Internationals Anzac test

[playdaball_old]

I'd rather win the game and have a bad haka like the All Blacks in the 70s.

 

[Sin_old]

Rapira is one of the form props in the game...like what Zeb Taia brought to the game

Nightingale and Hohaia was rubbish.Perrett was good.but overall our back 3 posed no threat

Nightingale?

He might have let a bomb bounce but made sure the Aussies didn't score from it. Dropped a ball in the dieing stages from a tackler coming from behind. It was wet. He played alright. His opoosite Hayne did nothing so Nightingale won that battle.

Hohaia. Once again. Too casual! That ball that he fumbled back into the ingoal resulted in the next set leading to a try I believe. Threw a good cut out pass to Nightingale who scored in the corner which hit him on the chest. Made a tackle on Inglis when Greg made a break. He was ok. Still patchy. But Slater was ok too. Did nothing special either.

Perrett was good like you said and the pick out of the three. Contested the ball everytime and never let it bounce. Gave the boyz in the kiwis team confidence I think seeing him go for it without fear. Great dummy-half scoots. Only the last part of the game where the kiwis we're going for the miracle win with seconds left and Sau passed the ball to him, only to have Perret already out of bounds. Either cut back earlier or stay in the field of play and surrender. Ah well.

 

[daj3_old]

Game was worth watching just for Matai taking Slater's head off... how long have I been waiting for that?

I thought the forwards were good, no surprises there. They all seemed pretty fired up.

Heremaia wasn't bad, he didn't look out of place. But I think Glenn would have been a better choice on the bench. It wasn't exactly Luke's best night either, he made some poor decisions and some silly errors, as he's prone to doing, all without offering anything amazing on attack. At least his defense was solid.

Sau really wasn't the best choice to mark Inglis. He did make some pretty awesome runs, and the team as a whole did manage to contain Inglis, but Sau was definitely the worst on the park defensively. Dare I say, Ropati would have been a better choice.

Hohaia made his usual 2-3 mistakes... proving that he's not a true fullback, but hey he can only learn with experience.

I thought the halves were solid, Foran had some nice kicking touches, I'd like to see the Kiwis stick with this combo. With a few more games, Foran will be confident and take control of the game more... Benji on the other hand needs to walk his talk, the reason he gets selected is because of his outrageous style at the Tigers, would it hurt to try something once in a while?

 

[Northern_Union]

Heres what i reckon a full strenght test team would look like if everyone was available for Four Nations.

1. Perrit
2. Vatuvai
3. Soiola
4. Matai
5. Nightingale
6. Foran
7. Marshall
8. Asotasi
9. Luke
10.Rapira
11.Blair
12.Mannering
13.Smith

14.Fien
15.Pritchard
16.Manu
17.Eastwood

18.Taia
19.Hohaia
20.Kenny-Dowell
22.Taia

 

[Spence_old]

If everyone was fit, I'd have Fien at 7. Foran/Marshall didn't quite seem to work.

 

[scottyb_old]

If everyone was fit, I'd have Fien at 7. Foran/Marshall didn't quite seem to work.

Its only their first game together, over the four nations they will build up a combination and i think they are worth persevering with.

 

[warriors4life_old]

If everyone was fit, I'd have Fien at 7. Foran/Marshall didn't quite seem to work.

As somebody mentioned in another thread they are both natural five/eighths. I'd go with Fien at 7 as well.

 

[daj3_old]

I think you two are dreaming... Foran and Marshall FTW. For the first half I even thought Foran outshone Marshall. I'd have Hohaia on the bench over Fien as well.

NU, you've left out Harrison... and I think Pritchard's days in the black with white vee are numbered... no point dragging Eastwood back with out current depth in the back row. Mannering and even Smith could even find themselves having to earn their spots. I do agree wholeheartedly with Soliola though, he would be a much safer choice to match up against Inglis than Sau.

 

[warriors4life_old]

I think you two are dreaming... Foran and Marshall FTW. For the first half I even thought Foran outshone Marshall. I'd have Hohaia on the bench over Fien as well.

NU, you've left out Harrison... and I think Pritchard's days in the black with white vee are numbered... no point dragging Eastwood back with out current depth in the back row. Mannering and even Smith could even find themselves having to earn their spots. I do agree wholeheartedly with Soliola though, he would be a much safer choice to match up against Inglis than Sau.

So we prefer a Fien/Marshall combination that led us to the World Cup over a Foran/Marshall combo that didn't really complement each other and that means we're dreaming? Cool.

 

[Kaiaua krusher_old]

On the commentators. Halligan is a pain in the butt as well. Here is the play that led to Nightingales try. Manu PTB, Luke to Rapira onto Marshall, Hohaia, cut out pass to Nightingale.

Halligan reckons it was the magnificent combination of the new halve pairing and it wasn't until about the 3rd replay that Halligan conceded Hohaia threw the money ball. I get annoyed when these twats don't recognise the players and get calls so drastically wrong!!!

Costigan has an orgasm anytime Slater does something - like he caught the ball on the full deep inside the ingoal area under no pressure what so ever- and it was like a miracle take given the conditions - give me a break you fool of a man. Very similar to Inglis - didn't say much when the smallest guy on the field stopped him in his tracks after 6 others couldn't get near him or when Isaac cut him down with a copy book round the legs tackle. He was much more animated when Inglis swatted Sau - whopee do. Notice how the much vaunted Melbourne connection didn't trouble the scoreboard attendant.

I thought overall it was a good contest and we got a couple of good 60/40 calls. Wonder if Bryson Goodwin could have done the job with the boot-other than that no complaints about the players. 12 all was on the cards and would have been a good result. Better if we won naturally, but the gap in depth is definately closing and that is what is getting on Goulds wick!!!

 

[motu1_old]

So we prefer a Fien/Marshall combination that led us to the World Cup over a Foran/Marshall combo that didn't really complement each other and that means we're dreaming? Cool.

they've only played one game together i'll make my judgement after the four natons it would be stupid to get rid of one in place of fien
i actually thought foran played a bit better than marshall as for defence
i think he held his own with thaiday running at him all night

 

[Northern_Union]

I have to admit i like Halligan. But Costigan.....give me a break! Costigan i don't give a rats arse if Thiday is a king from the Torres straight islander. I don't care if Nightingale runs like a Morton bay mud crab. I want to hear about the New Zealanders, i want to hear about JWH and his family from Rotorua, Or the popularity of Adam Blair from Whakatane.