Where to now for New Zealand?

[Big Mick]

I think they were the better team last night and deserved the victory but where too now?

1. Brent Webb, 2. Shontayne Hape, 3. Nigel Vagana, 4. Isolia Soliola, 5. Motu Tony, 6. Ben Roberts, 7. Stacey Jones, 8. Ruban Wiki, 9. Dene Halatau, 10. Roy Asotasi, 11. David Kidwell, 12. Tony Puletua, 13. Simon Mannering
14. Adam Blair, 15. Frank Pritchard, 16. David Fa'alogo ,17. Jerome Roparti

They need two genuine playmakers and Ben Roberts provides that. He is a top quality five-eight and they need him in the team to win convincingly.

They may have a smaller pack than usual...particularly on the bench, but they are all tacklebusters and can all hit in defence, also very mobile, so it should not be an issue.

Only concern is Motu Tony's size on the wing. But has proven he has been up for the task at Hull, so i'm prepared to risk it considering both Tame Tupou and Manu Vatuvai are both useless.

 

[salivor]

Vagana needs to be punted for another playmaker, we looked much better when Fien was on the field to give us another kicking option. Jones' kicking just isn't up to it, doesn't have a big enough boot and only seems to have one attacking kick, the bomb.

 

[Sam_the_man]

Actually Tony has played a lot of 5/8 so don't be surprised to see him there against GB.

 

[douglasallen91]

6. ropati
7. jones
9. tony
14. fien

 

[simostorm]

I would just add Fein to starting hooker.

 

[Wiki Worriers]

This team should do it webb,hape,matai,soliola,vatuvai,ropati,jones,wiki,fien,jcayless,kidwell,pritchard,mannering the bench asotasi,blair,tony,luaki or faalogo.We need to beat the poms twice or rely on aussie getting us into the final

 

[NZ Warrior]

This has got to be the team to get us to the final:

Webb
Hape
Matai
Soliola
Vatuvei
Tony
Jones
Wiki
Fien
J. Cayless
Kidwell
Faalogo
Mannering

Reserves:
Pritchard
Asotasi
Blair
Roberts, or I guess, if you put a gun to my head, Ropati.

 

[ouwet]

Ben Roberts is a gun... He needs to play next week, apparently he carved up last night in the curtain raiser against a star studded Australian selection team.

 

[NZ Warrior]

Yes, I was thinking put Roberts at 5/8 & have Tony on the bench. Tony would make a great impact player, but Roberts needs to be up to the task.

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

First person needs to be punted is Tony Puleatua. The fat farkin loaf is lazy and doesnt use his size. Put Pritchard back in there


My team for the GB test is

Webb
Tupou
Soliola
Matai
Hape
Ropati
Jones

Cayless J
Tony
Cayless N
Guttienbiel
Pritchard
Halatau

Interchange

Faalogo
Lauaki
Asotasi
Fien


Give the key players rest eg

Vatuvai
Kidwell
Wiki
Blair

Give the injury concerns a break

Mannering

Feed these players to the Crocs

Puleatua
Vagana

 

[colonel_123]

I think NZ needs Halatau back in the side in the forwards.

Fien was good at hooker, especially giving NZ the extra kicking option, while Halatau can give another game breaking option with his dummy half runs late in the game. And at lock or off the bench he can pick and choose better when to run from dummy half as well as take some hit ups one out from the ruck where he's also dangerous.

 

[Crippler]

they need halatau at lock.

Makes 10 metres all the time with his hitups

 

[Martli]

1. Webb
2. Hape
3. Soliola
4. Matai
5. Vatuvei
6. Roberts
7. Jones
8. Wiki
9. Fein
10. Asotasi
11. Kidwell
12. Pritchard
13. Mannering

14. Tony
15. Blair
16. Fa'alogo
17. Halatau

My only gripe is that the bench could be a little small with only one prop (I think we need two props on the bench) so maybe have cayless on instead of halatau. Other than that I think we all agree that Vagana needs to go. I'll chuck Roberts in the deep end becuase we'll have sufficient back up with Webb, Tony and Fein able to cover in the 5/8th position if Roberts can't handle it.

Mannering to go nowhere near the wing this time please

 

[ByRd]

Cayless played well, i would think he would stay in the side.

 

[griff]

14. Tony
15. Blair

 

[otag]

puletua is a waste of size out there. and vatuvei proved likewise -minus the size.

punt the two.

 

[kia ora storm]

Tame Tupou for his size is not effective and needs to be dropped...we need a winger who is prepared to come in and do some work.

Blair looked out of his depth last night and made a few handling errors but he will come back strong.

Vagana needs to go...too old and a shadow of his former self when he was with the Dogs.;-)

 

[Kurt Angle]

After two games.. number one is...

It is really sad Hunt didn't pick NZ.. god the quality of Aus/NZ test matches would be amazing if he elected to play for NZ.

But...

Vagana has to go, he is just dead wood. Puletua, I'm thinking the same with you buddy.

Pritchard has to come back in.

Hape is a good choice, I was impressed with him.
I've been impressed with Soliala too.

Ropati or Roberts have to be 5/8.. I'm not sold on Mannering at anywhere other than the 2nd row.

He doesn't need to be lock, the NZ pack isn't getting out-muscled, they can afford to go smaller with Halutau at lock.

 

[screeny]

I haven't watched either match yet.

I've only seen Ropati once, on his two try debut. A lot of you seem split between Ropati or Roberts. Who does ROberts play for and what's the difference between the pair of them in terms of playing style, strnegths, weaknesses etc?

From Ropati's performance from FB he didn't come across to me as a pure 5/8 sort of player.

 

[Kurt Angle]

Ben Roberts plays for the Bulldogs, he's been the back up half.5/8 for the Bulldogs behind Sherwin and Holdsworth, meaning he did get a lot of first game time and has shown a lot of promise for a guy who turned 21 this year.

Ropati plays for the Warriors but has the Toopi/Vagana factor about him where he can just cost you games.

Ropati however has been in the national team system for over 2 years, thus can work in the system as he has the experience.

Roberts IMO is more talented.

The next game against GB however is a must win, and I think experience will be chosen, so that will mean Ropati.. or god forbid, another go for Vagana.