All Blacks in Blue

All Blacks in Blue

31 Jan 2006

David Nucifora has mixed and matched in losing his first two warm-up matches against the Reds and Waratahs, but the Blues coach picked his best available starting team to play the Western Force in Auckland on Thursday.

Interestingly, Nucifora has picked the North Habour centre pairing of Rua Tipoki and Anthony Tuitavake to start. The duo were the form midfield in the 2005 NPC and many critics were stunned that All Blacks coach Graham Henry could find no place for Tuitavake in the touring squad to the United Kingdom.

Auckland players who won the NPC in 2005 feature strongly in the line-up, while six of the Grand Slam All Blacks are in the starting XV.

BLUES:15 Brent Ward, 14 Doug Howlett, 13 Anthony Tuitavake, 12 Rua Tipoki, 11 Joe Rokocoko, 10 Tasesa Lavea, 9 John Senio, 8 Angus Macdonald, 7 Daniel Braid/Justin Collins, 6 Nick Williams, 5 Greg Rawlinson, 4 Ali Williams, 3 John Afoa, 2 Keven Mealamu (cap), 1 Tony Woodcock. Subs: 16 Tim Dow, 17 Chris Heard, 18 Mike Noble, 19 Kurtis Haiu, 20 Anthony Boric, 21 Justin Collins, 22 Junior Poluleuligaga, 23 George Pisi, 24 Ben Atiga, 25 Villie Waqaseduadua, 26 Isa Nacewa.


13 Comments

  • 1.TheTackler: Reply to this comment
    1 Feb 2006, 04:00 am

    David Nucifora’s no mug.

    You lose the games that don’t matter and you win the ones that do.

    And those pre-season warm-ups are the throw-away matches.

  • 2.BrumbyIV: Reply to this comment
    1 Feb 2006, 07:09 am

    Not sure about Tasesa Lavea.

  • 3.hobo: Reply to this comment
    1 Feb 2006, 07:34 am

    I see keven has made captain ,good for him . He is one great player….

  • 4.bliksem: Reply to this comment
    1 Feb 2006, 07:37 am

    More hobo.Ek sal volgende week weer kom touchies speel.Het laas donderdag die hammie so n bietjie getrek.Mos slim,warm nie op nie en wil sommer sprint en tekere gaan.Dis maar ouderdom reken ek

  • 5.hobo: Reply to this comment
    1 Feb 2006, 07:39 am

    bliksem

    goeie more !! Ek sal eers more by die oefening weer wees , gaan kyk cricket vanaand. Wat dink jy van die gees by die club?

  • 6.bliksem: Reply to this comment
    1 Feb 2006, 07:45 am

    hobo ek was nie lank genoeg daar nie.sal terugraporteer sodra ek n opinie kon vorm.ek gaan volgende donderdagaand by my ou klub so n bietjie vles vat saam met die manne.volgende vrydag so 14:00 se kant eet ek prawn curry by die dbn ski boat klub.tough tye.gaan sommer die saterdag kyk hoe die sjarks hulle gatte sien in die sharktank.

  • 7.hobo: Reply to this comment
    1 Feb 2006, 07:51 am

    Bliksem

    klink lekker geniet dit , en as jy n kaans kry klap sommer een van daai *Chief`s* vir ons dat die snot soo spat…

  • 8.bliksem: Reply to this comment
    1 Feb 2006, 07:52 am

    sal so maak.post gou jou email adress dan sal ek jou mail as ek vanmiddag in die kantoor is.

  • 9.hobo: Reply to this comment
    1 Feb 2006, 07:54 am

    Bliksem

    martin@annique.com

  • 10.wls: Reply to this comment
    1 Feb 2006, 08:07 am

    So then Takcler why do NZ always lose the world cup?
    LMFAO.

  • 11.Delek: Reply to this comment
    1 Feb 2006, 08:47 am

    BrumbyIV

    Tasesa Lavea is a running flyhalf in the mould of Henry Honiball. He has recently returned to rugby union after playing several seasons of rugby league. I rate him highly and think he will probably play for the AB’s one day. He’s not as big as Honiball but faster and tough as nails.

    His tactical kicking is good but he doesn’t usually place kick. Tackles well.

  • 12.TheTackler: Reply to this comment
    1 Feb 2006, 10:50 am

    “So then Takcler why do NZ always lose the world cup?”

    Care to connect a few dots here?

    England won the last world cup.

    Since they won it, they have been complete shite and everyone and the family dog has beaten them. They came to New Zealand as the “British Lions” under the newly-knighted “Sir” Clive Woodward and got utterly snotted three to zero.

    Before that Australia won the world cup.

    Since they won it, they have been complete shite and have surrendered the Bledisloe and have lost an embarrasing SIX tests in a row and which ended in them firing Eddie Moans…

    Then prior to that, the Boks won the World Cup in 1995 only to be clouted in a home-soil test series one year later for the first time ever in history by an All Black side, led by none other than the man you loved to hate, hooker Sean Fitzpatrick!

    So much then for so-called “World Cup” glory, hey? Especially when the whole joy turns to disaster a mere one year later!

    It’s a poisoned chalice!

    Hahahahahaha

  • 13.KEA: Reply to this comment
    1 Feb 2006, 14:26 pm

    Tackledoos, take your pick 1) 80 – 90% win record between world cups and fail to win the WC. 2) 50 – 80% win record between WC’s but ending up wining the WC. Take your pick, I’ll take number 2 because number 1 means absolutely twat.

Keo.co.za has always promoted uncensored views, but has never tolerated racist or crass outbursts. Come on guys and girls. If you can't moderate yourselves or each other then I am going to be forced to regulate the posts and enforce a registration process for comments. The choice is yours.

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