USA Eagles -vs- All Blacks (24/10/21) 8.30am NZT

[Ruggerz]

Sam Cane, Dane Coles almost certain to make injury returns in All Blacks v USA Eagles test, says Ian Foster

 

[Ruggerz]

The All Blacks team has been named to play the USA in the 1874 Cup Test match at FedExField in Washington DC on Saturday 23 October (Kick-off: 3.30PM EST, 8.30AM Sunday 24 October NZT).
The matchday 23 is (Test caps in brackets. New caps in bold):
1. Ethan de Groot (2)
2. Asafo Aumua (4)
3. Angus Ta'avao (19)
4. Samuel Whitelock (127) - captain
5. Tupou Vaa'i (7)
6. Luke Jacobson (10)
7. Dalton Papalii (9)
8. Hoskins Sotutu (8)
9. Finlay Christie (3)
10. Richie Mo'unga (27)
11. George Bridge (16)
12. Quinn Tupaea (4)
13. Braydon Ennor (2)
14. Will Jordan (9)
15. Damian McKenzie (37)

16. Dane Coles (76)
17. George Bower (8)
18. Tyrel Lomax (10)
19. Josh Lord - new cap
20. Sam Cane (74)
21. TJ Perenara (75)
22. Beauden Barrett (98)
23. Anton Lienert-Brown (53)
It will be a special day for new All Blacks lock, 20-year-old Josh Lord, who has been named on the bench and will have huge experience around him for his first Test match, with All Blacks Captain Samuel Whitelock returning at starting lock, alongside Tupou Vaa'i.

In the starting front row, prop Ethan de Groot gets his first Test start after two appearances off the bench this year, hooker Asafo Aumua gets his second Test start of the year and Angus Ta'avao provides experience at tighthead prop. George Bower and Tyrel Lomax are the prop reserves, with Dane Coles, making his eagerly-awaited return to the All Blacks, on the bench.

The starting loose forwards are the exciting young trio of Luke Jacobson at six, Dalton Papalii at seven and number eight Hoskins Sotutu, with the hugely experienced Sam Cane making his welcome return to the national side via the bench, after missing the international season to undergo chest muscle surgery. He will be playing his 75th Test.

In the backs, it's a first Test start for halfback Finlay Christie with Richie Mo'unga at 10. The inside pairing sees Quinn Tupaea come in at 12 and Braydon Ennor, in his first Test start, is at centre. Will Jordan and George Bridge are on the wings and Damian McKenzie is at fullback. The All Blacks will have huge international experience in the back reserves, with halfback TJ Perenara, first five-eighth Beauden Barrett and Anton Lienert-Brown ready to make impact from the bench.

This will be the fifth time the All Blacks and USA have played each other, with the last Test in Chicago in 2014, and is the first Test of the All Blacks Tudor Northern Tour.

Source: Allblacks.com

 

[Kiwiwomble]

thats a strong team, lots of new combos though so cold still be a bit messy

 

[NZbloke]

Would've started most of our incumbents in this match, we haven't played a game for 3 or 4 weeks - the incumbents really needed a good 50 or 60 minutes of game time, with our next match coming up in the UK against Wales.

8.30am is a good time, can watch it while having brekkie

 

[Ruggerz]

I'll be keeping an eye on how the midfield pairing of Ennor & Tupaea works as I think both these guys have a big future in the black jersey.

 

[Ferrari333SP]

Oh dear! An All Blacks try within a minute....

 

[Ferrari333SP]

Try #2.....

 

[Alex Anghel]

These games are kind of meaningless for NZ. Just like this year's Summer series.

 

[Ferrari333SP]

Try #3...

 

[Ferrari333SP]

#4

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Forget beating the clock, the ABs will double it at this rate

 

[Ferrari333SP]

This is an even worse showing by the USA than their 2014 match....

 

[ChicagoKid]

This is an even worse showing by the USA than their 2014 match....

Rugby will never be relevant in the states until we stop treating it like a circus.

 

[Ferrari333SP]

Rugby will never be relevant in the states until we stop treating it like a circus.

Our only hope is the MLR getting more and more popular; as it grows it'll attract better and better athletes, and therefore our coaching will improve as well. MLR is looking healthy, so that's good, but it's still going to be a long slog before the national team improves in a meaningful way

 

[Ferrari333SP]

F***, AB's are up to 92 points now

 

[Ferrari333SP]

Then again, I guess people said that about the MLS and the US soccer team, yet they're still just as bad as ever

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

Most pointless game ever

 

[ChicagoKid]

Our only hope is the MLR getting more and more popular; as it grows it'll attract better and better athletes, and therefore our coaching will improve as well. MLR is looking healthy, so that's good, but it's still going to be a long slog before the national team improves in a meaningful way

You won't get better athletes unless you get them young. The sport is so hyper niche here that the national team is filled with guys who aren't even Division 1 athletes. We have thousands of Division 1 football players and not a single one plays rugby. That's almost statistically impossible.

 

[ChicagoKid]

Most pointless game ever

World Rugby will absolutely lose its shirt if it tries to play during the normal Sept-Oct window. Americans hate 1 thing more than anything: losers. And we love 1 thing more than anything: American Football.

The whole "go the game" RWC2031 movement will be a massive failure if its tries to compete with high school, college and professional football.

 

[The Seeker]

We all knew the AB's would win in blow out fashion, but I didn't expect them to break 100 points. I'm embarrassed for my Eagles.

Congratulations AB's.