Jordie Barrett misses out on All Blacks' World Cup opener against France

NZRFU BOARD

Dame Patsy Reddy, Baily McKay, Dame Farah Palmer, Ajit Balasingham, Rowena Davenport, Mark Hutton, Catherine Savage,

Wayne Young, Max Spence and Matthew Cooper.

and of course Mark Robinson CEO

A song for you all from the Sound Of Music. . .

Goodbye! Goodbye! It's time to say Goodbye!

G O O D B Y E !

Well we will all know tomorrow. If I would ever be happy with a losing bet it would be tomorrow. Deep down I would love to see the All Blacks win. I think I am like most "keen followers of the game in New Zealand" We like "consistency". That applies to selection, game plan and on field effort by the players and of course a "Healthy Administration.

I don't think there were many New Zealanders who agreed with the Silver Lake Deal. I am sure there were plenty of New Zealand Businessman ready to take 8% of the AB's. I know of three.

The attitude of the New Zealand Rugby Union has frustrated most "thinking fans" for decades. Now we are seeing the Vice Chairman of World Rugby "convicted" of taking a back hander of NZ$300k to name the Front of Shirt of the French National side.

We see that same man Mohed ALTRAD has the naming rights of the All Blacks front of Shirt, after he was being investigated for the French Bribe.

Now we look back at the Silver Lake deal and think "How many backhanders did that take to finalise?

When it's "shit at the top" it seems to flow all the way down.

I think back to the 113 investors at Strategic Finance who lost $240 million. They were big investors. Would they have "invested if the Chairman of the New Zealand Rugby Union hadn't given them a phone call about this wonderful investment.

The SFO, withdrew hundreds of Fraud Charges against him and let him die in peace. Basically a PONZI scheme. The family didn't give back the 7 Mansions when he died to investors , who paid for them.

I don't think I have ever looked more forward to a game of rugby than France v All Blacks tomorrow.

I really think Razor dodged a bullet. He is/was a "Huge Threat' to the status quo. I think they all know they are "Gone Burgers"

Let's just hope there are no "red cards" and we can all watch a "game of rugby we will never forget" for all the right reasons.

Unless NZ have a different game plan than we have seen this year that they are planning to roll out in this game it's hard to see how they will be competitive.

Jordie Barrett and Frizzell have been revelations as ball carriers since the Schmidt and Ryan era began.

They have both been replaced by completely different types of players that don't give the ABs that crucial ball carrying ability.

Everyone said it at the time but given the versatility in the NZ backline, bringing 2 extra backs was a complete waste. Especially in the context of bringing 2 injured forwards. This had the potential to cause a serious issue at some point and week 1 it has.

Both ALB and Havili paired with Ioane have been a disaster on defence.

Christie over Roigard is just inexplicable - another strong ball carrier left out.

With no Retallick, Frizzell, JB, Christie over Roigard, and 3 open sides in the loose trio this could be one of the worst ball carrying ABs teams in the professional era. Of the starting 15 Telea is biggest threat, then you have to go to the bench in Samisoni and Liecester to find anyone else the French really have to worry about.

As an ABs supporter I'm hoping for the best but I can't see how we stop France putting 40+ points up. They are down some key players too which will prevent a cricket score, but their forwards are such quality I can't see how we compete for 80 minutes. They tend to favour conceding tries over giving away lots of penalties and getting yellow cards so there is a chance the ABs can score 3 tries, but with lack of ball carriers, and conceding an obvious advantage in both scrums and line outs it's hard to make a case for it.

France to canter home 42 - 15

Definitely think roiguard should be in there, and hope to see fianga'anuku get some game time again they need more line breakers, his speciality.davej

Lots of focus on the forwards (understandably so) but would love to have seen Fainga'anuku at 11, Telea at 14 with Jordan at 15. Beauden on the bench. I think the power wing suits us as it draws defenders to that player. Fainga'anuku also has a phenomenal work rate. Telea has been great but right wing is his best spot. Gutted they picked Christie in front of Roigard on the bench.

I would have thought the size of Jacobson would have been preferred over Papaiili.

A lot of noise on talkback around bringing Blackadder over for Nawara. Agree we don’t need another winger

This team is bordering on the geriatric team of years ago. They will not make the semi final stage of the tournament

A 7 at 6 now. Christie ....its descending into farce...

It really hurts me to say it but I pretty much wrote RWC'23 off a couple of years ago. I can see us being beaten by 20 on Friday and home after the quarters. I will always support the AB's but this is honestly how I see it.

Ian Foster is a "boring, incompetent, tired, uninspiring "yes man"

If he had another "brain" his head would rattle.

A NZRFU clone. "Now Ian you can stay Ian but you have to do what we say" "We don't want any contractual disagreements voiced in public, O.K. Ian"

In years to come we will say "FOSTER was the coach who left Cam Roigard out of a Test Team at the World Cup"

The best up and coming, thinking half back New Zealand has had for years. Run, Pass and kicking skills par excellence. . .

All he needs is that chance.

Scored the try of the match, when we were "dismantled" by South Africa.

ROIGARD was the only player who stood up and was counted.

FRANCE 38 ALL BLACKS 19

More than enough to sort the French out especially up front. Would like to see Fainga'anuku get a decent run.

The fact that those 2 lunkheads Ofa and Nepo are in the 23 just says it all.

What a uninspiring team.

Foster really screwed up selecting 5 loose forwards which included no blindside flanker backup. Papalii and Jacobson are not big enough or powerful enough to play 6 at test level. Foster should have selected 6 loosies and dropped an outside back.

And why in the world would you start ALB at 12 who has barely played 12 with Richie Mo'unga at 10 when you had David Havili available who has played 50 odd Super Rugby matches together and have synergy. ALB was terrible in Bledisloe II.

Geez that forward pack doesn't exactly inspire confidence. We are doomed