[RWC2019][Semi-Final 1] England vs. New Zealand (26/10/2019)

[Scotty]

Scott Barrett at 6 would be interesting, how does he play? Is it like lawes at 6? Good player but by havong a lock at 6 you lose something in terms of breakdown or is he more mobile than he looks?

An extra lock shows us where NZ will be targeting.

 

[Cooper]

Scott Barrett at 6 would be interesting, how does he play? Is it like lawes at 6? Good player but by havong a lock at 6 you lose something in terms of breakdown or is he more mobile than he looks?

An extra lock shows us where NZ will be targeting.

He's pretty good, played there a fair bit. I've always been of the opinion that S.Barrett is too good for the bench, mind you, so is Sam Cane.

I think mainly this is forced due to Todd's injury though and not wanting to put Frizzell on the bench as Reiser pointed out that it already has a few question marks. Frizzell initially wasn't picked for the final RWC squad.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Seen a lot of people saying England are in form/at the top of our game.....are we?
Good against the worst wallabies set up in recent memory,
Beat some tier 2 teams but showed real issues with accuracy/finishing in the 22, discipline, handling...
Pretty lacklustre Six Nations (started strong, imploded massively by the end).

Think people are taking too much from the Australia scoreline - we look on an upturn compared to recent times but no where near our best

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Seen a lot of people saying England are in form/at the top of our game.....are we?
Good against the worst wallabies set up in recent memory,
Beat some tier 2 teams but showed real issues with accuracy/finishing in the 22, discipline, handling...
Pretty lacklustre Six Nations (started strong, imploded massively by the end).

Think people are taking too much from the Australia scoreline - we look on an upturn compared to recent times but no where near our best

Think ye might do the anti Ireland and peak a year late and blow the 6n the **** away next year alright. It's definitely preferable to Ireland and a world cup cycle of 2 6n, 1 GS, a world record run and a semi final to finish will be the next best cycle after NZ.

 

[Scotty]

He's pretty good, played there a fair bit. I've always been of the opinion that S.Barrett is too good for the bench, mind you, so is Sam Cane.

I think mainly this is forced due to Todd's injury though and not wanting to put Frizzell on the bench as Reiser pointed out that it already has a few question marks. Frizzell initially wasn't picked for the final RWC squad.

SBarrett Savea Read, Cane
Vs
Curry Underhill Billy, Wilson

 

[Reiser99]

SBarrett Savea Read, Cane
Vs
Cunderhill Billy, Wilson

FIFY

 

[Kapa O Pango]

Backrow battle is going to be very tasty for both sides.

 

[Scotty]

Savett Read, Cane
Vs
Cunderhill Billy, Wilson

 

[james5000]

Will be very interesting to see what they do with this back row.

Big Patrick is a rocks or diamonds type of a player (arguably mostly rocks).
He can be a penalty magnet, and lazy. When he's on there a few better ball carriers on a footy field.
Will take half the English pack to contain him.

We certainly won't lack any forward grunt if Barrett starts, but Cane/Frizell seems a safer option to me.

It does add some intrigue though.

On the reserves debate I think AB's match up well. Typically the last 20 minutes has been where we have our biggest advantage over most teams.

Not many can match the AB's in fitness.

I still think Englands best chance is holding on to a lead rather than chasing us down.

 

[donmcdazzle]

Scott Barrett at 6 would be interesting, how does he play? Is it like lawes at 6? Good player but by havong a lock at 6 you lose something in terms of breakdown or is he more mobile than he looks?

An extra lock shows us where NZ will be targeting.

He is a good ball runner and has pretty decent hands (better than Cane), he can run nice angles off other forwards as well. Probably slower across the park than Cane though and wouldn't make as many tackles...

I wouldn't mind starting with Cane again and having Barrett off the bench. Seemed to work last week with Cane setting the aggressive tone early. Tuipolotu on the bench as lock cover instead of Frizell probably given Todd is injured.

 

[donmcdazzle]

Big Patrick is a rocks or diamonds type of a player (arguably mostly rocks).
He can be a penalty magnet, and lazy. When he's on there a few better ball carriers on a footy field.
Will take half the English pack to contain him.

Agree with this. In some games he is unbelievable and just smashes people all over the place. That Aussie game when Fekitoa scored in the last minute to win the game, he dominated the last 5 minutes for us, similarly against Aus this year in the Eden Park test he was immense. then other games yeah he is invisible and drops everything.

 

[mania]

whilst i like scottBarrett as a 6 i like cane more. barrett is a lock first blindside second. cane is a relentless tackling machine. and puts in huge hits all game and he's a lot more mobile.
saying that though ABs arent losing much with sBarrett. sBarretts a harda55 and pretty mobile and good work ethic. just that cane does more imo

tuipulotu since coming back this year has been pretty consistent. agree in the past he's been flakey but this season he's been, at the least, reliable with acute episodes of baddAssedness. patty's on fire this season

 

[OneBlackEye]

He is a good ball runner and has pretty decent hands

I wouldn't bring up his ball skills so soon after the Canada game. Not as bad as his brother though!

 

[Kapa O Pango]

whilst i like scottBarrett as a 6 i like cane more. barrett is a lock first blindside second. cane is a relentless tackling machine. and puts in huge hits all game and he's a lot more mobile.
saying that though ABs arent losing much with sBarrett. sBarretts a harda55 and pretty mobile and good work ethic. just that cane does more imo

tuipulotu since coming back this year has been pretty consistent. agree in the past he's been flakey but this season he's been, at the least, reliable with acute episodes of baddAssedness. patty's on fire this season

I like Cane he just smashes everything that moves, rarely misses tackles too. I think Barrett offers as another lineout jumper option with playing duo 7s Cane/Savea lineout gets weaker. It adds more balance to the backrow.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

whilst i like scottBarrett as a 6 i like cane more. barrett is a lock first blindside second. cane is a relentless tackling machine. and puts in huge hits all game and he's a lot more mobile.
saying that though ABs arent losing much with sBarrett. sBarretts a harda55 and pretty mobile and good work ethic. just that cane does more imo

tuipulotu since coming back this year has been pretty consistent. agree in the past he's been flakey but this season he's been, at the least, reliable with acute episodes of baddAssedness. patty's on fire this season

agreed, S Barrett always feels like a lock that can play 6 rather than the other way round, always worries me when we do something like start a utility when you've got a specialist loosie on the bench

 

[donmcdazzle]

All Blacks team to play England: Beauden Barrett, Sevu Reece, Jack Goodhue, Anton Lienert-Brown, George Bridge, Richie Mo'unga, Aaron Smith; Kieran Read (c), Ardie Savea, Scott Barrett, Samuel Whitelock, Brodie Retallick, Nepo Laulala, Codie Taylor, Joe Moody. Reserves: Dane Coles, Ofa Tuungafasi, Angus Ta'avao, Patrick Tuipulotu, Sam Cane, TJ Perenara, Sonny Bill Williams, Jordie Barrett.

 

[Icemn]

All Blacks team to play England: Beauden Barrett, Sevu Reece, Jack Goodhue, Anton Lienert-Brown, George Bridge, Richie Mo'unga, Aaron Smith; Kieran Read (c), Ardie Savea, Scott Barrett, Samuel Whitelock, Brodie Retallick, Nepo Laulala, Codie Taylor, Joe Moody. Reserves: Dane Coles, Ofa Tuungafasi, Angus Ta'avao, Patrick Tuipulotu, Sam Cane, TJ Perenara, Sonny Bill Williams, Jordie Barrett.

Scotty for Cane for Ardie... interesting...

 

[Ferrari333SP]

Really curious to see what this England lineup will be

 

[donmcdazzle]

Really curious to see what this England lineup will be

Think Slade will get the nod?

It is interesting now - with Barrett at 6 we should theoretically have an advantage at lineout, but I imagine England will have an advantage at the breakdown.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

any issue we have with lineouts is normally about the throw...id rather a more mobile loosie than another lineout option