Can anyone bring down the AB's this coming November ?

[Big Ewis]

Yeah, out of the 5 upcoming test matches (counting Australia on October 20th in Brisbane), who do you think has the best chance to end the AB's win streak ?...
Australia, Scotland, Italy, Wales or England...
Do you see it happening ? All these games are on the road, but I see them sweeping the European tour tbh...Scotland say they have what it takes to upset the AB's lol, England doesn't seem quite ready but have impressed so far in 2012...Wales ??...meh. Italy will get, unfortunately, crushed.

In what sectors of the game do you think any of these teams have an advantage over NZ ?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Can't see any (including Australia) beating the ABs.
England, Wales and Aus will probably have a similar scoreline (ABs winning by 10-15), if it's underwater then Scotland could be relatively close (<10 win to ABs) but if not then Italy/Scotland will both get shafted hard.

 

[RyotoTheDragon]

Anything can happen especially against sides like wales, england and aus. Id like to think that we just go through europe smashing any team they put infront if us bt reality is that we COULD lose to any if those three teams. I dont expect the abs to lose any games, hopefully im right.

 

[William18]

Australia actually has the best chance for me because they at least have beaten us relatively recently. It depends what sort of team they put out I guess. Wales I wasn't too impressed with when they came down to Australia and England aren't quite there yet. Both those teams have chances but would be massive underdogs.

 

[Nielsch]

I think of all the challengers, England has the best chances of beating the All Blacks. However I do see the All Blacks retaining the Raeburn Shield throughout all the Tests.

 

[nush]

Australia actually has the best chance for me because they at least have beaten us relatively recently. It depends what sort of team they put out I guess. Wales I wasn't too impressed with when they came down to Australia and England aren't quite there yet. Both those teams have chances but would be massive underdogs.

well it all depends on how many wallabies make it off the injury table, and i agree england aren't quite there yet but they look to be building a decent squad

i personally think wales can do it if and thats a big if, is if they manage to cut out their handling errors but i don't really see it happening

 

[Big Ewis]

yeah...well there are stats like Wales hasn't beaten the AB's since '53 (was it ?)...but as we all know, it just takes one good performance. But Wales or England would have to hold on for 80 minutes, and in England's case I really don't think they have an even close good enough attack to upset NZ, and they don't have Wilko anymore...with guys like Jane, Dagg, Nonu, Carter...the tries will come no matter what, England just seems so slow when I think of them now compared to the AB's...
Isn't Wales STILL too young too ?...

Good news is, this WILL be historical in any case. They continue their sweeping and huge win streak, or someone puts an end to their huge win streak and takes all the credit.

 

[racingmetrofan]

England could beat them - 26-16 in 2010 when we had a much worse team and coach, and one of our tries was disallowed.

 

[Sam Owen]

Australia, Wales and England can do it but they're gonna need more than the reffs calls to see them do it. All 3 countries are good problem is I think the ABs are quietly determined to go undefeated. If the French were on the cards I wouldnt have said the ABs would go undefeated this year like I did before they played the 'Boks.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

For Wales it's going to be tough in my opinion. In Australia we were brought down to Earth from our previous couple of international adventures. It will depend on who is fit and can the players there step up and cut out the mistakes they tend to make.

 

[nush]

Australia, Wales and England can do it but they're gonna need more than the reffs calls to see them do it. All 3 countries are good problem is I think the ABs are quietly determined to go undefeated. If the French were on the cards I wouldnt have said the ABs would go undefeated this year like I did before they played the 'Boks.

i'm not so sure about the french it usually depends on what team turns up on the day, the only consistent thing about their team is they are inconsistent

 

[j'nuh]

and they don't have Wilko anymore...

England just seems so slow when I think of them now compared to the AB's...

Depends on which players are picked tbh. England could be a shout for fastest team in the world with certain selections.

 

[nickdnz]

If we can get past Australia I tend to think we're very unlikely to be beated. Scotland and Italy have never beaten us, England hasn't beaten us in 9 years and Wales hasn't beaten us in 59 years. Our last test lost in Europe was 2007 RWC QF. Obviously I'm not saying it's impossible the All Blacks could lose to one of them, it's just very, very unlikely. Australia has got the best chance based on recent history, but even that's not very likely to happen if they can't field their best team.

 

[Big Ewis]

^ oh really in 2007 ? Who was that against ?

For Wales it's going to be tough in my opinion. In Australia we were brought down to Earth from our previous couple of international adventures. It will depend on who is fit and can the players there step up and cut out the mistakes they tend to make.

Hey now, Wales put up monster fights in Australia. People (and history) only look at who WINS or LOSES. But it's more complicated unfortunately. Wales would have gotten those two tight ones they had the series 2-1. I'm not fabricating a world of "ifs" and "buts", but one penalty separating the two ?...shows you that sports are about more than just who wins really...Wales still is Wales, in this current form, and I wish em luck. Their 0-3 trip to Australia doesn't mean **** if you don't know how they went down, all 3 tests. But I think NZ will win this, even in Millennium.

j'nuh: hahaha, no wasn't teasing you about Wilko, just sayin...and yeah Croft n Tuilagi def. have some srs pace...but just overall, the passing, execution...slow mo comparing to the AB's in my mind...I may be wrong.

Haha yeah guys, whenever one team is reigning supreme knock on France's door ! hehe...chances are we'd get our asses whipped of course, but then again, we thought that time n time again haven't we...but it's a very current, immediate transition for us right now. Like, we haven't played a single test with the new guys (a part from 2nd string Arg but wtvr). Our RWC team I could see upsetting them. After all, we did surprise the world yet again in the Final against this very NZ side...IN New Zealand...

 

[nickdnz]

^ oh really in 2007 ? Who was that against ?



Hey now, Wales put up monster fights in Australia. People (and history) only look at who WINS or LOSES. But it's more complicated unfortunately. Wales would have gotten those two tight ones they had the series 2-1. I'm not fabricating a world of "ifs" and "buts", but one penalty separating the two ?...shows you that sports are about more than just who wins really...Wales still is Wales, in this current form, and I wish em luck. Their 0-3 trip to Australia doesn't mean **** if you don't know how they went down, all 3 tests. But I think NZ will win this, even in Millennium.

j'nuh: hahaha, no wasn't teasing you about Wilko, just sayin...and yeah Croft n Tuilagi def. have some srs pace...but just overall, the passing, execution...slow mo comparing to the AB's in my mind...I may be wrong.

Haha yeah guys, whenever one team is reigning supreme knock on France's door ! hehe...chances are we'd get our asses whipped of course, but then again, we thought that time n time again haven't we...but it's a very current, immediate transition for us right now. Like, we haven't played a single test with the new guys (a part from 2nd string Arg but wtvr). Our RWC team I could see upsetting them. After all, we did surprise the world yet again in the Final against this very NZ side...IN New Zealand...

Wayne Barnes

 

[Big Ewis]

^ heyyyyyy now !! You're asking for it !
Hint: Craig....Joubert....Final....2011....*cough*

 

[Larksea]

heh I actually Agree Joubert did not help the french much in that 2011 final, calls missed both ways overall may have favored the AB's but you could also say that a Red card for a head but and eye gouge was missed. I don't think he was anywhere near as bad as Barnes was back in 07 though. At least France did get that penalty to kick for goal in '11 that could have changed the game (but missed). Barnes gave the AB's nothing in '07 the calls either way for him were massively lop sided.

in such big games that are that close it almost always comes down to a call or two going either way - that's how I see '11. I dont look at '07 that way though, I think under an experienced ref (someone other than Barnes) the All Blacks would have won that 07 game by 15+ points. at least at the time Joubert was the best ref in the world - still not far off now.

 

[ARCM]

totally agree...

 

[admartian]

If the Wales of RWC 2011 show up, they'll give the ABs a run for their money.

 

[dasNdanger]

SCOTLAND!!

I mean...aren't they supposed to win the Six Nations or something this go-round? If so, then beating the ABs will be a cinch!





das