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The All Blacks should throw a 'C' team out at Twickenham
By Ben Smith
The All Blacks‘ undefeated streak extended to 11 when they claimed a 23-20 victory over the Wallabies via a long range penalty goal from Richie Mo’unga’s boot in Dunedin.
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If they continue that run and beat the Springboks at Twickenham in their last warm-up game, they will likely have to continue their undefeated streak to 19 to win the Rugby World Cup.
The 25-all draw with England last year might be a blessing, as it rules out having to set a new winning streak record for a for tier one teams, which currently stands at 18.
The record for an undefeated streak of tier one Test matches is 23, achieved by New Zealand over 1987-90, which would not be under threat this year.
Whilst beating France in the opening pool game is not a pre-requisite to progressing, a loss in Paris to start pool play would be an undesired way to start a World Cup campaign. A loss significantly dents the chances of winning the tournament as history shows.
If there was a perfect time to take a loss, it would be now against the Springboks, in a meaningless exhibition match on the eve of the Rugby World Cup to reset mentally and start the campaign fresh on zero.
Filling Twickenham will fill the coffers but nothing else. There is nothing to be gained in this match from a competitive stand point. Losing one or more central players to serious injury or suspension would be senseless.
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Consider England, who will surely lose their captain and figurehead Owen Farrell to suspension after a red card in a warm-up fixture which will likely see him miss pool stage games.
What did he need to warm-up for? Are the pool stage games not adequate enough for a 100-Test veteran to find some form?
The irony now is, should he be suspended for the entirety of the pool stages, he will walk into a crunch quarter-final completely ‘cold’ having seen no game time for over a month.
Ardie Savea, all three Barrett brothers, Sam Whitelock, Rieko Ioane, Richie Mo’unga, Aaron Smith, Will Jordan, Brodie Retallick should all be in stands in their number ones for the Twickenham fixture.
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That list could be extended too many more undervalued players like Samisoni Taukei’aho, Tyrel Lomax, Shannon Frizell who have immense value in specific roles.
There are very few top line starters that need game time to find form, with those that could do with the opportunity in the World Cup squad are slim.
There are returning players from injury who could do with starts, namely Crusaders Fletcher Newell and David Havili.
Then there are those that haven’t seen a lot of action like Anton Lienert-Brown, Cam Roigard and Luke Jacobson.
But that list is short.
The players who will have the most to gain from the Test are the ones left in New Zealand.
The chance to represent the All Blacks will mean more for them, with hunger to wear the black jersey and the freedom mentally knowing they are not participating at the World Cup.
Some of the All Blacks XV players should be flown over to London for that game to fill the necessary gaps. It is a win-win situation for the All Blacks if they do.
If they lose, it will end the streak and reset the squad mentally while if a ‘C’ team does surprise and carve up the Boks, it would be two birds with one stone.
They will have preserved the front line All Blacks while demoralising the Springboks.
To be humiliated in front of the English by an experimental team would effectively kill South Africa’s World Cup hopes before they even touch down in France.
There is no quick remedy for the psychological damage that will be done if they are laughed off the pitch by the Twickenham crowd.
Tortured souls do not go on to achieve greatness in the midst of despair, and subjecting any of their World Cup squad to that would come with disastrous consequences.
The All Blacks could very well play their best side and come away unscathed, but the outcome doesn’t minimise the foolish risk taken.
There is nothing to gain from the fixture from a playing perspective and as such appropriate measures should be taken.
Experimental All Black ‘C’ side:
1. Ofa Tu’ungafasi
2. Dane Coles
3. Fletcher Newell
4. Josh Lord
5. Tupou Vaa’i
6. Samipeni Finau
7. Du’Plessis Kirifi*
8. Luke Jacobson
9. Cam Roigard
10. Stephen Perofeta
11. Etene Nanai-Seturo*
12. David Havili
13. Anton Lienert-Brown (c)
14. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
15. Shaun Stevenson
Reserves
16. Ricky Riccitelli*
17. Ollie Norris*
18. Nepo Laulala
19. Quinten Strange*
20. Akira Ioane
21. Brad Weber
22. Fergus Burke*
23. Ruben Love*
*Debut
Heh Ben we will field a weekend team as well you clown
Your options are nothing short if ridiculous ABs will manup hard in every game here to finals , test matches are just that a TEST.
The last of the AB warm up games will be ferocious who cares who they are , and if those teams think negative like you they will get beaten and bashed
and could suffer injuries , that's why it's important to go in hot , every game at pace , this is what leads to WC glory.
Warmup for the world cup is good but injuries are a factor as we've just seen with France and England
Looks like this article was put together by the C Team
just another insulting piece of rubbish to both the AB's and the Boks from this idiot
do you remember many years france and england used to send useless teams to play us and the all blacks would thrash them by 50 points however come the world cup the pricks beat us that was with dan carter richie then later england won the world cup with hardarse old barsteds that played all the time no breaks my point being theres no formula for guarranteed wins HOWEVER all blacks DO NOT get thrashed by 50 points NEVER s.a , aussie have been thrashed by 50 points so best foot forward everytime i reckon we should never jepordise our outstanding legacy
If you were only going to play a ‘c’ team for fear of injuries, then why make the fixture in the first place? It will be a risk and I wouldn’t play all the top players, to be sure, but testing out some legitimate combinations that may be used in the WC is pretty much what they’ll have to do. You can’t wrap them all up in cotton wool, and it wouldn’t be worth shipping in a bunch of players from the other side of the world just for a single match.
Combinations were tested already and Im sure you too would name the ideal 23. Giving some of them game time, especially those that didnt feature heavily in the championship games makes sense, but with the loss of Rotallick already, I wonder what bigger risk AB's wo
They are mostly playing this at Twickers for the revenue. Combinations were established in the first 3 RC games. That may have been too late with all the dithering Fozzie engaged in previously but at this late stage (relative to the RWC), there is little to be gained and much to be lost if one of our main props, locks or loosies go down.
An extremely sensible comment Rory.
Love it. Rassie can hang this on the changeroom door.
DMac should be 10 for this game. He needs more game time
Unfortunately game time won't cure his faults. He needs to learn how to kick tactically and that will take more than one game
Suspect it will be a B team, but cant see them bringing in other players outside the squad plus standby players
Dont think either team will be impacted in RWC of the result of this match
Seems plausible to me. But I’m def an arm chair critic!!
Smithy has a point, AB's can afford to lose to both SA and France and still make the 1/4s..
I think a B team vs Boks may be the best option, give them that big test feel in a foreign stadium. It will be good for some players. The A team already know how to beat the Boks, no point risking a Mo'unga, Smith or Will Jordan, and if any if the fwds are carrying niggles- id rest them too!
Boks will hav to play a fairly strong side as their form has been patchy and 3 first choice players are out now. They will need to build some cohesion and momentum before the Scotland game. Going into the Scot game underdone may end up being a very costly mistake!
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck? Are you f serious? Is Ben Smith not suppose to be a professional rugby journalist?
What is a professional rugby journalist , I would assume they've played rugby at a professional level otherwise they've just another journalist , professionals don't talk BS
He should be writing for the Roar. They are the only site that usually publshes this rubbish.
dude... that team 🤣
Clueless article. The ABs will want to run the top team this is not an exhibition match its a crucial warm up to the RWC and the top team will need a run before they play France and get the machine back in action against a famous opponent. Fozzy and the other coaches will have a specific plan. No doubt they will empty the bench a little earlier but I expect the top team to take the field for this one.
While I am an ABs supporter and understand the reasoning behind protecting the best ABs players, I find this article icky and disrespectful. It’s stuff like this that makes people think ABs fans are all giant asshats.
This author Ben Smith is no All Black fan and writes tripe.
SA won last World Cup after losing a pool game. Won’t have much baring if they lose opener against France. I’m saying that I think SA will end 2nd in their pool and I’d rather play them in quarters than the Irish.
I’d go full out at Twickenham. Still a 2 week gap before opener and plenty of weak opposition in pool so we need the hit out.
I cannot believe the author of this article is a real rugby fan or has even played rugby. Who writes shite like this ?
"To be humiliated in front of the English by an experimental team would effectively kill South Africa’s World Cup hopes before they even touch down in France.
There is no quick remedy for the psychological damage that will be done if they are laughed off the pitch by the Twickenham crowd."
This article beggars belief and is not credible and it makes no sense
The players have a 2 week break before France so the first team players won’t have played for 5 weeks if they rest them all
Isn't this why the ABs have the AB XV team? To test out players at international level, unfamiliar combos etc.
Thou josheth, Ben
I am going to that game and i do not want to see the likes of Havili blundering their way to an immense Loss
Alternatively the Boks field a C team and carve up the ABs.
The only carving they'll be doing is the loaf of bread.
Here you are again Mike - you're Australian right ? Not South African ? Yet you will love it if "the Boks carve up the ABs"
What is it that causes you to hate the All Blacks with such spitefulnes ? Is it because your team mostly always lose when they face them ?
Is it simply jealousy ? Or
does your hatred stem from inadequacy ?
Eish Ben Smith. Just when I think I've heard it all, then you surprise us even more.
Both the AB's and the Boks have extremely tough first matches at the WC.
I would think that both teams would want to finalise and play against tough opposition at Twickenham. Remember your AB'S team would have played their last test a few weeks ago during Bledisloe. I would think that they wouldn't want to go against France cold. There are always the risk of injuries. It could happen in the 1st minute against France.
As a Bok supporter, I don't care which team the AB's put in the field at Twickenham. It doesn't really matter to us in the greater scheme of things. That match is a warmup and is just that.
With all your attempts to break the Boks down, I will remain positive although I feel the Boks are up against it at WC 2023. Go Bokke!
Yeah, I wouldn't mind beating their C team, it would still be good practice. Box ticked.
I actually prefers tortured souls in a demoralised Bok team in WC games - they are at their best when nobody gives them a chance. And last time atound they lost the first game and went on to win. SA knows how to win WC's, and that counts a lot. Ben Smith is a tortured writer I think - his hatred for the Boks evudent as always.
Another load of twaddle from Ben Smith. And wtf is RTS and Akira Ioane doing in this experimental team. Some people just can't get rid of their past wonky predicted selections.
Concept may be okay but that is a very experimental lineup. A few names should not be there - including Akira (this year's form), RTVS - and of course, Nepo. Watching Ainsley playing NPC, he should be in the squad for Nepo and this would be a good run for him off the bench.
Good call on Ainsley - don't know why Aussie haven't called him up with their propping issues. He's already capped for them
where's dallas Mcleod in that line up?
Agreed. McCloud for RTVS and Leicester F for ENS who goes to the bench for Love. Havili covers 15 and LF covers midfield with ENS covering wings.
The backs are way too small.