June International Test: New Zealand vs. Wales [1st Test] (11/06/2016)

[nightmarehitter]

The All Blacks have said all week that this game will be all about doing the simple things and doing nothing to expansive. Well if you look at the line up they have named it is very clear that they intend to play a very violent and aggressive game against wales.

The fact that Seta Tamanivalu, Ardie Savea, Patrick Tuipolotu and Beauden Barrett are going to be coming off the bench lets you know what is the intention of the All Blacks especially in the 2nd half!

That is enough to induce headaches for any opposition but when your backline consists of

13) Fekitoa
11) Savea
14) Naholo
14) Smith

It would take a miracle for Wales not to concede several trys. I think Welsh fans should have realistic exceptions and not to too harsh on their side if they do cop it. On the other hand it is the All Blacks first game of the season so it could be a slow burner. ...... could be......

For those overseas who have not seen much of these guys, here is what the Wales will be seeing face to face very shortly.

 

[MikeTheNative]

To be fair Wales do have some decent runners.... they just never get the ball in space.

 

[Ludders93]

This game will be far closer than people on this forum and the bookies (NZ 21 point favourites) think.

NZ's first test with a much changed side, Wales have an established team and in Biggar a brilliant goal kicker.

I say NZ lead 14-9 at half time and end up winning 29-15. A 14 point margin is probably about right because NZ tend to finish games well.

A Wales win wouldn't completely shock me either. They seem ridiculously long at 16/1. New Zealand may not have lost at home since 2009, but a second string England team ran them close 2 years ago, France had a close test against them in 2013 and in 2012 Ireland almost beat them in the second test.

They're a great team New Zealand, but they're not unbeatable by any stretch. Their pack for example is average. Coles is a good hooker in the loose, Retallick a world class second row and Kieran Read is brilliant, but the props, Romano, Kaino and Cane are hardly world-beaters.

To beat New Zealand you can't let the game become stretched. That's how they beat you. Their fitness and skill-set is superior and in the final 20 of games as you tire they take over. If you can slow the game down, make it stop-start and make it physical they're very beatable.

Take last year. They lost in Australia and really should've lost in South Africa in the Rugby Championship. Argentina bullied them for 50 minutes in the RWC, and South Africa blew a great chance to beat them in the SF being 12-7 up against 14 men at half time.

They're far from invincible. If Wales play smart, they can win.

 

[nightmarehitter]

This game will be far closer than people on this forum and the bookies (NZ 21 point favourites) think.

NZ's first test with a much changed side, Wales have an established team and in Biggar a brilliant goal kicker.

I say NZ lead 14-9 at half time and end up winning 29-15. A 14 point margin is probably about right because NZ tend to finish games well.

A Wales win wouldn't completely shock me either. They seem ridiculously long at 16/1. New Zealand may not have lost at home since 2009, but a second string England team ran them close 2 years ago, France had a close test against them in 2013 and in 2012 Ireland almost beat them in the second test.

They're a great team New Zealand, but they're not unbeatable by any stretch. Their pack for example is average. Coles is a good hooker in the loose, Retallick a world class second row and Kieran Read is brilliant, but the props, Romano, Kaino and Cane are hardly world-beaters.

To beat New Zealand you can't let the game become stretched. That's how they beat you. Their fitness and skill-set is superior and in the final 20 of games as you tire they take over. If you can slow the game down, make it stop-start and make it physical they're very beatable.

Take last year. They lost in Australia and really should've lost in South Africa in the Rugby Championship. Argentina bullied them for 50 minutes in the RWC, and South Africa blew a great chance to beat them in the SF being 12-7 up against 14 men at half time.

They're far from invincible. If Wales play smart, they can win.

In over 100 years of world rugby dominance, the All Blacks have never been very beatable. If only the entire rugby wolrd beleived what you did then maybe the All Blacks wouldnt be the greatest sports team ever in the history of sports. Kaino will go down as an AB Great, 2 x world cup winner, Coles is more than a great hooker in the lose, he is the dominat hooker of world rugby besides Creevy. Cane is an extremely good no7, i doubt you would a better open side flanker than him in the whole of Europe. The AB's props are world cup winners. Romano while not as flash as other AB locks would be a first pick for the lions if he was European.

The All Blacks dont get bullied, they simply absorb until you break yourself and then they go straight for your bum, year in year out - the bum

Wales can not win, it is mission impossible, wales can only win if they hire Suzie from South Africa to return and poison the All Blacks.

 

[Peat]

Lots of people run NZ close and very few beat them. I think this'll be closer than expected, but a win would be a massive shock.

 

[Diomedes]

In over 100 years of world rugby dominance, the All Blacks have never been very beatable. If only the entire rugby wolrd beleived what you did then maybe the All Blacks wouldnt be the greatest sports team ever in the history of sports. Kaino will go down as an AB Great, 2 x world cup winner, Coles is more than a great hooker in the lose, he is the dominat hooker of world rugby besides Creevy. Cane is an extremely good no7, i doubt you would a better open side flanker than him in the whole of Europe. The AB's props are world cup winners. Romano while not as flash as other AB locks would be a first pick for the lions if he was European.

The All Blacks dont get bullied, they simply absorb until you break yourself and then they go straight for your bum, year in year out - the bum

Wales can not win, it is mission impossible, wales can only win if they hire Suzie from South Africa to return and poison the All Blacks.

Agree with everything apart from the bolded. Think the English locks and Alun Wyn-Jones would have something to say about that!

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

In over 100 years of world rugby dominance, the All Blacks have never been very beatable. If only the entire rugby wolrd beleived what you did then maybe the All Blacks wouldnt be the greatest sports team ever in the history of sports. Kaino will go down as an AB Great, 2 x world cup winner, Coles is more than a great hooker in the lose, he is the dominat hooker of world rugby besides Creevy. Cane is an extremely good no7, i doubt you would a better open side flanker than him in the whole of Europe. The AB's props are world cup winners. Romano while not as flash as other AB locks would be a first pick for the lions if he was European.

The All Blacks dont get bullied, they simply absorb until you break yourself and then they go straight for your bum, year in year out - the bum

Wales can not win, it is mission impossible, wales can only win if they hire Suzie from South Africa to return and poison the All Blacks.

I just wanted to mention taht NZ's dominanc over SA is only post-isolation. Up till professionalism SA had teh upperhand and positive win ratio. So not 100% accurate on 100 years.

 

[WaterboySA]

I just wanted to mention taht NZ's dominanc over SA is only post-isolation. Up till professionalism SA had teh upperhand and positive win ratio. So not 100% accurate on 100 years.

NEVER thought that I would support an England team over a SH team.......

Nope, still can't!

 

[profitius]

Sorry Welsh, I couldn't resist posting this.
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/wales-v-blacks-head-head-11448729

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

NEVER thought that I would support an England team over a SH team.......

Nope, still can't!

Hhaha. Ja, still the 'old enemy' is England. Funny that though Aus and NZ are very close in behind though. I am speaking in rugby-terms of course. And dare I say it Japan has earned a special place in SA's rugby heart.

But I would be hugely surprised to see Wales go the distance despite NZ 'coming in cold'.

 

[saulan]

Sorry Welsh, I couldn't resist posting this.
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/wales-v-blacks-head-head-11448729

I went through that and was thinking, okay I can understand the home bias on most of these... and then I got to the loose forwards. Faletau and Warburton are not better then Read and Cane.

 

[WaterboySA]

Sorry Welsh, I couldn't resist posting this.
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/wales-v-blacks-head-head-11448729

I see they rate Faletau higher than Kieran Read? I rate SA's nr 8, THOR, the nr2 8 in the world. Just because Read's alive.

Saulan, did not see your post....

 

[Thingimubob]

NEVER thought that I would support an England team over a SH team.......

Nope, still can't!

Gonna hope you meant to post this in the Australia vs England thread risking the wrath of us Welsh nationalists otherwise!

Sorry Welsh, I couldn't resist posting this.
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/wales-v-blacks-head-head-11448729

...Words do not cover how much I f*cking hate WalesOnline and their stupid head to heads. Surely they'd have learned from the ridicule they got last time they did a Wales v All Blacks head to head!

To those not familiar with WalesOnline and their brand of "sports journalism", it's pure click bait rubbish, which is so ridiculously biased that even (most) Welsh fans cringe when reading it. Don't take it seriously, please.

 

[cyRil]

I was hoping no one else in the world would pick up on that article.....:huh:

 

[Thingimubob]

I was hoping no one else in the world would pick up on that article.....:huh:

The boy himself returns!

The first comment on the Facebook post for this article is a Welsh bloke ripping into them for being an embarrassment :lol:

 

[cyRil]

The boy himself returns!

The first comment on the Facebook post for this article is a Welsh bloke ripping into them for being an embarrassment :lol:

I am BACK! I heard someone on here called Wales 'an England team' and thought I better sort them out.

The Western Mail are an absolute joke mun.

 

[WaterboySA]

Gonna hope you meant to post this in the Australia vs England thread risking the wrath of us Welsh nationalists otherwise!

I must be drunk or tired....NZ not even playing England. I deserve a smack from the Welsh!

Can't be drunk, still at work....

- - - Updated - - -

I am BACK! I heard someone on here called Wales 'an England team' and thought I better sort them out.

No I did not.......sigh.....didn't even THINK about Wales.

Wait..........is the Wales nr 10 called Owen? SOUNDS like a Welsh name!!!!

 

[Every Time Ref]

You mean Owain Ffarrwl? Easy mistake to make.

Wales online is like the Sun for English football, or Sudney Morning Herald for Aus cricket isn't it? Every country has one

 

[Lé Ddanno]

I dunno, if any of their head to heads could be deemed accurate then Faletau is about as close as you could get.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

I see they rate Faletau higher than Kieran Read? I rate SA's nr 8, THOR, the nr2 8 in the world. Just because Read's alive.

Saulan, did not see your post....

Although I wouldn't rate Faletau higher than him, Read's been out of form for a while now. Not quite as brilliant as we're used to him being. I'd say Vermeulen's got him beat at the moment.