1. Ofa Tungafusi
2. Dane Coles
3. Angus Ta'avao
4. Patrick Tuiplutu
5. Jackson Hemopo
6. Vaea Fifita
7. Dalton Papaili
8. Luke Whitelock (c)
9. Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi
10. Richie Mo'unga
11. Waisake Naholo
12. Ngani Lauampe
13. Matt Proctor
14. Nehe Milner-Skudder
15 Jordie Barrett
16. Liam Coltman 17. Tim Perry 18. Tyrel Lomax 19. Dillon Hunt 20. Gareth Evans 21. Mitch Drummond 22. Brett Cameron 23. George Bridge
Nice to see that Coles is back at last and I would have preferred George Bridge to start.
For the rest it looks very much like an AB "B" side with most of the top players having a rest. An excellent opportunity used by Hansen to see how some players who were out of form and/or new players react on international level.
The team will be strong enough to beat most teams in the world anyway,
...Eight debutants...for some it may be their one and only game ever in the jersey...another article claiming it's NMS's last...
Skudder well be at the nxt WC. Someone saying it well b his last is over exagerrating things alot. He offers a skill set that is just unique.
It's good to see Laumape back. He must help Hansen come to his senses, I was starting to fear he was overcome by mania and lost the plot entirely.
nice team,... many players to watch for the first time in a black jersey,....
good to see Proctor there,... IMO he's the 4th midfield player behind Crotty, Goodhue and ALB,... I rate him over Laumape,... far more complete and he's the glue that gives cohesion to the canes' backline (very Crotty-like),... when he's injury free,... it would be very good for him to have a complete SR season after having played for the AB
good to see also the next big thing for the AB,... Papali'i has skills to be a world class player,... something really especial
taking into account what each player has done during the season George Bridge should be starting over Jordie and NMS,.... Jordie is a very good prospect but he still has to deliver,... this year he's been average at best,... Bridge is also a very good prospect but he's been playing outstandingly,... NMS is not the player he was before injuries,... he has lost pace and his X-factor,... today nobody knows if he's going to be able to regain them,...
but the worst of this squad is that it means that Hansen is going to play with DMac at FB and BB at nº10 against England and Ireland,... if this is what Hansen was toutting as his plan to face the rushing defenses and the pressure over BB, I doubt very much that it will work,... if BB tends to take bad options and make mistakes when he's pressured, DMac is even worst,... as he showed in this season's QFs against canes,... to think that 2 players that individually struggle against rushing defenses or, in overall, when pressured, are going to overcome this pressure playing together is quite curious,... and if it didn't work against Australia, they really think that is going to work against Ireland?
it's a puzzle how England will perform,... Mitchell have had very few time to implement his defensive patterns and they have many injuries, as always (thanx to the greed of their clubs),... but I doubt very much the AB can overcome the Irish rushing defense with both playing
I'm looking forward to seeing how this set of loose forwards do, plus Mo'unga, Tuiplutu and Milner Scudder.
Unfortunately ESPN is not broad casting this game so I will h ave to find a streaming site.
I would still put this team up against any other team going and I reckon they would do fine .
8 caps is a good way to keep players out of the clutches of those NH fuckers too.
In addition to this game, on Saturday SkyNZ will be showing the RWC Boks .v. Japan encounter. Fck em ....... like the Italian ignominy I will never ever revisit em sad events.
