RugbyRebels

Hookers: Codie Taylor, Dane Coles, Samisoni Taukei’aho
Front-row: Ethan de Groot, Fletcher Newell, Nepo Laulala, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Tamaiti Williams, Tyrel Lomax
Second-row: Brodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Scott Barrett, Tupou Vaa’i
Back-row: Ardie Savea, Dalton Papali’i, Luke Jacobson, Sam Cane (c), Shannon Frizzell
Scrum-halves: Aaron Smith, Finlay Christie, Cam Roigard
Fly-halves: Beauden Barrett, Damian McKenzie, Richie Mo’unga
Centres: Jordie Barrett, David Havili, Rieko Ioane, Anton Lienert-Brown:
Outside backs: Caleb Clarke, Leicester Fainga’anuku, Will Jordan, Emoni Narawa, Mark Telea

Samipeni Finau, Brad Weber and George Bell are on standby for any injuries in the loosies, halfbacks and hookers, respectively.

Pretty much the expected squad, with very few surprises.

On form, I'd go with

1. de Groot
2. Taylor
3. Lomax
4. Retallick
5. Scotty B
6. Frizell (as loathe as I am to do so)
7. Cane (C)
8. Savea
9. Smith
10. Mo'unga
11. Telea
12. Jordie B
13. Ioane
14. Jordan
15. Beaudy

But, I'm sure that's pretty close to what everyone else would've been thinking.

Laulala is very lucky to be there, and I imagine Tamaiti Williams would be fairly low on the ladder after Saturday's performance. Tu'ungafasi has definitely earned his spot on the bench as the reserve loosehead.
If Whitelock is fit, he should be on the bench. He'd be ideal as someone to help settle things if tits are moving into the "up" position, and he can mitigate some of the disruption caused by final quarter changes.
I'm not a big fan of Clarke, but with injuries and Stevenson being a like-for-like with Jordan, him being called up was highly likely.

Regardless of how Williams performed, taking a 1 test prop to a RWC seems a bit silly. A rusty but experienced Joe Moody would make more sense (asssuming he is fit now)

Moody's not quite there yet.

And besides, you're arguing over who gets to be third choice loosehead prop in the currently available players.

It’s a one point margin in the RWC final. We’re ahead. 20 seconds on the clock. Finlay Christie fumbles ruck ball on our 10 metre line. South Africa’s scrum…

Who are you backing to not concede a scrum penalty?

#PropBeaver

Sam cane would have conceded a penalty before Christie fumbled it.

#PropBeaver, love it.

Christie has dropped off the boil a bit for me, nice to know we have Weber in the wings.

Christie wouldn't have had the chance the fumble it in his own half as Williams would have rumbled well over the halfway line from the previous phase.

If purely on scrummaging, then yeah Moody makes sense, but it is not like he is dominant in that area now. Williams offers a lot more around the pitch.

Cameo wrote: ↑Wed Aug 09, 2023 6:34 am Christie wouldn't have had the chance the fumble it in his own half as Williams would have rumbled well over the halfway line from the previous phase.

If purely on scrummaging, then yeah Moody makes sense, but it is not like he is dominant in that area now. Williams offers a lot more around the pitch.

How do we know that from one test? SR ability does not necessarily translate to tests.

You’ll find that it’s two tests.

I am quietly optimistic about the ABs chances this time. Any team only needs to lose a knock out game, we all know that can happen, but still, this squad is looking pretty tasty. The coaching tweaks look to be paying off too. <cough> It's a walk in <cough>

Warriors baby.

cashead wrote: ↑Wed Aug 09, 2023 10:54 am You’ll find that it’s two tests.

Sorry. One start.

Barrett somehow completely free to play, as the citing board once more decides player safety isn't really all that important.

16th man wrote: ↑Mon Aug 28, 2023 6:58 pm Barrett somehow completely free to play, as the citing board once more decides player safety isn't really all that important.

That’s good for the All Blacks but fairly incomprehensible. I saw a shoulder straight to the head of a prone player who was off the ball.

I read something about Barrett’s red being the accumulation of two yellows. As neither yellow had been upgraded to red individually there wasn’t a case for a further sanction.

Which is bollox of course

I think the 2nd yellow wasn’t even looked at by the bunker for upgrading because he already had red.

He’s a bit lucky.

Suprising nobody, Emoni Narawa has aggravated his back injury and is out of the whole RWC.

The obvioius replacement would be Shaun Stevenson, but having inexplicably ignored him to begiun with, rumour is that Foster has been so spooked by the Boks 7-1 bench strategy that he will call in lock/loose forward cover instead, given injuries being carried by Retallick and Frizzell. So I can't wait for Ethan Blackadder to get over and boost our stocks of mehness in the midde of the pack.

It's like he is surprised or something. We can't beat them at their own game, even if we reanimate Jerry Collins and Give Jerome Kaino a pint of water from the fountain of youth. Foz has to do some shrewd, you know, coaching. In a day or so France will mince us and implosion after that morale boost might implode us like a billionaire in a large keg at the bottom of the Mariana Trench.

morepork wrote: ↑Wed Sep 06, 2023 11:28 pm It's like he is surprised or something. We can't beat them at their own game, even if we reanimate Jerry Collins and Give Jerome Kaino a pint of water from the fountain of youth. Foz has to do some shrewd, you know, coaching. In a day or so France will mince us and implosion after that morale boost might implode us like a billionaire in a large keg at the bottom of the Mariana Trench.

Yep. The only forward that will be of any concern to Les Bleus will be Ardie Savea. We will miss Coles' special brand of shithousery which is just made for France. Atonio will be the best prop on the park. Whitelock is respected but Sbarrett is proving just a bit too thick to fill Brodie's boots. Dogroll will be targetted by the Frogs as a red-hot yellow or red card prospect. And if we're 4 points down, 5 minutes to go, gathered under the posts for the French conversion, our so-called captain is most likely to be 50 yards away sitting on the bench instead of calmly rallying the troops.

If we are going to compete, it's going to have to be the Smith, BBarrett and Mo show, making the most of about 40% possession and territory.

Fuck.

You're all very negative! S Barrett has issues, but on form he's a real handful. Both your hookers and a handful and, while you will miss Frizell, Papalii is a good fill in. Them the backs definitely have some spark to them.

I don't think you are favourites but you have a decent chance.

As for Narawa, shame for him but makes sense to get another forward there. Was always an odd decision to have so many wingers.

Did I mention that our strip sucks as well?

Lizard wrote: ↑Thu Sep 07, 2023 12:13 am

morepork wrote: ↑Wed Sep 06, 2023 11:28 pm It's like he is surprised or something. We can't beat them at their own game, even if we reanimate Jerry Collins and Give Jerome Kaino a pint of water from the fountain of youth. Foz has to do some shrewd, you know, coaching. In a day or so France will mince us and implosion after that morale boost might implode us like a billionaire in a large keg at the bottom of the Mariana Trench.

Yep. The only forward that will be of any concern to Les Bleus will be Ardie Savea. We will miss Coles' special brand of shithousery which is just made for France. Atonio will be the best prop on the park. Whitelock is respected but Sbarrett is proving just a bit too thick to fill Brodie's boots. Dogroll will be targetted by the Frogs as a red-hot yellow or red card prospect. And if we're 4 points down, 5 minutes to go, gathered under the posts for the French conversion, our so-called captain is most likely to be 50 yards away sitting on the bench instead of calmly rallying the troops.

If we are going to compete, it's going to have to be the Smith, BBarrett and Mo show, making the most of about 40% possession and territory.

Fuck.

Fuckin-A brother. Is D-Mac on the bench?

morepork wrote: ↑Thu Sep 07, 2023 3:20 am

Lizard wrote: ↑Thu Sep 07, 2023 12:13 am

morepork wrote: ↑Wed Sep 06, 2023 11:28 pm It's like he is surprised or something. We can't beat them at their own game, even if we reanimate Jerry Collins and Give Jerome Kaino a pint of water from the fountain of youth. Foz has to do some shrewd, you know, coaching. In a day or so France will mince us and implosion after that morale boost might implode us like a billionaire in a large keg at the bottom of the Mariana Trench.

Yep. The only forward that will be of any concern to Les Bleus will be Ardie Savea. We will miss Coles' special brand of shithousery which is just made for France. Atonio will be the best prop on the park. Whitelock is respected but Sbarrett is proving just a bit too thick to fill Brodie's boots. Dogroll will be targetted by the Frogs as a red-hot yellow or red card prospect. And if we're 4 points down, 5 minutes to go, gathered under the posts for the French conversion, our so-called captain is most likely to be 50 yards away sitting on the bench instead of calmly rallying the troops.

If we are going to compete, it's going to have to be the Smith, BBarrett and Mo show, making the most of about 40% possession and territory.

Fuck.

Fuckin-A brother. Is D-Mac on the bench?

Beaudy is covering 10 from 15, I guess. 5-3 bench with Christie, Havili and Fainga'anuku.

ABs by 15.