[2015 RWC] Final: New Zealand vs. Australia (31/10/2015)

[meck01]

If Sio is out then it's game over.

Maybe - although I would agree if Pocock was out.

As it is - NZ should win this - 9/10 times they will beat Australia.

Being a RWC final though - anything can and will happen.

Head says NZ, Heart says Aus - bring it on.

 

[wooli]

I honestly dont think Hooper is that good! and one could argue that Izzy is just not ready full stop! He is looking woefuly out of sorts so presumably that injury is really holding him back.

Any news on the OZ injuries by the way? Last I heard Giteau and Izzy will play, Izzy sounds like he wont be close to 100% though, and Sio is done. Anyone else have any new updates?

Radio news this morning was that they are all fit to play

You don't think Hooper is that good? HELLO

Ex captain and now VC
Youngest player to 50 caps

Cheika has been planning for this match since he took over
We're no longer Wobbolies

Wallabies by 15!

 

[RoosTah]

Including Sio?

Thing is, the preparation will end once they step onto the field. They'll need to get a bit of luck go their way to win I reckon. But it's a one off game so you just never know. The Kiwis snagged a Rugby League World Cup off us back in '08 by playing out of their skins and getting the bounce of the ball and that's kind of how I see us winning if we do. If not and NZ play to their full potential whilst we don't reach ours? Well, it'll be more like the 2013 RLWC Final (interestingly SBW will have played in both) but in reverse

 

[ABs2011]

Radio news this morning was that they are all fit to play

You don't think Hooper is that good? HELLO

Ex captain and now VC
Youngest player to 50 caps

Cheika has been planning for this match since he took over
We're no longer Wobbolies

Wallabies by 15!

Haha, I didnt say he wasnt good, I just dont think he is a game winner (as you seemed to be suggesting).

Are you syaing Sio is fit as well?

Look, the Ozzies are a good team, hugely improved under Cheika, no doubt about that. I rigourously debated/defended the quality of the OZ team with a couple Kiwis on this forum early on who thought they were no good, and I put my money where my mouth was and made a fair bit out of their success as well. That being said, there was a reason I only bet on them outright with NZ excluded (as oppoesd to winning the tournament outright), they are a good team, but despite their improvements they are not as good as the ABs!!

 

[RoosTah]

Agreed. From a pure talent standpoint the Wallabies v All Blacks is almost perfectly analogous to the Kangaroos v Kiwis in reverse; on paper the winner looks obvious. But as they say, matches aren't played on paper.

 

[meck01]

Haha, I didnt say he wasnt good, I just dont think he is a game winner (as you seemed to be suggesting).

Are you syaing Sio is fit as well?

Look, the Ozzies are a good team, hugely improved under Cheika, no doubt about that. I rigourously debated/defended the quality of the OZ team with a couple Kiwis on this forum early on who thought they were no good, and I put my money where my mouth was and made a fair bit out of their success as well. That being said, there was a reason I only bet on them outright with NZ excluded (as oppoesd to winning the tournament outright), they are a good team, but despite their improvements they are not as good as the ABs!!

No one is - that's the point.

The current AB's team is best ever.

Although is there any concern surrounding the retirement of McCaw/Carter etc?

Being NZ I expect they have 3-4 world class back ups in any position anyway.

 

[ABs2011]

No one is - that's the point.

The current AB's team is best ever.

Although is there any concern surrounding the retirement of McCaw/Carter etc?

Being NZ I expect they have 3-4 world class back ups in any position anyway.

IMO the main concern for NZ moving forward is the midfield. The best midfield combinations take years to develop. I cant even recall how long Nonu and Smith have been together - I think they played together for the first time back in 2003 and since then have played many seasons together for Wellington, the Hurricanes, and the ABs. They must have played 300+ games together I would have thought.

Other than that we are basically losing experience cause in terms of actual replacements we are pretty fortunate to have a bunch of talent sitting on the sidelines that are more than capable. Cruden and Cane will likely slot in for DC and McCaw - not bad really.

 

[nickdnz]

No one is - that's the point.

The current AB's team is best ever.

Although is there any concern surrounding the retirement of McCaw/Carter etc?

Being NZ I expect they have 3-4 world class back ups in any position anyway.

Not from me. We're stacked with promising guys in both 7 and 10.

7: Same Cane, Matt Todd, Ardie Savea, Mitchell Karpick
10. Aaron Cruden, Beuden Barrett, Lima Sopoaga, Otere Black

 

[RoosTah]

Rather nice piece in the UK about Cheika and the team.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ru...al-eclecticism-into-a-powerful-advantage.html

Gotta say, that Cheika is pure gold for the game here... he's so open, honest and humble and he's a self made millionaire to boot. He coaches more for the love of the game than anything. Such a massive difference to our last few coaches, from the disaster that was McKenzie, to the taciturn Deans and the very brief tenure of Connolly. None of them have captured the public's imagination here like Cheika - even the Rugby League media love him and THAT says something.

 

[Jaguares]

Not from me. We're stacked with promising guys in both 7 and 10.

7: Same Cane, Matt Todd, Ardie Savea, Mitchell Karpick
10. Aaron Cruden, Beuden Barrett, Lima Sopoaga, Otere Black

7: Just Cane and Savea are top class
10: Cruden is the only top class. Barrett is better at the wing than at 10 haha

 

[ABs2011]

Not from me. We're stacked with promising guys in both 7 and 10.

7: Same Cane, Matt Todd, Ardie Savea, Mitchell Karpick
10. Aaron Cruden, Beuden Barrett, Lima Sopoaga, Otere Black

7: Just Cane and Savea are top class
10: Cruden is the only top class. Barrett is better at the wing than at 10 haha

For NZ standards maybe, but I'm pretty sure Todd would get a starting spot, or at least be on the bench for all other teams in the world. Lancaster would probably give up his left kidney to get dibs on Todd

Karpik is just young, in only his first pro rugby season, but he will be top class, mark my words

As for Barrett I fear at ABs level his utility value may well prove to be his downfall. He is just so valuable as bench cover and of course as an impact player. If he wasn't so darn good at covering wing/fullback I think he would start way more in the post-DC era!

 

[KeyboardWorrier]

Pretty amazing that DC has been around for so long as hasn't competed in a RWC Finals win.

 

[ABs2011]

Pretty amazing that DC has been around for so long as hasn't competed in a RWC Finals win.

He hasnt even competed in a final, let alone a win.

Played in 2003, 2007, and 2011 RWCs but obviously missed out of the '11 final.

 

[InsaneAsylum]

He hasnt even competed in a final, let alone a win.

Played in 2003, 2007, and 2011 RWCs but obviously missed out of the '11 final.

I remember him at the 2003 world cup. I was lucky enough to see NZ v Can and NZ v Ita at Etihad Stadium (was Telstra Dome back then). He came off the bench to play 12. Everyone was talking about the new young kid in the ABs.

 

[Fard]

Sio will play as will the rest of the A team.
Be prepared for the Wallaby onslaught, Milner Skudder will get owned under the high ball, the AB's back row will be running around trying to knock out Pocock and forget about Hooper. The AB's scrum will be back peddling and their number 8 will be inserted up the back passage of their locks. It will be a great day for the Aussie team when one S Moore holds aloft the WWE cup at the conclusion of the game.

 

[Jaguares]

For NZ standards maybe, but I'm pretty sure Todd would get a starting spot, or at least be on the bench for all other teams in the world. Lancaster would probably give up his left kidney to get dibs on Todd

Karpik is just young, in only his first pro rugby season, but he will be top class, mark my words

As for Barrett I fear at ABs level his utility value may well prove to be his downfall. He is just so valuable as bench cover and of course as an impact player. If he wasn't so darn good at covering wing/fullback I think he would start way more in the post-DC era!

I'm a Crusaders supporter and I can assure you that Matt Todd can't make the starting Pumas XV with young flankers like Pablo Matera, Javier Ortega Desio, Tomas Lezana and Facundo Isa with international experience. Isa played for Toulon and Matera has played for Leicester

 

[nzlizard]

Sio will play as will the rest of the A team.
Be prepared for the Wallaby onslaught, Milner Skudder will get owned under the high ball, the AB's back row will be running around trying to knock out Pocock and forget about Hooper. The AB's scrum will be back peddling and their number 8 will be inserted up the back passage of their locks. It will be a great day for the Aussie team when one S Moore holds aloft the WWE cup at the conclusion of the game.

Then you woke up and had cornflakes for breakfast.

 

[Fard]

Then you woke up and had cornflakes for breakfast.

Not cornflakes but Kiwi for breakfast!

 

[austingtir]

Not cornflakes but Kiwi for breakfast!

Pretty confident for a man who's team struggled to put away Argentina even with Barnes handing it to you on a platter.

 

[Fard]

On a platter! No way the Argies are a great team but just couldn't run with the Wallabies for the whole match.
We were just building on the way to the cup final.