All Blacks XV - New second tier team

[Tim]

Back three is hard to pick with so much talent about.

MacKenzie and Havili for AB fullbacks, with Ioane and Reece on the wing? Throw in a last chance for George Bridge, though I really hope not. I could also see them taking Jordie Barrett, though I really don't want to see him on the wing.

Contenders:

Telea
Stevenson
Wainui
Alaimalo
Goosen
Leicester Fainga'anuku
Will Jordan
Perofeta

There's also some players with the Sevens squad. Tough to pick.

[Tim]

Any takers to pick a 23?

[Kirwan]

Kind of would like to see the ABs play the AB XV

[taniwharugby]

@Kirwan they could call it like Probables vs Possibles or summink?

[Kirwan]

@taniwharugby said in All Blacks XV - New second tier team:

@Kirwan they could call it like Probables vs Possibles or summink?

Yes, I miss those. Which was my poorly expressed point.

[Tim]

Can't answer the loose forward without looking at the ABs too. Last year's players were probably the weakest selection in a long time. Only two will be certain picks this year: Cane and Savea, who both prefer openside.

Openside:

Papalii
Bosher
Kirifi
Christie

Blindside:

Papalii
Robinson
Bosher
Jacobson
Fifita
Grace
Frizell

Number Eight:

(Savea)
Ioane
Sotutu
Jacobson
Evans
Mikaele-Tu'u
Douglas

[Kirwan]

@Tim some bloody good players coming through there.

[Tim]

@Kirwan Yeah, traditional strength of NZ indeed.

[Tim]

Be interesting to see if Jordie Barrett plays at 12.

[Bovidae]

@Tim said in All Blacks XV - New second tier team:

Locks

Hopefully Parkinson is back to full fitness and performs.

[Tim]

Okay, time for a guess at a 23.

1 Ross
2 Coltman
3 Taavao
4 IWL
5 Dunshea
6 Jacobson
7 Kirifi
8 Sotutu
9 Hall
10 Black
11 Talea
12 Faiane
13 Aso
14 Stevenson/Bridge
15 Barrett/Havili/Jordan

16 Aumua
17 Hodgman
18 Lomax
19 GCT
20 Boshier
21 TTT
22 Smith
23 Tupaea

Of course, this will change depending non injuries and form in derby matches.

[Bovidae]

More info here:

I do like the suggestion of rewarding NPC form.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/120132623/nzr-chief-rugby-officer-nigel-cass-denies-all-blacks-xv-will-cheapen-the-jersey

[Tim]

@Bovidae Yeah, is good to see an incentive to play NPC.

[ARHS]

Will hopefully stop a lot of players organising Northern hemisphere gigs after or during npc

[antipodean]

@Bovidae I don't understand the author's contention that it will cheapen the All Black jersey - the second tier teams won't be capped All Blacks unless I've got this all horribly wrong?

[Tim]

The "Maori All Blacks" will still assemble (in July) and Cass said he hoped some of those players would play on both the mid-year Maori tour and at the end of the year with the All Blacks XV..

[Bovidae]

@antipodean My reading of it, is the use of All Blacks in the team name, like the Sevens team. This point has been raised in this thread.

[booboo]

@Tim said in All Blacks XV - New second tier team:

Any takers to pick a 23?

I've been meaning to do a list in the Possible All Blacks thread which would line up all these players in some sort of degree of probability of selection ... But don't have the time I used to ...

[booboo]

@Bovidae said in All Blacks XV - New second tier team:

More info here:

I do like the suggestion of rewarding NPC form.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/120132623/nzr-chief-rugby-officer-nigel-cass-denies-all-blacks-xv-will-cheapen-the-jersey

What a fuct headline

[antipodean]

@Bovidae said in All Blacks XV - New second tier team:

@antipodean My reading of it, is the use of All Blacks in the team name, like the Sevens team. This point has been raised in this thread.

Oh no, the precedent! Next they'll have the Maori All Blacks, or the All Black Sevens...