Rugby Union - Australia v All Blacks

AUSTRALIA A vs NZ MAORI - Pacific Nations Cup Final.

Australia A Squad - Gerrad,Mitchell,Turinui,Tahu,Ioane,Halangahau,Sheehin,Brown,Salvi,McMeniman,Kimlin,Campbell,Sheperdson,Hardman,Kepu...Bench - Ulugia,Ma'afu,Humphries,Houston,Lucas,Norton-Knight and Carraro.

NZ Maori Squad - (The team has'nt been relesed yet but you can read the squad and you get a fair idea of who will play for the Maori:Forwards:Malmanche,Murray,Braid,Elliot,Ross,Eaton,Messiam,Waldrom,Waldrom,May,Newland,Triggs,MacDonald,Ellison,Cameron,Filipo,Latimer,,,,Backs:Bruce,Sweeney,Gear,Weepu,Brett,Bateman,Lawrence,Smylie,Horton,Kawau,Paku,Ellison,Ripia.



The teams have alot of talent in their ranks with the Australian Backline looking very,very good but their forward pack lacks alot and that is an area where the Maoris will try to get over the Aussies,speed wise the Backs are about even but the Aussies biggest threat in this match will surprisingly come from two Maoris in Turinui and Tahu who could really set their outside speedsters up very well and Ioane and Mitchell with Gerrad all have speed to burn so the Maoris won't want to turn cheap ball over with space for the Aussies to start running and I expect that Maoris game plan to be very much through the Forwards and to only use their backline when they have drawn enough of the Aussies into the ruck area or they could be caught short by the speedy Aussie backline.

It's intrestig to note that the Australians have out scored the Maori in this Tournament by alot the Australians have scored 202 while the Maoris have scored 113,the Australians have conceeded 56 while the Maoris have conceeded 44,so all in all the sides look very equal.

The Australians have won all 4 of their games and have beaten Japan 21-42,Samoa 15-20 and where they get most of their points from in a demolition of Tonga 90-7 and last weeks win 50-13 over Fiji.

The Maori have played and won all 4 of their games to date..20-9 over Tonga,a 11-7 win over Fiji in shocking conditions,17-6 over the Samoas and last weeks win over Japan 65-22 a game in which they were losing at half time and then stromed home to win that game.

The NZ Maori team have a very proud tradition and don't go down to often and looking at both theses sides this game will be close,as I siad the Aussies have the better backline but the Maoris have the better forwards and probaly have a better halves combination also,mistake wil need to be at a premium and although this match is being played in Sydney I expect the crowd to be very much split as alot of Maoris and European NZers will show up to watch this game,the Aussies might be at home and have a couple of Maori Boyus in their ranks but I think it won't be enough and the Maoris will sneak it in large part thanks to their forward pack,the Maoris don't lose many matches at all and I don't think they will lose this one either...Take the NZ Maoris to win the 2008 Pacific Nations Cup...Good Luck.



Pick : NZ Maori WIN
Odds : 2.35
Stake : 9 / 10
Bookmaker : TAB(NZ)
Match Result :
Tipster Personal Link/Sponsor:

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