Bledisloe Test Two in Auckland: Cooper Catches First Blood

[cashead]

We learned two things last weekend:

1. The Wallabies under Rennie are going through a renewal for the better, having shed players that were becoming dead weight
2. Plummo reckons they got away with a lot, due to non-neutral refs in Australia and NZ often paradoxically being harsher on their own teams.


The All Blacks are likely to go without Sam Whitelock and Beauden Barrett who are under an injury cloud, and George Bridge, who just finished his season after he fucked up a pectoral muscle in training. Ouch.


All Blacks
1. Joe Moody
2. Dane Coles
3. Ofa Tu'ungafasi
4. Patrick Tuipulotu
5. Tupou Vaa'i
6. Shannon Frizell
7. Sam Cane (C)
8. Ardie Savea
9. Aaron Smith
10. Richie Mo'unga
11. Caleb Clarke
12. Jack Goodhue
13. Anton Lienert-Brown
14. Jordie Barrett
15. Beauden Barrett

16. Codie Taylor
17. Alex Hodgman
18. Nepo Laulala
19. Scott Barrett
20. Hoskins Sotutu
21. TJ Perenara
22. Rieko Ioane Peter Umaga-Jensen
23. Damian McKenzie


Wallabies squad
1. James Slipper
2. Brandon Paenga-Amosa
3. Taniela Tupou
4. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto
5. Matt Philip
6. Ned Hanigan
7. Michael Hooper (C)
8. Harry Wilson
9. Nic White
10. James O'Connor
11. Marika Koroibete
12. Matt Toomua
13. Hunter Paisami
14. Filipo Daugunu
15. Tom Banks

16. Jordan Uelese
17. Scott Sio
18. Allan Ala'alatoa
19. Rob Simmons
20. Liam Wright
21. Jake Gordon
22. Jordan Petaia
23. Reece Hodge

[morepork]

Are we......whingeing about refs after one game?

[cashead]

Are we......whingeing about refs after one game?

It's a fairly standard and deliberate tactic to go "look at this shitty shit that happened at the last game" with footage to corroborate. It's not about having a moan, it's about putting pressure on the next official by drawing everyone's attention to something.

[Doorzetbornandbred]

Looking forward to this more than the first game after what happened last week. Good to see the Aussies looking better(yes I know it was only one game) than they have in a long time. I just wonder if Covid may save rugby in the long term, will we see tours like days of old return, one nation goes overseas for say 6 to 8 weeks playing several midweek and weekend matches before a 3 match series? That may mean we see the SH up here in the NH less often but may bring back the mystery and mystique of teams from far flung countries. The same in reverse as well with the NH coming to the SH.

[cashead]

27-7.

The Wallabies didn't exactly roll over, but yeah, 40-odd missed tackles. Yikes.

[morepork]

Caleb Clarke...jaysus, what a handful.

[cashead]

Interesting how the Cane-bashers have suddenly gone quiet.

[cashead]

Caleb Clarke...jaysus, what a handful.

Yeah, whenever a Wallaby tried to tackle Eroni's kid, it was like he just wasn't having any of it.

[Silvercloud]

Looking forward to this more than the first game after what happened last week. Good to see the Aussies looking better(yes I know it was only one game) than they have in a long time. I just wonder if Covid may save rugby in the long term, will we see tours like days of old return, one nation goes overseas for say 6 to 8 weeks playing several midweek and weekend matches before a 3 match series? That may mean we see the SH up here in the NH less often but may bring back the mystery and mystique of teams from far flung countries. The same in reverse as well with the NH coming to the SH.

I wouldn't be opposed to that idea Doorzet - perhaps you can tell me if I would need to become a member at Northampton in order to get an occasional ticket?

[morepork]

Cloudy! What a blast from the past. Kia Ora my friend.

[Silvercloud]

Porky! How are you doing?