less than 4 weeks to kick off

[Rucking Good]

Zim - fair comments - I am just worried that we end up playing crash and bash in the centers and O'Connor just wont get to see any ball. Inman's ball skills are good but are they good enough to allow Rabbit et al to run the defense breaking lines - I am not convinced as yet but would love to be proved wrong and have him at 15 to utilise his pace and open field skills.

[GIGS20]

I don't think it's up to Inman and Cullet, it's up to ripia and o'connor. If the centre pairing is big and hard, it's the flyhalf's job to distribute ball. Even playing wing, O'Connor can inject himself into the attack whenever he wants, at first, second or any other receiver. Mixing that up would help, rather than hinder our attack, because everyone will be looking at rabbit and the others will have more space.

I'm not necessarily jumping either side of the fence here, but I can see a big, hard centre pairing working as long as the flyhalf knows his job.

[Rucking Good]

I can see a big, hard centre pairing working as long as the flyhalf knows his job.

Valid point. I am just aware that when we had Cross et al last season things became a little predictable and dare I say Northern Hemisphere without the big scrum.

Willie Ripia is a class act and I think that he may be able to get rabbit in the game from fullback. If not then the option of two play makers is always there.

[GIGS20]

Good point, but I think the problem was crossy checking out early more than the system.

A good flyhalf these days needs a 20-30m bullet pass, if ripia's worth his salt, he won't have a problem getting the ball direct to rabbit, wherever he's standing.

That being said, regardless of the number on his back, rabbit will have a roving license. He'll pop up in the middle of all sortsof plays, and I predict not just set plays off scrum ball either.

[Rucking Good]

Agreed - he is dynamite with ball in hand and I am sure Big Willie will have the ability to feed him and the rest with quality ball.

[zimeric]

haha big willie.... terrible connotations there..

[Rucking Good]

Only You Zim - it was a reference to and old Will Smith song as opposed to the bleeding obvious .. ha ha hmm

[AndyS]

There you go...I thought it might have been
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rcTU4RWsdI"]YouTube - Alternative Rugby League - Big Tongan Willie[/ame]

[James]

Willie Ripia played 10 in the last three victories the Hurricanes had over the Force with Ma'a Nonu at inside centre. I'm not convinced a ball playing 12 is necessary. So long as a decent option at 12 comes up (I like the idea of Alfie Mafi personally), I say keep O'Connor at 15.

[antiussentiment]

Big willy?

I've spent most of the last three months thinking about a good design for a "we have the greatest willy" banner

:-)

[BDAVEY]

what ever the line up it looks more solid and experianced than last year.... I personally can only see Sheps on the bench as with Browny, the later needs to step up big time this year if even wants to make the touring team to NZ.
where's Dunning guys???

[slomo]

.
where's Dunning guys???

At the pie shop........

[pieter blackie]

where's Dunning guys???

He looked injured he did not partake in much training on Thursday However when Pocock was asked who bench the most the answer was it was Dunning with 185kgs

[GIGS20]

So 2/3rds his weight then?

[Rex Messup]

Dunning is 'ard

It's too hot for the big unit

He'll be a Force in 2011

It's a long season