Kiwis don't look too bad.....

[Eelementary]

From the front page of LU.......

Brent Webb
Francis Meli
Nigel Vagana
Paul Whatuira
Matthew Utai
Vinnie Anderson
Thomas Leuluai
Jason Cayless
Louis Anderson
Ruben Wiki (c)
Tony Puletua
Joe Galuvao
Sonny Bill Williams
Interchange: Motu Tony, Roy Asotasi, Nathan Cayless, David Kidwell.

Webb and Utai are musts.

That front row is awesome, but the hooker...?

Excellent second row, and an exciting lock forward.

The bench, apart from Tony, is full of in-form stars.


To me, the weak hazlves, Meli, Vagana and Whatuira are their weakest spots.

 

[Eelementary]

From the front page of LU.......

Brent Webb
Francis Meli
Nigel Vagana
Paul Whatuira
Matthew Utai
Vinnie Anderson
Thomas Leuluai
Jason Cayless
Louis Anderson
Ruben Wiki (c)
Tony Puletua
Joe Galuvao
Sonny Bill Williams
Interchange: Motu Tony, Roy Asotasi, Nathan Cayless, David Kidwell.

Webb and Utai are musts.

That front row is awesome, but the hooker...?

Excellent second row, and an exciting lock forward.

The bench, apart from Tony, is full of in-form stars.


To me, the weak hazlves, Meli, Vagana and Whatuira are their weakest spots.

 

[Hollywood Jesus]

Their halves are definately their weakness. Excellent forward pack, with Nathan sitting on the bench due to, I suspect, lack of game time.

If they play a simple, Canberra style of game, straight up the middle as much as possible, they could be very effective and have a low mistake rate.

Another possible weakness could be the defensive capabilities of their backs. None are noted defenders and some are known to be hotheads who can make mistakes (ie Utai and Webb). If they can control the middle of the park they may be able to shut down any momentum Australia can build and use out wide,a nd so once again it comes down to total domination of the centre 20m of the field.

 

[blackfriday]

wow an international match worth watching for something other than the kangaroos running in tries every minute! hope the kiwis play real well and i think we have a chance of being owned in the back row.

 

[True EEL]

i think NZ will go well and could push to win the Tri-Series

 

[Eelementary]

wow an international match worth watching for something other than the kangaroos running in tries every minute! hope the kiwis play real well and i think we have a chance of being owned in the back row.

Dunno about that mate:

Hindmarsh
Ryan
Mason
Fitzgibbon

Any of those (with Hindy and Bobcat the only certainties IMO) combinations look pretty spectacular to me.

 

[True EEL]

i agree, we are also pretty stacked in the backrow and both Gaualvoa and Puletua have been shadowed by injuries late in the year???

however, the kiwi's are a bit scary when you consider they have Ruahihi, Robbie Paul and Vainikolo and others to come back into their squad after ESl finals are over??

 

[Eelementary]

Yeah, I think they have a stellar front row and a great backline.

Their halves are their biggest issue.

 

[bartman]

Watch Bennett opt for:
11. Hindmarsh
12. Fitzgibbon
13. kennedy/Hill/Carroll instead :roll:

 

[True EEL]

well now more than ever, lets hope Thomas Leulaui plays alright......since he probably been the last straw for Witt's depature????

 

[Hurriflatch]

Yeah, with Witts released apparently confirmed then I'll be keeping a closer eye on Leuluai's performance.

 

[Utey]

So will I. I wanna see if this Kid is all he is meant to be.