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

[goodNumber10]

This makes me think Tuilagi will start on Saturday:

http://www.rfu.com/news/2014/june/n...rce=Social&utm_medium=media&utm_campaign=2014

he was top of the carries stats, most carries along with brown - most yards made presumably from that long run that lead to the Ben Smith turnover, but the clean break and dominant collisions ontop make me think he might get another jog out there.

I think they'll use the stats to justify giving him more time there.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

It has to be eastmond and tuilagi in the centre and wingers on the wing!

No idea with why Lancaster thinks playing a winger on the wing is Wong!

 

[goodNumber10]

I agree, i just have a feeling we'll see a repeat of the side from last week with as few changes as possible.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

If Lancaster really wants a rando on the wing then it should be eastmond - he's got the speed and agility for it, and has some experience playing there for bath.
Obviously I'd rather him at 12, but if it's a choice of wing or nothing, I'd take him there over Tuilagi (who should be at 13).

 

[j'nuh]

I like a lot about Twelvetrees. He doesn't do a lot incredibly well, but he does do everything you'd want in your 12. He passes, he steps, he crashes, he kicks, he's a better playmaker than Owen Farrell.

His issue is consistency. It seems like we can't rely on him to make good decisions time after time, or to execute his basic skills all the time. When he's good, he's been very good for England. Even when he's bad, he's still doing good things, just he then ****** it all up the wall.

It seems that the more game time he has, the better his consistency was. He was going really well for England for most of the Six Nations and taking a lot of heat off of Farrell.

I'm beginning to suspect that his consistency issues will continue to be an issue and that he'll never really get over them. That's pretty much an international red flag. However, that would be really inconvenient, as we do play better with him there. Which means for me, any replacement has to have broadly the same skill set. Eastmond's the obvious one, although long term I'm rather interested in what Devoto can do.

What I don't want to see is Burrell and Tuilagi or some other combo with ok at best distribution. That would really put us in a hole. The caveat is that I might be ok with it with a better passing fly-half, particularly someone who's happy to play flat and bring the big guys onto the ball. You can get some work done with that. Farrell-Burrell-Tuilagi? It's a blitz defence paradise.

I still don't get why Lancaster stuck with the pack that did so well in the first test but decided to change up the backline radically. I think it might have cost us the second test.

Exactly, and that's why we shouldn't be too worried about his performance in a game that he was rushed back from injury to play in. It was a mistake to bring him back so early. Give Eastmond another go, see how they both do for their clubs in the build-up to the AIs and pick on merit then. It will also be easier to pick on merit, because Eastmond will have gotten a lot of the "inexperienced" tag off his back.

 

[Peat]

The argument against Tuilagi on the wing isn't how he performed there, it's how our centres performed in his absence. I want him back there.

j'nuh - problem is if he needs a bit of a run at things to get himself international ready everytime, he'll sooner or later slip out of contention for the starting berth. He needs to be more consistent in general.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

ALL BLACKS: Ben Smith, Cory Jane, Malakai Fekitoa, Ma'a Nonu, Julian Savea, Aaron Cruden, Aaron Smith, Kieran Read, Richie McCaw (c), Jerome Kaino, Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick, Owen Franks, Dane Coles, Tony Woodcock.

Reserves: Keven Mealamu, Wyatt Crockett, Charlie Faumuina, Patrick Tuipulotu, Liam Messam, TJ Perenara, Beauden Barrett, Ryan Crotty.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...ekitoa-to-start-for-All-Blacks-on-No-13-shirt

The Nonu-Fekitoa combination, while exciting, carries risks. Smith's experience offered crucial balance the All Blacks' midfield may now struggle to replicate. His ability to organise the backline defence and feed his outsides is unmatched in New Zealand rugby, and possibly the world game. Adjustments will need to be made to cater for the change in attributes.

Former All Blacks centre Frank Bunce recently summed up the challenges of a Nonu-Fekitoa pairing.

"You might get away with it once or twice but it's not ideal," Bunce said earlier this year. "You've got two very similar players who possess similar threats. Organising your defence becomes a lot easier. Having a difference in the capabilities of your midfielders is very important."

England are also expected to restore Manu Tuilagi in their midfield after his failed experiment on the wing in Dunedin. His destructive ball carrying, and Fekitoa's tendency to rush out of the line at times, creates further intrigue.

The above analysis by Frank Bunce of a Nonu-Fekitoa centre partnership reminds me of what Sir Clive said about a potential Burrell-Tuilagi centre partnership.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Disappointed in that NZ side... TKB had outplayed Smith and Perenara in the head to heads they've had this season, thought he might at least get a decent run off the bench.

Franks hasn't justified being selected again either.

 

[nzlizard]

Disappointed in that NZ side... TKB had outplayed Smith and Perenara in the head to heads they've had this season, thought he might at least get a decent run off the bench.

Franks hasn't justified being selected again either.

I thought TKB was injured, is he better?

Also what happened to Crockett?

Barrett must be feeling a bit hard done by also.

 

[Big Ewis]

yeah so, in a more tidy way it looks like:

Starting XV (caps):

1. Tony Woodcock (109)
2. Dane Coles (17)
3. Owen Franks (56)
4. Brodie Retallick (26)
5. Samuel Whitelock (53)
6. Jerome Kaino (50)
7. Richie McCaw - captain (126)
8. Kieran Read (61)
9. Aaron Smith (28)
10. Aaron Cruden (31)
11. Julian Savea (21)
12. Ma'a Nonu (90)
13. Malakai Fekitoa (1)
14. Cory Jane (47)
15. Ben Smith (28)

Reserves:

16. Keven Mealamu (112)
17. Wyatt Crockett (26)
18. Charlie Faumuina (19)
19. Patrick Tuipulotu (1)
20. Liam Messam (31)
21. TJ Perenara (2)
22. Beauden Barrett (18)
23. Ryan Crotty (5)

 

[Bada-Bing!]

I thought TKB was injured, is he better?

Also what happened to Crockett?

Barrett must be feeling a bit hard done by also.

Crockett is on the bench, as he was in the 1st two tests.

Barrett may have been pencilled in for the third test had Conrad Smith not been injured. Hansen probably does not want two rookies starting in the backs for the ABs with Fekitoa starting.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

15 Mike Brown (Harlequins, 28 caps)
14 Chris Ashton (Saracens, 38 caps)
13 Manusamoa Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers, 24 caps)
12 Kyle Eastmond (Bath Rugby, 3 caps)
11 Marland Yarde (London Irish, 4 caps)
10 Freddie Burns (Gloucester Rugby, 4 caps)
9 Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 37 caps)
1 Joe Marler (Harlequins, 21 caps)
2 Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints, 56 caps)
3 David Wilson (Bath Rugby, 36 caps)
4 Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 31 caps)
5 Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers, 21 caps)
6 Tom Wood (Northampton Saints, 29 caps)
7 Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, captain, 27 caps)
8 Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 9 caps)

Replacements:

16 Rob Webber (Bath Rugby, 7 caps)
17 Matt Mullan (London Wasps, 4 caps)
18 Kieran Brookes (Newcastle Falcons, 1 cap)
19 Joe Launchbury (London Wasps, 21 caps)
20 Ben Morgan (Gloucester Rugby, 22 caps)
21 Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints, 17 caps)
22 Danny Cipriani (Sale Sharks, 8 caps)
23 Luther Burrell (Northampton Saints, 5 caps)

http://www.rfu.com/news/2014/june/news-articles/190614_eng_hamilton_team

 

[ratsapprentice]

 

[Big Ewis]

cool for England with the midfield combination, but Ashton back starting on the wing is meh for sure.

 

[Peat]

Like a dog that returns to its vomit, is a fool who repeats his folly

Shouldn't rag too hard though, pretty much everything else I wanted.

 

[Patchey]

Not a bad team. I think Launchbury being rested is good and a very pleasant surprise to see Cips on the bench. Morgan for Vunnipola, no complaints.

Ashton v Savea? That'll go well...

Burrell on the bench? What is it with Lancaster and refusing to have proper outside back cover on the bench. I swear either he of Farrell Snr just don't understand what the back three does.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Very nervous about Ashton, but I'm happy with the rest - would've had May instead of Burrell in the 23 shirt, though, as he (at a push) can cover 11-15.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

The good news is that Lancaster has seen sense and restored the Eastmond-Tuilagi centre partnership; the bad news is that Ashton returns on the right wing opposite Savea. This match will definitely confirm if there has been any improvement in Ashton's defence since November.

The pack is as expected. Launchbury hasn't recaptured his 6 nations' form and Parling looks the fresher of the two, after his midseason layoff from shoulder surgery. Otherwise the team is as balanced as it could be with the players at England's disposal.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Like a dog that returns to its vomit, is a fool who repeats his folly

Shouldn't rag too hard though, pretty much everything else I wanted.

It's just a pity May hasn't shown enough in the 6Ns, the first test and the match v the Crusaders to justify keeping Ashton out. We'll just have to wait until Wade is fit again and firing for there to be a viable alternative in the 14 shirt. Until then, we have to grin and bear it.

 

[ratsapprentice]

I know who's winning "Best Use Of An Analogy TRFie 2014".

Pretty sure we'll see Burrell come on fairly early at 12 or 13 in order for them to see how he works with either Kyle or at 12 with Manu.