Lachie Munro ????? SERIOUS !! LAST YEAR PLAYOFFS COOPER SIDE STEPED THAT GUY LIKE "UHM ... WHERE HE GO" (WAS ALSO ONE OF COOPER'S BEST SIDE STEPS I'VE SEEN) MOOVING ALONG ... AS AN SOUTH AFRICAN TRUE SUPPORTER I HAVEND SEEN ANY OF THE PRE SESION GAMES THIS YEAR. ONLY JUDGING FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN LAST YEAR. WHY AINT ICEMAN FULL BACK !? I KNOW WE CAN TAKE THE CUP THIS YEAR BUT SOMETHING TELLS ME THE SAME TIME. NOT !!! COACH LAM ALWAYS HAS A HARD TIME CHOOSING THE A-TEAM AND STICKING TO IT. BY THE WAY I ALREADY GOT MY 1ST TICKETS TO SEE THE BLUES LIVE EVER. BEEN WAITING A FEW YEARS TO SEE THEM SLAUGHTER THE STORMERS IN CAPE TOWN. IF I'LL BE THE ONLY ONE IN THE CROUWD THAT DAY WEARING A BLUE JERSEY I'LL BE WEARING IT PROUDLY !!!!!

Very incisive comment from ORCA. Let's all have a good hard look at this Lachie Munro. There is a golden rule that says "pick your kicker and then pick the team around that" Okay so Piri might be No 1 kicker but he has on and off days. Hobbs and Anscombe - don't know. Munro on the other hand has one of the best percentage rates of sucessful kicks in NZ. And what about Munro's fitness - the fitest of the team and wasn't he the first out of that Navy mudbash??? Now how about versatility - he can play winger, full back, No 10 and did anyione notcie that in the last trail game he was put in at half back. So to all of you "experts" out there, sure you can marvel at the glory boys but my money is on Munro as a match winner. Something that Lan (and Dalton) have taken a long time to wake up to.

Mean looking Forward Pack., I liked the Braid Brothers Starting and Kaino the man at the back. I don't know about the back lines. Toeava should be in the starting team wulf should be on the another wing. L/Munro??? hell no.

Interesting team Pat? I don't like the backline wulf is best on the wing wheres toeava hes our best fullback. Hobbs should be at 12 if you dont trust anscombe why d ur pick him?????.Benson Stanley best centre at the moment and by the way Mr lam Lachie Munro sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!! Regards Jack Darby

@Jack Darby: You armchair selectors all totally miss the point. This game is not the world cup final it is a trial match for the Blues to try different combinations. No doubt there are players like Toeava on the bench but we all know he has the goods. These coaches want to know the best players to come off the bench. If the kicker gets injured who you gonna call........? If a back can cover most of the of the backline it makes sense to have have him on the bench. Maybe they can have an extra forward to win that tight game at altitude on the high veldt..... anyway it make sense to me.

@manonamission: agree with you bro...everyone is critisizing the team and pat lam and the season hasnt even started..WTF? it is just a preseason game and it these are the games where you try different combinations, so when the season starts your well versed with your multiple combinations and their wouldnt be any "trialling" during the season...this allows the coaches to work around injuries and other stuff as well...GO BLUES!!! CHEERS!

@manonamission my selections are not totally missing the point. This match is important to play your best team for every game. Pat Lam doesn't know when to play his best players he should never of been coach. I hope someone agrees with me!!!!!!! Jack Darb

I agree with Riko... you cant start the season without trying players in different positions otherwise when the players in form like the toveava and wulf get injured you will have no idea what kind of players you'll be putting on the field to replace them. Also i do think munro did have a pretty average season last year but their would be no point to just throw him away maybe he's worked hard from last season and could very well end up in great form this year to make up for it.

I am hoping for a full strength side MR Lam! That includes our best possible players! regards Jack Darby

guys, this was only a pre season game!! they've only picked this side to test different players and combinations if say one of their starters were to get injured, and see if they deserve another chance or a spot maybe on the bench. of course toeva's going to start. he's an all black, experienced and one of the blues best players. and i guess munro isn't the most talented player, but rudi wulf shud defntly b starting for the blues with toeava at the back and either stowers or munro on the other wing. i think weepu should be staring also. the guy may not be as fit but he'll get there and he's a very experienced player who's also a winner. why waste talent, i mean he came all the way from the canes.