v All Blacks III: the Decider

[Lizard]

When are the teams named?

For the All Blacks, I say keep the pack the same. Kaino will be fired up having been deprived of most of last week's smashing opportunities. In the backs, forced changes only. Crotty/ALB midfield (if Crotty is fit), Dagg to FB, Savea on the wing.

[oldbackrow]

From what Hansen said in the Sunday debrief they have already decided on Crotty but wanted to tell the person replacing him before announcing it. But pretty much agree. It will be the Lions team that could be very interesting!

[Mikey Brown]

Does Ioane and The Surveyor on the wings fit your whole 2nd fullback approach or is that ditched with Smith injured? Isn't NMS fit again? I suppose Naholo didn't fit that plan either.

[Digby]

Should be at least as good as the Godfather Part III

[Numbers]

The ABs side is announced at 6p.m. BST tomorrow, the Lions at 8.pm. BST tomorrow.

[zer0]

Auckland will be some form of wet, so there'll definitely be two fullbacks in play for the AB's. Mckenzie is deemed too small, so it'll probably be a Barrett. The question, then, is which one. Jordie is the least disruptive change, but Beauden the more experienced candidate. The selection may also depend on whether or not Cruden pays the price for that brain dead 79th minute kick.

[Spy]

Agree keep pack the same.

If Crotty's fit he should start at 12, with ALB at 13. That'd work fine. If Crotty's not fit, it gets a bit knotty.

Back 3 is a bit of a mess - the balance of the side has been affected by the injury to Smith. Ideally we should play 2 FB, but rushing Jordie Barrett in looks a bit panicked, and it's a BIG ask for an inexperienced player. Drop Ioane, despite his strong first test? He looked lost in the second. Wouldn't want to play both Ioane and J Barrett - too inexperienced. Bring in Savea, after being left out of the first 2 tests and looking only OK for the Hurricanes? Maybe. Dagg/Barrett/Savea? Dagg/Barrett/Naholo? Double down on Dagg/Ioane/Naholo? I don't know.

I suspect Fekitoa will make the bench. Cruden has not been good - the backline has lost shape both times he's come on.

[Spy]

Auckland will be some form of wet, so there'll definitely be two fullbacks in play for the AB's. Mckenzie is deemed too small, so it'll probably be a Barrett. The question, then, is which one. Jordie is the least disruptive change, but Beauden the more experienced candidate. The selection may also depend on whether or not Cruden pays the price for that brain dead 79th minute kick.

Wellington was all kinds of wet and windy, and we didn't play 2 fullbacks. Conditions will be better at Eden Park.

I wouldn't be surprised to see J Barrett involved. I wonder if he might replace Cruden on the bench? He can kick goals, excellent outside back cover, and he could probably muddle as first-five cover if BB was injured.

[Hooky]

Think I'd go:

Halfpenny, Williams, Davies, Farrell, Daly, Sexton, Murray, Marler, George, Cole, AWJ, Itoje, SOB, Warbuton, Faletau

Need to improve the scrum and I'd like Cole's contribution to the breakdown.

[Hooky]

Tempted to start Henderson but both Maro and AWJ had good games

[Mikey Brown]

Drop Watson and bring in Halfpenny because???

[Mellsblue]

The Times reporting that Marler for McGrath and Tipuric for Stander are two changes being considered.

[Sandydragon]

The Times reporting that Marler for McGrath and Tipuric for Stander are two changes being considered.

Tipuric is at least in very good form and with 2 fly halves on the pitch, I can see that logic.

[Stom]

The Times reporting that Marler for McGrath and Tipuric for Stander are two changes being considered.

Those would be two changes I could get right behind.

[Hooky]

Drop Watson and bring in Halfpenny because???

Watson has played pretty well although he's not getting much change from the AB defence. I would've brought north in as an alternative attacking weapon to bring into the line but that's not an option. Halfpenny actually looked pretty good in his outings so far. Alternatively perhaps Nowell is an option at 15

[oldbackrow]

I'd stick with Liam Williams at fullback but about Halfpenny, he has played pretty well on this tour and seems to have been allowed to be more attacking (as he was in Australia) which he doesn't seem to be allowed to do with Wales. Thats when he becomes a real threat!

[Numbers]

Drop Watson and bring in Halfpenny because???

Watson has played pretty well although he's not getting much change from the AB defence. I would've brought north in as an alternative attacking weapon to bring into the line but that's not an option. Halfpenny actually looked pretty good in his outings so far. Alternatively perhaps Nowell is an option at 15

Watson has been the better of the two wingers imo, you didn't see the run in the first test when he beat four players? If you wanted to squeeze in Halfpenny it'd be at the cost of Daly, I wouldn't tho as I think Daly has been better than Halfpenny this tour and also offers the long range kicking option which may be invaluable.

[Hooky]

Drop Watson and bring in Halfpenny because???

Watson has played pretty well although he's not getting much change from the AB defence. I would've brought north in as an alternative attacking weapon to bring into the line but that's not an option. Halfpenny actually looked pretty good in his outings so far. Alternatively perhaps Nowell is an option at 15

Watson has been the better of the two wingers imo, you didn't see the run in the first test when he beat four players? If you wanted to squeeze in Halfpenny it'd be at the cost of Daly, I wouldn't tho as I think Daly has been better than Halfpenny this tour and also offers the long range kicking option which may be invaluable.

I think Daly offers slightly more. Think he's a fantastic footballer. Watson has been good too and I would be fine if the back three stayed the same. It's just a personal observation in that I think we might benefit from either Nowell or halfpenny offering something a bit different.

[Hooky]

I'd stick with Liam Williams at fullback but about Halfpenny, he has played pretty well on this tour and seems to have been allowed to be more attacking (as he was in Australia) which he doesn't seem to be allowed to do with Wales. Thats when he becomes a real threat!

For the life of me I don't understand this either

[Mikey Brown]

Does he become a real threat? Or does he make a linebreak or two (that any other fullback would manage most games) every four years and everybody goes nuts?

[morepork]

I wouldn't bring Halfpenny in. Then again, I aint in charge.

[J Dory]

Will we see 3 Barretts on at once?

Would have liked to see Sopoaga get a crack from the bench, Savea versus Ioane, not much in it.

Crotty still broken?

[bitts]

Think I'd go:

Halfpenny, Williams, Davies, Farrell, Daly, Sexton, Murray, Marler, George, Cole, AWJ, Itoje, SOB, Warbuton, Faletau

Need to improve the scrum and I'd like Cole's contribution to the breakdown.

Somehow I can't see any side that's been giving away too many penalties calling up Cole.

I'd swap Lawes for AWJ. Think he's more able to put pressure on the ABs.

I see zero reason why any side would play Halfpenny when you already half two world class kickers in the team.

[Digby]

Ballsy move to bring in a fullback on debut, but fair play to Hansen with what looks from the outside a decent call. Not sure about their centres, but I don't know the Lions will manage to expose Laumape overly

[Eugene Wrayburn]

Bringing in halfpenny would be just stupid. He hasn't even reached the dizzy heights of mediocre this tour. It's a myth that he's an attacking dynamo held back by Gatland. He scores bugger all at club level either.