2020 All Blacks Squad
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Backs will be fine. We have enough core young players that will carry through a cycle (Mounga, TTT, ALB, Goodhue, Reiko, DMac) and plenty of upcoming talent to add in and experiment before upping the experience levels.
Forwards looking OK in the front row and any other problems are no different to what we always face.
The big question for the next cycle is captaincy. SW probably won't be there. Cane has a cloud over him (and is better not being Cap IMO). Coles? Maybe his time off will have extended his career or shown him that he needs to look at the money before his career ends. BBBR is a dark horse option although I can see him looking for an earner at some point through the cycle which wouldn't be ideal for a captain.
I can't see that we want a stopgap captain. Ideally we want someone to own the role and build a reputation.
@crucial said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
I can't see that we want a stopgap captain.
I would prefer we got away from picking long-term, full RWC cycle captains 6-8 years into their career and moved back to 4-6 if possible. We are tempting fate to expect guys to kick on and have 10 or 12 year careers.
If there are no quality candidates who own their jersey, don't have major injury issues and have leadership qualities then I would prefer they went with a Tana style appointment where the expectation is that they probably won't make the next RWC.
Gut feel says that unless Cane can come back with a vengeance it will hinge on which of Barrett, Retallick and Whitelock stay.
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If he keeps going up like he did last year, I'm picking Jack Goodhue as future long term captain.
@majorrage he was captain through most of his age group sides including NZ I think?
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@wairau said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
when will Niko Jones be an AB? 2021?
There's another up-and-comer, but without an AB dad, who'll compete for the same spot. Devan Flanders has future AB written all over him.
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@wairau said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
when will Niko Jones be an AB? 2021?
There's another up-and-comer, but without an AB dad, who'll compete for the same spot. Devan Flanders has future AB written all over him.
@stargazer said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@wairau said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
when will Niko Jones be an AB? 2021?
There's another up-and-comer, but without an AB dad, who'll compete for the same spot. Devan Flanders has future AB written all over him.
Yeah, so did Mitch Jacobson. He's barely getting games at Super level.
"Future AB" is a much, much bigger group of people than "actual AB".
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@stargazer said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@wairau said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
when will Niko Jones be an AB? 2021?
There's another up-and-comer, but without an AB dad, who'll compete for the same spot. Devan Flanders has future AB written all over him.
Yeah, so did Mitch Jacobson. He's barely getting games at Super level.
"Future AB" is a much, much bigger group of people than "actual AB".
@chester-draws Yup, true that. I was just adding a name to the list.
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@wairau said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
when will Niko Jones be an AB? 2021?
There's another up-and-comer, but without an AB dad, who'll compete for the same spot. Devan Flanders has future AB written all over him.
@stargazer said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@wairau said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
when will Niko Jones be an AB? 2021?
There's another up-and-comer, but without an AB dad, who'll compete for the same spot. Devan Flanders has future AB written all over him.
Niko Jones gets first dibs as he has a much cooler name.
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@stargazer said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@wairau said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
when will Niko Jones be an AB? 2021?
There's another up-and-comer, but without an AB dad, who'll compete for the same spot. Devan Flanders has future AB written all over him.
Niko Jones gets first dibs as he has a much cooler name.
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@bones said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@crucial Taylor the dark horse for captain?
Yeah, I considered him too.
Don't know of his leadership qualities but maybe he's one of those guys like Whitelock that is quiet but effective.
I'd love to see BBBR step up. For some reason I think he'd make a great captain but can understand that NZRU would have to pull a pretty huge deal to stop him having at least a sabbatical earner.@crucial said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
I'd love to see BBBR step up. For some reason I think he'd make a great captain but can understand that NZRU would have to pull a pretty huge deal to stop him having at least a sabbatical earner.
BBBR is even reluctant to captain the Chiefs. He's done it once as a late replacement. Cooper may revert back to him next year, which is probably not a bad idea looking at the bigger picture.
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@crucial said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
I'd love to see BBBR step up. For some reason I think he'd make a great captain but can understand that NZRU would have to pull a pretty huge deal to stop him having at least a sabbatical earner.
BBBR is even reluctant to captain the Chiefs. He's done it once as a late replacement. Cooper may revert back to him next year, which is probably not a bad idea looking at the bigger picture.
@bovidae said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@crucial said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
I'd love to see BBBR step up. For some reason I think he'd make a great captain but can understand that NZRU would have to pull a pretty huge deal to stop him having at least a sabbatical earner.
BBBR is even reluctant to captain the Chiefs. He's done it once as a late replacement. Cooper may revert back to him next year, which is probably not a bad idea looking at the bigger picture.
Some guys are not captain material
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Now that Foster is the coach, you guys are not picking anywhere near enough undeserved Waikato players in your teams...
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I reckon there will be a bunch of guys ive never heard of .
@kiwiinmelb said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
I reckon there will be a bunch of guys ive never heard of .
Welcome to my last 10 years of AB support.
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Now that Foster is the coach, you guys are not picking anywhere near enough undeserved Waikato players in your teams...
@mariner4life said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
Now that Foster is the coach, you guys are not picking anywhere near enough undeserved Waikato players in your teams...
Actually, now you mention it, Mitch Jacobson might get to be an AB after all!
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Now that Foster is the coach, you guys are not picking anywhere near enough undeserved Waikato players in your teams...
@mariner4life At least he'd cull BOP deadweights like Harris.
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@mariner4life At least he'd cull BOP deadweights like Harris.
@bovidae said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@mariner4life At least he'd cull BOP deadweights like Harris.
I. Am. Triggered. As. FUCK!!!
(but yea, fucking Harris. How can a dude accurately grubber with the left but not hit a lineout!!!!)
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@mariner4life At least he'd cull BOP deadweights like Harris.
@bovidae said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@mariner4life At least he'd cull BOP deadweights like Harris.
Not judging on previous history, he wouldn't.
De Malmanche was an excellent hooker apart from his truly terrible line-out throwing. Foster kept him as starter, naturally.
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@crucial That's why I referred to (not) having an AB dad. Having ABs in your family seems to get you further ...
@stargazer said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@crucial That's why I referred to (not) having an AB dad. Having ABs in your family seems to get you further ...
Nepotism aside, Devan Flanders is not a name you’d give the hero in a cool movie.
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@sparky said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@mn5 My sauces tell me that DMac pulls with a hamstring injury so Willl Jordan gets his Test Debut.
Special sauces?
@mn5 said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@sparky said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@mn5 My sauces tell me that DMac pulls with a hamstring injury so Willl Jordan gets his Test Debut.
Special sauces?
It is like reading tea leaves I guess. Soothsayers used to read entrails so why not a sauce?
