10 . a d cottle 20 Sep 2011 04:24 PM
as long as they are good games and not decided by the whistle wit consistent decisions. R Deans may stick to players but he brings on subs too late in the last 10 mins in most games. No decent reserve no. 7 looks poor planning.

8 . The Swede Eaters 19 Sep 2011 12:39 PM
It will be interesting to see how France approaches their match against the All Blacks now. They may not even field a full strength side.

6 . Real Deal 19 Sep 2011 09:32 AM
Focus has to be on winning each game, look at what Ireland did, they had a specific gameplan for a specific team. They executed it perfectly. Robbie Deans is doing what all Kiwis want Graham Henry to do.. play the same team each week, he has no option but to roll these guys out again. Other teams now have a template to beating them, he doesn't have too many aces up his sleeve? Unfit players like Polotu-Nau, Palu and Digby Ioane when he comes back are his aces???

This ain't Super 15 rugby!

4 . deep 18 Sep 2011 09:51 PM
That was Ireland's final right there! Oz on the other hand just got their wake-up call. AB's v France is no foregone conclusion like all the discussion seems to believe. They's beaten us plenty often in the last couple of decades. Either which way, we've got to win 3 tough games through quarters, semis and finals if the big prize is to be won, so who cares what order they come in.

2 . just a random singer 18 Sep 2011 04:53 PM
No, throwing the game is a bad idea. It would just put us in a quarterfinal against England (who will be incredibly tough to beat- just look at the way they clicked into knockout mode rugby in the last ten minutes against Argentina.) Have the top team beat France, Canada and Argentina in the quarters, and we will have a good chance of going all the way.