Thirteen Kiwis in Baa-Baa squad to face ABs

...BARBARIANS SQUAD:

Forwards
Ruan Ackermann (Gloucester)
Dominic Bird (Chiefs & New Zealand)
Willie Britz (Sunwolves)
Sam Carter (Brumbies & Australia)
Simone Favaro (Fiamme Oro)
Ben Franks (London Irish & New Zealand)
Dillon Hunt (Highlanders)
Steven Luatua (Bristol & New Zealand)
Atu Moli (Chiefs)
Kwagga Smith (Lions)
Ruan Smith (Toyota Verblitz)
Adriaan Strauss (Bulls & South Africa)
Akker van der Merwe (Sharks)
Jacques van Rooyen (Lions)
Luke Whitelock (Highlanders & New Zealand)

Backs
Vince Aso (Hurricanes)
George Bridge (Crusaders)
Richard Buckman (Highlanders)
Mitchell Drummond (Crusaders)
Robert du Preez (Stormers)
Andy Ellis (Kobelco Steelers & New Zealand)
Richie Mo'unga (Crusaders)
Taqele Naiyaravoro (Waratahs & Australia)
Julian Savea (Hurricanes & New Zealand)
Nic Stirzaker (Rebels)

Harold Vorster

 ...While there are some headline acts, of the 26-man squad only17 players are uncapped internationally.
Leading UK and French players have largely not been released from their clubs with the match  sitting outside the test match window.

That means kiwis can’t lose, lol Hope we have some excitement & looking at the backs all signs look good.

Baabaas looks abit light on locks...Du Preez to cover fly half and centre ?...not sure why they need so many half backs

1  J VanRooyen / Franks2  A Strauss  / A van der Merve3  A Moli      / R. Smith
4 Bird5 Carter
6  Luatua / K Smith7  Ackerman / Hunt / Favaro8  Britz / Whitelock
9   Drummond / Ellis / Stirzaker10  R Mo'unga 11 J Savea
12 H Vorster13 V Aso14 T Naiyaravoro15 Bridge / Buckman

Two halves make a whole...simple really Brycy, lol

 ...i count seven loose forwards as well which is a lot... so maybe Luatua is covering for the locks - but he is wasted there..
Media is also reporting Kaino will be unleashed against the Baa baas...I wonder how many more tests the 81 cap veteran will play given he will be 36 at the next RWC -will Hansen try and phase him out before that?
I think they said Robbie Deans has Razor Robertson helping him out with the Baa Baas coaching as well...so should be a good game but not being an international it maybe difficult to find a live stream for the game on the day..

 
1. Ben Smith     2. A. Strauss   3. Atu Moli

4. Sam Carter    5. D. Bird

6. S. Luatua   7. D. Hunt    8. L. Whitelock

9. M. Drummond     10. R. Mo'unga

12. R. Buckman     13. H. Vorster

11. J. Savea     14. T. Naiyaravoro   15. G. Bridge


16. A. van der Merve  17. R. Smith    18. R. van Rooyen   19. R. Ackerman   20. K. Smith  

21. A. Ellis     22. R. du Preez    23. V. Aso


that's a very strong team with half the starting team international and 4-5 other players with real possibilities of becoming,... could be a very entertaining game

usually the baa-bas are not used to play together which leads to a quite unstructured game,... having 5 players who have just  win the NPC with Canterbury (Bird, Whitelock, Drummond, Mo'unga and Bridge) could help,... and they all have played under Razor's orders

if we add Ben Franks and Andy Ellis plus the coaches Deans and Robertson it's going to be a very cantab-ish team

 

 Welcome back ABF. Yes, looking forward to it & hope to be able to get it streaming because it's not streaming on ESPN so I may have to resort to my old means of watching rugby.

 ...Could have been even more Crusty flavoured if Tamanivalu had'nt been called up for the ABs...
The Abs not looking forward to tackling Julian Savea this weekend...the talk in the camp is that "the bus is coming"...
Another great matchup with this weekend will be Richie Mo'unga facing off against Beauden Barret...this game is shaping up like an AB trial.
...New Zealand

15 David Havili, 14 Waisake Naholo, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 12 Ngani Laumape, 11 Seta Tamanivalu, 10 Beauden Barrett (captain), 9 TJ Perenara, 8 Jerome Kaino, 7 Ardie Savea, 6 Vaea Fifita, 5 Scott Barrett, 4 Luke Romano, 3 Nepo Laulala, 2 Nathan Harris, 1 Kane Hames

Substitutes: 16 Asafo Aumua, 17 Tim Perry, 18 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 19 Patrick Tuipulotu, 20 Sam Cane, 21 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 22 Lima Sopoaga, 23 Matt Duffie

...A lot of talk also about the Savea brothers facing off against each other...

Barbarians

15 George Bridge (Crusaders), 14 Julian Savea (Hurricanes & New Zealand), 13 Richard Buckman (Highlanders), 12 Harold Vorster (Lions), 11 Vince Aso (Hurricanes), 10 Richie Mo’unga (Crusaders), 9 Andy Ellis (Kobelco Steelers & New Zealand, captain), 8 Luke Whitelock (Highlanders & New Zealand, vice captain), 7 Kwagga Smith (Lions), 6 Steven Luatua (Bristol & New Zealand), 5 Dominic Bird (Chiefs & New Zealand), 4 Sam Carter (Brumbies & Australia), 3 Atu Moli (Chiefs), 2 Adriaan Strauss (Bulls & South Africa), 1 Jacques van Rooyen (Lions)

Substitutes: 16 Akker van der Merwe (Sharks),17 Ben Franks (London Irish & New Zealand), 18 Ruan Smith (Toyota Verblitz), 19 Willie Britz (Sunwolves), 20 Ruan Ackermann (Gloucester), 21 Mitchell Drummond (Crusaders), 22 Robert du Preez (Stormers), 23 Dillon Hunt (Highlanders)

 ...Interesting also how barnstorming Aussie winger Naiyaravoro has been dropped completely in favour of Vince Aso who normally plays in the centres - good luck marking Waisake Naholo

 hey, thanx JW

yeah, seems like an AB trial,... many players in both teams wanting to prove they can play with the AB,... very interesting

 Glad you could find a rugby topic ABF, we have to sift through a lot of garbage, including the battle of the "who wrecked" the margins, etc.
ESPN is not broadcasting this game, at least the last time I checked, but for sure I'm going to watch it. A lot of talent on show and some personal battles also. Should be a good game.

 JW, I gather you are only jesting about the non rugby content? This place is full of oddballs and the software glitches result in interesting day to day chaos....but it's all part of the charm of the place. This place has an unique character that won't easily be reprised.
Back to topic- the AB vs BB will be an interesting match for sure.

 .

 JW, wasn't easy to find a rugby thread,... that battle of the "who wrecked" the margins seemed quite passionate,.... and seems that someone has had enough of it

the Baa-baas game it's not scheduled in the usual online TV sites, either,... let see if it's screamed somewhere,... I'll be looking for it so if I find something I'll let you know

 Hey BP glad to see you back Brother !Was worried you might have been corralled in Catalonia or something !Indeed this game does remind one of the ABs trials games ,some of which were quite blood thirsty affairs eh ?

 Hey BP glad to see you back Brother !Was worried you might have been corralled in Catalonia or something !Indeed this game does remind one of the ABs trials games ,some of which were quite blood thirsty affairs eh ?

 Here's a link to a stream that looks promising for the Baa-Baa vs ABs game

Link to game.

and another Link