I guess week 1 was really NZ v Japan last week, but somehow I don’t think that really counts.
Ran out of puff at the end of the NPC so haven’t been posting much, but lets have a thread to discuss this weekend’s matches.
Have to say, with Codie Taylor possibly/probably injured Scott Robertson’s team’s Hooker selection strategy is looking very grim.
In the ABs he picked Taylor, Aumua & Bell. The latter looked ok when Taylor was rested in the first half of Super Rugby, but is very much a prospect, not anything like a guaranteed international player. And all 3 of them have had line out throwing troubles, particularly Aumua who has had issues for years.
Then in the AB XV he selected Brodie McAlister, Bradley Slater & Kurt Ekland. None of these 3 are starting Super Rugby hookers, Brodie McAlister was behind Taylor & Bell, Slater was behind Taukieaho, and Ekland was behind the Blues starting hooker Riccitelli.
Now, unless the latter has told NZR that he’s intending to go overseas and try to qualify for Italy or something, not rating the championship winning hooker in the top 6 in New Zealand is just bizarre. He’s not an especially flashy player, but has a high work rate and crucially does the key roles, particularly line out throwing, better than most other hookers in NZ.
Selection is capital h Hard. Balancing experience with on-form with team cohesion with defensive roles is what head coaches get the big bucks for. And this England team are anti-rugby currently. Could well be he picked for the grind and he did get the result
https://www.munsterrugby.ie/report/report-brave-munster-effort-falls-short-against-all-blacks-xv/
Reads like Munster had a blast last night, I bet that was a great match to be at too
