Tag Archives: SBW

Which players have been catching the All Black selectors' eye so far in the Super 15?

Scotland come achingly close to a historic first win at Murrayfield against the World Champions.

Sonny Bill Williams Revealed He Received Apology From Referee For 'Wrong' Yello Card

5 talking points after All Blacks hot and cold victory over Pumas

The spluttering All Black machine exploded into gear at about the 50-minute mark against Argentina thanks to its newest freak of nature, Vaea Fifita.   From that point on, the All Blacks swept aside the brave Argentinians who had actually led by seven points just after half-time. So, what questions are in our minds after the 39-22 victory? ________ 5. Will …

Steve Hansen has named an exciting All Black squad to face Argentina on Saturday which sees the return of one of the stars of the 2015 World Cup. Hansen has characterised the game as one of ‘taking opportunities.’ Here are five talking points which might give an insight into what the master coach will be looking for against the Pumas. …

In a proverbial game of two halves, the All Blacks burned the Wallabies in the first period in Sydney. However, they then proceeded to take their foot off the gas and hand off the steering wheel as the men in gold ran in four unanswered tries in the second half. So what did we learn about the two sides in …

The All Black backs showed moments of brilliance against the Lions without ever fully igniting into the form of the previous two seasons. With Ben Smith’s decision to go on sabbatical, and Aaron Cruden’s departure for Europe, All Blacks boss Steve Hansen has a chance to experiment with combinations and positions with an eye on the 2019 World Cup. So, …

As the dust settles after a titanic battle at Eden Park, leaving the series locked in a stalemate, we ask: which Lions and All Black players enhanced their reputations during the tough New Zealand tour? We take a look at the performances of the Test players on each side in the drawn series. ______ Lions Stock Rising: Jonathan Davies Deservedly …

Warren Gatland has made some bold and surprising selections in his Lions Test side, opting for more pace at the breakdown and more playmaking in the backs with the selections of Sam Warburton and the Sexton/Farrell partnership. How will Gatland’s selections affect the All Blacks’ tactics? Here’s what to expect. 1. More of the same driving off the rucks and …

The Lions gave a lot of razzle dazzle but couldn’t stop the All Black wave of physical domination to maintain their imposing winning streak at Eden Park. So which players stood out above the rest? 15 Liam Williams 8 Fairly quiet until scintillating 50 metres break out launched classic Lions counter-attacking try. Fizzing after that and looked a threat every …

Both Warren Gatland and Steve Hansen sprang selection surprises in the naming of their respective teams for the first Test at Eden Park on Saturday.   So, which player vs player match-ups are likely to decide the epic first encounter? _________ 5. Peter O’Mahony Vs Jerome Kaino If the weather forecast is correct, this game is likely to be played …

The All Blacks’ first game of the season is traditionally one when the players shake off the rust and is usually characterised by unforced errors and misfiring combinations. Not at Eden Park. Not in 2017. So which players booked their places for the first test against the Lions in the 78-0 thrashing of Samoa? 15 Ben Smith 8.5 It gets …

After the Crusaders got suffocated by the Lions whose strategic play was a mix of roar and snore, could the same thing happen to the All Blacks? We select a test side of 23 players who will be tasked with cracking the Lions defensive code in the Tes series. Here is our All Blacks Test squad – and the threat …

How about those ‘Canes? Steve Hansen is obviously a fan of the lethal Hurricanes backline. No fewer than five players from the Windy City made Hansen’s All Blacks squad which boasts 1164 caps of experience but sprung a few surprises in naming two new players. So what what were the talking points as the All Blacks named his squad for …

An epic battle on Wednesday was decided by a brilliant second-half try by substitute Ihaia West, which gave the Blues a deserved 22-16 over the Lions at Eden Park. The Lions forward pack were strong and several All Black contenders made huge impressions. So how did the players rate? ________ British And Irish Lions 15. Leigh Halfpenny (Wales) 6 Solid …

Blues coach Tana Umaga named a powerful side containing eight players capped by the All Blacks to face the Lions at Eden Park on Wednesday. So who will be the most dangerous players for the Lions to watch out for? 1.Akira Ioane Akira Ioane is the older Ioane brother and the one with the most to prove against the Lions. …