The ABs have a rather good hue, don't you think? Bledisloe I thread

[cashead]

Bledisloe I, or what is now turning into "The Annual Wallaby Hunt" is upon us again. Despite Hansen's comments, the Wallabies will go into this international 3-test series as massive underdogs. The All Blacks dispatched France without ever really getting into top gear (although not without some unwarranted controversy that once again indicated a clear double standard with the rules when it came to a certain team wearing black), while the Wallabies will still be smarting from a 2-1 series loss at home to Ireland.


Bledisloe Test line-ups
Wallabies
1. Tom Robertson
2. Tatafu Polota-Nau
3. Sekope Kepu
4. Izack Rodda
5. Adam Coleman
6. Lukhan Tui
7. Michael Hooper (Captain)
8. David Pocock
9. Will Genia
10. Bernard Foley
11. Marika Koroibete
12. Kurtley Beale
13. Reece Hodge
14. Dane Haylett-Petty
15. Israel Folau

16. Tolu Latu
17. Allan Alaalatoa
18. Taniela TupouJermaine Ainsley
19. Rob Simmons
20. Pete Samu
21. Nick Phipps
22. Matt Toomua
23. Jack Maddocks


All Blacks
1. Joe Moody
2. Codie Taylor
3. Owen Franks
4. Brodie Retallick
5. Sam Whitelock
6. Liam Squire
7. Sam Cane
8. Kieran Read (Captain)
9. Aaron Smith
10. Beauden Barrett
11. Rieko Ioane
12. Ryan Crotty
13. Jack Goodhue
14. Waisake Naholo
15. Ben Smith

16. Nathan Harris
17. Karl Tu'inukuafe
18. Ofa Tu'ungafasi Tim Perry
19. Scott Barrett
20. Ardie Savea
21. TJ Perenara
22. Damian McKenzie
23. Anton Lienert-Brown

[zer0]

No Todd and no interest in Mo'unga meant that Goodhue vs Lienert-Brown and J.Barrett vs Naholo were the only real points of interest. I thought they'd be conservative, again, and stick with Lienert-Brown, but am glad to see Goodhue starting. J.Barrett or Naholo was a flip of a coin scenario.

[cashead]

Tu'ungafasi has been ruled out due to injury, so Tim Perry has to be elevated to the bench, as they are suddenly without a reserve tighthead available. Expect to see either a. Franks go the whole game or b. uncontested scrums in the final quarter.

[Mikey Brown]

Has Jordie Barrett settled on a position? I thought I saw him in a 13 shirt for the Hurricanes recently.

[rowan]

Has Jordie Barrett settled on a position? I thought I saw him in a 13 shirt for the Hurricanes recently.

Fullback, surely.

[cashead]

Jermaine Ainsley has been called in to the Wallabies squad to replace Tupou, who has been ruled out with a hamstring injury at training.

[zer0]

Bit of a bummer for Australia. Injuries to the AB TH's meant they were probably relishing having a go at, what is effectively, two LH's on the bench. But it seems thins Ainsley bloke isn't considered to be that good so that advantage is probably gone. Indeed, might even swing round to an AB advantage depending on how Sheriff Karl goes at TH.

[Mellsblue]

Looking forward to this. Should be a nice warm up for the main event - Bedford v Saracens A.

[Mellsblue]

Naholo is a lucky boy.

[zer0]

Lol how the heck are we leading at half time?

EDIT: We're not. World Player Of The Year (TM) missed the conversion.

[morepork]

Lol how the heck are we leading at half time?

EDIT: We're not. World Player Of The Year (TM) missed the conversion.

Be silent demon.

[cashead]

Jesus, did Tolu Latu make a single successful throw into his lineout?

[zer0]

Certainly didn't seem like a 25 point win nor a 38 point performance. Too much reliance on individual brilliance and the opposition making mistakes, be they forced or unforced. Nice skills to have but not comfortable (over)relying on them so much. Madman Retallick was as fantastic as ever.

[cashead]

Certainly didn't seem like a 25 point win nor a 38 point performance. Too much reliance on individual brilliance and the opposition making mistakes, be they forced or unforced. Nice skills to have but not comfortable (over)relying on them so much. Madman Retallick was as fantastic as ever.

Nah, I think it was. The first half was about grinding the Wallabies down and smothering their attacks into nothing. By the time the second half started, there were a lot of Wallabies gulping in air and walking around with their hands hold above their heads. Once the Wallabies had hustled and bustled with little to show for it, the All Blacks broke the advantage line at will and started raining tries on them.

[cashead]

So where to next for both teams? Do the ABs try a new set, or does Hansen challenge a (mostly) unchanged side to repeat the dose at Eden Park?

And what of poor Jordie?

I'd be fielding an unchanged pack (obv. with Tu'ungafasi back at 18). Backline, I'd put Jordie in at 12 with Goodhue, with ALB or SBW on the bench, with D-Mac at 15, and Bender at 11, reverting to the double-fullback. Alternatively, NMH at 11, with Bender at 15 and D-Mac at 22.


Goodness knows where to start with Australia.

[Lizard]

Obvs. not great for Crotty to get a head knock but big silver lining to lose him unexpectedly and not see the backline organisation go to shit.

[morepork]

Grotty is going to have to make a hard decision pretty soon. He has been clocked far too much in a short space of time. I hope he is getting MRIs and PET scans (although Chch has only the single facility, needed for many, many people) to help make that decision.

[cashead]

6 times in about a year. He's either going to have to take an extended leave of absence, or he's going to have to hang up his boots and call it a career before his brain turns into mush.