DMac is back

Looking good the ABs team named to face the Aussies

New Zealand: Damian McKenzie, Ben Smith, Ryan Crotty, Sonny Bill Williams, Rieko Ioane, Beauden Barrett, TJ Perenara, Kieran Read (c), Ardie Savea, Liam Squire, Scott Barrett, Sam Whitelock, Owen Franks, Codie Taylor, Joe Moody: 

Reserves: Nathan Harris, Karl Tu'inukuafe, Nepo Laulala, Brodie Retallick, Matt Todd Todd, Aaron Smith, Richie Mo'unga, Anton Lienert-Brown.

Read all about it...

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/108105566/damian-mckenzie-picked-to-play-fullback-for-the-all-blacks-v-wallabies

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12148553

Poor midfield. I honestly haven't seen a pair so toothless as these two. A total waste of Crotty, who is the better 12. Surely they could pick up someone at 13 to do a job. Other then that, good team. Wallaroos are missing Hodge, and there is no Toomua. So the All Blacks will probably still dominate in the centres anyway. 

Unbelievable bench. Here's to Wallaby steak.

Brycy

Where is Laumape and Goodhue - a far better center combination?  Otherwise a top class team.

...Goodhue had glandular fever so misses Japan but will fly to London...Laumape is in the touring squad but looks like they want to persevere with SBW for his ability to attract multiple defenders and still get a pass away....i'm surprised SBW and Crotty survived the RC without getting injured tbh ....they spent most of the SR season getting injured...

Well, Crotty did have a concussion, and SBW only played a few games. I like Laumape myself, but not at 13. I'm really not liking SBW. Maybe he comes good. Just like "Bobu" in 2015 when he taught Damian a lesson. Isn't that right Mikey? 

AO

So Nonu was benched early in the 2015 test and I fail to see the lesson.   

I did warn you before the Pretoria test that SBW was going to be a problem for the AB's in the said test and you nearly had a fit, bit the test wizened you up and now it appears as if you really saw the light. 

It helps to look at things objectively, normally it would lead to  correct  results.  

I barely gave your assertions the time of day. You were too busy fighting with everyone else. Particularly over that footage of Sonny running right over Damian this year. 

On the subject of warning, did I not warn you of Damian's poor skills? Botched many attacking movements. We'd have probably taken the game away from the All Blacks completely by the end of the half had we played a 12 at 12. Instead we had Damian continuing his avant garde expressionism in the new position he is pioneering, Chicken Wing. Not quite a wing, not quite a centre. No physicality and lots of aimless running. Yes, Chicken Wing. Händchenflanke i f you prefer. 

Listen AO

I like debate with you issues - but then it must logical ones.  You read what you want in some cases.

What I wrote was about SBW.   So after the fact you did not even want to accept that I did warn you about SBW and you went into hysteria afterwards about what I wrote.   S o now suddenly you did "not give my assertions the time of day".   Why did you respond in the way you did at the time?   Come now - you should know better than you did in this case.       

I even read your ravings about De Allende - but do need evidence that what you claimed in fact happened.  Real evidence by you to support what you write is always in short supply. 

#LuxuryProblems

We'll give you Kriel and De Allende.

Just give us any centre pairing from either the Cheifs, Saders, Canes, Landers or Blues in return.

Deal?

It's a good team with some effort to sort out issues related to the 10 position. Richie Mo has been given a chance to show more of what he can do and it's good to see B. Barrett, McK and Richie Mo will most likely be on the field at the same time at some point during the game. This with Ben Smith is an explosive package.

SBW and Crotty will be fine, they have played well together in the past but a bit quiet in the last few games. SBW is still getting back into game fitness so he will only get better.

In the forwards, having Lauala come off the bench will add a lot to the scrum the guy is very strong and effective - they are developing him for depth. Having Brodie back (even off the bench) will be fantastic.