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All Blacks V Wallabies, Hong Kong, October 30th
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Sam Owen
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Good to see Hika in there, welcome back Daniel and Ice.
Im a big SBW fan but Im happy that he's not playing in this game. Still a rookie to test Rugby and the Wallabies is no team to experiment rookies with and it looks that Henry & co. feel the same way.
The pack is beginning to get more games together, gelling with experience and I think thats a good thing going into the RWC for the ABs. I remember the world champion England sides forward pack was a very good unit and they played heaps of games together before they won the Webb Ellis.
Hosea will get a run sooner or later and I know he wont let anyone down. He is ready now, more than before.
Hopefully Alby can show why he is an AB with his well timed explosive darts. The guy can really punish sloppy defence so off the bench, he's good.
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yeah pretty predictible side, sonny bill was never going to be part of this game. Not a big game like this after less than a couple of weeks in the AB's squad.
Only thing I would have done different is Messam in for Braid. Because Braid can cover 7 and Messam can cover 6,7,8 and provide genuine impact.
Very experienced starting lineup considering the two guys with the lowest caps also seem to play well like they are much more experienced than they actually are.
Though with Weepu and the impact of Dagg/Kahui missing, an uncapped Elliot and Toeava who has hardly played any rugby in months, the bench does look a bit more vulnerable than it did in the tri nations. not much you can do about injuries though. The guys just need to get on and do the job.
Big game for Elliot, would like to see him come on and get a good 20min or so and do a good job.
Donald to, Carter's on injury comeback so it's not likely carter will play a whole game. Would be good to see donald come on and repay the coaches faith. One thing I'd like to see donald do is come on and order people around like he does for waikato and the chiefs.
Should be a good game!
Only thing I would have done different is Messam in for Braid. Because Braid can cover 7 and Messam can cover 6,7,8 and provide genuine impact.
Very experienced starting lineup considering the two guys with the lowest caps also seem to play well like they are much more experienced than they actually are.
Though with Weepu and the impact of Dagg/Kahui missing, an uncapped Elliot and Toeava who has hardly played any rugby in months, the bench does look a bit more vulnerable than it did in the tri nations. not much you can do about injuries though. The guys just need to get on and do the job.
Big game for Elliot, would like to see him come on and get a good 20min or so and do a good job.
Donald to, Carter's on injury comeback so it's not likely carter will play a whole game. Would be good to see donald come on and repay the coaches faith. One thing I'd like to see donald do is come on and order people around like he does for waikato and the chiefs.
Should be a good game!
Dizzy
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great opportunity for Hika... But I don't see him getting much game time considering how effective Mealamu is... Hika will get about 10mins max imo... It would have been really good to see Gear in the reserves because he is just such a tremendous athlete, imagine a fresh Hosea coming on in the last 20mins... try time anyone?.... mind you the wings haven't been quite effective this year during the tri nations so who knows... [apart from Dagg's brilliance]
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If they are wanting Afoa to cover all three front row positions, why have they picked Hika Elliot in the reserves?
If Ted & Co saw Afoa throwing into the line-out v Otago a week or two back, they would not want him anywhere near Hooker!!!
Nah. Braid has been contracted by the NZRU for only ONE reason, and was to develop a GENUINE No.7 back up for Ritchie McCaw. I think you will find Braid will get a fair bit of game time on this tour. He will probably be subbed on for Kaino at some stage, and McCaw will switch to blindside.
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Australia: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 James O'Connor, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Matt Giteau, 11 Drew Mitchell, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Ben McCalman, 7 David Pocock, 6 Rocky Elsom (c), 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 Mark Chisholm, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Benn Robinson.
Replacements: 16 Saia Faingaa, 17 James Slipper, 18 Dean Mumm, 19 Richard Brown, 20 Luke Burgess, 21 Berrick Barnes, 22 Lachie Turner
For the first time in a while Australia might have a stronger bench than New Zealand.
Replacements: 16 Saia Faingaa, 17 James Slipper, 18 Dean Mumm, 19 Richard Brown, 20 Luke Burgess, 21 Berrick Barnes, 22 Lachie Turner
For the first time in a while Australia might have a stronger bench than New Zealand.
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This is going to be a massive match, both teams look immense.
Can't wait, even if it does mean getting up early on a saturday
Can't wait, even if it does mean getting up early on a saturday
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Pfft, i've still not forgiven you SHers for making me get up at obscene hours over the summer holidays to watch the matches 
I think the match vs England starts at 3:00am in New Zealand, and the match against Scotland is at 6:00am. So, like always, I'm going to have to pull all nighters, because I don't trust myself to get up.Pfft, i've still not forgiven you SHers for making me get up at obscene hours over the summer holidays to watch the matches
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Ah, that's much worse than the 7ams i had
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what time is this UK time?
I can see why people would think that, I do tend to believe players can always devalop with experience. But Braid has been playing first class rugby at all levels for like 10 years and I think he's pretty close to his peak. Messam, few years younger, bigger, faster, stronger and IMO more potential to improve at test level.
That's my reasoning for the comment I made.
Shaggy
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I think Hika is there as an insurance policy for Mealamu's calf injury - they've made it pretty clear that they'd prefer to have a prop that can hook or a hooker that can prop in the RWC squad due to the non-replacement of injured players in the squad rules ... I think I read somewhere on the forum (maybe one of Ranger's posts) that Woodcock is not a bad lineout thrower, so maybe that's what they'll do if Afoa Hooks
They really need to give him some game time there, if not in this match, maybe Scotland?
I think all of the loosies will get significant game time on this tour ... there are only five of them right?
Shaggy
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Yeah well I guessed with 4 out the 5 getting game time each game, they'll all get quite a bit of game time regardless ... Ritchie can play all three positions if required (not at the same time
)... on a side issue, interesting to see Ali Williams was training for an hour at the AB's training in Hong Kong ... good to hear he's close to a come back
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