EOYT: Italy v New Zealand, 17/11/2012

[Amobokoboko]

Stadio Olimpico, Rome (17-11-2012, 14:00 GMT)
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Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Craig Joubert (South Africa), Peter Allan (Scotland)
Television match official: Nigel Whitehouse (Wales)
​

All Blacks squad announced, looking very good:

Starting XV:

1. Tony Woodcock (93)
2. Keven Mealamu (100)
3. Charlie Faumuina (4)
4. Ali Williams (76)
5. Brodie Retallick (10)
6. Liam Messam (17)
7. Sam Cane (4)
8. Kieran Read - captain (45)
9. Aaron Smith (10)
10. Aaron Cruden (17)
11. Julian Savea (6)
12. Ma'a Nonu (73)
13. Conrad Smith (63)
14. Hosea Gear (13)
15. Beauden Barrett (3)

Reserves:

16. Dane Coles (1)
17. Wyatt Crockett (8)
18. Ben Franks (22)
19. Samuel Whitelock (36)
20. Victor Vito (18)
21. Tawera Kerr-Barlow (1)
22. Daniel Carter (93)
23. Cory Jane (40)

Italy squad tba

 

[Helmy]

I feel sorry for Italy; this 22 looks better than lost week's imo.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I think Hansen has been very smart here giving some older guys a well deserved rest and bringing in more than able replacements who might arguably be hungrier for game time (while developing the player base) and will be up for the intensity the Italians are likely to bring not that the others wouldn't be mind you; their just too professional.

 

[nickdnz]

Interesting to see Hosea Gear play on the right wing. That wing combo will monster Italy, but I'm suprised Savea isn't on the right wing considering how much rugby he's played there at junior level and for Wellington when both Savea and Gear play. With any regards this team should be able to monster Italy. I like the possibility of bring players like Daniel Carter and Cory Jane off the bench. Poor Italy.

 

[Black_Magic]

Wow, Gear and Savea together on the field. That can be fantastic. I wonder what's that with Barrett at 15, is Hansen thinking of using him mainly as fullback? Dagg is unquestioned no. 1 and we have some other great players who can play at 15, like Jane or Ben Smith.

 

[nickdnz]

Wow, Gear and Savea together on the field. That can be fantastic. I wonder what's that with Barrett at 15, is Hansen thinking of using him mainly as fullback? Dagg is unquestioned no. 1 and we have some other great players who can play at 15, like Jane or Ben Smith.

I think it's a case of both Dagg and Smith being injured and wanting to give Barrett some time in a pretty winnable game - if it was against Wales or England I'd expect Jane to start.

 

[Big Ewis]

Can you please add the vBookie quick, I'm in desperate need for cash ! This is the surest bet you'll get all season, no offense to the Azzurri !!...

But hey, I'm sure everybody remembers the last result when these two met in Italy...
I think that this time though, it'll be closer to what we all intimately suspect rather than a "close" result like last time.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

I hope all the people who are against rotation are up in arms about this squad. I love rotation, I don't think there was anything wrong with what Henry did back prior to 07.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

vBookie Italy - New Zealand

vBookie added

 

[Big Ewis]

Dankie Ezequiel.

 

[madflyhalf]

15 Andrea MASI (London Wasps, 70 caps)
14 Giovambattista VENDITTI (Zebre Rugby, 7 caps)
13 Tommaso BENVENUTI (Benetton Treviso, 21 caps)
12 Alberto SGARBI (Benetton Treviso, 21 caps)
11 Mirco BERGAMASCO (Racing-Metro Paris, 87 caps)
10 Luciano ORQUERA (Zebre Rugby, 27 caps)
9 Edoardo GORI (Benetton Treviso, 14 caps)
8 Sergio PARISSE (Stade Francais, 89 caps)
7 Simone FAVARO (Benetton Treviso, 14 caps)
6 Alessandro ZANNI (Benetton Treviso, 67 caps)
5 Francesco MINTO (Benetton Treviso, debut)
4 Antonio PAVANELLO (Benetton Treviso, 11 caps)
3 Martin CASTROGIOVANNI (Leicester Tigers, 89 caps)
2 Leonardo GHIRALDINI (Benetton Treviso, 46 caps)
1 Andrea LO CICERO (Racing-Metro Paris, 96 caps)

a disposizione
16 Davide GIAZZON (Zebre Rugby, 3 caps)
17 Alberto DE MARCHI (Benetton Treviso, 3 caps)
18 Lorenzo CITTADINI (Benetton Treviso, 14 caps)
19 Quintin GELDENHUYS (Zebre Rugby, 31 caps)
20 Mauro BERGAMASCO (Zebre Rugby, 92 caps)
21 Robert BARBIERI (Benetton Treviso, 25 caps)
22 Tobias BOTES (Benetton Treviso, 6 caps)
23 Luke MCLEAN (Benetton Treviso, 39 caps)


2 cents:

- Can't understand why Barbieri is dropped, by far our best player last week and in superb form, maybe Brunel's looking for impact from the bench; but Favaro is good enough
- Benvenuti centre against the ABs scares me... though he is by far our best attacking centre, he's extremely fragile in defence; I'd have had Masi at 13 for this match, Benvenuti/Venditti 14, McLean 11.
- Someone has to explain me what Mauro Bergamasco is doing there

But I see a forward pack looking for more phisicality than ever, if Pavanello stays fit longer than 20', along with young gun Minto (not heavy but solid) could step up our tight game, Parisse is in charge of lineouts, we can lose something there.

I think Brunel wants try something tasting a possible upset next week against the Wallabies.

Bar the points said before, I like this team.

 

[Icemn]

Gear and Savea!!! YEAH BABY!!!

interesting how the subs might work :?

Carter for Conrad smith, Nonu will then fall in on 13 and Carter on 12...

jane for cruden, barrett to 10, jane on 15...

 

[Larksea]

I like this AB side though I'd like to see Savea and Gear really get involved. I think the workrate from the All Black wingers has been pretty average recently Jane included.

Big game required from Ali Williams, he should lift in combo with 2012's big thing Retalick.

Messam and Cane in the loose, got to be good.

I think the Aaron Smith/Cruden Combination is going to shine, also hope we see Barrett come in as first receiver. In particular towards the end of each half, he is deadly when the opposition starts to tire.

 

[big ginger 8]

Sorry Italy.

 

[james5000]

I hope all the people who are against rotation are up in arms about this squad. I love rotation, I don't think there was anything wrong with what Henry did back prior to 07.

I hate rotation but this isn't a World Cup its just a tour, its the perfect opportunity to try out new combinations and mix things up a bit. When your still mucking around at the World Cup then your in trouble.

 

[admartian]

I feel sorry for Italy; this 22 looks better than lost week's imo.

Agreed.

I hope all the people who are against rotation are up in arms about this squad. I love rotation, I don't think there was anything wrong with what Henry did back prior to 07.

Agreed.

I like rotation (maybe not to the extreme of) during intervening years. But WC years (and maybe even the series of tests just prior to a WC year) teams should be as consistent as possible.

People shouldn't be mad at rotation in the first place; it's played a big part in our depth of players.

 

[Big Ewis]

Whatchu guys reckon the score will be ?
More or less than 50 for NZ this time around ?...

I'll go with...hmmmm...
45 - 11.

 

[donmcdazzle]

If our forwards give us some front foot ball we could really cut Italy apart. I don't think they'll be able to keep up if we can get fast ball. Their best bet is to keep everything in tight and disrupt our ball as much as possible. They did it a wee bit against Aus in the world cup for the first half.

Having two playmakers available at 1st receiver in Barrett and Cruden is pretty cool too. They should be able to create a lot for the rest of the backs as long as we get Aaron Smith some good pill.

 

[tenpm]

Weepu's not in the 22, so who's going to lead the haka? Is it going to be Messam?

 

[bobbilycious]

Hosea Gear