Two starting debuts and two timely returns for All Blacks against Bulls

Admittedly I’m thinking attacking players, always have been guilty of that. More players that know how to make an impact, who aren’t going to come on and have play go the other way and not be utilized, but yes experience helps a lot there and has it’s other benefits.

What you are suggesting as X factor impact players I associate with the bigger ‘harder not faster’ players like Paddy, STT etc. The idea being theyre dynamic and impactful but don’t have the stamina to do it for 80 but can be “explosive” on a full tank for a short time instead. It works, a lot of the time.

I’m not sure the reasoning really holds up though.

Yeah idk aye. The 2024 team had game. They also had a great build up a test against England for those two performances in South Africa. I think this team should get to that standard on this tour at some point, but I also would put it past them from doing it in test 1. Theres a few things to like. I’m still loving Ofa, I even hope his brother can break through to Super level lol, and the side is so much better with an authoritive 9 and 10 combination this year but that Magpies team plays with everything thats been good about nz rugby. They have done so consistently too with varying degrees of personal.

Plenty to digest here JW! The speed, the innovation, the passion in NPC rugby should give us great hope that there is a bright future ahead for NZ rugby. The Magpie / Auckland game was not too far behind.

I also think the who of the impact is very important. The ABs have been obsessed with certain players as X factor impact players but perhaps what is needed are as I think you are saying players who just know how to get the job done.

The test next week will be a real measure of how far we have come for Wellington. The Boks have developed their depth and solidified their game plan. They have doubled down on the power game - evident from all the selections to date and the games played whatever the combination. The ABs are trying to unlock the Rennie magic - but it all still seems a little rehearsed at the moment - oddly colour by numbers chaos. We certainly have not clicked sufficiently yet to be able to say we with confidence - yes they can beat the Boks. In fact I think we are ways off yet. Nevertheless I look forward to the Bulls game because we should be just about peaking in terms of the first phase of squad building - and that is even though these guys have not played a minute together as a unit. We will see.

Should be a good game, Bulls will test the AB’s lungs in the first quarter, once they overcome this it should be a fast game.

Interested in the scrums to see if they hold and the high ball, the bulls might not put that many up, RE would have probably said something so not to test the AB’s, can’t have you boys practicing now. AB’s should take this game but will be hard. Bulls won’t make it easy. Good luck boys. Let’s hope the TMO does not play a role.

The midweekers should put in a better performnace than the test players again.

It was really unwarranted to have expected at better game against the Sharks, it was merely a hit out to blow the cobwebs away, not like they needed to be doing anything at test standard.

These goes that play(ed) the Stormers and Bulls have a point to prove, which would explain the better cohesion and effort in the first game of the tour. Should be a cricket score with this lineup.

Interesting team, before the tour I was sure we would see the top side playing this match to give them a full hitlåt a week out from the 1st test.

This is a marathon not a sprint so maybe it’s the best option? I just feel our one advantage was having a tougher July series and the club games ss a better lead in ti that first test. We’ll see