Bledisloe Test One in Wellington: About fuckin' time

[morepork]

That is a pretty labile backline and will be either hard to contain or really messy. Oz forwards will have to go hard out and snuff it out before nugget gets it to Mo'unga/Barrett B. The other Barrett on the wing is suspect. Have we really got the form fullbacks in the squad?

[zer0]

Named at fullback on Friday, Beauden Barrett suffered a tight achilles tendon at training and was ruled out on Saturday, with Damian McKenzie slotting straight into the No 15 jersey after missing the original 23 for the first test of 2020.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all ... e-to-start

Not sure why McNuggets wasn't slotted into fullback in his stead.

[morepork]

McNuggets. Nice. Dude , where’s my house?

Has he been better than DMac?

How has R Ioane looked at Centre? Ready for international footy there?

I know nothing. At this stage I even miss Lion Red.

[morepork]

I hope he grabs the thing by the balls.

[zer0]

Prop Nepo Laulala has withdrawn from Sunday afternoon’s test match in Wellington due to personal reasons.

He will be replaced on the bench by Tyrel Lomax, who had originally been released to play for Tasman in Sunday’s Mitre 10 Cup match against Bay of Plenty in Nelson.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all ... l-lomax-in

Fortunately he was just across the strait in Nelson.

[Spy]

Fucking hell Reiko.

There are really safe, secure ways to ground a ball. Coaches should have no tolerance for one handed attempted groundings. It’s just dumb.

[Spy]

Jesus, what a finish. Mayhem.

[zer0]

Everything post 80th minute was like peak 90's France squared and raised to the power of infinity. Whoever meekly kicked it out needs a slap.

Speaking of slaps, the AB's on-field leadership need one for not kicking the drop goal from point blank range. Post-Richie they've seemingly gone back to having an aversion to them. Cost them against the Lions, Boks and now Wallabies.

[zer0]

Based on that Clarke and Sotutu should be starting next week ahead of McKenzie (with McNuggets at fullback) and Frizell.

[canta_brian]

How do people think Foster went/is going?

Biggest ABs change for a few years.

[Cameo]

Yeah, basically, McKenzie didn't trust his inside men.

I'd keep going with Goodhue at 12 though. I like him there.

[J Dory]

Wait what? No Springboks? How did that happen?

[Puja]

I've just watched the highlights and Rieko Ioane's failed try. That was utterly spectacular. Why have people lost the art of just putting the ball down as safely as possible?

Puja