If McCaw is ever injured Andrew Hore should be captain, he was outstanding last night.?

I thought Ben Franks was a hot dog restaurant.

It's hard to say?

I kept wondering if the collars could be seized and yanked whether the entire thing would come off without slowing the player down. And whether such a design would have even had rugby in mind.

I'll never understand you Auckland folk and your lack of confidence in Conrad...

I'm not even sure I'd have SBW on the bench. Kahui offers a bit more I reckon.

I think it's going to happen even if we don't end up playing against France somehow.

My greatest fear is the early season peaking we've suffered from before. For once, we want to be at the peak of our game, right on the World Cup.

Nah, I'm a fan. But supposedly the coaches wanted to try Wlliams and Nonu together for a bit.

And I find them jarring and distracting. I'm not normally wedded to tradition but the shoe thing annoys me.

Good game from the bits I saw. It looked like a team that has been practicing?

Nah, I'm a fan. But supposedly the coaches wanted?

I'd rather the ounce of brains that Conrad brings than the kilo of grunt that Nonu or Sonny-Bill bring. For me the choice is Ma'a/SBW,?

I'm sure the coach and the selectors agree with you, but we don't want to assume that Smith will be blessed with perfect health and stamina for every minute of the world cup,?

I'm sure we can find a fullback to play centre in a key game for the 4th world cup in a row.

And yes, they are tight,?

Talking point: Dan Carter No.2 in the tackle count!

Interesting. Also shows what great games Hore and Crockett had (Richie being a given). Anyone that would consider putting Hore out to pasture needs their head read, IMhO. Pun intended.

Then they should pick a specialist Centre to back him up. If they're gonna pick?

I think you need to look at the?

Russell, I agree Messam runs high, I figure it's something he's doing deliberately to look to hand off but if he's held up, yeah, we can?

http://www.partydelights.co.uk/images/fancy/thumbs/FANC2421_lnk.jpg

They are calling ona higher power to win this WC.

- Piri, showed up Jimmy C on passing speed and little kicks
– SBW didn't do much

I though Cowan played really well, albeit differently from Weepu. Cowan's defence was brilliant and he runs the ball more than Weepu does/did but I agree Weepu always adds a lot?

Nah, the NZRB will, in all likelihood, behave like spoilsports and change the rules to suit the commercial aspect of the game and only allow sponsored weapons.
One thing that has intrigued me for a while is the attitude to?

Suddenly Obama's gift makes more sense

What total bollocks, and presumably this is?

All Blacks jersey prices:

USA –
RWC version – US$89.99 – NZD$103.80 (worldrugby.com)
Test version – US$79.99 – NZD$92.60 (worldrugby.com)

UK
RWC version – 64.99pounds – NZD$122.20 (rugbystore.co.uk)
test version – 54.99pounds – NZD$107.70 (rugbystore.co.uk)

NZ
RWC version – $220 (Ryos in Wellington and Champions of the?

Unlike electronic goods, there's no warranty to void with buying these?

I would like to see the rules changed so you can't run with the ball or use your hands and play the game?

I love rugby, think the All Blacks are a fantastic team and also?

As a recent purchaser of such a t-shirt, is there anything to?

Only if you mean it with all your heart. If I find out you're a sneaky 'Boks supporter, there will be hell to pay.

Does the devil take credit? I mean he wears Prada, so it seems logical. But no, I am most definitely a fully fledged All Blacks supporter. It was only hours ago I was chastising a?

ALL credit is the devil's work.

And that would be worth about... $220 ?

Does the devil take credit? Visa or Mastercard, apparently.

Tough at the top, innit?

Very. I'm nervous that the All Blacks are peaking too early in the season again. When Oz got going, they were very hard to stop, and read the intercepts well. It's going to be a good season.

And opposable thumbs, what's all that about eh?.

I'm choosing not to be. Where as last time we had 'rotation' (yeah, rotate on that), this time we would call it 'depth'. Put Zach Guilford and Cory Jane in the mix last night (sorry Mr?

By one point. After losing the first half by 17. They got trounced.

Yup, but it was just a different game to watch in the second half. A much better performance by the Wallabies, many lessons for both teams there.

It was a different game because it was over. If the Wallabies take any heart from having 'won the second half', they're toast.

In 1999 we beat France 54-7 at Athletic Park. Later that year they blew us out of the RWC.

In 2003 we dorked Aussie 50-21 in Aussie and then 21-17 at Eden Park. Later they shut us down completely 22-10 and out of the RWC we go.?

I'm with Gio. There were things to worry about, but mostly the All Blacks' intensity dropped because they had the game won.

It?

Yes, we?re too afraid to have confidence in a team that fully deserves it because of the patterns of history.

When they start faltering against tough opposition I?ll start to worry, but I agree with Gio. The second half of last night was too late for Australia?

I disagree on both counts. A 17 point lead isn't really that much in rugby, can be reversed in 5 minutes. And beating the All Blacks for?

McAlister was the 13 in the quarterfinal in 2007 – certainly not a fullback.

See the theme?

It's not a very useful analysis though is it? What would?

I think the obvious answer is forfeit all the games. In 1987 the All Blacks didn't play any tests before the World Cup.

99.99% sure that Muliaina played centre that day with McAlister at 2nd 5.

Simon Poole Snap.

ETA but he did shift to 10 when Evans was injured... (sorry if this is painful, I remember the thread here in?

Word is that both Toeva and?

When you think about it now, that's a horrible midfield.

I'd never write off Mils, but he's not been at his best this season. As much as I like Toeava, he's been out for a while and hasn't always?

I posted that because people (not you guys) have been doing what they always do and going on about what a great omen it is for the RWC. Most of the media before and after the game is about what the result 'means' either bluntly or?

But the World Cup is the WORLD cup. It's?

Indeed. That doesn't even count starting Dan Carter despite the fact that he was injured, having Nick Evans on the bench and leaving Aaron Mauger out of the 22 entirely. DC was replaced fairly early by Evans, but then Evans?

Hmm you're right. Must have blanked that out in my memory.