The Champions of the Rugby, of 2023 at least.

[Cameo]

Big games for Tamaiti Williams and Leicester Fainga'anuku I reckon. Could imagine both playing a big part at the World Cup or not going/not playing much

[cashead]

I'd say it's a pretty damn big game for Shaun Stevenson too. He went from injury cover to released to his province to a surprise starter.

[morepork]

France are gonna munch us. Ireland will fancy a piece too.

[Lizard]

OK. So now we know definitely and for sure that Richie Mo > DMac, just in case there was any doubt. What else?

Whitelock still has it.

Stevenson and Fainga'anuku are ok.

Sam Cane can't go the distance in a tight one.

[J Dory]

The Smith - Richie Mo axis is key. Smiths passing is a cut above any other option. Richie Mo makes better decisions than D Mac.

Barrett, Telea and Jordan is the most balanced and generally just best back three combo. MoBeau interchange at first receiver adds creativity too.

Scott Barrett needs to be on the field somewhere.

Not sure who the starting hooker should be. De-Groot and Lomax 1 and 3.

Mid-field - Barrett Ioane or Leinert-Brown Ioane?

Frizzell and Ardie for shewer and then ....

[morepork]

Loosies, bar Savea, are a bit vulnerable. Sam’s Cane will get eaten by Aldritt et.al.

[Puja]

France are gonna munch us. Ireland will fancy a piece too.

Given that France B are currently demolishing Scotland without showing signs of breaking a sweat, I don't think you're going to be alone there. I suspect the only distinction you'll have is that your RWC won't stop at the same stage that you meet France.

Puja

[BaldiePete]

France are gonna munch us. Ireland will fancy a piece too.

Given that France B are currently demolishing Scotland without showing signs of breaking a sweat, I don't think you're going to be alone there. I suspect the only distinction you'll have is that your RWC won't stop at the same stage that you meet France.

Puja

We (Scotland) got our act together in the 2nd half, despite playing most of it with 14 men. The problem is that to have any chance at all against South Africa and Ireland we need to play like that for 80 minutes and have 15 men on the field.

[morepork]

France are gonna munch us. Ireland will fancy a piece too.

Given that France B are currently demolishing Scotland without showing signs of breaking a sweat, I don't think you're going to be alone there. I suspect the only distinction you'll have is that your RWC won't stop at the same stage that you meet France.

Puja

Whoops

[cashead]

Loosies, bar Savea, are a bit vulnerable. Sam’s Cane will get eaten by Aldritt et.al.

Can't say I agree there. Finau played like a guy playing a difficult first test, but showed enough to suggest he's worth sticking with.

Sam Cane was fine.

Ardie did Ardie things.

The team was quite disjointed yes, but that is generally expected when there are that many changes and they adapted well to how the game was being played. They also kept the Wallabies from scoring for much of the game after that initial rush of points, and dug themselves out of a hole.

I'm not saying "oh they're sure to destroy the French and the Irish," but honestly, Foster's Imposters are in a much better place than they were 12 months ago.

The Smith - Richie Mo axis is key. Smiths passing is a cut above any other option. Richie Mo makes better decisions than D Mac.

D-Mac needs a second playmaker option to guide him, IMO. At the Chiefs, he had Bryn Gatland and Josh Ioane. He didn't have anyone like that with him yesterday, and welp.

Barrett, Telea and Jordan is the most balanced and generally just best back three combo. MoBeau interchange at first receiver adds creativity too.

The Mo'unga-Beaudy connection was clearly Foster's baby, and I'd say he was right in continuing to test it out until it came right.

Scott Barrett needs to be on the field somewhere.

Yep, form NZ lock at the moment. If Retallick is fit, take him, Scooter, Whitelock and one of Lord or Va'ai. If Retallick isn't fit, Scooter and Whitelock to start, with Lord and Va'ai rounding out the squad, with Ah Kuoi on stand-by, IMO.

Not sure who the starting hooker should be. De-Groot and Lomax 1 and 3.

On form, Codie Taylor. Teauki'aho was a bit found out, IMO. I'd still take Taylor, Coles and Teauki'aho though.
I'd say Laulala might have played his way out of the squad too.

Mid-field - Barrett Ioane or Leinert-Brown Ioane?

Jordie-Ioane, any day.

[Lizard]

It looked like Fozzie either hadn’t given DMac the playbook, or had told him that ALB was knocking his missus off.

[Cameo]

Funny game, but Australia with their stars (Skelton, Kerevi, and Koriobete) back are going to gradually get better so I think a win against them from behind with a b team is pretty good.

The debutants also improved as the game went on. Finau was very good in the last 20 or so.

Fainga'anuku also showed what he can do. Having Jordan on the wing means you can have someone like him on the bench.