2020 All Blacks Squad
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@booboo I thought Bender had gone to Pau? Is he available through some contract deal i.e coming back for a while?
@Snowy I'm surprised to see his name there, too. I think his ABs days are up, regardless. Time for the next generation. Plenty of good wings/fullbacks.
I also don't think Cruden - although eligible - will play for the ABs again, unless both BB and RM are injured.
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@booboo I thought Bender had gone to Pau? Is he available through some contract deal i.e coming back for a while?
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@Stargazer said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
The big unknowns at SR level, at the moment, are Flanders (6/8) and Toala (12/15), but they're certainly players to look out for.
Thanks Gazer.
Flanders was one that had previously occurred to me but forgot.
Know nothing about Toala. He in the Canes?
@booboo said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@Stargazer said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
The big unknowns at SR level, at the moment, are Flanders (6/8) and Toala (12/15), but they're certainly players to look out for.
Know nothing about Toala. He in the Canes?
Sky Sport is reading the Fern. They just posted this:
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Teariki Ben-Nicholas ? He was the best Nr.8 of the Mitre 10 Cup. It will be interesting what can he do at a higher level. Reminds me of Ron Cribb.
@cgrant Whether he was the best no. 8 in M10 Cup is debatable, and Mikaele-Tu'u looked better in the preseason games. TBN frequently looked indecisive and made a couple of costly mistakes (one resulting in a Crusaders try). IMO it's way too soon to think of him in terms of ABs, but it will definitely be interesting to see how he'll go at SR level.
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Teariki Ben-Nicholas ? He was the best Nr.8 of the Mitre 10 Cup. It will be interesting what can he do at a higher level. Reminds me of Ron Cribb.
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My bolter for end of year tour is Isaia Walker-Leawere.
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My bolter for end of year tour is Isaia Walker-Leawere.
@Canes4life said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
My bolter for end of year tour is Isaia Walker-Leawere.
igf i remember my Foster's Chiefs days correctly, expect to see a heap of undeserving Waikato players
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not sure Tom Robinson he would be a bolter this year, as he was apparently very much on the radar last year, although guess it depends if they were looking at him as a lock/6 or 6/lock and how/where the Blues play him or if he suffers 2nd season syndrome that many others get afflicted by.
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Cullen Grace my bolter for end of year tour
@chchfanatic as a lock or loose forward?
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not sure Tom Robinson he would be a bolter this year, as he was apparently very much on the radar last year, although guess it depends if they were looking at him as a lock/6 or 6/lock and how/where the Blues play him or if he suffers 2nd season syndrome that many others get afflicted by.
@taniwharugby said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
not sure Tom Robinson he would be a bolter this year, as he was apparently very much on the radar last year, although guess it depends if they were looking at him as a lock/6 or 6/lock and how/where the Blues play him or if he suffers 2nd season syndrome that many others get afflicted by.
His workrate was singled out as a key point of attraction. Test rugby demands that kind of dedication and workrate.
The term 'bolter' is misleading anyway. To me it is the selection that we don't even see coming but the selectors see a skillset that they want.
Robinson is certainly a possibility for a rookie position on the EOYT.
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@chchfanatic as a lock or loose forward?
@Canes4life loose forward. Too small for a lock. Apparently he was the best forward in the preseason. Amazing kid tough as nails. Hard ginger
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@Canes4life loose forward. Too small for a lock. Apparently he was the best forward in the preseason. Amazing kid tough as nails. Hard ginger
@chchfanatic so there are three hard ginger looseforwards/locks in New Zealand. Which one of Grace/Blackwell/Robinson will make the A.Bs first... IMO they should all be on the side of the scrum, however the Blues and Canes seem to think their versions are lock worthy.
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@chchfanatic so there are three hard ginger looseforwards/locks in New Zealand. Which one of Grace/Blackwell/Robinson will make the A.Bs first... IMO they should all be on the side of the scrum, however the Blues and Canes seem to think their versions are lock worthy.
@Canes4life said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@chchfanatic so there are three hard ginger looseforwards/locks in New Zealand. Which one of Grace/Blackwell/Robinson will make the A.Bs first... IMO they should all be on the side of the scrum, however the Blues and Canes seem to think their versions are lock worthy.
Not Blackwell.
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@Canes4life said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@chchfanatic so there are three hard ginger looseforwards/locks in New Zealand. Which one of Grace/Blackwell/Robinson will make the A.Bs first... IMO they should all be on the side of the scrum, however the Blues and Canes seem to think their versions are lock worthy.
Not Blackwell.
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@Stargazer why not?
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@Canes4life Do you really have to ask? He already is a miniature lock at SR level, let alone test level.
@Stargazer I know he isn’t a lock, he’s a blindside flanker and he made a pretty good impression there before Plumtree and co somehow felt he needed to be in the second row. He played most of his school career at 6 and I think if he gets a chance to move back there he has a good shot at getting to the next level.
I remember Blackwell had as many wraps on him as Grace when he came into the Hurricanes, too bad the Hurricanes have poor judgement of height.
