This is a MASSIVE Risk for The All Blacks | Rugby Roundtable
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
It's Rugby Roundtable time! John Day joins me in more than two decades broadcast experience covering sport, all kinds of sport. Mark Watson, he bled, he hurt, he has actually competed. And it completed three Hawaiian Ironmans, which is a hell of a lot more than you and me ever did, mate. You're not wrong. And doesn't he know about it too? Doesn't he remind us? Boys, we start with the yes, no game. I've been looking forward to this because we had the final All Blacks press conferences on Monday. We had the extra 10 players added. So yes, no. John, is there anyone missing from that squad that you would add right now? Yes. Mark? Yes. Is there anyone who you think is surplus to requirements? Yes. Yes. Is three halfbacks enough?
No. No. Is Artie not playing until the first test a concern for you that he's not travelling there? No. Mark? Yes. Do you have a midweek captain in mind, John? Yes. Mark? Yes. Will the name A Moanga appear on tour at all now with Jacob at it? Yes. Mark? No. Is this the squad to beat South Africa?
Yes.
Mark?
Yes. Is it the best squad? No.
Will this All Blacks side lose a URC match? Yes. No.
Was anyone glaringly missing from Dave Rennie’s 44-man All Blacks squad?
Are you happy overall with the squad? Yes. Mark?
Yes.
Oh, he's happy. He's happy.
No. Well, yeah, it's not quite a yes. It goes back. It's not quite a yes, no. I think it's a very good squad.
I think it could be a better squad. It's a yes or no. Finally, are you still feeling the O-word optimism? Oh, yes. Mark? Yes. All right, then, let's start with, you know, the idea of the squad, the URC games, because I think this is really important. Just a quote from Dave Rennie to start with, because, you know, this was asked at the press show on Monday, and he was at pains to point out that everyone is going to get a game in those first three games.
Even the test team that we picked, because we picked it before the Irish test, and so that may change a little bit, but... Everyone will play in those first three games, which is great, but we're going to share the load.
So what does that tell you to start with, Mark? Does it tell you that we are taking these games seriously and also that we need to put our best 15-23 out on the field at least once, if not one and a half games maybe?
Yeah, look, I'm very much along the lines of like this is where I sort of maybe come back from a high performance sort of background that you've got to go and match fit. Yes, we've played three tests, but there's going to be a bit of a break between that first test in South Africa and that last test against Ireland. If we're to win this series, we've got to win the first test in South Africa. We need to make sure our starting 23 are match fit. I played them in the first game. I'd possibly even look at playing them in the second. Certainly, I'd have them playing one. to one and a half or one and three quarter games before that first test. The guys that you plan on putting out there in that first test match.
Look, the URC sides are not going to have any of the 44 South African players, I understand, being involved whatsoever. So I don't think beating them is a major issue. I think it's more around making sure that we've got cohesion, that we've got the right players, we've got the right combinations, getting regular game time and that we do have an opportunity to continue to build off the back of the Irish game.
I'm not even here and agreeing with all of that too, John. I think it's really important that we win that first test. And I also think it's really important that we isolate and separate every test. It's almost like their own contest.
It's a tough juggling act though, isn't it? When you've got this massive squad and guys that you want to have a look at, you know, here and there, the younger players. So you've got to add them at times. You've got to add Josh Jacob at times. some point and you've got to make sure that your top lineup is also ready to go and you've got some different athletes in that 23 who have had a lot of rugby this year and probably some of them need to be freshened up for that first test to make sure they're going to go hard so that's why i said we might lose to one of these urc teams because we might put out a team that looks like an all-black c team against one of these teams with players that have never played together before against yeah these urc teams that i think only five or six springboks have been yeah
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Chapters
4 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:07–1:43
2
Was anyone glaringly missing from Dave Rennie’s 44-man All Blacks squad?
1:43–7:26
3
How will the URC warm-up games shape the All Blacks’ match fitness for South Africa?
7:26–27:50
4
Why is Ardie Savea staying home and is that a risk for the tour?
27:50–41:24
Speakers
4 identifiedMore from DSPN -RUGBY
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