I guess at the end of the day unless you set up a tournament where there's lots more time between games or where big teams don't play at the weekend, then you're always going to have to pick someone to get the short straw.
Yeah. I don't think it's that big a deal anyway. These guys train every day, the difference between 4 days between matches and 6 must be pretty minimal.
The one game we'd want a decent break after and we get three days... still Aussie have two crunch games after some quick turnarounds.
We'll play our best squad for that one then the benchies and 8 reserves will probably start the next. Not too much of an issue imo. In ITM Cup teams play 3 games in a week once in a season due to the Wednesday games. At least this is only twice.
So we should.......there should be some perks of being ranked 1st. I do however think the pools needs to be decided much later on so that we don't see pool of deaths again.
Why don't they just seed the top four or eight teams from last time? Design it so the top two in theory meet in a final.
So apparently the decision wasn't Slade vs Lima it was Lima vs Carter. Apparently it wasn't until the last game that Carter secured his spot. Barrett and Slade being versatile meant it came down to Carter and Lima. Interesting.........I did say he wasn't really worthy of being selected awhile back and the coaches were under the same impression.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11505666&ref=NZH_FBpage for those that wanna read the article.
Barritt is in for Ireland on Saturday, yippee 15. Mike Brown (Harlequins, 38 caps) 14. Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby, 10 caps) 13. Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby, 12 caps) 12. Brad Barritt (Saracens, 22 caps) 11. Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 15 caps) 10. George Ford (Bath Rugby, 12 caps) 9. Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 48 caps) 1. Joe Marler (Harlequins, 32 caps) 2. Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 23 caps) 3. Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 51 caps) 4. Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 39 caps) 5. Geoff Parling (Exeter Chiefs, 24 caps) 6. Tom Wood (Northampton Saints, 37 caps) 7. Chris Robshaw (captain, Harlequins, 38 caps) 8. Ben Morgan (Gloucester Rugby, 28 caps) Replacements 16. Jamie George (Saracens, 1 cap) 17. Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 22 caps) 18. Kieran Brookes (Northampton Saints, 11 caps) 19. Joe Launchbury (Wasps, 23 caps) 20. Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 18 caps) 21. Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens, 22 caps) 22. Owen Farrell (Saracens, 30 caps) 23. Sam Burgess (Bath Rugby, 1 cap)