Nz v Oz, Sat Aug 23, 8.35am

Swiwi. · 21-08-2014 6:24pm #1

New Zealand: 15 Ben Smith, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (c), 6 Liam Messam, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Wyatt Crockett
Replacements: 16 Keven Mealamu, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Charlie Faumuina, 19 Steven Luatua, 20 Sam Cane, 21 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 22 Beauden Barrett, 23 Malakai Fekitoa

Australia: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Pat McCabe, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Matt Toomua, 11 Rob Horne, 10 Kurtley Beale, 9 Nic White, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 Michael Hooper (c), 6 Scott Fardy, 5 Rob Simmons, 4 Sam Carter, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Nathan Charles, 1 James Slipper.
Replacements (one to be omitted): 16 James Hanson, 17 Pek Cowan, 18 Ben Alexander, 19 Will Skelton, 20 Scott Higginbotham, 21 Nick Phipps, 22 Bernard Foley, 23 Tevita Kuridrani, 24 Ben McCalman.

Date: Saturday, August 23
Kick-off: 19:35 local (08:35 BST, 07:35 GMT)
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Referee: Romain Poite
Assistant Referees: Jaco Peyper, Stuart Berry
TMO: Shaun Veldsman

It's fridge-magnet match preview time!

...McCaw, girt by sea, Haka, Joubert, field goal, AAC, cheat, yellow card, Honey Badger, cynical, Blackness, Leinster ticket prices, rugby world cup, Criminal Element, Folau, go you good thing, missing Dan Cada, boards.ie, reset scrum, 2nd-five, 1st-five, Smith, Smith & Smith, record held by Darcy & O'Driscoll, fortress, tee-em-oh...

molloyjh · 21-08-2014 6:34pm

Oh no, someone slipped something into Swiwis drink....

Swiwi. · 22-08-2014 6:28am

molloyjh wrote: »

Oh no, someone slipped something into Swiwis drink....

Ah now, molloy, fridge-magnets provide hours of entertainment. It's silly season remember. Real rugby only starts next weekend...

molloyjh · 22-08-2014 9:00am

Swiwi. wrote: »

Ah now, molloy, fridge-magnets provide hours of entertainment. It's silly season remember. Real rugby only starts next weekend...

How's the weather looking down there? I'd love to see good conditions for running rugby because I thought Oz showed a lot of ability there last week. Seeing these 2 go up against each other in the right conditions could make for a belter....

Swiwi. · 22-08-2014 9:44am

molloyjh wrote: »

How's the weather looking down there? I'd love to see good conditions for running rugby because I thought Oz showed a lot of ability there last week. Seeing these 2 go up against each other in the right conditions could make for a belter....

The forecast is for a crystal clear rain
free evening!

The NZ midfield is too same-y for mine, but we see. I expect tries anyway. And we see what the 2 packs are made of. NZ by under 10 for me.

Edit: here is a nice bit if banter if you're interested Molloy

http://www.theroar.com.au/2014/08/22/rugby-championship-week-2-big-questions/

Yeah_Right · 22-08-2014 10:17am

molloyjh wrote: »

How's the weather looking down there? I'd love to see good conditions for running rugby because I thought Oz showed a lot of ability there last week. Seeing these 2 go up against each other in the right conditions could make for a belter....

Clear skies, high of 15 and a low of 7. Light southerly of 16kph with gusts up to 22kph. The temp at kick-off should be about 10 degrees. Great conditions for rugby.

molloyjh · 22-08-2014 10:24am

Swiwi. wrote: »

The forecast is for a crystal clear rain
free evening!

The NZ midfield is too same-y for mine, but we see. I expect tries anyway. And we see what the 2 packs are made of. NZ by under 10 for me.

Edit: here is a nice bit if banter if you're interested Molloy

http://www.theroar.com.au/2014/08/22/rugby-championship-week-2-big-questions/

That made for a bit of an interesting read. It's funny, but I thought NZ played the conditions far better than Oz last weekend. They didn't play much ball in hand, but in those conditions that was the right call. If anything Australia proved that by playing too much in the first half particularly. How Digger felt that NZ were bad at managing the conditions I'm not sure.

I do expect a bit backlash from NZ though. They'll be very disappointed with their overall performance in Sydney and will want to sort that. Last week was Australia's chance to get the win and set out their stall. They weren't able to take it then, I don't think they'll be able to take it this weekend.

Swiwi. · 22-08-2014 10:36am

molloyjh wrote: »

That made for a bit of an interesting read. It's funny, but I thought NZ played the conditions far better than Oz last weekend. They didn't play much ball in hand, but in those conditions that was the right call. If anything Australia proved that by playing too much in the first half particularly. How Digger felt that NZ were bad at managing the conditions I'm not sure.

I do expect a bit backlash from NZ though. They'll be very disappointed with their overall performance in Sydney and will want to sort that. Last week was Australia's chance to get the win and set out their stall. They weren't able to take it then, I don't think they'll be able to take it this weekend.

I was very happy with the first half last week the dinky kicks behind went well and if Coles hadn't dropped the ball could have had a try. 2nd half was awful though, not helped by the 2 YCs.

skippymac6 · 22-08-2014 11:49am

Think NZ have a big advantage in the scrums. As we saw from the 3rd Lions test Poitte interpets the scrum a lot differently than most southern hemisphere refs. I can see NZ getting a few penos in this area and setting up a good few try scoring chances because of it.

22-08-2014 3:10pm

There's some poor selections on that Aus team imo. McCabe is such an ordinary winger and Foley should be starting at 10 imo. Other than that I would have left out Palu but not sure if there's an immediate replacement for him.

.ak · 22-08-2014 3:12pm

Yeah, Foley to 10, Beale to 12 would've been interesting.

Yeah_Right · 22-08-2014 3:27pm

Sloane Flaky Album wrote: »

Other than that I would have left out Palu but not sure if there's an immediate replacement for him.

Higginbotham. Better player.

22-08-2014 4:14pm

Yeah_Right wrote: »

Higginbotham. Better player.

Well there you have it.

molloyjh · 23-08-2014 8:28am

Were Oz booed when they came on there?

Davei141 · 23-08-2014 8:33am

Just hoping for a better quality game this week, given the conditions we should see it.

phog · 23-08-2014 8:35am

Live Stats

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.ak · 23-08-2014 8:37am

Poite already not popular.

LuckyGent88 · 23-08-2014 8:37am

Great kick off from the wallabies.

Couldn't have had a better start

sydthebeat · 23-08-2014 8:39am

Abs looking hungry! !

LuckyGent88 · 23-08-2014 8:41am

What a start to this match.

molloyjh · 23-08-2014 8:41am

ABs looking seriously pumped for this one. Oz would want to be careful. 2 penalties in the red zone inside the first 5 mins. Let's hope we see the game continue with this intensity.

molloyjh · 23-08-2014 8:43am

ABs playing at serious pace. I'm getting tired watching them!

23-08-2014 8:43am

My god NZ mean business here. Fear for Aus a bit.

molloyjh · 23-08-2014 8:46am

Ben Smith is raising his foot on the restarts. Dangerous play surely, no? He's not doing it for any other reason other than to prevent the chaser competing.

molloyjh · 23-08-2014 8:48am

Great from Beale, great defense from NZ.

Completely correct call from Poite there. McCaw knew exactly what he was doing there.

Taco Corp · 23-08-2014 8:49am

Wow, McCaw binned in Auckland

Davei141 · 23-08-2014 8:49am

That was way too obvious/silly from McCaw. They had the aussies rattled at the ruck time there was no need for it.

.ak · 23-08-2014 8:50am

Great passage of play. Beale playing well at first receiver. Amazing tackle by Cruden, saved a try I reckon.

Richie yellow carded... Polite not taking any prisoners here. Amazing stat, only his 2nd ever test yellow?!

sydthebeat · 23-08-2014 8:50am

Is he now a liability?

Targeted at kickoffs, focused on by refs. ...

LuckyGent88 · 23-08-2014 8:51am

That was ridiculously blatant. What was he actually thinking.

Aussies were only going backwards anyway.

Swiwi. · 23-08-2014 8:51am

F me That was brain dead from macaw. Can't defend him on that one.

Davei141 · 23-08-2014 8:52am

.ak wrote: »

Great passage of play. Beale playing well at first receiver. Amazing tackle by Cruden, saved a try I reckon.

Richie yellow carded... Polite not taking any prisoners here. Amazing stat, only his 2nd ever test yellow?!

Our very own Alain Roland with the first one a few years back! (Edit: i think..)

molloyjh · 23-08-2014 8:55am

Davei141 wrote: »

Our very own Alain Roland with the first one a few years back!

There's something wrong when an international openside has only had 2 yellows in their career. Either they aren't doing their job right (and we know that's not the case with McCaw) or they're doing it too well for the refs!

Poite really needs to consider a yellow for Oz. 3 penalties in their 22 at this stage.

molloyjh · 23-08-2014 8:59am

Oz in real trouble here today. It's just a matter of time.

Davei141 · 23-08-2014 9:00am

It's going to be a massacre now, Simmons yellow carded.

Swiwi. · 23-08-2014 9:02am

I'm wondering if irb directive to use more cards. Totally in favour.

LuckyGent88 · 23-08-2014 9:02am

Very impressive all blacks performance so far.
Playing at a ferocious pace.

Really good performance from crotty so far.

Swiwi. · 23-08-2014 9:05am

A lot of the Aussie websites saying Conrad over rated. No way he has been excellent.

molloyjh · 23-08-2014 9:05am

It's all NZ in these 25 mins.Over 60-65% possession and territory. Don't think that was a score but what a wonderful passage of play.

LuckyGent88 · 23-08-2014 9:06am

All black forwards are absolutely pumped for this match

Taco Corp · 23-08-2014 9:06am

Have to see a score here,

molloyjh · 23-08-2014 9:07am

Swiwi. wrote: »

A lot of the Aussie websites saying Conrad over rated. No way he has been excellent.

Very good performances all round today. Last weeks performance has really lit a fire under their arses.

If they keep up the intensity they're going to wipe Australia out.

molloyjh · 23-08-2014 9:08am

phog wrote: »

Live Stats

Ruckin Good Stats (@ruckingoodstats) tweeted at 8:05 AM on Sat, Aug 23, 2014:
Get free real time team stats for New Zealand v Australia
http://t.co/ThWCLzVM4x
Username
TRC
Click sign in, no password needed
#NZLvAUS

phog, that site is awesome.

Swiwi. · 23-08-2014 9:08am

Swiwi blows his load. Nothing like a good old fashioned pushover try. It's clear Ireland will need to take Aussie on in the forwards.

sydthebeat · 23-08-2014 9:09am

What two minutes of rugby! !

molloyjh · 23-08-2014 9:09am

Jesus.....Australia looking good for a second but NZ are really on deadly form right now.

Taco Corp · 23-08-2014 9:10am

That was fantastic from Cruden

molloyjh · 23-08-2014 9:11am

3,000 points against Australia!

.ak · 23-08-2014 9:13am

Cruden motm so far.

Swiwi. · 23-08-2014 9:13am

Not to count chickens just yet but the website "the roar" has just been renamed "the miaow".

molloyjh · 23-08-2014 9:13am

molloyjh wrote: »

I do expect a bit backlash from NZ though. They'll be very disappointed with their overall performance in Sydney and will want to sort that. Last week was Australia's chance to get the win and set out their stall. They weren't able to take it then, I don't think they'll be able to take it this weekend.

Pretty sure this counts as a backlash....

Nz v Oz, Sat Aug 23, 8.35am

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