Australia v New Zealand on 8/2
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Leon Macdonald is out at fullback for NZ, this is bad news, Muliaina will be fb, it's not a loss at FB for the all blacks, it's a loss in terms of experience and overall skill in the whole team and the centers.Comment -
McCaw is in, which he is always a big impact for his side. He controls the ball when he's playing at his best, watch the pace of this game to be different because he's in there, with NZ having the best of it more often than not.Comment -
Elsom is out for aussie which puts waugh in, with smith/waugh in there McCaw is going to have his hands full, the ball will be contested well during the entire 80Comment -
Mortlock coming off injury for aussie is a true professional, a class act. His experience and leadership is going to bring an overwhelming advantage to the centers for aussie. With Muliaina at FB for NZ the battle of the centers will go to Aussie.Comment -
Australia, in my opinion is extremely likely to win back the bledisloe cup!Comment -
If you can find a good line on the bledisloe cup for Australia, you might want to take it now. They are a very strong team, also quite likely to win the tri-nations.Comment -
This test is at Eden Park, NZComment -
All this being said, NZ has a slightly weaker team right nowComment -
NZ would have a significantly weaker team right now, if McCaw wasn't skipper for this test. With McCaw inthe lineup and the test at Eden Park, NZ has a strong chance to win this test.Comment -
I will reiterate, Australia is my pick for the bledisloe and tri-nations cups. They are the stronger team right now, but after a two losses in a row, at home in Eden Park, with Richie McCaw at the helm, the all blacks are going to come set for blood. I expect NZ to win this test.Comment -
It's way too personal for NZ at this point, they take rugby too seriously. and McCaw (when he's playing at full pace) has way too much of an impact to let this one goComment -
The NZ skipper has been positive about the effect of aus' #8 elsom being taken out of the lineup for the next test. This is not going to negatively impact the aussies, they are too deep in the back row. Waugh and smith are world class flyers, who have worked as a devastating tandem many many times. We'll have to see how hard and fast McCaw is playing, but Waugh and Smith will be putting the foil on, no doubt.Comment -
South Africa has stayed under the radar, but doesn't look that dangerousComment -
Both Australia and NZ have lost significant pieces of their squads, which should make it easier on SAComment -
Historically it has also been very difficult for these teams to play on the road in SAComment -
If Australia does win at Eden, I don't see any way that they won't win the tri-nationsComment -
And also the bledisloeComment