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Your team predicted squad for the world cup

Looking at your "wish fulfillment squad of", it does seem like I'm slightly more conservative then you are haha.
I agree that the Stormers props should start, however I don't agree on Matfield not starting (I believe it's worthwhile to have one player to guarantee our line-outs functions), I also don't agree with including Whitley as I feel he's a litter overrated and doesn't really seem world class to me. He's a great player no doubt, but not world class at any given aspect of play (fetching, carrying etc) and therefore fits in the same mold as Marcel Coetze for me, my ideal would probably be Louw and Kriel. Reinach I agree with but Lambie I'm not so sure, I do feel Handre offers more, and while being more consistent do you really feel like Lambie is a WC winning fly-half (although I guess the same thing could have been said of B James). Your centre pairing of DdA and Mapoe is the dream, and I hope it happens some day, although its probably a year or two early and I really like your idea of le Roux on the wing and Kriel at fullback.

So I guess in an ideal world we only disagree with 5, 7 and 10. Basically though I actually trust HM, I think he's made some good decisions these past four years and while he's still somewhat conservative in his approach it's a lot better than what we've had in the past. I've been saying for a while now that if anything Japan is a much better opportunity for us after some of our young blood has gotten more experience.

To be fair on him he he has capped double the players PdV did but I guess that's hardly a good comparison .
 
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Unlikely to be many surprises in the NZ squad:

Props - Franks, Franks, Woodcock, Crockett, Faumuina
Hookers - Coles, Mealamu, Elliot
Locks - Whitelock, Retallick, Romano, Broadhurst
Loose Forwards - McCaw, Cane, Read, Messam, Kaino
Halfbacks - Smith, Perenara, Weber
First Fives - Carter, Barrett, Slade
Centres - Smith, Nonu, Williams, Fekitoa
Outside Backs - Smith, Dagg, Savea, Jane, Piutau

The only other real possibilities are Moody, Parsons, Thrush, Vito, Ellis, Crotty, Lowe, Naholo and Milner-Skudder.

Whilst the latter three all have the chance of slipping in ahead of Jane and/or Piutau, the rest are more likely to be on-call injury replacements.
 
Taking your format there Mr Fish, I'd like to see something like:

- Props: Franks, Franks, Woodcock, Crockett, Faumuina (I don't follow numbers 1-5 closely, so will roll with it).
- Hookers: Coles, Mealamu, Elliot/Parsons.
- Second Row: Whitelock, Retallick, Romano, Broadhurst.
- Loose Forwards: McCaw, Cane, Read, Messam, Kaino.
- Halfbacks: Smith, Perenara, Weber.
- Flyhalves: Carter, Barrett, Slade.
- Centres: Smith, Nonu, Williams.
- Outside Backs: B Smith, NMS, Savea, Naholo (I would rather see an investment in Naholo + NMS in preference to Piutau).

+1 spot, extra loose forward or outside back? I don't rate Dagg nor Jane, and can't see them selecting four midfielders so Fekitoa is unlucky, despite being a better long-term option than SBW.
 
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Matu'u has declared his allegiance for Samoa. This is my starting 15 for WC. Leiua is a big loss for Samoa
1. Taulafo
2. Matu'u
3. Mulipola
4. Paulo
5. Tekori
6. Ioane
7. Lam
8. Tuifua
9. Fotualii
10. Nanai Williams
11. Sinoti
12. G.Pisi
13. Rey Lee lo
14. Alofa Alofa
15. P.Williams

16. Ole Avei
17. Perenise
18. Johnston
19. M.Faasavalu
20. Treviranus
21. T.Pisi
22. K.Pisi
 

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