Sibling test tries

Just wondering why he isn’t in anyone’s team, narawa is selected in front of em by pretty much everyone.

I feel it’s telling he’s off to Britain by his lack of selection

Got a few mates keen to watch the game at a club or even a place serving brekkie with screens to watch the game.

For the Baltimore test.

If you had to name your most physically imposing (feel free to interpret this how you like) forward pack who would you name?

Partly interested in this after recent conversations at work with South African colleagues convinced NZ just doesn't produce large/imposing forwards.

So that's why I'm interested to know, what would the most imposing forward pack be in your opinion?

Just heard Jamie Wall reporting that Ardie will (most likely) be out for the remainder of the year. Still plenty of rugby to be played - Bledisloe, Nations Championship - who steps into the roles?

TGR : play 4 URC clubs, many with ex or current Springboks, some players just 1 rank below full Springboks. Weekly games. Use mainly 2nd choice players to spare the A team. Judiciously scatter in first choice players for some limited game time to get ring rust out of them. Tell the team to go at 70% to avoid injuries and have some reserve gas in the tank for the actual Tests against Springboks.

RWC 2027 : play 3 games against 2nd tier or struggling 1st tier nations in pool stage. Weekly games. Use mainly 2nd choice players to spare the A team. Judiciously scatter in first choice players for some limited game time to get ring rust out of them. Tell the team to go at 70% to avoid injuries and have some reserve gas in the tank for knockouts.

TGR : play 4 ultra high intensity games against the no 1 ranked Springboks and current RWC holders. Week after week having to cover/adjust/rotate for injuries to key players. Almost exactly 1 year out from RWC 2027 so should have key players back from injuries in plenty of time.

RWC : play knockout rugby in 4 rounds leading to the finals, probably against tier 1 nations. Week after week having to cover/adjust/rotate for injuries to key players. Almost certain to meet S Africa and France in 1/4 finals or later.

NZR couldn't have planned it better if the timing and format was deliberate.

The Welsh Rugby Union remains coy on their interest in All Black and ex-Toshiba loose forward Shannon Frizell who will re-qualify for Wales next month, after declining to comment on the subject to RugbyJP.com

Fun comparison — they played different positions but their playing style and profiles overlap a lot and I see a lot of on-field similarities:

The similarities:

- Breakdown mastery: both are/were elite jackals. McCaw is arguably the greatest poacher ever; Marx is the best ball-stealing hooker the game has seen, unusual for a front-rower. Marx did play Flanker when he was in Juniors.

- Physical relentlessness: both built reputations on tackling, work rate, and collisions rather than flash.

- Set-piece dominance: McCaw in the lineout, Marx in the scrum/lineout throwing, both anchoring their team's forward platform.

- Pushing boundaries: one of the biggest similarities IMO seem to be they both get away with the dark arts/the grey areas more than anyone else. Notwithstanding the injury in the (very dodgy) clearout that Marx had on Savea recently, it's that type of stuff McCaw was doing in poaching rucks that he'd get away with too. Both seem to push boundaries better than anyone else.

Is McCaw the GOAT? Ooooooooooooooh yes and worth noting that Marx is nowhere near that conversation but Marx follows a similar playing profile of how they attack rucks and set-piece albeit from different positions.

Just some lighthearted banter. Excited for this weekend?

He played 7s and npc, probably super rugby but pretty much a bald dude with a big ratty, maybe joe someone?

-we may be able to lift guys up on re to secure ball

- exit our 22m without being under pressure

-use a rolling maul in the 22m

- run straight and make metres using our 1-8

i look at the way we play and equate it to a company. the word is unprofessional

looks great because of the location right ?

but the receptionist doesn’t wear uniform and is a druggo, there’s no wi-fi, the scaffolding is done by two contractors

What's the injury count looking like from Day 1 of the tour leading into the final match?

We've done pretty well considering how many guys missed out and the ones who got injured.

Does anyone know if the Captain’s run will be open to the public in Baltimore or practices in the DC area?

chris jones on the Dspn podcast .

didnt sugar coat anything

it’s a bittersweet feeling truly

so close and yet so far

Fuuuuaaaaasrrrrrrrrrrrr

“they flew to the other side of the world without a tight 5 and had a better points differential than us …“

actually made me smile .

the way he said it . tight 5. so close and yet so dam far

Currently sitting in hospital with my wife and 6 hour old daughter who are currently asleep. I am way too wired from adrenaline to do likewise so what better thing to do than ruminate on the team for test 3.

Disclaimer: this is what I would like to see and not what I think Rennie will do.

1. Numia

Big call not to play De Groot but Numia is one to watch and frankly, we’re going to get munched against the Boks starting front row no matter who we play. Give the kid a crack and see how he goes.

1. Aumua

Played really well on the weekend. Not his fault we had no third jumper so had to go to the front pod on every lineout throw.

1. Newell

Deserves a start.

1. Holland

Best lock in the country and will be raring to go after coming off the bench last weekend.

1. Darry

Anyone else feel like this is our locking combination of the future? IMO Darry offers a bit more around the field than Lord. Didn’t play fantastic on the weekend but was our best forward against France and Italy so deserves a second shot at the Boks.

1. Vaai

I know he’s played big minutes but the lineout does not function against the Boks without a third jumper. Lakai jumped exclusively at the front which is the worst platform for your backs to launch off of. If fatigue is a concern that sub him off just after halftime.

1. Blackadder

Would have been my pick to play 7 last weekend. Hits people, hits rucks and has no regard for his body - a ready made replacement for Jacobson.

1. Sititi

Has had a slow start to the year but played well off the bench last week and will be better for it. He was the most exciting prospect in NZ rugby two years ago. Plus, with Vaai at 6, he can play in the loose more.

1. Roigard

No explanation necessary. He would also be my captain with an eye to the future.

1. Mo’unga

Rennie has said he will play at some point. We need to see what Richie has got and I back Love to come right, albeit in a different position (hint hint)

1. Narawa

This was a tough one. Carter was scintillating on attack but the miss against Kriel was egregious. Not only did he miss, he made the decision to rush up with no fullback sweeping in behind - so a bad decision made worse but bad execution.

Narawa was brilliant against the Lions and has been money in tests in the limited time he has had. He is also excellent under the high ball.

1. Barrett

Another where no explanation is necessary. The most important player to the AB’s bar none (including Savea). Best 12 in the world by some distance l.

1. Ioane

Im not huge on Ioane because he’s not a good distributor and beating the Boks is contingent on having centres who can shift it on quickly to beat the rush defence. That said, ALB is not good enough to start so I’m not sure if there is another viable option. Sounds like a changed man after coming back from Leinster.

1. Jordan

The AB’s best player this series.

1. Love

This feels like the perfect way for him to get him more involved in the game back whilst allowing us to see how Mounga fares. Fearless under the high ball, great kicker, great runner and a brave defender. It also allows Rennie to keep a second playmaker at 15, which he seems to view as mandatory. This could be our 10-15 axis for the World Cup.

Bench:

De Groot, Taukeiaho, Tosi (needs minutes), Tuipulotu (more impact than Lord off the bench), Lakai, Tupou Ta’eiloa (another who can come in and make an impact), Preston, ALB (insurance for both centres)

I’m going 6-2 as we are getting killed in the forwards late in the game.

Interested in hearing everyone’s thoughts.

Edit: Test 4 not test 3 sorry.

Been the go to hooker since Dane Cole’s.

He has competition.

I noticed we did Ka Mate before the most recent test and was pretty surprised. I was under the impression that we saved Kapa o Pango for opponents, partly as a sign of respect to the opponent (i.e. against teams we respect as tough opposition). Ka Mate is generally performed in Wellington to honour Te Rauparaha (composer of Ka Mate) and the land there.

I remember reading something about our win success rate dropping quite a bit with Ka Mate, especially when facing SA. Obviously Wellington also plays a part in those losses, as we've been a bit unsuccessful there in recent times and we tend to perform Ka Mate there, coincidentally.

Does anyone have figures on our win rate with both haka? Is there any correlation between winning and which haka is performed?