Should be a pretty good game after last nights demolition. I reckon the All Blacks will come through on this one.
As for this test (hmm) against Samoa on wednesday. Score predictions??? I reckon the All Blacks may well notch up the century if they (and it sounds like they will) put out their top team.
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All Blacks to get their only September win against Samoa 
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All Blacks to get their only September win against Samoa
yip then we'll get our only September win against Australia
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DAMMIT! Should have worded that better 
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Team vs Samoa
All Blacks
Mils Muliaina, Richard Kahui, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Anthony Tuitavake, Dan Carter, Jimmy Cowan, Rodney So'oialo (captain), Adam Thomson, Jerome Kaino, Ali Williams, Anthony Boric, Greg Somerville, Andrew Hore, Tony Woodcock.
Mils Muliaina, Richard Kahui, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Anthony Tuitavake, Dan Carter, Jimmy Cowan, Rodney So'oialo (captain), Adam Thomson, Jerome Kaino, Ali Williams, Anthony Boric, Greg Somerville, Andrew Hore, Tony Woodcock.
Reserves: Keven Mealamu, Neemia Tialata, Sione Lauaki, Piri Weepu, Stephen Donald, Isaia Toeava, Rudi Wulf.
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Just in case you didn't know, they won 101-14, complete waste of time.
Anthony Tuitavake is also out for 6 weeks with a fractured cheek bone.
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Just in case you didn't know, they won 101-14, complete waste of time.
]Anthony Tuitavake is also out for 6 weeks with a fractured cheek bone.
Aside from that we've come away sweet! I can only look forward to the Wallabies test with GLEE
Next Sat night aye?
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poor guy, played well up to that point. annoys me though how we started with two centres (tuitivake, kahui) on the wings. admittedly they both played well but still, do we not have any proper wingers out there?
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So what was the real point of the test? It wasn't really a test, more like a warm up excercise. Mind you if all the samoan or NZ born samoans played for Samoa instead of the AB's, the score might have been different.
Proud to have attended the first 175 Consecutive "Home" Wellington Phoenix "A League" Games !!
The Ruf, The Ruf, The Ruf is on Fire!!
The Ruf, The Ruf, The Ruf is on Fire!!
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So what was the real point of the test? It wasn't really a test, more like a warm up excercise. Mind you if all the samoan or NZ born samoans played for Samoa instead of the AB's, the score might have been different.
but if they didn't have all their NZ born players they'd be screwed as well. i hate how people bag on NZ for "stealing" pacific island talent. half of the tongan and samoan teams were born in NZ FFS but no one seems to mind about that side of the coin.
think it was just for them to have a run around, probably better than a training run would be. just a tune up game really.
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Plus it gives the Samoan guys the chance to be exposed to international rugby. Sure they got trounced but hopefully some of them will pick up professional contracts along the line. I don't mind the U23's getting wasted at the olympics, on the proviso that some of them get some contracts along the line!
Plus its awesome watching some sh*t hot tries!!!
Plus its awesome watching some sh*t hot tries!!!
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Forwards:
1. Tony Woodcock
2. Andrew Hore
3. Greg Somerville
4. Brad Thorn
5. Ali Willliams
6. Jerome Kaino
7. Richie McCaw (c)
8. Rodney So'oialo
Backs
9. Jimmy Cowan
10. Dan Carter
11. Sitiveni Sivivatu
12. Ma'a Nonu
13. Conrad Smith
14. Richard Kahui
15. Mils Muliaina
Reserves:
16. Keven Mealamu
17. John Afoa/ Neemia Tialata
18. Anthony Boric
19. Adam Thomson
20. Piri Weepu
21. Stephen Donald
22. Isaia Toeava
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Looking at our side in comparison to the Aussie team, how did we ever lose to them? its a pretty average looking side to be honest. If we lose this weekend i will have to eat my words but on paper we should be all over them
www.kiwifromthecouch.blogspot.com
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Wallabies
Adam Ashley-Cooper, Peter Hynes, Ryan Cross, Stirling Mortlock (captain), Lote Tuqiri, Matt Giteau, Sam Cordingley, Wycliff Palu, George Smith, Rocky Elsom, Nathan Sharpe, James Horwill, Al Baxter, Stephen Moore, Benn Robinson.
Reserves: Adam Freier, Matt Dunning, Hugh McMeniman, Phil Waugh, Richard Brown, Brett Sheehan, Drew Mitchell.
Aussies made 5 changes, and Mortlock at 12. If Giteau got injured then who would play 1st Five?
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yea the wallabies look weak on paper, we've also dropped down a level or two in class from previous seasons though. nonu, kahui, kaino, boric, toeava, donald are all worse than the players we had last year.
and to simon, i reckon ashleycooper would go to 1st 5, mitchell to fullback. or sheehan/cordingly would slot in there but not sure if either of them have played there before in their playing past.
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yea the wallabies look weak on paper, we've also dropped down a level or two in class from previous seasons though. nonu, kahui, kaino, boric, toeava, donald are all worse than the players we had last year.
who was at 2nd 5/8 last year?? I can't remember which would lead me to beleive Nonu is far better! and ?Kahui is doing ok at wing, he's no joe but then if he wasn't better than Joe why is he there?
Queenslander 3x a year.
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last years back:
now i can see why i couldn't remember who was at 12, one Aaron Mauger, the most boring. forgetable player this side of the pacific. Nonu is far more dynamic and powerful.
Queenslander 3x a year.
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hahaha come on prof you can't be serious? mauger, and even though i don't rate him that highly mcalister are both better than nonu. yeah sure he is strong with ball in hand but his decision making on defence is all over the place, and the same can be said on attack. without carter he'd be at sea, which is i think why he plays more on the wing for wellington than at 12 as he doesnt have a good decision amker inside him. his passing and handling of the ball, while improved is still not very good compared to most international 12s. and i won't even start on his kicking.
mauger was far better for the all blacks, hence why he played so many more games than nonu before leaving.
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yea the wallabies look weak on paper, we've also dropped down a level or two in class from previous seasons though. nonu, kahui, kaino, boric, toeava, donald are all worse than the players we had last year.
, he's no joe but then if he wasn't better than Joe why is he there?
because joe has been injured, gear and howlett have both gone overseas. all 3 are better wingers.
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COME ON AUSSIE.
ive got a song that wont take long, Adelaide are rubbish.. the second verse is same as the first.. ADELAIDE ARE RUBBISH
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because joe has been injured, gear and howlett have both gone overseas. all 3 are better wingers.
has been injured, if he's back and playing well surely he'd be in, oh wait Auckland haven't been playin well so clearly Joe isn't back, I don't disagree that the other 3 are better wingers, but they aren't here. So from the pool of talent we have Kahui, whilst a centre has done well on the wing.
As for Nonu, he doesn't need a kicking game, his defense whist sometimes flawed in deadly, his passing game with Conrad outside is wicked. Mauger lacked the flar to warrant his ongoing position in th AB's that's why he left! McAllistar wanted to be at 10 and couldn't due to Carter, and having two similar players at 10 & 12 is stupid. That's where Nonu has the advantage, his is a raging bull and attracts players to him, giving Dan more time to work his magic.
Queenslander 3x a year.
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Would you consider Barnes and Giteau similar players for Australia? They worked together pretty well in Sydney from what I recall.
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because joe has been injured, gear and howlett have both gone overseas. all 3 are better wingers.
has been injured, if he's back and playing well surely he'd be in, oh wait Auckland haven't been playin well so clearly Joe isn't back, I don't disagree that the other 3 are better wingers, but they aren't here. So from the pool of talent we have Kahui, whilst a centre has done well on the wing.
As for Nonu, he doesn't need a kicking game, his defense whist sometimes flawed in deadly, his passing game with Conrad outside is wicked. Mauger lacked the flar to warrant his ongoing position in th AB's that's why he left! McAllistar wanted to be at 10 and couldn't due to Carter, and having two similar players at 10 & 12 is stupid. That's where Nonu has the advantage, his is a raging bull and attracts players to him, giving Dan more time to work his magic.
oh prof, you clearly don't have much of an idea do you. Joe has had I think one or two games back from injury? who in their right mind would call a guy into such a big test after one or two games.
and nonu, if you can't see that his option taking is poor then you don't watch hard enough. Agaiinst samoa where there was no pressure on he made dumb decisions several times. e.g. throwing a nothing double skip pass that went to ground, made to look not so bad by tuitivake. The Carter and Mauger combo is obviously not stupid as the crusaders had all their success with these two and earlier with mehrtens and mauger. Mauger did not leave because he didnt have enough flair, that comment alone shows you know very little about what you're trying to talk about. He achieved plenty in NZ and wouldve been offered a crapload overseas.
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Prof mate you are having a deadset laugh, to say Nonu is a better player than Mauger and/or MacAllister is utterly ridiculous. Though very different players and thus hard to make a comparsion i would chose Mauger every time. Im still not sold on Nonu being there full stop, i would have liked to have seen Donald given a run at 1st with Carter outside him.
Joe has played 1 maybe two games for Auckland, no way were they going to consider him for tomorrow. If he has another game or two udner his belt i would have expected to have seen him back in there, but interestingly enough i think it would have been for Siti rather than Kahui as i think they enjoy the solidity Kahui brings to the side
www.kiwifromthecouch.blogspot.com
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Joe will go on the end of year tour for sure. One game for Auckland after a four-month layoff is insufficient game time for a Tri-Nations and Bledisloe Cup final.
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Rokocoko came off during the first half of tonights game (Auckland vs The Bay @ Rotorua) looking injured. I was seated in the front row, right behind the JAFA bench, he looked far from happy when he came off.
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Saturday
Wind
Rain
Humid
Temp
Morning
Mostly Sunny. Cool. Humid.
15 km/h
N - 69% 20 Afternoon
Mostly Sunny. Mild. Humid.
26 km/h
N - 72% 23 Evening
Passing Clouds. Cool.
25 km/h
N - 78% 21 Overnight
Passing Clouds. Cool.
21 km/h
N - 78% 18Brisbane for tonightPitbull2008-09-13 08:17:15
Mostly Sunny. Cool. Humid.
15 km/hN - 69% 20 Afternoon
Mostly Sunny. Mild. Humid.
26 km/hN - 72% 23 Evening
Passing Clouds. Cool.
25 km/hN - 78% 21 Overnight
Passing Clouds. Cool.
21 km/hN - 78% 18Brisbane for tonightPitbull2008-09-13 08:17:15
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did anyone see munro dislocate his shoulder-it was pointing in all directions
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Na, just heard about it on the news this morning.
Did anyone watch the Canterbury game, sounded like an absolute bore-fest to me.
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Aussie lead 10-7 at Half Time. Average game so far to say the least.
Three for me, and two for them.
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Full Time All Blacks win 28-24. Thrilling second half and end to the match. Thoroughly deserved victory for the AB's.
Three for me, and two for them.
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no doubt about who deserved to win, epic match
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