[2014 TRC] Argentina v New Zealand in La Plata (27/09/2014)

[Darwin]

Dane Coles should never be allowed to play in the All Blacks again.

Players are dropping sprogs left, right and centre and missing out on important matches. We need him in Argentina and yet he has to concern himself with trivial distractions back in New Zealand...

I hear your favorite player - one Sonny Bill Williams - may miss a match or two during the end of year tour for the same reason.....

Anyways.... AB's named:
Israel Dagg, Ben Smith, Conrad Smith, Malakai Fekitoa, Julian Savea, Beauden Barrett, Aaron Smith, Kieran Read, Richie McCaw (c), Jerome Kaino, Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick, Owen Franks, Keven Mealamu, Wyatt Crockett
Reserves: Nathan Harris, Joe Moody, Ben Franks, Jeremy Thrush, Sam Cane, TJ Perenara, Colin Slade, Cory Jane.

As expected. I thought (/hoped) they may have given Piutau a shot on the bench, but they have stuck with Jane. Great to see Kaino and Whitelock back - they will make a massive difference to the pack.

 

[nzlizard]

Israel Dagg, Ben Smith, Conrad Smith, Malakai Fekitoa, Julian Savea, Beauden Barrett, Aaron Smith, Kieran Read, Richie McCaw (c), Jerome Kaino, Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick, Owen Franks, Keven Mealamu, Wyatt Crockett
Reserves: Nathan Harris, Joe Moody, Ben Franks, Jeremy Thrush, Sam Cane, TJ Perenara, Colin Slade, Cory Jane.

Pretty predictable squad, no matter what anyone says about Dagg the AB's look better with Dagg, Smith and Savea instead of Smith, Jane and Savea.

We just need to get Piatau on the wing and give him game time.

 

[Darwin]

Pretty predictable squad, no matter what anyone says about Dagg the AB's look better with Dagg, Smith and Savea instead of Smith, Jane and Savea.

We just need to get Piatau on the wing and give him game time.

Can't say I agree. Personally I don't think Jane should be starting either (I would be starting Piutau), but I would definitely prefer 14. Jane, 15 Smith to 14. Smith, 15. Dagg. The main reason for this is that Ben Smith is so much better at 15 than 14. Smith is wasted on the the right wing, especially this year when the AB's have barely got the ball out wide on the right. The two times he has played full matches on the wing for the AB's this season (the 1st England test and the Argentina test) he has been completely anonymous (largely though no fault of his own). When he has been given ball this year at test level - either when shifted to 12 (in the last test) or starting at fullback (the last two England tests, and the 2nd Aussie test) he has been quite simply outstanding (the only time he has been quiet in the 15 jersey this season was the first Bledisloe test in the pouring rain).

Dagg hasn't really offered much at fullback this year (or for the last few years). Is he is better form than Jane? Perhaps, but not by much in my opinion, and as I see it isn't really a simple choice of Dagg versus Jane. For me Ben Smith may offer slightly more on the right wing than Jane, but offers substantially more at fullback than Dagg, therefore I would definitely start him at fullback. I can see why the selectors (and others) would pick Dagg at fullback. I just feel we perform so much better with Smith in the 15 jersey....

 

[Jaguares]

Pumas starting XV:

15 Joaquín Tuculet
14 Juan Imhoff
13 Marcelo Bosch
12 Juan Martín Hernández
11 Manuel Montero
10 Nicolás Sánchez
9 Tomás Cubelli
8 Leonardo Senatore
7 Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe
6 Benjamín Macome
5 Tomás Lavanini
4 Mariano Galarza
3 Ramiro Herrera
2 Agustín Creevy (c)
1 Marcos Ayerza

Reserves: 16 Matías Cortese, 17 Lucas Noguera Paz, 18 Nahuel Tetaz Chaperro, 19 Matías Alemanno, 20 Rodrigo Báez, 21 Martín Landajo, 22 Santiago González Iglesias, 23 Horacio Agulla.

I hear your favorite player - one Sonny Bill Williams - may miss a match or two during the end of year tour for the same reason.....

Anyways.... AB's named:
Israel Dagg, Ben Smith, Conrad Smith, Malakai Fekitoa, Julian Savea, Beauden Barrett, Aaron Smith, Kieran Read, Richie McCaw (c), Jerome Kaino, Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick, Owen Franks, Keven Mealamu, Wyatt Crockett
Reserves: Nathan Harris, Joe Moody, Ben Franks, Jeremy Thrush, Sam Cane, TJ Perenara, Colin Slade, Cory Jane.

As expected. I thought (/hoped) they may have given Piutau a shot on the bench, but they have stuck with Jane. Great to see Kaino and Whitelock back - they will make a massive difference to the pack.

Thanks for the lineup!

 

[Big Ewis]

yeh yeh yeah nice lineup, but the Pumas better be careful with Lobbe...AND Sanchez, we fkng need him here... alright ?!


Pee ess. Vamos Pumas..

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Can't say I agree. Personally I don't think Jane should be starting either (I would be starting Piutau), but I would definitely prefer 14. Jane, 15 Smith to 14. Smith, 15. Dagg. The main reason for this is that Ben Smith is so much better at 15 than 14. Smith is wasted on the the right wing, especially this year when the AB's have barely got the ball out wide on the right. The two times he has played full matches on the wing for the AB's this season (the 1st England test and the Argentina test) he has been completely anonymous (largely though no fault of his own). When he has been given ball this year at test level - either when shifted to 12 (in the last test) or starting at fullback (the last two England tests, and the 2nd Aussie test) he has been quite simply outstanding (the only time he has been quiet in the 15 jersey this season was the first Bledisloe test in the pouring rain).

Dagg hasn't really offered much at fullback this year (or for the last few years). Is he is better form than Jane? Perhaps, but not by much in my opinion, and as I see it isn't really a simple choice of Dagg versus Jane. For me Ben Smith may offer slightly more on the right wing than Jane, but offers substantially more at fullback than Dagg, therefore I would definitely start him at fullback. I can see why the selectors (and others) would pick Dagg at fullback. I just feel we perform so much better with Smith in the 15 jersey....

If we're lucky next year we may see 11 Savea 14 Kahui 15 Smith with Piutau covering the bench.

 

[Darwin]

Argentina have a lot more firepower out wide than in the last AB's test. Hopefully that encourages them to play an expansive style, as that would play right into the AB's hands....

 

[nzlizard]

If we're lucky next year we may see 11 Savea 14 Kahui 15 Smith with Piutau covering the bench.

This would be the best.

 

[Jer1cho]

What does the weather look like? If its a dry field and nice and sunny then New Zealand will cruise. No team can out run them or out last them for 80 minutes playing a game with pace. Arg need to slow the game down and try to frustrate the ABs into making mistakes. They cannot outlast them.

 

[Jaguares]

Referee: Craig Joubert

 

[Da Grappla]

For how long will Legui be injured?

What happened?

I don't expect an upset victory for my beloved Pumas (actual yaguaretés), but a close tied match for me would be more than enough...half the argentinian squad is still amateur

¡Bancando a los Pumas a muerte!

 

[Jaguares]

What does the weather look like? If its a dry field and nice and sunny then New Zealand will cruise. No team can out run them or out last them for 80 minutes playing a game with pace. Arg need to slow the game down and try to frustrate the ABs into making mistakes. They cannot outlast them.

Sunny between 15 and 18 degrees

Winds: 16 km

 

[Icemn]

i wonder at what ungodly hour is this game broadcasted in South Africa....

 

[Tony Manx]

i wonder at what ungodly hour is this game broadcasted in South Africa....

23.10 in the UK.................

 

[Jaguares]

i wonder at what ungodly hour is this game broadcasted in South Africa....

Hey, I have to get up at 3am to see ALL games played in NZ or Australia. Now time to suffer is yours

 

[Darwin]

Not long to go now. To be honest I'm slightly nervous. I have a feeling that it is one of those matches that we are either going to win very comfortably (30+), or it is going to be very tight (<10 points).

The biggest talking points will obviously be how Barrett and Fekitoa go. Both like to take on the line hard which could be quite effective against Argentina, as Sanchez isn't the greatest of defenders, and Hernandez is inexperienced at 12. I'm not sure how much ball the outside backs will see with Fekitoa at 12, but if he is breaking the line frequently it may not matter....

 

[goodNumber10]

Hernandez and Bosch are both excellent defenders, Sanchez is fin in his channel but in transition he struggles.

Their defence gets off the line very early, but do sit back on their heels on the contact approach.

 

[Big Ewis]

Forza Ita.....err, sorry no - vamos vamos vaaaaaaamos los Pumas !! Allez les amis !!! CORAJE Y COJONES !!!!! COJONES ATOMICAS DE LA MUERTE !!!!!!

 

[LittleGuy]

Fantastic crowd, looks like a cracking atmosphere.

 

[Jaguares]

Well, it's time. Here we go!

PD: ABs by 30