New Zealand Team Announced

[Mixmasterreece]

Rubbish squad.

How Kidwell, Thomas L and Ropati deserve to be there is beyond me.

Injuries have taken away the x-factor from that squad, and what we are left with in most cases is either inept or woefully out of form.

I have very grave concerns about this world cup.

 

[Fast Eddie]

Agree with you on Kidwell, Ropatia and Thomas L.

Kidwell must be just there for in camp support or something. The concearning thing I read was that Thomas L would be the preferred halfback over Fien.......

 

[Lox]

My team for the Kangaroos match:

1. Brent Webb
2. Sam Perrett
3. Iosia Soliola
4. Steve Matai
5. Manu Vatuvei
6. Setamaita Sa
7. Benji Marshall
8. Nathan Cayless (c)
9. Issac Luke
10. Jeff Lima
11. Simon Mannering
12. Jeremy Smith
13. David Faalogo

14. Dene Halatau/Lance Hohaia
15. Sam Rapira/Adam Blair
16. Sika Manu
17. Greg Eastwood

Goal kicking duties can be shared between Matai/Marshall/Luke/or even Jeremy Smith.

 

[Patorick]

There I was thinking Lima had been marked "never to play for the Kiwis again".

 

[madunit]

Whoever accompanies Marshall in the halves will have to be prepared to do a sh*tload of long kicks. Benji's long kicking game lacks everything except power.

Benji's fellow half will have to work with the hooker in organising the entire side, as Benji isn't very good in that regard either.

 

[God-King Dean]

lol, no Nightingale.

 

[Mr Angry]

Rubbish squad.

Love the conchords.

Even made me think of ozbash, when the fruit guy won't sell them fruit because they are kiwis, but then finds himself mistaken as he was thinking of aussies - the kiwis then don't consider him racist. Classic ozbash thinking.

Awesome show.

/end thread highjack

 

[dubby]

If only you had two halves.

NZ have lacked a 7 since Stacy retired. Its the only thing that will stop them winning the WC. They have the pack and some good backs that will match Aust. on their day.

Sadly, no half back will see NZ as not a serious threat this WC. Australia will win this comp on the back of their halves; Lockyer, Thurston, add Cam Smith at 9 and we are formidable.

 

[ozbash]

Love the conchords.

Even made me think of ozbash, when the fruit guy won't sell them fruit because they are kiwis, but then finds himself mistaken as he was thinking of aussies - the kiwis then don't consider him racist. Classic ozbash thinking.

Awesome show.

/end thread highjack

I,m confused Angry, first time this year so i guess thats ok

Top squad that, (get a dog up ya reecey ), balance, speed and grunt.

weakest link is the wannabe kiwi.. wtf is he doing there ? Issac Luke or Hohaia to hooker ,, thomas to halfback.

the cups as good as ours.

F.O. Fein !!

 

[Twizzle]

Cayless' worst year ever and he gets named kiwi captain.

Desperate much ?

 

[Deleted member 10972]

Brent Webb
Sam Perrett
Steve Matai
Krisnan Inu or Iosia Soliola
Manu Vatuvei
Benji Marshall
Thomas Leuluai or Nathan Fien
Nathan Cayless
Issac Luke
Jeff Lima
Jeremy Smith
Simon Mannering
David Fa'alogo

Dene Halatau or Lance Hohaia
Setaimata Sa
Adam Blair
Sam Rapira

 

[Big Mick]

Can't believe they didn't pick Nightingale...are they nuts??

 

[kia ora storm]

Nightingale should have been picked...a proven try scorer with pace.

The forward pack looks good but there does not appear to be a geniune ball player who can go to the line and offload ??.

Mannering can to an extent but they will need all the luck to get over the Poms and Oz.

 

[Calixte]

Again some interesting calls.

NZ can fashion a decent side from that squad during the tournament but the other half with Marshall remains the question mark.

Certainly there are cases for other backs but the Kiwis have good depth in the outside backs (and of course the backrow) generally.

 

[ByRd]

My team would look something like this:

1. Webb
2. Perrett
3. Inu
4. Matia
5. Vatuvei
6. Marshall
7. Fien
8. Lima
9. Luke
10. Cayless
11. Mannering
12. Smith
13. Fa'alogo

14. Blair
15. Manu
16. Sa
17. Halatau

 

[roughyedspud]

webb won't be playing...his back is fu*ked

 

[Phillips]

1. Brent Webb
2. Krisnan Inu
3. Iosia Soliola
4. Steve Matai
5. Manu Vatuvei
6. Benji Marshall
7. Nathan Fien
8. Nathan Cayless (c)
9. Issac Luke
10. Sam Rapira
11. Simon Mannering
12. Setaimata Sa
13. Greg Eastwood

14. Lance Hohaia
15. David Kidwell
16. Sika Manu
17. Jeff Lima

Cant beleive Jason Cayless and Fuifui Moimoi didnt make the squad

 

[Murphdogg1]

Interesting squad

Will be fun to see who they pick in the centres - id go with Soliola and Matai i think Sa is best suited to be one of our ball playing back rowers

I love how people bag Halatau but forget he was arguable NZ's best during the ANZAC test.

I'd prefer Fein over Leuluai.

My Side

1 - Webb (Hohaia if injured)
2 - Inu
3 - Soliola
4 - Steve Matai
5 - Manu Vatuvei.
6 - Benji Marshall.
7 - Nathan Fein
8 - Nathan Cayless (c)
9 - Isaac Luke
10 - Sam Rapira
11 - Simon Mannering
12 - Setamaita Sa.
13 - David Fa'alogo.

Bench.
14 - Halatau
15 - Blair
16 - Lima
17 - Manu

Their main hope is to come together and try and be greater than the sum of their parts. It's happened before - i think the lack of hype helps us in a way as we aren't that strong on paper and can go in underdogish. Can't wait to see what Benji can do with some gametime.

I was tempted to go Ropati/Vatuvei but Matai and Vatuvei have played together before (06 Tri Nations) so do have some combo

I think the biggest positive for the Kiwis is that this is a genuine tournament where they get to play a number of games in a row and usually (2007 aside) this is where they are strong!

 

[azzah72]

Oh! :shock:

NRL's Top point Scorer isn't there!! I cannot believe it, and Nightingale!!

Jeez lueez!

 

[aqua_duck]

Cayless shouldn't even be in the squad, let alone captain...