[2016 Rugby Championship] New Zealand v Australia (27/08/2016)

[Bada-Bing!]

Ben Smith, Israel Dagg, Malakai Fekitoa, Anton Lienert-Brown, Julian Savea, Beauden Barrett, Aaron Smith, Kieran Read (c), Sam Kane, Jerome Kaino, Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick, Owen Franks, Dane Coles, Joe Moody. Reserves: James Parsons, Wyatt Crockett, Charlie Faumuina, Liam Squire, Ardie Savea, TJ Perenara, Aaron Cruden, Seta Tamanivalu.

All black team named. ALB named at 12. Bin Smuth back to full back.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

I'm kinda disappointed by no McKenzie or Ioane but hopefully they'll get some game time vs Argentina. I think Tamanivalu over the bench over either of them shows that Hansen is still looking at the up coming game as a test rather than a game for experimentation. Which is the wise choice but none the less, I'd have loved to see what Ioane could've done to a broken Wallabies back line.

I'm curious about the decision making behind swapping Dagg and Smith. I suppose it's Hansen wanting to see which way around works better, but seeing as NMS will replace Dagg when he's back from injury it seems like a somewhat pointless test.

I was also hoping to see Dixon on the bench again but I guess Hansen wants a proper 8 and a flanker rather than 2 flankers. Bold to once again not have a replacement lock and I'm also not sure Squire is good enough to warrant dropping a lock sub when that lock sub is Tuipulotu. Read is far from ideal lock cover.

Again, disappointed to see Crudes on the bench over Sopoaga as I think Lima brings much more impact than Aaron. But that's a minor detail.

 

[GoTheNaki]

Well... These kids have come to this team a lot sooner than I said in another thread. I said that I believed that Lienert-Brown, Rieko Ioane, and Damien McKenzie would make their way into that team at some point during their careers... But this soon? It is actually a lot easier to ignore Lienert-Brown and Ioane, and just wait and see, than it is McKenzie due to his last two Super Rugby seasons. But to be fair to Ioane, he's been making grown men look like idiots since he was 17... And he most certainly did that to a couple of Super Rugby veteran wingers/internationals this season too. I still see the 12 position as Ngatai's... But at this point, well, when is he coming back...

I'm actually surprised Hansen kept Barrett in there, he could really be 2 decent games away from taking that away from Cruden. If he performs for the whole game, and then versus SA... We could be looking at McKenzie being utilized in that Barrett role at some point, can play 10 and fullback, could have a really big impact at the end of games.

If it got to a point in which we've already won it with a game to go, or whatever. I'd like to see McKenzie, Ioane, Fekitoa, Lienert-Brown, Savea, Barrett, Perenara. I don't see why not?!

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

As someone who doesn't watch a huge amount of Super Rugby, do people consider Lienert-Brown to be a permanent option at 12? I haven't seen much of him but all of what I have has been good. I think it's gonna be a very difficult job for Hansen to pick his new constant pairing simply because of how many options and potentials there are. Until 2019 there's:

Lienert-Brown, 12
Sonny Bill Williams (Maybe), 12
Ryan Crotty (Maybe), 12
Charlie Ngatai (Maybe), 12
Seta Tamanivalu, 13
Rieko Ioane, 13
Charles Piutau (He's stated that he plans to return to NZ to play in the RWC), 13
Matt Faddes, 13
Malakai Fekitoa, 12/13
George Moala, 12/13

So many players and variables to consider that planning ahead must be a nightmare. Personally at some point I'd like to see a Fekitoa - Moala pairing. With Faddes' rise at Highlanders it looks like Fekitoa will be playing most of his rugby at 12, so that should be where he's mostly considered playing for the ABs. With Halaholo's departure from the Hurricanes I'd like to see Moala move there or to the Saders to get some game time with a decent team, hopefully at OC. That would be an experiment though, and if it didn't go well then Lienert-Brown - Fekitoa may be the way to go. What are people's thoughts?

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Australia XV

1. Scott Sio
2. Stephen Moore
3. Sekope Kepu
4. Kane Douglas
5. Adam Coleman
6. Scott Fardy
7. Michael Hooper
8. David Pocock
9. Will Genia
10. Quade Cooper
11. Dane Haylett-Petty
12. Bernard Foley
13. Samu Kerevi
14. Adam Ashley-Cooper
15. Israel Folau

16. Tatafu Polota-Nau
17. James Slipper
18. Allan Ala'alatoa
19. Dean Mumm
20. Will Skelton
21. Tevita Kurudrani
22. Reece Hodge
23. Nick Phipps

I'm disappointed. The back row needs sorting out, when will Cheika realise that 2 7s and no 8 doesn't work. It's good to see Kerevi in for Kuridrani but Cooper starting and Foley at 12 will only lead to disaster. The bench is just a mess.

 

[XIII]

Im really glad beacause Kerevi is playing in position, but very angry about Skelton geting the nod instead of Timani and the fact that Mcmahon is not in the 23. About the 10-12, who knows, it may work, anyways, what else could Cheika do??

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

Australia clearly know they don't have a chance starting their most consistent players. Cooper is a huge gamble, but he might (1% chance) have the game of his lifetime.

Also interesting to see kiwis switch Dagg and smith.

- - - Updated - - -

I think cruden is out as long as Barrett keeps form. I just don't see why he is part of the 23 since Barrett is gonna go 80 min every game and cruden can only play flyhalf.

 

[eidde]

Wow - no loosie cover.... Interesting selections that smell slightly of desperation, but i guess there weren't many options. Will look forward to seeing Perenara getting another shot at Skelton after the Canes-Tahs game 2015....

I do think Folau in the centres would have been a better option, with Foley starting and Cooper (possibly) providing some impact from the bench.

RE AB centres, I think out of the ones named above, I wouldn't be surprised to see Ioane used more as a wing/fullback, as well as Piutau if he comes back. In saying that, having guys like Barrett/Mckenzie/Ioane/Piutau make for an incredibly versatile backline.

Also interested in the Dagg/Smith switch. Will wait and see how it plays out before passing judgement.

 

[austingtir]

So he's basically changed out one lock? Was the other one injured?? Fardy in at 6 which was always going to happen...

And moved Foley out to 12... possibly out of having not many other options.... Kinda thought Quade was done with... Guess he's playing for his wallaby career in this match then.

Seems to me like he's backed himself into a corner and refuses to find a way out. To me that side is pretty much laying the blame at the locks seeing as how I assume one's been dropped and not injured?

Seems crazy to me as their lineout failure is not a new thing we wasted them in the world cup final (and eden park) in that area as well. Short of being very lucky and getting a reff that favours pocock and hooper at the breakdown I fail to see how he thinks this will work.

 

[eidde]

That was a whole new level of lineout failure last saturday though.... i think the pooper combinations lack of height is their main issue.

 

[Gavin]

Let's hope the NZ don't continually boo Cooper during this match. It was embarrassing when that happened last time.

 

[The Jones Boy]

Is Ben McCalman injured?

 

[austingtir]

Let's hope the NZ don't continually boo Cooper during this match. It was embarrassing when that happened last time.

Thanks for the reminder. Will get the gang together tomorrow night for a practice run.


Is quade about to "get his beans" again this weekend? http://m.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11699886

 

[Jaguares]

Foley at 12? :shock:

ABs by 80

 

[TobesHodges]

Is Toomua injured? I would have put Folau at 13 to mix things up

 

[smartcooky]

Let's hope the NZ don't continually boo Cooper during this match. It was embarrassing when that happened last time.

Oh, I hope we do; I love audience participation!!

Initially, we booed Quade in response to his cheap-shots on Ritchie. Now we boo him because he enjoy booing him.

Cooper has one of those faces that brings on an overwhelming urge to punch it!!

 

[TRF_heineken]

Oh, I hope we do; I love audience participation!!

Initially, we booed Quade in response to his cheap-shots on Ritchie. Now we boo him because he enjoy booing him.

Cooper has one of those faces that brings on an overwhelming urge to punch it!!

This!

 

[Gavin]

Oh, I hope we do; I love audience participation!!

Initially, we booed Quade in response to his cheap-shots on Ritchie. Now we boo him because he enjoy booing him.

Cooper has one of those faces that brings on an overwhelming urge to punch it!!

Yes for a nation which prides itself in its rugby players toeing the line and being respectful to others, I guess it would be difficult for NZ supporters to be the same as well, especially when the issues with Cooper are long forgotten.

But I guess NZ supporters are like elephants. They never forgot about stuff like cheap shots against their glorious (mostly offside) captain, and forward passes.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Yes for a nation which prides itself in its rugby players toeing the line and being respectful to others, I guess it would be difficult for NZ supporters to be the same as well, especially when the issues with Cooper are long forgotten.

But I guess NZ supporters are like elephants. They never forgot about stuff like cheap shots against their glorious (mostly offside) captain, and forward passes.

Oh Jesus... What have you done?! I can hear the Kiwis frantically typing away already.

 

[Adakins]

I personally hope they don't boo him, we should get past it as a country, he manages to screw things up by himself without our country booing him. I really hope that Australia face up this week. I hope the changes they rung in make some sort of impact.
I don't think Cruden is a good bench option, I understand loyalty to him because he was our starting 10 for a long time, but I personally feel him and J Savea aren't in form. We have such amazing talent that we can afford to put other players in those positions who are in form. I think we needed to blood another new back line player this week.