Sam and Pat's Big European Adventure: All Blacks and All Blacks XV squads for the tour

[J Dory]

Bit of a tonking in the end.

[morepork]

I can't get over how meh our back line is as a unit. Some flashes of individual brilliance but not a really cohesive unit. Poor Caleb Clarke drops most of the ball that come his way.

Sam Cane? It's Papalii from now on, Shirley.

[morepork]

Anyone watching Ireland soak up Bok intensity and give it straight back?

[cashead]

From a neutral standpoint, Wallabies vs France was probably the best match of the weekend. Australia probably should have won that one, TBH.

[Cameo]

Some talk of the last few minutes putting a gloss on the ABs result. I actually thought that on another day, they would have got there a lot quicker and held Wales to less. Wayne Barnes was reasonably consistent but wasn't making it easy to get jackal penalties today. NZ could have got a number of penalties, but half the time were penalised.

Also, yes, Papali'i is a big part of the answer.

[Lizard]

Has anyone even tried to coach Caleb Clarke in defence?

[morepork]

Or catch the feckin ball.

[canta_brian]

How far back in time do we need to go to find an all black team this current one would beat?

[cashead]

2001

[canta_brian]

2001? You pulling my leg?

[cashead]

Team named
1. Ethan de Groot
2. Samisoni Taukei'aho
3. Nepo Laulala
4. Sam Whitelock (C)
5. Scott Barrett
6. Akira Ioane
7. Dalton Papali'i
8. Ardie Savea
9. Finlay Christie
10. Beauden Barrett
11. Caleb Clarke
12. David Havili
13. Anton Lienert-Brown
14. Mark Telea
15. Jordie Barrett

16. Codie Taylor, 17. George Bower, 18. Fletcher Newell, 19. Tupou Va'ai, 20. Shannon Frizell, 21. TJ Perenara, 22. Stephen Perofeta, 23. Rieko Ioane

[J Dory]

Team v England:

15 Beauden Barrett, 14 Mark Telea, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Richie Mo’unga, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Ardie Savea, 7 Dalton Papali’i, 6 Scott Barrett, 5 Sam Whitelock (c), 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Ethan de Groot

16 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17 George Bower, 18 Nepo Laulala, 19 Shannon Frizell, 20 Hoskins Sotutu, 21 TJ Perenara, 22 David Havili, 23 Anton Lienert-Brown

[Cameo]

Interesting Telea got the start. Otherwise broadly as expected?

[cashead]

Yeah, more or less. I feel like Clarke isn't quite up to the defensive end of things, and I'd have preferred seeing Shaun Stevenson get called in as well.

None of the blindsides have really stood up, so I guess it makes sense that they'd go with Scott Barrett, who has been in excellent form. I also like Havili, but yeah, he's not really playing to his strengths as a secondary or tertiary playmaker, like he does with the Crusaders.

[canta_brian]

What a shitshow that turned out to be.

[J Dory]

I was disappointed England settled for the draw, but understandable given they were behind for most of the match I guess. Hard to know what to make of this ABs team, dominance to mediocrity, brilliance mixed with errors, I'm kind of glad the season is over, not sure how much more of this I could watch.

[canta_brian]

Ok, I have slept on it now. Really pleased with how the forwards went. Dominated England, scrum was on top, all looking good. Decision making in the backs isn’t so flash.

[cashead]

Honestly, the first 70 minutes were pretty damn excellent. Then there was the shocker of a TMO call, Beauden goes off for the rest of the game, and yeesh.

[Puja]

Honestly, the first 70 minutes were pretty damn excellent. Then there was the shocker of a TMO call, Beauden goes off for the rest of the game, and yeesh.

Which TMO call caught your ire?

I'd be disappointed with the first 70 if I were a NZ fan. We has something like 63% territory and spent half the game failing miserably in your 22. If you give that many chances against someone competent, they'll put 50 points on you.

Puja

[paddy no 11]

I can't believe that box kick from perenara on 77 minutes

No chasers

No height on kick

About 13 all blacks standing beside him with no open field cover

[cashead]

Honestly, the first 70 minutes were pretty damn excellent. Then there was the shocker of a TMO call, Beauden goes off for the rest of the game, and yeesh.

Which TMO call caught your ire?

I'd be disappointed with the first 70 if I were a NZ fan. We has something like 63% territory and spent half the game failing miserably in your 22. If you give that many chances against someone competent, they'll put 50 points on you.

Puja

The one that led to England’s first try. There was no clear evidence of the ball being grounded, and a hand visible beneath the ball.

[Puja]

Honestly, the first 70 minutes were pretty damn excellent. Then there was the shocker of a TMO call, Beauden goes off for the rest of the game, and yeesh.

Which TMO call caught your ire?

I'd be disappointed with the first 70 if I were a NZ fan. We has something like 63% territory and spent half the game failing miserably in your 22. If you give that many chances against someone competent, they'll put 50 points on you.

Puja

The one that led to England’s first try. There was no clear evidence of the ball being grounded, and a hand visible beneath the ball.

I don't know whether you saw different pictures over there, but it seemed fairly clear that there was the hand under the ball and then the ball slid backwards and onto the ground. Looked fairly cut and dried to me, although, as was our wont on Saturday, we could've scored easily by trying a tactic other than "run into the nearest Kiwi and attempt to outman him" and it didn't need to be that marginal at all.

Personally, I was more incensed at the TMO not giving the penalty try for Barrett not releasing and killing the offload to May.

Puja