Who is your best match day 22 and should they play every game?

With all the warm up matches out of the way it now becomes important for coaches to know who their best match day 22 is. They will also have figured out what their best approach is and where there are still weaknesses to be addressed. To go into this world cup and still being unsure as to who the best is can cause problems.

I think back to 2007 when graham Henry had a squad of thirty players who could be interchanged at any given moment in time, or could they?

The game against France proved that that wasn’t the case. I don’t think it has to do with better or worse players necessarily, but more so a case of combinations and continuity in selections.

During the RWC in 2007 New Zealand rotated their squad in the pool matches which in my opinion was to their detriment.

Do you think it is more important to play your best team at every opportunity and just give the major players perhaps one off game during the pools, or just play them right through?

In my opinion the first option is better, in the case of south Africa I would hope to see our best team play every game and use the Namibia game as a breather for a few of our top players, those ones you know you will rely on come the knock out rounds.

That is basically what Jake white did in 2007.

Who do you think is your best match day 22?

1.beast
2.bissy
3.janni
4.bakkies
5.victor
6.brussow
7.schalk
8.spies
9.fdp
10.morne/butch really dont know anymore
11.habana
12.jdv
13.fourie
14.hougaard
15.JPP

16.smit(purely because he'll never be dropped)
17.Guthro
18.Danie
19.Willem alberts
20.Butch
21.Lambie
22.Aplon

biltongbek wrote:
During the RWC in 2007 New Zealand rotated their squad in the pool matches which in my opinion was to their detriment.

Biltong our pool in 2007 was a farce. 40 nil was by a mile our closest result with 0ver 300 points and 35 against.

What difference does it make who is in your side when no one is opposing you?

If we had had our best side all 4 games it would have been 60 nil and 400points. How much better would we have been for that? Better combinations perhaps?

Pool play meant 3 weeks of nothing but light training runs for us- we would have been better touring the Auckland club rugby circuit then coming back. We were far too undercooked to play France who had already had an intense match loss in pool play against argentina I think it was.

We face exactly the same this year. I wouldn't be surprised if Henry arranges an Auckland club match immediately after the pool games. Thats how poor our pool opposition always is.

Taylorman, France will give you a good pool game won't they??? Or are you predicting this will be a walkover for NZ?

Griff France could well give us a helluva game or turn up as cheese eating surrender monkeys. It's anyone's guess.

As for me my top NZ 22 is

15 Muliaina
14 Jane
13 Smith
12 Nonu
11 Dagg
10 Carter
9 Weepu
8 Read
7 McCaw (skip)
6 Kaino
5 Whitelock
4 Thorn
3 Owen Franks
2 Mealamu
1 Woodcock

Reserves are Ben Franks, Andrew Hore, Ali Williams, Adam Thomson, Jimmy Cowan, Sonny Bill Williams, Isaia Toeava

This is just from the 30 we have selected. I'd have a couple of changes to the squad otherwise.

Yeah France could easily do a Scotland. Rest their entire squad.

If they're both unbeaten and the comparative differences are so wide they could settle for less pain and focus on the quarter with second. Thats the usual reality for us.

NZ have a style that attempts to punish each and every weakness, which is why we always put up big scores against teams that dont have the common ingredients of a good team across the board.

France dont have similar efficiencies and will offer 'chances' to the pool teams, making the scores closer. Then they'll think they can't beat NZ anyway so give it away to focus on quarters.

Our best hope is France lose one and NEED to beat us to qualify. Then we get our tough match that usually happens in all pools.

Chilly no Dagg?? That right there is the future of All black rugby ! the way he sliced up the Springboks despite not having played for weeks was just class

Bullsbok check my 11.

sorry missed him , used to seeing his name at 15

I think close to this 15 should start in all the pool games, except the one against Nambia.

1. Paul James/Gethin Jenkins
2. Huw Bennett
3. Adam Jones
4. Bradley Davies
5. Alun Wyn Jones
6. Dan Lydiate
7. Sam Warburton
8. Ryan Jones
9. Mike Phillips
10. James Hook
11. Shane Williams
12. Jamie Roberts
13. Jonathon Davies
14. George North
15. Rhys Preistland

16. Paul James/Gethin Jenkins/Ryan Bevington
17. Ken Owens
18. Luke Charteris
19. Toby Faletau
20. Tavis Knoyle
21. Stephen Jones
22. Leigh Halfpenny