All Blacks: Beauden Barrett, Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, Anton Lienert-Brown, Mark Telea, Richie Mo’unga, Aaron Smith; Ardie Savea, Sam Cane (capt), Dalton Papalii, Scott Barrett, Sam Whitelock, Nepo Laulala, Codie Taylor, Ethan de Groot. Reserves: Samisoni Taukei’aho, Ofa Tuungafasi, Fletcher Newell, Tupou Vaa’i, Luke Jacobson, Finlay Christie, David Havili, Leicester Fainga’anuku.
As reported earlier: No Jordie Barrett; no Retallick, Frizell or Lomax but probably the best team available. ALB will do well as he is very experienced and adds to the leadership in the backs. Papalii will have to show what he's made of, he's bigger than the other loose forwards and a fierce tackler. Not much between the two teams, the difference will be who's up for the game and if ABs get enough control in the forwards.
Like you say best we can put on the park at the moment, would have liked to see Roigard over Christie, bit of a risk but he has shown he is up to it and just a bit of an unknown to the frogs.
Not holding my breath over this one, will settle for a loss as long as we front up, if we get spanked again I hold little hope of getting anywhere near the final.
I agree on Roigard, I think the will get more game time in the upcoming games in our group. Really looking forward to seeing more of him as he can change the tempo of the game when it's needed.
One wouldn't think but historically the ABs have beaten the French often at World Cups. We tend to remember the 1999 and 2007 in France easily. Yet it's about 5-2 to the ABs with two finals in the bag.
Not the most fearsome All Black team I've ever seen but I never write the ABs off.
If you can get your outside backs involved you can beat anyone.
What a great opening game for the tournament!
JW, would have far preferred Roigard to be on the bench and Jacobsen to start but I can’t have everything I suppose. A solid squad and I just hope we can at least gain parity in the scrums and sort out our messy line outs.
Go you good ABs!!
Yes, I see the lineouts as a challenge because we only have two jumpers, normally we have a third option Maybe Papalii will surprise us in this regard but he's up against a taller and bigger man. Well, at least it can't be worse than the game against the Boks.
The starting team looks good, but the bench has a B-team flavor.
However, I could be wrong as I don't follow New Zealand much.
France must start as favourites, and this game could set the tempo for the rest of the tournament for both teams - the ABS especially
I don't remember an AB team surrounded by question marks and doubt at a RWC.as the current one. It almost comes down to a must win game for if they don't as a consequence their confidence will suffer and they really don't want that to happen.
I've tipped them to win by 5 in a tight game and sure it's not the end of their chances if they did lose but it will be a troubled team with their backs against the wall going forward.
Go well ABs.
Have a feeling both AB's and Boks will be clipped by France and Scotland.
Anything's possible.....I had the leaked team winning by 15 points but now it's anyone's guess.
None of these players are poor choices.
My only question is around Leanord Brow. Been around for ages, but haven't seen much of him recently and not sure what form he is in.
the ABs biggest problem is the coaching and mentality.
They like to have an all out attack and normally sustain it for about 15 min.
I think the defeat against the boks was a wake up call.
So I'm expecting the All Blacks to try and get control on the game.
"Have a feeling both AB's and Boks will be clipped by France and Scotland."
No man, why so negative?
Biggest problem for ABs is their captain. They could win this but for him to lift the Cup will be a mammoth undertaking.
Agreed. Think the ABs biggest problem is the lack of group leade rship.
I am not happy with the AB Team with key players still missing, I give the match to France by 7 points. The Scots lost their ebst player and without him as captain and backline player -they will have hard time to beat the Springboks. My forecast a Springbok win by 13 points.
one brain fart...
I just want JW to be happy!
Oom Mike might be speaking of Stuart Hogg although he's hardly been a force even before he retired.
Fin and Duhan are their 2 top players...both can be contenders for a spot in the tournament 15 if things go well for them...
What a considerate wee chap that Beeno is, there's no need to be suspicious of his motives... surely
I woke up at 4 am and had thoughts of lacing up my rugby boots, I'm so pumped... only to realize they're long gone
If you grew up in the Transvaal, that would be no problem. We played kaalvoet (in bare feet)….at least in lower school. First time I wore boots I felt planted….so I played one game without them, got my mojo back and then reverted to the boots .
Bastards!
Who wants to watch the opening ceremonies?? Just go ahead and start the game!
Cane out, back spasms ................. Vaa'i , Retallick on bench.
Well, some don't lie Cane anyway but a big disappointment for him. Having Retallick on the bench i s a good thing assuming he has recovered from his injury.
Out they come…I have a nice cup of Royal blend tea on the brew and a Marie biscuit!
Thanks Plum, let's hope it's a good game and finger crossed for the ABs!
Stunning opening.
Penaud needs to start making his tackles
That half went by in the blink of an eye. Lots of kicking, but so far NZ look more dangerous ball in hand. Forty minutes and everything to play for.
