2015 Rugby Championship Thread

matthew8

Well, it may feel like a chance for experimentation and people won't care too much about who wins (with each team only playing eachother once there's a big schedule bias, as NZ have to travel to both Australia and SA), but there should still be some quality on show.

It kicks off with New Zealand hosting Argentina in Christchurch at 08:35 Irish time on Friday. The teams:

New Zealand:

15 Israel Dagg
14 Waisake Naholo
13 Ma'a Nonu
12 Sonny Bill Williams
11 Charles Piutau
10 Daniel Carter
9 TJ Perenara
8 Kieran Read
7 Richie McCaw (c)
6 Jerome Kaino
5 Brodie Retallick
4 Luke Romano
3 Owen Franks
2 Keven Mealamu
1 Tony Woodcock

Argentina:

15 Joaquin Tuculet
14 Horacio Agulla
13 Marcelo Bosch
12 Jeronimo De la Fuente
11 Santiago Cordero
10 Nicolas Sanchez
9 Tomas Cubelli
8 Facundo Isa
7 Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe
6 Juan Manuel Leguizamon
5 Guido Petti
4 Manuel Carizza
3 Ramiro Herrera
2 Agustin Creevy (c)
1 Marcos Ayerza

New Zealand's most notable inclusion is Naholo making his debut. He's looked the real deal for the Highlanders. Other than that it reads like a team full of players trying to find form, with 4 Blues players coming off a poor club season, while Romano, SBW and Dagg haven't inspired too much confidence. Even Retallick has been far off his best. For Argentina Cordero is making his debut, while Petti isn't the most experienced here but it's mostly strong enough. Good weather forecast so with the proper conditions you'd fancy New Zealand to win handy enough, but it might not be pretty.

Del.Monte

The optimist in me sees the All Blacks cantering along unbeaten through the Championship to the RWC final but I fear it may not be that easy. Perhaps the Samoa game will have been the badly needed wake-up call.

Swiwi.

Del.Monte wrote: »

The optimist in me sees the All Blacks cantering along unbeaten through the Championship to the RWC final but I fear it may not be that easy. Perhaps the Samoa game will have been the badly needed wake-up call.

I'm underwhelmed by the selection for this week, but it's clear they are resting some key players from the two SXV finalists, and also giving some borderline selections a shot.

Honestly, as I posted elsewhere, I am not a fan of SBW/Nonu midfield, especially as I'm not even convinced SBW should be in black at the moment, he has been Joe Ordinary this season.

If I put my neutral hat on, an Argentinian upset victory would add spice to the rugby calendar 2015.

I'll be very intrigued to see how Australia go. If they can't beat SA at home, it's going to potentially be a long season for them.

Kiwi_knock

The worry for Australia is that they can't really rotate their team during the Championship, as Cheika really needs to bed the XV into his system and style of play. Losses will be a lot more damaging to the Aussie morale than the other three teams with the WC group they face.

CatFromHue

Ha, even in the revised tournament the fixture list still goes against the Argies.

They've only 1 home game this season.

Kiwi_knock

Australian team named.

1. James Slipper - (Reds - 63 Tests); 2. Stephen Moore, C - (Brumbies - 92 Tests); 3. Sekope Kepu (Waratahs - 52 Tests); 4. Will Skelton (Waratahs - 8 Tests); 5. Rob Simmons (Reds - 50 Tests); 6. Scott Fardy (Brumbies - 20 Tests); 7. Michael Hooper, VC - (Waratahs 42 Tests); 8. Scott Higginbotham (Rebels -31 Tests)
9. Will Genia (Reds - 58 Tests); 10. Quade Cooper (Reds - 53 Tests); 11. Rob Horne (Waratahs 25 Tests); 12. Matt Giteau (Toulon - 92 Tests); 13. Tevita Kuridrani (Brumbies - 20 Tests); 14. Adam Ashley-Cooper, VC - (Waratahs - 104 Tests); 15. Israel Folau (Waratahs - 29 Tests)

Reserves

16. Tatafu Polota-Nau (Waratahs - 50 Tests); 17. Scott Sio (Brumbies - 5 Tests); 18. Greg Holmes (Reds - 13 Tests); 19. James Horwill (Reds - 58 Tests); 20. David Pocock (Brumbies - 46 Tests);
21. Nick Phipps (Waratahs - 28 Tests); 22. Matt Toomua (Brumbies 21 Tests); 23. Drew Mitchell (Toulon - 63 Caps)

The most experienced 23 that Australia have ever named, in terms of test caps. Hooper and Pocock will probably get a run out together for around 20-30 mins to see if they can play in the same team. A bit surprised that Mitchell got the bench spot ahead of Beale, but Cheika seems to have turned away from the Waratahs focus that he has been previously criticised for. The talent is obviously there in the 23 but the problem is whether it can all be blended together.

skippymac6

Kiwi_knock wrote: »

Australian team named.



The most experienced 23 that Australia have ever named, in terms of test caps. Hooper and Pocock will probably get a run out together for around 20-30 mins to see if they can play in the same team. A bit surprised that Mitchell got the bench spot ahead of Beale, but Cheika seems to have turned away from the Waratahs focus that he has been previously criticised for. The talent is obviously there in the 23 but the problem is whether it can all be blended together.

While I can see where they are coming from in the back row in terms of "balance" that Fardy brings, I'm a firm believer in getting your best players on the pitch. I would have had Pocock in in a heart beat, esp as the Saffas have picked two very decent groundhogs in Coetzee and Louw. The big advantage for the South Africans is undoubtably in the front five where they are a lot more grizzled and I'd expect them to cause the Aussies problems in that area. The Wallabies will have the advatantage in the centres and they will (or at least they should) be sending Kurindrani down Kriel's channel all day long.

matthew8

New Zealand pretty dominant here, Argentina unable to put anything together but are at least making their tackles. 11-3 30 minutes gone.

skippymac6

matthew8 wrote: »

New Zealand pretty dominant here, Argentina unable to put anything together but are at least making their tackles. 11-3 30 minutes gone.

Yeah I can't really see Argentina scoring a try unless from a NZ mistake. I'd expect NZ to pull away in the second half but the Argies should be able to keep it respectable so long as they keep frustrating them and defending well.

Kiwi_knock

Good strength from Nonu, Argentina not showing much yet

bilston

skippymac6 wrote: »

Yeah I can't really see Argentina scoring a try unless from a NZ mistake. I'd expect NZ to pull away in the second half but the Argies should be able to keep it respectable so long as they keep frustrating them and defending well.

Bad bad time to concede there for Argentina.

Del.Monte

Happy enough with that. Great tries from King Richie and unstoppable Nonu - shades of his old self with that try. The trademark All Blacks try at halftime is something you could nearly set your watch by.

Del.Monte

Third All Black try and it looks like the Argentinians have folded their tents.

total former

Argies making some really stupid errors, going to cost them

total former

total former wrote: »

Argies making some really stupid errors, going to cost them

Yep, there you go!

Del.Monte

An outrageous try by Read and the game is well and truly over.

matthew8

Shocking from Argentina, gifted one to New Zealand there. Very poor restarts have gifted NZ two of their other opportunities. Doesn't bode well for them for the rest of this year.

matthew8

Couple of penalties gets Argentina up the field and a maul try from 5 metres out. In fairness they went through some good phases and made ground to earn the first penalty.

.ak

matthew8 wrote: »

Shocking from Argentina, gifted one to New Zealand there. Very poor restarts have gifted NZ two of their other opportunities. Doesn't bode well for them for the rest of this year.

In fairness is this not more akin to a b-side for them?

Del.Monte

Oh dear, tent folding postponed. Sloppy stuff by the All Blacks.

matthew8

Another maul try for Argentina, a second for Creevy. 32-18. NZ maybe with their foot off the gas but Landajo has made a big positive impact, 2 tries since he came on.

skippymac6

All Blacks won't be happy with that at all. You'd imagine they'll score themselves in the last 15 minutes but fair play to the Argies.

matthew8

.ak wrote: »

In fairness is this not more akin to a b-side for them?

Cordero and Petti are the only ones I'd consider b-side players. Isa and De La Fuente probably not starters at full strength but have started a fair bit. The rest are more or less first choice.

Sangre

Are all the RC matches on Sky these days?

skippymac6

Sangre wrote: »

Are all the RC matches on Sky these days?

Yeah they are.

matthew8

Several NZ penalties on Argentina's line, all cynical but no yellow yet. Not sure how he can not give a yellow when they tackled Read off the quick tap and go.

Del.Monte

God, but they made that try hard work. Poor last quarter from the ABs.

bilston

Sangre wrote: »

Are all the RC matches on Sky these days?

They've always been on Sky.

Carter's kicking hasn't been massively convincing

matthew8

NZ scrum has done very well, been well on top.

skippymac6

matthew8 wrote: »

NZ scrum has done very well, been well on top.

Creevy coming off has disrupted the continuity in there for the pumas. The Argies probably planned to take him off around the 60 mark but they might have left it as they were riding a crest of a wave at that stage.

matthew8

39-18 to New Zealand full time. Landajo made a massive difference to Argentina and has to start going forward. Some of New Zealand's out of form players did better today but they'll feel frustrated they didn't press home the advantage.

Del.Monte

They don't look like World Cup winners -yet - and that was poor by their own high standards. Aus and SA will be a very different prospect on the road. As has been said in the thread Dan Carter's kicking still looks a bit hairy.

I thought the Australia/SA was on right after. Balls

Sangre

bilston wrote: »

They've always been on Sky.

Carter's kicking hasn't been massively convincing

Yea I know, I was just wondering if BT had knicked any of the games.

bilston

Sangre wrote: »

Yea I know, I was just wondering if BT had knicked any of the games.

Afaik the rights are sold to Murdoch's lot in the SH so it is unlikely they will be bought by BT anytime soon.

andymx11

http://www.espn.co.uk/rugby/story/_/id/13271984/steven-hansen-calls-world-rugby-stop-bloody-boring-lineout-drives-all-blacks-beat-argentina

Ah go coach 7's then Steve! I think a well orchestrated line out maul is an art in it's own right.

typhoony

they were very poor defending the maul, i think they'll get turned over at the world cup

Del.Monte

typhoony wrote: »

they were very poor defending the maul, i think they'll get turned over at the world cup

It was poor defence but who will turn them over - Argentina, Tonga, Georgia, Namibia in their Pool? France in the QF? Australia in the Semis or Ireland/England in the Final. Just my thoughts.

sydthebeat

Naholo out of rwc, balls.

In the bright side, should be back raring to go for the Highlanders in feb ! (If hes not in clermont )

Yeah_Right

sydthebeat wrote: »

Naholo out of rwc, balls.

In the bright side, should be back raring to go for the Highlanders in feb ! (If hes not in clermont )

That's a shame. He looked good yesterday. I think the Clermont move has been scrapped.

Carter and SBW are being rested for the South African match next weekend.

RugbyLover123

Stadium far from full, didn't help that Liverpool played there yesterday and a number of football clubs are out there

Buer

Wallaby scrum completely minced there. Holding on by their fingernails.

Should be 3-0 to the Boks here now after Hooper offside. Shame as it was a cracking hit and read.

Buer

That's criminal from Higginbotham.

Buer

Hooper was well off his feet when he was still playing that ball. Incorrect from Owens to say he was on his feet. He was lying on his side, scraping the ball back with his free hand. Even before that when his feet were planted, he wasn't supporting his body weight.

Just heard Owens warning him about supporting his body weight with the clock stopped. He's trying to let the game flow, at least.

RugbyLover123

AUS look so stretched when Boks attack.
AUS scrum getting pounded again, should be 6-0 here, 26 mins.

RugbyLover123

AUS look so stretched when Boks attack.
AUS scrum getting pounded again, should be 6-0 here, 26 mins.

Kiwi_knock

Australia not showing much, a lot of lateral running. South Africa dominating the breakdowns, and having plenty of fun at the scrum.

Buer

I'm a little surprised they're letting QC kick ahead of Giteau. Neither world class goal kickers but QC is a very flakey goal kicker.

irishbucsfan

That wasn't a penalty and Owens knew it wasn't a penalty as well when he gave it!

Kiwi_knock

That was a lovely try

Dave_The_Sheep

Opportunistic. Lovely little offload.