Bledisloe Cup: Match Thread

[bsando]

Date: Saturday, August 24
Venue: Westpac Stadium, Wellington
Kick-off: 8.30am UK
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Assistant referees:Craig Joubert (South Africa), Lourens van der Merwe (South Africa)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)

New Zealand

15 Israel Dagg, 14 Ben Smith, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Tom Taylor, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (capt), 6 Steven Luatua, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Andrew Hore, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Dane Coles, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Charlie Faumuina, 19 Jeremy Thrush, 20 Sam Cane, 21 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 22 Colin Slade, 23 Charles Piutau.

Australia

1. James Slipper (Queensland Reds), 2. Stephen Moore (ACT Brumbies), 3. Ben Alexander (ACT Brumbies), 4. Rob Simmons (Queensland Reds), 5. James Horwill (c - Queensland Reds), 6. Scott Fardy (ACT Brumbies), 7. Michael Hooper (NSW Waratahs), 8. Ben Mowen (ACT Brumbies), 9. Will Genia (vc - Queensland Reds), 10. Matt Toomua (ACT Brumbies), 11. James O’Connor (Melbourne Rebels), 12. Christian Leali’ifano (ACT Brumbies), 13. Adam Ashley-Cooper (NSW Waratahs), 14. Israel Folau (NSW Waratahs), 15. Jesse Mogg (ACT Brumbies)

Replacements
16. Saia Fainga’a (Queensland Reds), 17. Scott Sio (ACT Brumbies), 18. Sekope Kepu (NSW Waratahs), 19. Kane Douglas (NSW Waratahs), 20. Liam Gill (Queensland Reds), 21. Nic White (ACT Brumbies), 22. Quade Cooper (Queensland Reds), 23. Tevita Kuridrani (ACT Brumbies)

[Taylorman]

In terms of experience the ABs have it in spades so much theyre being called...'old'. The oz backline is very raw with 4 of the 7 relative newcomers with a lightweight but promising inside pairing- the obvious target for this one. Luatua stands out as the obvious AB newbie and needs to make his mark. Still not a Mogg fan..hes full of running but lacks something for me. The oz shock factor will be needed here to have any impact on this match.

[maestegmafia]

http://cargocollective.com/alternativerugbycommentary/1646981/Listen-Live

[bsando]

Agree with ya on Mogg, he does seem to lack something, I can't put my finger on it really. I think he is still very new and simply needs a few more games under his belt.

Interested to see how luatua gets on and the cruden vs toomua battle at flyhalf. I am confident mcmeniman can make a good impact for the wallabies in the backrow.

This match is going to bea classic, I can feel it!

[Taylorman]

Agree with ya on Mogg, he does seem to lack something, I can't put my finger on it really. I think he is still very new and simply needs a few more games under his belt.

Interested to see how luatua gets on and the cruden vs toomua battle at flyhalf. I am confident mcmeniman can make a good impact for the wallabies in the backrow.

This match is going to bea classic, I can feel it!

yup! Sure good to be watching these matches again.

[Ozzy3213]

Wobblies by 4.

[GloriousEmpire]

ABs will win at a canter, rusty though they are.

[ChequeredJersey]

31- all draw

[Taylorman]

good curtain raiser here with Northland and Ranger doing everything to wrestle the shield off he mooloos. 24-22 down with 7 mins left.

Forgot the SA match was in SA... easy win for SA in that case.

[Ozzy3213]

Folau to expose Savea defensively for the winning try.

[Biltong]

I don't want to create a stir here, but I don't think Mogg is such a great player.

Sure he can be elusive, and he has a good boot, but for some reason he just doesn't fill me with confidence.

[ChequeredJersey]

He has apparently missed 40% of his tackles at S15 Level which even at FB where the tackles are difficult isn't very good. If the ABs breakthrough the line, try time. I'd have put JOC or Folau at 15 and Cummins on a wing

[Biltong]

He has apparently missed 40% of his tackles at S15 Level which even at FB where the tackles are difficult isn't very good. If the ABs breakthrough the line, try time. I'd have put JOC or Folau at 15 and Cummins on a wing

I think that would likely be safer.

[Ozzy3213]

He has apparently missed 40% of his tackles at S15 Level which even at FB where the tackles are difficult isn't very good. If the ABs breakthrough the line, try time. I'd have put JOC or Folau at 15 and Cummins on a wing

I think that would likely be safer.

But is essentially a defensive tactic. Mogg's strength is in attack, and that is why he is there. McKenzie clearly thinks attack is the best form of defence and I think has picked his team accordingly.

[Biltong]

He has apparently missed 40% of his tackles at S15 Level which even at FB where the tackles are difficult isn't very good. If the ABs breakthrough the line, try time. I'd have put JOC or Folau at 15 and Cummins on a wing

I think that would likely be safer.

But is essentially a defensive tactic.  Mogg's strength is in attack, and that is why he is there.  McKenzie clearly thinks attack is the best form of defence and I think has picked his team accordingly.

Not sure I agree with you Ozzy, I think MOgg is there because Folau isn't the best exit strategy out of your 22. So I doubt whether McKenzie's selection is a more attacking one.

[ChequeredJersey]

And that's with very few tackle attempts too, so it's not like he's getting close to lots of very hard tackles. That's pretty poor defence, no wonder EM didn't pick Quade if he feels he has to pick Mogg on form!

[ChequeredJersey]

Eh, the hard call is when Speight qualifies- whom do you drop? JOC, or Mogg? And is Mogg's inclusion linked to Cooper's exclusion or not?

[ChequeredJersey]

He has apparently missed 40% of his tackles at S15 Level which even at FB where the tackles are difficult isn't very good. If the ABs breakthrough the line, try time. I'd have put JOC or Folau at 15 and Cummins on a wing

I think that would likely be safer.

But is essentially a defensive tactic.  Mogg's strength is in attack, and that is why he is there.  McKenzie clearly thinks attack is the best form of defence and I think has picked his team accordingly.

With one glaring exception

[Biltong]

I think AAC's time is short, Kuridrani and Speight are both devastating runners.

[ChequeredJersey]

AAC helps hold that line together though, you can't have all your backline as devastating runners, someone has to be able to drive for yards, fix the defence and pass. Attack doesn't just mean being a devastating runner, that becomes easier for the other players if you have someone who can give them some space to work in

[Biltong]

amazing to see all four countries having an old head in the midfield.

de Villiers, AAC, Contepomi and Nonu.

[ChequeredJersey]

Is Conrad Smith not more of an old head than Nonu?

[Ozzy3213]

He has apparently missed 40% of his tackles at S15 Level which even at FB where the tackles are difficult isn't very good. If the ABs breakthrough the line, try time. I'd have put JOC or Folau at 15 and Cummins on a wing

I think that would likely be safer.

But is essentially a defensive tactic.  Mogg's strength is in attack, and that is why he is there.  McKenzie clearly thinks attack is the best form of defence and I think has picked his team accordingly.

Not sure I agree with you Ozzy, I think MOgg is there because Folau isn't the best exit strategy out of your 22. So I doubt whether McKenzie's selection is a more attacking one.

Sure Mogg has the boot to get them out of trouble, but I am expecting to see Aus running the ball from deep. i can't see them wanting to kick to the AB's back three.

[Biltong]

I think he is younger than Nonu by a few years. But yeah, he isn't a young'un

[ChequeredJersey]

Apparently both the same age

[ChequeredJersey]

They shouldn't kick to the AB back 3 but similarly the ABs will need to kick out of hand very well- the Aussie back 3 are all great on the counter, Mogg and JOC are accomplished kickers good under the high ball and Mogg with a huge boot and Folau is maybe the best under the high ball in the world

[Biltong]

Apparently both the same age

I thought Nonu is 34, should perhaps read up more, eh?

[Ozzy3213]

They shouldn't kick to the AB back 3 but similarly the ABs will need to kick out of hand very well- the Aussie back 3 are all great on the counter, Mogg and JOC are accomplished kickers good under the high ball and Mogg with a huge boot and Folau is maybe the best under the high ball in the world

Precisely, which is why I see both teams trying to keep possession and running it, as giving the oppo the ball is going to be seriously risky today.

[Taylorman]

Mogg is still not proven at test level, certainly not the RC level, and its not a given that he will be.

[ChequeredJersey]

Could argue the same for Ben Smith though TM

[Taylorman]

Possibly, but I've no concerns about Ben Smith whatsoever. Hes been the best back of all 5 NZ franchises this year and has been made to bide his time on the bench for the ABs over the years, always playing solidly. This year he's simply got tougher. Sure its mainly sxv, but Smith I thinks a bad comparison to Mogg, who's looked decidedly flakey at times.

[ChequeredJersey]

I was just pointing out that Smith isn't established either. I personally think he's a generally superior player but being excellent at Club level doesn't automatically led to instant comfort at Test level.

[Rory_Gallagher]

Any streams guys?

[Artful_Dodger]

Sent you a pm Rory.

[Artful_Dodger]

(Its Sky Sports 4, link might open on Sky Sports 1, use the side menu to go to 4)

[Rory_Gallagher]

Ta, Artful!  

[Taylorman]

I was just pointing out that Smith isn't established either. I personally think he's a generally superior player but being excellent at Club level doesn't automatically led to instant comfort at Test level.

yes thats a fair call. good start for him though...

[Ozzy3213]

Great start from the AB's.

[Taylorman]

great stuff cruden...oz already showing defensive issues out wide.

[ChequeredJersey]

May I please get in on that stream too?

[Artful_Dodger]

PM sent CJ, scroll down to Sky Sports 4 on left hand menu when it opens on Sky Sports 1.

[wales606]

JOCs defence exposed on the wing too, beautiful from cruden though

[ChequeredJersey]

Thanks chap

[wales606]

Unusual errors from the all blacks after scoring, and now they kick out on the full

[wales606]

First of the new scrims internationally....and it's a free kick

[wales606]

Scrum seems better, just needs a straight feed

[Artful_Dodger]

Genia made a real mess of that after AAC's break.

[wales606]

Genia made a real mess of that after AAC's break.

Yep, never seen him lose so much composure

[wales606]

2/3 not straight calls, more scrums against the put in ideas the scrum halves figure it out

[Artful_Dodger]

Adam Ashley Cooper really causing the All Blacks midfield defence a lot of problems.

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