Well, this is part 4 of my year in review so here's another of those best blogs with the most views of the month from the July - August period beginning with All Blacks team naming against Argentina (2019 Rugby Championship):
Well (After our disappointing Cricket World Cup final for the Black Caps against England in a super over to decide the fate of the World Cup at Lord's in London but we are now focused on the rugby because it is time to move on from the cricket), the All Blacks have named their team against Argentina in our 1st test match of the year as well as the opening game of the 2019 Rugby Championship season (It's a shortened championship due to World Cup year) at Estadio Jose Amalfitani in Buenos Aires so here is the starting lineup in it's entirety:
PLAYING XV
FRONT ROW
1 (Loose head prop): Ofa Tu'ungafasi (Blues/Auckland)
2 (Hooker): Dane Coles (Hurricanes/Wellington)
3 (Tight head prop): Angus Ta'avao (Chiefs/Taranaki)
SECOND ROW
4 (Lock): Brodie Retallick (Chiefs/Hawke's Bay)
5 (Lock): Patrick Tuipulotu (Blues/Auckland)
BACK ROW
6 (Blind side flanker): Vaea Fifita (Hurricanes/Wellington)
7 (Open side flanker): Sam Cane (Captain, Chiefs/Bay Of Plenty)
8 (Number 8): Ardie Savea (Hurricanes/Wellington)
HALVES
9 (Half-back): Aaron Smith (Highlanders/Manawatu)
10 (First five-eighth): Beauden Barrett (Hurricanes/Taranaki)
MIDFIELD
12 (Second five-eighth): Ngani Laumape (Hurricanes/Manawatu)
13 (Centre): Anton Lienert-Brown (Chiefs/Waikato)
OUTSIDE BACKS
11 (Left wing): Jordie Barrett (Hurricanes/Taranaki)
14 (Right wing): Sevu Reece (Crusaders/Waikato)
& 15 (Fullback): Ben Smith (Highlanders/Otago)
And in the reserves are:
16. Liam Coltman (Who replaces Nathan Harris who is dropped from the 39 man All Blacks squad for the 2019 Rugby Championship)
17. Atu Moli (Who is in line to make his test debut off the bench)
18. Nepo Laulala (Who is dropped to the bench to make way for Angus Ta'avao who is elevated to the starting lineup)
19. Jackson Hemopo (Who comes into the side to replace Brodie Retallick who is also elevated to the starting lineup)
20. Luke Jacobson (Who is also in line to make his test debut off the bench)
21. Brad Weber (Who is back in the fold 4 years after playing his last test against Samoa)
22. Josh Ioane (Who'll make his test debut off the bench along with Atu Moli & Luke Jacobson)
& 23. Braydon Ennor (Who'll also make his test debut off the bench along with Moli, Jacobson & Josh Ioane)
And the 2nd one is taken from All Blacks team naming against the Wallabies for Bledisloe I (2019 Rugby Championship) + RIP Sir Brian Lochore, PNC round 2 review, Beauden Barrett joins Blues (My 1st blog of August 2019) & 2019 Ashes 1st test review:
Well, the All Blacks (Who missed out on a win against the Springboks (Who snatched it right at the death to seal a draw with a kick to come but they need a win against Argentina to win their 1st Rugby Championship (Well, they won the Tri Nations before 3 times (1998, 2004 & 2009) but never won a Rugby Championship but who will go into the Rugby World Cup as winners of the Rugby Championship? We'll see) should the AB's lose against Australia) in Wellington, setting the tone for the opening game of the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Yokohama on the 21st of September) have named their team against the Wallabies in the 1st of 2 Bledisloe Cup tests as well as the last round of the Rugby Championship (Well, we need a win against the Aussies to retain our coveted Rugby Championship title should South Africa lose & not get a bonus point against Argentina) at the all new Optus Stadium in Perth so here is the starting lineup in it's entirety:
PLAYING XV
FRONT ROW
1 (Loose head prop): Joe Moody (Crusaders/Canterbury)
2 (Hooker): Dane Coles (Hurricanes/Wellington)
3 (Tight head prop): Owen Franks (Crusaders/Canterbury)
SECOND ROW
4 (Lock): Scott Barrett (Crusaders/Taranaki)
5 (Lock): Sam Whitelock (Crusaders/Canterbury)
BACK ROW
6 (Blind side flanker): Ardie Savea (Hurricanes/Wellington)
7 (Open side flanker): Sam Cane (Chiefs/Bay Of Plenty)
8 (Number 8): Kieran Read (Captain, Crusaders/Counties Manukau)
HALVES
9 (Half-back): Aaron Smith (Highlanders/Manawatu)
10 (First five-eighth): Richie Mo'unga (Crusaders/Canterbury)
MIDFIELD
12 (Second five-eighth): Anton Lienert-Brown (Chiefs/Waikato)
13 (Centre): Jack Goodhue (Crusaders/Northland)
OUTSIDE BACKS
11 (Left wing): Rieko Ioane (Blues/Auckland)
14 (Right wing): Ben Smith (Highlanders/Otago)
& 15 (Fullback): Beauden Barrett (Hurricanes/Taranaki)
And in the reserves are:
16. Codie Taylor (Who replaces Dane Coles with Coles elevated to the starting lineup)
17. Atu Moli (Who returns to replace Ofa Tu'ungafasi as reserve loose head prop)
18. Angus Ta'avao
19. Patrick Tuipulotu (Who is back & raring to go to replace Vaea Fifita)
20. Matt Todd (Who is dropped to the bench replacing Dalton Papali'i)
21. TJ Perenara (Who is dropped to the bench with Aaron Smith returning to start at halfback)
22. Ngani Laumape (Who also replaces Anton Lienert-Brown with Lienert-Brown elevated to the starting lineup)
& 23. George Bridge
And it has been 6 days since one of our All Black rugby legends, Sir Brian 'BJ' Lochore has passed away aged 79 so all thoughts, prayers & condolences to him, RIP (Rest in piece/Rest in pieces/Requiscat en pace/Rest in paradise).
While in the Pacific Nations Cup, Fiji, 2019 RWC hosts Japan, & the USA get their wins against Canada, Tonga & Samoa respectively.
And finally, it has been a month since the struggling Blues franchise have all but confirmed that they signed star All Black & twice World Rugby player of the year, Beauden Barrett on a 4 year deal which takes him right throughout the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France (Well that was a bit of a shock, just like the Hurricanes have signed the late Jonah Lomu from the Chiefs in late 1999 & would gone on to appear for the Canes 29 times from 2000 to the 2003 Super 12 season).
P.S. And Australia has drawn 1st blood in the 2019 Ashes series against England at Edgbaston in Birmingham after Steve Smith scored a century in both the 1st & 2nd (Along with Matthew Wade) innings then both Aussie bowlers Nathan Lyon & Pat Cummins shared all the 10 wickets aside in the 2nd innings.
So that is my 338th blog of the year 2019 (MMXIX) & my 78th of this year (And the real thing is just around the corner but it is happening in 4 days time so I can't wait because I am most looking forward to Christmas).
P.S. And it has been a week since the Christmas parade took place in Whanganui (Me & Pops went) but my favourite part of the Christmas parade was the Star Wars stuff (There was Kylo Ren as well as Darth Vader, Han Solo, Leia, Chewbacca, Darth Vader & the Imperial storm troopers) but it's been 2 days since me, Pops & Pops partner Carole went to see the Star Wars movie which is Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker but the movie was fantastic! Absolutely spot on (And what an incredible way to end the Skywalker saga like this which lasted from 1977 when the 1st Star Wars movie came out until this year) because not only I'm Star Wars mad since I 1st watched my favourite Star Wars movie which is Return Of The Jedi + some glorious scenes including Chewie's survival (Well, I thought that he was dead to start with) as well as The Resistance winning the war against the sinister First Order & Rey (Who was briefly in love with Ben Solo after he embraced the light side (How did he toss his cross guard light saber into the sea? How would he?) but I can't believe he's gone along with Leia as well during Rey's battle with Kylo Ren) using Luke Skywalker's old X-Wing fighter after wrecking Kylo Ren's TIE fighter to confront the evil Emperor & revealing that she is a Skywalker when she famously visited Tatooine after The Resistance had claimed victory over the First Order during the war.
Well, the Skywalker saga of Star Wars in all of a sudden have come to a happy ending at last (Well it 1st came to life when it all began in 1977 when the 1st Star Wars movie came out (It was simply known as Star Wars but changed it to Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope) until this year when they released The Rise Of Skywalker (And what a thrilling conclusion of the Skywalker saga, what a movie for all our viewers around the world).
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