See you next weekend. Or will you be strangely absent.

McCaw is not a better blindside then Kaino. Why do we need more mobility when it’s actually the tight stuff that is letting us down. There is a difference between arriving slow and having no intention of arriving at all. Too much emphasis on forwards ball playing in the backline not enough emphasis on the dark arts. That can be put down to Steve Hansen and Ian Foster.

I think he meant in recent times, that’s fair enough because i don’t really remember the Scotland test in 2012 either. I can remember Carter being outplayed by Cruden multiple times at Super level a few years back with questions starting to be asked about his term at the top being under threat, in the following years Carter has not once emphatically hushed those critics. Some people still hold firm belief it’s only a matter of time till he shows his class, i honestly think it’s going to take a failed world cup bid for people to wake up.

No they didn’t. The All Blacks played well in the first forty and created enough opportunities to put on some points but were let down by the final movement.
if you wanna see bad just go back a month to Samoa.
The All Blacks were not terrible tonight, Australia just nailed opportunities they might have fluffed in the past and that was enough. There are a few areas of weakness creeping into the All blacks game and i think some of it is around tactics more then anything. A couple of poor defensive efforts from individuals was all she wrote. The overall performance wasn’t that bad.

i’d voter for that. Seriously though, players who milk injuries like that should be automatically sent for 10 minute medical checks.

The All Blacks have been doing that for years. As long as you look like you are making a half a$$ed attempt to move out of the way you will very rarely be pulled up.
One thing i will say though is that often when you have made a dominant tackle you end up on the wrong side because once you start getting the tackled player going backwards your team mates are all coming forward pushing you over the player and effectively onto the wrong side.

No not casually, do it emphatically by dropping him from the 31 altogether.

No chance.

I thought the All Blacks made some really strong tackles and lots of them. They simply are not committing enough forwards to the breakdown and that comes down to the way they want to play the game. Sadly for the All Blacks they base everything on getting quick ball and when that doesn’t happen we struggle because there is no plan B.

Kepu was one step away from Smith when he took the quick tap and he tackled him. No question about that being cynical play he needed to retreat all the way to the try line.

Did u feel stupid every time they lost?

What a great see-saw test match. Well done Wallabies they took the opportunities when it counted. What will be encouraging for them on top of the win was that they still have some big improvements especially around the line out and discipline. They threw some loose passes in the first half also. Not bad when you can be off the mark in a few areas like that and still get the win.

Some key areas of concern for me around the All Blacks tactical approach need to be looked at hard. Still to many forwards standing around first receiver getting in the way and not doing the job at the breakdown.
The emphasis on forwards passing at the line is getting very annoying. Basically what they are doing is putting huge pressure on the receiver and taking the initial carrier out of contention to make any impact at the breakdown, this is why we are turning over so much ball.

I thought Carter was off the boil tonight, to me he looks like a guy who knows he is safe. Those tactical errors come down to nothing more then being to casual. A missed line kick and two kick offs not 10 meters is simply not good enough. Serious questions need to be asked about his future involvement when Lima Sopoaga performed so well in South Africa under huge pressure and Colin Slade is yet to be seen in the 10 Jersey after being in electric form early this season. Hansen seems to be putting all his eggs in one basket with Carter having started three of the four tests. It came back to bite him tonight. Another glaring issue in Carters game is the loss of power in his pass, they are slow and lobbed and are putting our midfielders under all sorts of pressure. The fast pressing defensive line opens opportunities for a running 10 to take on the line, something Carter only managed to do once to good effect with a half break and offload. He is also prone to throwing the intercept. I haven’t been sold on him yet and tonight really enforces why, he is well past his best which was last seen in black November 2012 vs Scotland. That is a very long time ago.

Milner Skudder done enough with his limited opportunities to get another crack next weekend.

Also cringed and questioned why A Smith was subbed with only 3 minutes or so left under such huge pressure. Really feel sorry for TJ having to come on and clean up that messy scrum effectively destroying his confidence in seconds.

I will be watching this guys every move hoping he absolutely nails his chance. If he plays well we can expect to see him again next week with a chance to smash the selection door wide open.

There are few spots left to fill in the 31 man squad with many already filled regardless of how well someone does or doesn’t play.

Locked in already

Woodcock
Crockett
O Franks
Laulala/Famuina
B Franks

Coles
Mealamu
Taylor

Rettalick
Whitelock
Romano
Thrush

McCaw
Read
Kaino
Cane
Vito/Messam ??

A Smith
Perenara

Carter
Barret
Slade ??
Sopoaga ??

Nonu
SBW
C Smith
Fekitoa

Savea
Ben Smith
Piutau
Milner Skudder ??

That’s 27 players locked in leaving four more spots for some big name All Blacks to fight for.

I think the front row picks itself. Hansen will want two specialists on both sides and B Franks gets in by default for being able to provide cover for both. If Famuina is not fit, Laulala will slot straight onto the bench as second tighthead. Elliot let the pressure get to him against Samoa and Taylor has taken his chances with two hands.

For me Broadhurst was exposed a little bit in that test against the Boks and it was enough to be concerned about this close to the WC. I think Thrush provides crucial exp and a solid platform that they know what they will get, hence the fact he doesn’t need to prove anything by playing. They are using this to advantage allowing Romano some much needed rugby to get back to top form.

It is a straight scrap between Vito and Messam for the final loose forward spot. My vote goes to Vito. That’s one spot taken. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Thrush or Whitelock start at 6 for one of the pool games.

Halfback is one area i think we could use as a tactical decision and take the risk of only taking two. A third halfback will play a small role if any in the WC. it’s a spot in the 31 that can be put to better use imo.

Having an extra spot made available by leaving a halfback at home it will allow Hansen to take all four stand offs. It’s impossible to nail the selection in the next few games because in this position all four of them really need more rugby. Carter is a default selection due to loyalty so regardless of what the other three do there is no budging him from the top of the order. Take all four and let them play themselves into form in pool play which will give us a better and more definite idea of who the best combination of the two are best for the crunch games.

The midfield is locked in. Crotty is unlucky but Fekitoa has just shown more x factor and that is a weapon off the bench.

The hotly contested outside backs basically comes down to Milner Skudder being able to knock Dagg off in the next two matches. For me Dagg is surplus to requirement with Slade and Barret in the side as ample fullback cover. Let’s get real Hansen, Dagg is as much a wing cover as C Smith and Lima Sopoaga. He isn’t. I’m picking Milner Skudder to shine and force Hansen into a decision he will be desperately trying to avoid for personal reasons.

So barring injuries or Milner Skudder being a dud (replaced by Dagg) if you disregard the question marks above that is the 31 man squad i am hoping to see.

If there is any weakness it will be players trying to do to much.

Romano is picked because he needs the rugby. Whitelock doesn’t.

Elliot has already been replaced, he blew his chance against Samoa. Hansen made a comment after the game i can’t remember what he said exactly but i knew at the time he was talking about Hika Elliott. He let the pressure get to him and we will not see him again.

I think the fact we have two games left to decide on a 31 man world cup squad is more important then anything else. Leading into the last world cup we sent a second string side to South Africa when we could have sewn up the Tri Nations. I don’t think introducing a few greener guys in with a pretty settled core of players to be that big a deal.

With the Bledisloe the reality is we only need to win one game and we have a test at Eden Park to follow. The only real ‘risks’ could be starting Milner Skudder on the right wing and Laulala at tighthead (i don’t consider either a risk) other then that there are any number of combinations Hansen could select which i would not consider taking a risk.

With Crockett out i hope we see Laulala start with Woodcock and then bring Moody and O Franks off the bench. Ben Franks for me should not get another game.

If Skudder is fit he should get a start on the wing because a solid performance will really need to be backed up with another opportunity if there is any chance of him going to the WC. if there is no genuine chance then why is he even there. I’m pretty confident we will see him start this week with the opportunity to get another crack next weekend if he delivers on the potential he has. Dagg has done everything he is going to do, it all comes down to how Milner Skudder performs on the weekend.
With Hansens talk of possibly taking only two halfbacks, i would be very surprised to see that extra spot go to the back three and not to the fourth fly-half.

I read a quote recently where Hansen said they are considering only taking two halfbacks. This is music to my ears. Taking TKB is pointless, he will not play. He said Slade can provide emergency cover which is all we need. Any rest A Smith needs TJ would benefit from playing the 80 mins. If it’s a serious injury one of them will go home and can be replaced, if it’s only a niggle Slade can cover from the bench for one game, i honestly think it’s a risk well worth taking to allow room for all of Carter, Slade, Sopoaga and Barrett to be named to ensure we get it right in that position.

There are no Kiwi commentators who are fluent with their Maori tongue.

Hikawera Elliot
TJ Perenara

Those are the only two names in the entire 41 man squad that would be considered Maori names. Hika is simple enough. Perenara might be the only one that would give you trouble, all NZ commentators pronounce his name wrong.
It’s not Pear-anaarra. It’s Pere-nara short n sharp roll the R’s.

I didn’t mention Mumm because i haven’t seen enough of him of late to judge him. Palu is a few years past the track of being a real threat.

The SANZAR farce strikes again. Honestly where do they find these incompetent morons? I honestly believe the more ‘qualifications’ someone has the less common sense they use.

The fact any player can serve a ban issued during Internationals, in a trumped up club match they were never going to play in is the biggest farce in sport. What a joke. What makes this whole situation even more absurd is that the same bunch of morons are appealing against themselves LOL this is seriously comical.

Can’t settle on a squad yet with two games still to go. We haven’t seen Milner Skudder , he could turn everything everyone thought about the dynamic of the 31 on it’s head.

Harsh call to make but i wouldn’t even play Crotty or Todd. They are not going to smash the selection door down as spectacularly as Milner Skudder could so i would simply use the time to give Fekitoa more game to gel with his midfield buddies.

We don’t need three opensides and Cane is locked in so there really is no point even giving Todd a run. He will not be selected in the 31.

Famuina is to much of a risk, that sort of injury could have mental effects on top of having little rugby, for his long term future just let him recover and give Nepo Laulala the next two matches to prove he is the goods. Owen Franks would benefit from a rest in more ways then one.

Everyone is quick to right off Slade, he was the best 10 in the country in the first half of super rugby, everyone seems to have long memories when it comes to DC yet so quick to forget who has actually played the highest quality of rugby in the past 12 months. None of the four contenders have played a better match then Slade this year he has shown form to trump them all. It was just unfortunate for the Crusaders the rest of the their All blacks took the first half of the season off mentally.

As an All Blacks fan when i look at the oppositions team sheets i go through the names and think about what it is this player can bring that might pose a real threat to us winning the game. Often when i look at a Wallaby pack i run my eyes quickly past a number of players and don’t even give them any consideration in this regard. That may seem harsh, it’s not a dig, it’s just the reality of the current crop of players.
Names that stand out to me as players capable of troubling the All Blacks in one form or another.

Moore
Hooper
Pocock
Higginbotham
Skelton

Moore is one of the Wallabies most complete players and is a world class hooker.
Hooper is dynamic, a real game breaker
Pocock is an influential leader and has developed a more rounded game.
Higginbotham is also a dynamic player, he might not possess the tight game many would like to see but his strength is ball in hand.
Skelton is lucky to make this list, it’s his ability to shut down drives and his brute strength that make him a worry.

Other then those blokes i don’t feel threatened at all by the inclusion of any other mix of players available. Australia has some good players scattered around the pack however none of them are extremely concerning. Guys like Simmons, Fardy, Palu they are good players, they just don’t have the x factor, that magical ingredient nobody knows what it is but you know when it’s there or not.

Australia need a coach and culture that can bring to life the motto that has rung true many times before. A champion team can beat a team of champions.

I may be bias but i don’t feel that’s the case at all. We give our fair share away all over the place. if we do give more away in our red zone it’s through desperation rather then cynical play like the Brumbies last season.

I think Mealamu should go simply as non playing cover. He is a guy who will not add impact, but if he is needed at any stage in the big games he has 100+ tests of exp and he has composure. He is not going to do anything stupid.
All the game time should be pumped into Coles and Taylor, who is quickly becoming a masterstroke selection. Early days yet but he just seems to be made for the big time.
Taking another hooker like Elliot or Parsons instead of Kevy means they will need to take game time away from the other two, with Kev they don’t.

The first step is to make sure we have the right mix of 31 players.

I’m not one to select a player based on one skill. It’s never been the All Blacks way to select someone just because they have a big clearing kick. How many 60 meter touch finders has Dagg done in his three tests this season? that seems to be the number people give when justifying his selection. We didn’t miss him in any of the matches Ben Smith started at fullback.
For me the need for Daggs long boot has become more myth then reality. The All Blacks are a better attacking side when Ben Smith has his hands on the ball. From fullback he touches the ball more often then on the wing.
Piutau has made it impossible for Hansen to overlook him. He has been very good.
Dagg had two very average games and one good game. Hardly what you expect from someone who knows he is fighting for his position, i expected more. We should have seen Dagg at his brilliant best by now, if that was his best against the Puma then the decision is easy. He made one very good run, he also was caught in two minds when he was in the clear and had the opportunity to create something twice and was shutdown both times. We saw today with very limited ball what Ben Smith can create and finish with just a few touches. We simply need his hands on the ball more.

I don’t think we are going to have a definitive answer to who should be our best three 10’s. The more i think about it, the more i feel we should take four and use the round robins to make sure we get it right. There is no more crucial position for Hansen to nail.