What new players would you like to see in all blacks next year
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@antipodean He was pretty good in the Top 14. He just needs game time there in black. They shouldn't pick him at wing at all. The only thing that I find worrying is he said that he shed some kilos, bc "you don't need the bulk to play in NZ"
Idk if coaches simply allowed this or instructed him to do this. It's idiotic, bc a player's conditioning should be aimed at what works FOR TEST LEVEL (not for domestic level) imo. -
@S3L3CTOR said in What new players would you like to see in all blacks next year:
@antipodean He was pretty good in the Top 14.
Statistically he was one of, if not the worst centers defensively.
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@antipodean I admit that defense is a work on. However, if the all blacks can waste years on Reiko (whose first time tackling and initial defensive reads were poor, but had enough pace to semi-correct his own mistakes via scrambling defence) and had little attacking upside at 13, they can give Leicester a run to settle/form a partnership. YMMV.
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@S3L3CTOR said in What new players would you like to see in all blacks next year:
I think the ABs will struggle at RWC2027 if they don't select a backline similar to the following by the end of 2026. It's experimental and I just call it the "50-22 and then play from there" backline:
- Roigard (backup = Pledger)
- Chay Fihaki (huge boot)
- Caleb Clarke
- Timoci T
- Leicester F
- Caleb Tangitau
- Kyren Taumoefolau (huge boot)
Power in midfield. Back three that have elite speed and are also great under high ball. Fullback is tall, posseses a great vertical leap and a sizeable boot.
Notes:
- No Beauden, bc he has an incomplete skillset for 10 (not a goalkicker; poor tactical kicker; not a great passer)
- No Jordie, bc he lacks power and is also not great distributor
- No Jordan, bc not 100% under high ball, doesn't possess a boot, and generally falters against physical in-your-face teams like the Boks.
- No Carter, bc his defensive positioning and high ball work is iffy.
- No Dmac, but one of either he or Carter (covers 9, 11, 14) or Narawa (covers 11, 13, and 15) will provide impact from bench imo.
This team has two tactical kickers capable of successfully pulling off 50-22s (depending on angles and field position) and enough pace to prevent many quick throw-ins.
The 10-12-13 combination has real attacking venom. However, in defence, their power can be used against some of the best opposition 10s (e.g. Sascha, Ntamack, any wallaby 10) in two ways:
i) Having a sizeable 10 who can tackle and perhaps achieve dominant tackles, it might create turnover opportunities (something that both Timoci and Leicester specialise in)
ii) Since Sascha, Libbok, and Ntamack are more likely to run with the ball than kick, the 10-12-13 axis may have opportunities to execute a turnover of possession via the "held up...maul" method. For some unknown reason, the boks have probably been the most vulnerable to this tactic over the years.
Speed of NZ wingers and outside backs (4 levels):
ELITE:
Tangitau
Taumoefolau
Carter
MansonNEAR-ELITE:
Clarke
ENSGOOD PACE:
Jordan
NarawaSLOW:
Reece
ReikoUNDER THE HIGH (2 levels):
ELITE:
Clarke
Taumoefolau
Tangitau
Kneepkens
Narawa
ENSSUSPECT:
Jordan
Reece
RiekoLoose Trio:
I believe that Savea unbalances any loose trio that he is part of in much the same as Beauden Barrett unbalances any backline.
Tbh, Sititi is short for an 8 and his predecessor Savea was/is ridiculously light for an 8. Consequently, it's difficult for them to dominate any collision in a game. On the other hand, I think NZ has plenty of short locks who could add value in the loose trio.
6
Choose a fiery short lock e.g. Vaa'i8
Choose a quicker* short lock (perhaps 1cm or 2cm shorter and +/- 2kg lighter than the Vaa'i type) perhaps Ah kuoi OR a more physically abrasive type Will Stoddart Or Zach Gallagher.Basically, the all Blacks need more size at 6 and 8. So, a loose trio like the following:
- Vaai
- Lakai OR Dalton
- Stodart
Front Row:
- Williams
- Lomax/Tosi
Locks:
Holland
Patty T
DarrylThat's about it.
Chay Fihaki at 10? Are you by any chance Chay Fihaki himself or a close mate/relative of his?
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If I was naming a AB 36-man squad now (and everyone was fit).
Props: Ethan De Groot, Tamati Williams, Ofa Tu'angafasi, Fletcher Newell, Tyrell Lomax, Pasilio Tosi
Hooker: Codie Taylor (c), Samisoni Taukeiaho, Asafa Aumua
Locks: Patrick Tuipolutu (vc), Fabian Holland, Tupou Vaii, Josh Lord, Sam Darry
Back row: Josh Beehre, Dalton Papalii, Peter Lakai, Ardie Savea, Wallace Sititi, Hoskins Sotutu (or Devan Flanders if he chooses to be a Pom)
Half Backs: Cam Roigard, Noah Hotham, Dylan Pledger
First Fives: DMac, Rivez Reihana
Midfield: Jordie Barrett (vc), Riley Higgins, Quinn Tupaea, Reiko Ioane, Timoci Tavatavanawi
Wings: Caleb Clarke, Caleb Tangitau, Will Jordan, Leicester Fainga'anuku
Fullback: Ruben Love, Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepens
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@African-Monkey Let me make this perfectly clear. I don't actually like Chay Fihaki as a player and like Jacomb/Ruben as 10s a lot more. However, begrudgingly I have to admit Fihaki solves many problems (i.e. goalkicking, tactical kicking, and most of all defence at 10). And when you don't have a top world class 10 (even top 3 or 4 in the world), you might as well select to neutralize opposition 10s. Also, why is NZ allergic to picking a big 10?
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@S3L3CTOR said in What new players would you like to see in all blacks next year:
@African-Monkey Let me make this perfectly clear. I don't actually like Chay Fihaki as a player and like Jacomb/Ruben as 10s a lot more. However, begrudgingly I have to admit Fihaki solves many problems (i.e. goalkicking, tactical kicking, and most of all defence at 10). And when you don't have a top world class 10 (even top 3 or 4 in the world), you might as well select to neutralize opposition 10s. Also, why is NZ allergic to picking a big 10?
Chay Fihaki is an awful one on one tackler and has never played in the line in his life. It's also a lot different kicking constantly from first receiver as opposed to being 2nd receiver with a lot more room. And also, how about his distribution from first receiver?
If maybe you suggested Jordie Barrett and had your reasons for it then yeah, maybe I could follow your thnking, but I think that choosing the temu Israel Dagg maybe just a wee bit out of leftfield.
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@antipodean said in What new players would you like to see in all blacks next year:
@nostrildamus said in What new players would you like to see in all blacks next year:
Iose at 6?
Beehre
my personal pick but I was asking @family man where they saw Iose (potentially)...
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I'd like to see more DMac & Love actually this year and less BB. I can understand they swap DMac around (they know what he can do) to try out other future 10s but Love needs a bit more time in the saddle. Seems to me he is a bit like Roigard in that he wants to get involved, and is assertive - attributes I believe are highly desirable for the backline.
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Hopefully, both Scott Barrett and Beauden Barrett will announce their retirements from international rugby over the summer.
Both great servants of the Black jersey, but they are both not offering enough now. Time for them to stand back and give younger guys a chance.
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@sparky said in What new players would you like to see in all blacks next year:
Both great servants of the Black jersey, but they are both not offering enough now. Time for them to stand back and give younger guys a chance.
I am obviously in the BB can go get a wonderfully padded retirement package but as a lock I don't mind Scott B. Down the pecking order at the moment but he might be coming back to some degree of solid, hardworking form. Just not captain, and has to consistently deserve his position, like all of them. I don't think they should have played him while his leg was healing either. I hope one of their flaws isn't playing their favourites until they break then rushing to the promising but untried alternatives in a lastminute panic.
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@nostrildamus We're looking good in locking department. I'm not sure Scott Barrett is in our top six anymore.
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@nostrildamus said in What new players would you like to see in all blacks next year:
@sparky said in What new players would you like to see in all blacks next year:
Both great servants of the Black jersey, but they are both not offering enough now. Time for them to stand back and give younger guys a chance.
I am obviously in the BB can go get a wonderfully padded retirement package but as a lock I don't mind Scott B. Down the pecking order at the moment but he might be coming back to some degree of solid, hardworking form. Just not captain, and has to consistently deserve his position, like all of them. I don't think they should have played him while his leg was healing either. I hope one of their flaws isn't playing their favourites until they break then rushing to the promising but untried alternatives in a lastminute panic.
Definitely one of their fatal flaws!
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@sparky said in What new players would you like to see in all blacks next year:
@nostrildamus We're looking good in locking department. I'm not sure Scott Barrett is in our top six anymore.
Wow! That's a big fall from grace! Do you have an idea of how the locks now/could rank? I was thinking he could be around 3rd or 4th, I can imagine 5th but 6th? I suspect the coaches see him as a bolt-on starter when fit.
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