Where to now for New Zealand?

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

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.

Have you been in farkin jail or something. Roberts is a Bulldog and has played 1 test already. Hes a playmaker with a kicking game while Ropatis like another forward except hes mud on defence.

FFS buy a TV or paper

 

[shiznit]

im gonna go against the tide here....

1. Webb
2. Hape
3. Soliola
4. Vagana
5. Fai
6. Roberts
7. Jones
8. Wiki
9. Tony
10. Asotasi
11. Kidwell
12. Pritchard
13. Halatau

14. Fein
15. Blair
16. N Cayless
17. Mannering

i would give Vagana one more chance against the poms and warn him to cut the niggle out and guide young Sonny Fai through. yes... i picked Sonny Fai. i just dont think our 2 big wingers add anything to the side. sonny has speed, size and GOOD HANDS!! he played pretty well in the curtain raiser i think he crossed the chalk too...
Ben Roberts will be at 5/8th to take abit of pressure off stacey. Tony will be at hooker as he adds abit of creativity to the side and i would bring pritchard into the starting side to add some punch in the forwards.
Mannering and Halatau is a toss up. Mannering is very unlucky to be on the bench but he might do well with abit of a rest against the poms...

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

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.;-)

Blair was one of our best forwards and better than any of the Aussie forwards. Hitting it up twice nearly every set of 6 is not out of depth

 

[Kurt Angle]

I mean most people agree Vagana has to go from the 5/8 position.

But jeez, why are people pusing Matai out of the side to fit Vagana in the centres ?

Matai has been performing very well there, and Vagana has been crap for 2 years.

 

[Mr Angry]

I'd start with a coach who knows where the players actually play.

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

im gonna go against the tide here....

1. Webb
2. Hape
3. Soliola
4. Vagana
5. Fai
6. Roberts
7. Jones
8. Wiki
9. Tony
10. Asotasi
11. Kidwell
12. Pritchard
13. Halatau

14. Fein
15. Blair
16. N Cayless
17. Mannering

i would give Vagana one more chance against the poms and warn him to cut the niggle out and guide young Sonny Fai through. yes... i picked Sonny Fai. i just dont think our 2 big wingers add anything to the side. sonny has speed, size and GOOD HANDS!! he played pretty well in the curtain raiser i think he crossed the chalk too...
Ben Roberts will be at 5/8th to take abit of pressure off stacey. Tony will be at hooker as he adds abit of creativity to the side and i would bring pritchard into the starting side to add some punch in the forwards.
Mannering and Halatau is a toss up. Mannering is very unlucky to be on the bench but he might do well with abit of a rest against the poms...

Sonny Fai is a forward shiz and the big wingers are our strength, always putting in hard tackles on Gasnier and merkin letting them know not to run

 

[Brian McLennon]

I'd start with a coach who knows where the players actually play.

OK f**k face

 

[Kurt Angle]

Yeah Mr Angry has a point.

McClennan was a breathe of fresh air being someone so pasisonate and someone who could motivate, but he's not catching the opposition out with that anymore.

His tactical naivity is getting caught out here, I do feel a change in the coaching structure may be required for NZ, not getting rid of McClennan, but he does need some tactical aid.

 

[shiznit]

oops... not sonny fai... patrick ah van. i get those two mixed up all the time...
the winger for the warriors

 

[Mr Angry]

OK f**k face

Did you get sand in your Vagina?

It's OK keep playing 5 centres.

 

[screeny]

Have you been in farkin jail or something. Roberts is a Bulldog and has played 1 test already. Hes a playmaker with a kicking game while Ropatis like another forward except hes mud on defence.

FFS buy a TV or paper

Not jail, no, but a place without RL. Roberts is first grade Bulldogs 5/8 is he? I haven't actually seen an NRL game for over a year now, apart from the GF. I get SL matches sent to me.

From your description Roberts seems like the answer. Is he really, really good? If he's first grade Doggies I would have thought I'd have heard more about him in the NZ media which I read online.

What're the chances of McClennan dropping Vagana, do you think?

 

[Kurt Angle]

He's not first choice Doggies half.

As I said Sherwin and Holdsworth are, but both have been absent quite a bit, giving Roberts a lot of first game football.

 

[lockyno1]

He isn't the dogs 5/8, Holdsworth is. But he is a dman good young 5/8.

 

[ouwet]

He isn't the dogs 5/8, Holdsworth is. But he is a dman good young 5/8.

His the back up 5/8... He played Centre against Brisbane in the Grand Final Qualifier and then went to 5/8 once Holdsworth got injured. His got great potential and talent. Why not blood him now? His a better option then Vagana and Ropati offer's nothing at 5/8.

 

[Kurt Angle]

Why not blood him now ?

Because the next game is must win for NZ.

I doubt GB will beat Australia, so the GB-NZ fixtures a very important for both sides.

 

[Mr Angry]

Na, keep picking 5 centres.

Actually don't, I hate seeing Poms win anything.

 

[ouwet]

Why not blood him now ?

Because the next game is must win for NZ.

I doubt GB will beat Australia, so the GB-NZ fixtures a very important for both sides.

His a better option then Vagana and Ropati offers nothing in Attack... Last night they just couldn't score when they had ALL the possession.
In the curtain raiser Roberts scored 3 tries and step another couple against a Star Studded Australian Invitation side, while it's not the samething, his a better option IMO (And it's about opinons mate) then Vagana & Ropati.
Australia knows who's taking the 5th tackle 9 out of 10 times, there is to much pressure on Jones, when Webb chimes in with a kick or two it's usually a shocker! Ropati hasn't got a good kicking game and is not as creative.

 

[Phillips]

1. Webb
2. Hape
3. Soliola
4. Matai
5. Vatuvei
6. Fien
7. Jones
8. Cayless,N
9. Hohaia
10. Asotasi
11. Wiki (C)
12. Kidwell
13. Halatau

14. Tony
15. Puletua
16. Pritchard/Tuimavave
17. Cayless,J

Nigel Vagana is a useless hack

 

[ozboy]

New Zealand are still in pole position for a place in the final.

All they have to do is beat GB once, and given that Australia are more than likely going to give the poms a couple of beltings, NZ's points differential should be much better.

If NZ are as good as they say they though, they should beat GB twice anyway.

As for changes to the Kiwi line up. Pritchard in for Puletua and somebody into the 6 jumper for Vagana would be the obvious ones. You would like to fit Halatau and J.Cayless in, but the problem is for who. Outside of Puletua, I don't think any of their forwards deserve to be dropped.

 

[LeagueNut]

Cross Shontayne Hape off your team selections ...

Impressive British-based Kiwis utility Shontayne Hape has been ruled out of Saturday night's all-important Tri-Nations rugby league match against Great Britain at Jade Stadium.

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Hape strained knee medial ligaments during the gut-wrenching 20-15 loss to Australia in Melbourne on Saturday night and played on through the pain.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Kiwis doctor Simon Mayhew said Hape was more comfortable when the team arrived in Christchurch yesterday. It is hoped he will be fit for the return game with the Lions at Wellington on November 11.

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