanked, hope im wrong

 

[nzlizard]

Not sure about Malakai at this level yet (obviously due to only just making debut . Looked a little uncomfortable at times) will be a great test against Tuilagi (who is imo the most destructive centre in world rugby when he wants to be)

Sam Burgess is apparently going to be played in the back row

This is how I feel, he was quite eager in his first test so see how he settles into this, this will be a baptism by fire so to speak. I reckon he can handle and having Nonu on the inside and Jane and Savea on his outside will certainly help him.

 

[Sam Owen]

It'll be good to see England get up tonight but I have my doubts. I think the ABs are getting stronger.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Christ this interview with Freddie Burns' dad is the most awkward I've seen in a while.


Also: It's VunipolA, not VunipolO, Fitzpatrick you numpty. It's on the screen right in front of you.

 

[Rumpi]

Christ this interview with Freddie Burns' dad is the most awkward I've seen in a while.

Ah ha it was fairly awful alright

 

[Tony Manx]

It's VunipolA, not VunipolO, Fitzpatrick you numpty. It's on the screen right in front of you.

Whatever.....he was right in saying he has to stand up today as Morgan has previously................

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Whatever.....he was right in saying he has to stand up today as Morgan has previously................

No ****, doesn't change the fact he's getting his name wrong every time.
Don't see him on about Richie Mccall and Malakai Fekitod.