Sam Cane returns for All Blacks rematch with Los Pumas

As you cannot read so good...... it is just a game. Get a life please.

I am not making excuses. I am just stating that the RWC draw is unfair, which World Rugby and everyone with any rugby inregrity has accepted.

SA can't be the best team now because there is a team right now (Ireland) who they can't beat. Why do you need others to think you are the best? I don't. WE usually beat you and I am certaion we would beat you in Dublin also. You would lose in Paris also. Now move on.

The Springboks are the best team in the world right now and they are double world cup winners with 4 world cups to boot. I like the Irish rugby team and have nothing bad to say about them and I think that it is great that they can beat the best teams in the world. You keep on making excuses for not winning world cups and how they should have won this game and that game and how they are better than the Springboks and that smacks of envy and all over a game? I don't think The Springboks have anything left to prove. From down and out to the top of the mountain.

I get it you hate the Springboks now piss off

Did NZ 2015 have a bogey team? No they could beat anyone, more often than not. Do SA have a bogey team? Yes, Ireland. Before you talk about SA being greatest they need to travel to Dublin/Paris and win 2-0. At the moment they would lose 0-2. (I have a feeling the result in Paris would be particularly brutal). Ireland are not consistently better than everyone, France are not, NZ are not. There is no team clear of the others. (SA had two extra games in the RWC on double rankings points and Ireland are back within a point). Cool down on the arrogance.

I guess you did not read the tip.

South Africa cant beat Ireland and are therefore not the best. No 'greatest' team can have a bogey team. The truth is there are a 3-4 teams there or thereabouts who can beat eachother on any given day. The RWC can reinforce who is best. But often it doesnt. 2023 was a coin flick. When do you meet your bogey team? We met ours at QF. You met yours in the pool. The win over France was impressive. You needed luck and something from the ref. You were second best against England and against NZ. Not your fault. The draw meant that England would be completely fresh in the SM and NZ in the final. You can only play to the tournament you are in.

But there has been issues with the draw and scheduling in the RWC which disadvantages improving teams. Ireland and France were seeds 5,6 in the RWC draw. Do you think that is right?

Did you see what the All Blacks did to the Argies? Did you see what the Springboks did to Aus? South Africa are the best team in the world right now and If Ireland is better than them then Ireland are the best team in the world right? If South Africa are not the best team in the world then please tell me who is. I am proud that we won 4 world cups! I am proud that we win and I don't care that others are envious. Here is a tip for you, rugby is just a game and meant to be enjoyed by the fans and excellence is meant to be praised. Envy and hate because of a game is just stupid.

I have never said that Ireland are the best team in the world. Stop misrepresenting me. I have just said that we are better than South Africa. As had been agreed by World Rugby the draw is a farce. With the draw the tournament becomes a lottery with luck being the defining factor rather than quality. Ofcourse every team wants to win a world cup. Its just a pity that the draw and scheduling always favours the "Old Boys".

It is a pity the big boys also show such constant poor leadership by boasting and unbridled arrogance in their successes (as you repeatedly demonstrate). At the same time World Rugby protects the old boys with draws and schedules that protect the old boys place at the top and hinder the progress of teams trying to compete.

And whats the reaction of the supporters? A little honesty about what was clearly a farce draw? no, just keep antagonizing the reams and supporters who get punished by thius draw. The NH taking over cannot come soon enough. We will see an accelerated improvement in standards in Tier2s etc once NZ/SA self absoebed infleunce is diminished.

Not one person from South Africa feel anger towards the Irish rugby team for being good and not one will or have to make excuses for any loss because we love the way our team plays. We don't feel any envy towards any other team because we have wonderful players and a coaching team that gets the best out of them. World cups work on seeding. Dont be lazy and go look where Ireland was when the seeding was done in all world cups and thank you for pointing out that Ireland had such a difficult route in the world cup playing two 3 TIME world cup winners on the way to yet another quarter final exit( I guess the All Blacks just got lucky when they beat Ireland but at least they do not lose to England) and I guess all those wins by the Springboks were just luck. So you win ok. The Springboks are overrated and The All blacks are phony. Ireland are the best in the world and the rest of us are just playing at rugby. Just remember that form is temporary and class is permanent. Guess that is why we have all the world cups in the South ( not to mention a positive winning record)and you guys don't. Well I am off to prepare for the game between the two time world champions and the four time world champions but firs I will watch the Argies against the three time world champions. Your Irish players will trade in all those 6 nations medals for one world cup but don't take my word for it and go ask them because the world cup is the #1 prize in rugby that all players dream of lifting.

The old boys are NZ,SA, England.

Can you give me an example of when NZ or SA have EVER been scheduled their hardest group game the week before the Knock out stages of a RWC. One example please?

Now lets look at the draw. In 2023 as with every world cup the teams were drawn only a year after the 2019 RWC and three years before the 2023 RWC. Ireland and France improved brilliantly to be one and two. Their reward. 3 times RWC winners NZ and SA are in their groups due to the draw. Worse even if Ireland/France win their group they are going to be playing a top 4 side. Ireland beat the World Champions but then had to play Scotland a week before facing NZ, 3 times champions, who had been lining Ireland up for a year. The result? SA limp to a win and the resultant mockery and disrespect by the perennially arrogant SH teams. I am Irish but I was shouting for England in that QF. They were robbed in that match actually. If they had prevailed then NZ would have won the final against a fatigued England team and all be boasting about the 'greeat and humble all blacks'. We will never know who would have won with a fair draw. But boast away.

Ireland are NOT the best team in the world, but they are better than SA.

SA can't beat Ireland. One win in Pretoria (Ireland should have won) at altitude in 5 is not better. Last 3 games record is 2:1 for Ireland. Two of those matches in SA, one neutral. In the RWC Ireland beat SA and won the Pool with SA second. What more evidence do you need? In Argentina, the France B team put 15 on the Pumas team that beat NZ. Work it out.

Old boys club is the North not the South. The North makes the rules not the South and if South Africa and Nz are not that good at rugby then why have the rest a negative record against them in terms of wins? Once again if Ireland are better than the Springboks then they must be the best team in the world so are they or are they not the best ( I can hear you choking just like Ireland now) team in the world as you stated?. Forget about what I and other fans say and listen to those in the know. Who do they say is the best team in the world? Who is saying this South African team are the G.O.A.T? I have not made one excuse for a Springbok loss but you keep on making excuses for Ireland choking! You say Nz had a narrow win but you hail a 1 point Durban win as proof of how good Ireland is? Did you forget what happened in the first test? Maybe that penalty scrum try still hurts? Get a grip please! Come win a series in the Republic and I will take you seriously. You could not even do that against the worst Bok team in history 2016 and if there was a third test you would have lost another series.

How can you be better than Ireland when you can only beat team at home in Pretoria at altitude? The only fand boasting about being the best in the world are SA and NZ fans...continuously. Boasting about RWCs. Boasting about everything. Bookies had Ireland and France joined favourites. Anybody who says Ireland fans were crowning themselves champions before the world cup is a liar. Are you a liar?

Look SA are a tough team who hang in there and take a win if the good teams get knocked out. But the reason that you are not that good between RWCs is because well, youre not that good. You got an easy passage to the final in a poor standard RWC in 2019 and England had blown their load eliminating you. In 2023, the team you couldn't beat Ireland you got in the pools and NZ who had been lining Ireland up for a year managed to narrowly win ensuring you did not have to face Ireland again. The RWC is not really a judge of rugby at the highest level. The draw ensures that its a lottery. An old boys club and no suprises that the old boys have most of the cups.

No we are first and then Ireland and then Nz and then France and yes we have 4 world cups more than Ireland have and that is a fact. You wishing it so does not make Ireland the best team in the world and I said nothing about Ireland I was talking about you and people like you and not the Irish rugby team crowning them world champions. You are either young or not so bright. I know that the Springboks are the best team in the world ( and people who have been there and done that agree) so why would I be upset if we lose to a good Irish team? Now rather leave it before you choke like an Irish team at the world cup ok.

Sam Cane back so the ABs can play with 14 men and have a chance of winning

# extra motivation

The current batch of All Blacks, just aren't "good enough" as the team the won the 2015 World Cup.

You need that type of ability to win a World Cup, that's why they won.

We are still "undisciplined" Until that changes, we will have up and down results.

It's hard to WIN a Group 1, with an average horse, no matter how good the trainer may be.

As the famous quote goes, history doesn't repeat but it definitely rhymes.

What's worrying me about this team, is not so much the reappearance of Cane, a man who's happily jumped ship, or T.J, slow and in the same boat. It's the image of the head coach in the coaches box, surrounded by too many average assistants, with terror written all over his face.

Razor, the perennial winner, has developed a deep fear of losing. Now he appears out of ideas and is turning to his senior players to save him.

This scene is far too familiar. Previously it was foz sweating with terror, now it's Razor with fear written all over his face. The result is the same, rookies are out, and an sos to Senior players, some past their best, has been desperately broadcast.

Perhaps this will end the same way. A sacking of inexperienced assistants mid tenure, and a search for a world class tactician.

It's notable that 2 of our best rugby brains now coach the opposition in Aus and SA.

In any case, Fozzies best coaching came when he know his job was toast, and he was forced to bring in a decent rugby mind in Schmidt. He lost his fear, and compensated for his weaknesses,

Let's hope razor can somehow do the same. I'm pretty sure most of us want the out of the box thinker with the winning talk to come back.

If anyone finds his mojo in Christchurch, please send it back to him. I really don't fancy seeing history repeat.

Interesting that they have backed the same starting back row who got completely outplayed last week.

I like that Robertson has not panicked and backs their ability, but personally I do not think they are a balanced trio, and adding Cane makes things even worse ( in terms of balance, not Cane's ability). We now have 4 no.7s, none of whom are strong line out operators, and only one is a dynamic ball carrier - taking out Sititi puts even more pressure on Savea in that respect who completed 20 carries last week. Add in no Scooter or Pat and you start to see why our gain line success was so low last week, but it feels like they are doubling down on whatever tactic this is.

Robertson spoke about not sticking to the game plan - what game plan needs 4 open sides, locks as the only line out targets, and only one strong ball carrier in the back 5? The only thing I can think is that they are planning to do a lot of kicking (but not for touch), chasing, and tackling.

And why was Jordie Barrett standing 3m behind the ruck every time the ABs were looking to clear? 6 or 7 times he was standing there unable to be used for anything, and essentially playing no part in the game, and in a terrible position to defend anyone if there is a turnover (which there was which led to a try).

The Team has been named, congratulations. I'm excited to see it play again.

I like the proping change though it would have made more sense drop the more ineffectual one at this point. I also think it would have made it a double change on that side and checked out Tosi.

Again with a wasted back slot on the bench, what purpose does Tele'a have? Far more relevant to sort out this loose forward situation, add Finau or Sititi to the bench instead. Keep swapping out two of 3 loosies every test until we settle on the best 4.

Wow. Of course TJ and Jordie keep their spots. Ratima on at 40 please.. Would’ve been nice to see Finau/Sititi at 6 to combat their pack and get gaineline.

Well I expected to see some Gold Watches given out on Sunday for "Don't Come Monday"

Instead I see Cane has returned his Gold Watch and it has been accepted and all is forgiven.

Ardie who was MIA last week, has managed to crawl out from his "Fox hole" and all has been forgiven.

I am beginning to think the All Blacks are looking like a "New Age Church", unless you bonk the "Pastor's Wife", you can pretty much be forgiven for all your sins, whatever they may be.

The level of forgiveness is amazing. Captain Cane cost us a World Cup.

Captain Savea cost us the game against Argentina.

Two games we could have WON except for two "brain fades" both by the All Black Captain.

All Black Captaincy has mirrored the position of the NZRFU.

"Not Fit For Purpose"

Maybe they are going to drop the "Haka" and Ardie can lead with the appropriate

Psalm 23 "The Lord is my Shepherd"

At the Garden of Eden

There's a lot of commonsense in these selections:

To not be pig-headed about ALB, who simply hasn't got the gas for an international 13 (shown up more on defence than attack) but might get his chance at 12 off the bench.

To bring back Rieko at 13, because he's saved so many tries at 13, and has established combinations, outside with Caleb and Will, and inside with Jordie (who is lucky to get another chance)

To ease Will back into the fray at right wing, where he can get himself up to test match tempo for a move to fullback late in the game, and to get some aerial power on the other wing with Caleb

To insert Sam Cane off the bench to try and counter the leadership vacuum of the last 15 minutes in Wellington (without Scooter there)

To give the three loose forwards from last week another chance, in the absence of genuine alternatives (Sititi looked overwhelmed, gave away crucial penalties, Finau clearly hasn't got Razor's confidence)

To bring Temaiti up to start the game (in place of injured Ethan), and keep the existing bench front rowers intact to try and do a better job late in the game. (This will be a huge test for Temaiti, particularly if the Argies start this week with their bench from last week, those Europe-toughened props).

The selection that surprises me most is TJ starting. They probably feel that they can give him better protection this week and also that they need to use his experience while they have it. Cortez will hopefully get good game time off the bench - and Cam is coming.

I have gone from being a staunch Robertson fan to a doubter in the space of 4 tests. Poor 6,7,9,10 and a completely dysfunctional midfield. Savea has previously demonstrated he is a poor captain. The Eden Pk hoodoo may save them this weekend but there are some floggings on the horizon.

Robertson has squandered the honeymoon every new coach is afforded. He wont handle the forthcoming criticism as it will be an entirely new experience due to his glorious resume at lower levels. I predict a resignation by the end of 2025 if not sooner.

I’d bring in karifi for no7 he’s got hunger and mongrel

Reiko will stiffen our D, its an under rated part of his game. Caleb to light up the park . Get Cortez on early