North vs South

[Yeetyaah]

Wasn't the first province basis how it was traditionally chosen? Minus the 2012 game.

[Number 10]

It was the province you were playing for at the time. There are a number of players who have played for both Islands over the years.

[mariner4life]

everyone is giong to be very disappointed if this is more All Star game than State of Origin

[Kiwiwomble]

@mariner4life my money is on all star, lots of fancy moves and individual brilliance and little caring about winning

[Machpants]

@Kiwiwomble said in North vs South:

@mariner4life my money is on all star, lots of fancy moves and individual brilliance and little caring about winning

Hope so, and hopefully they have Phoenix there like the blues games. Happy then

[Bovidae]

This game will be a trial of sorts for the coaches too, as it will be their first chance to work with these players as "AB coaches".

[KiwiMurph]

Whilst the teams depth may be uneven, the quality of player overall should be higher than the last North-South game in 2012 which didn't include current ABs (at the time) and was played in front of 7500 fans.

See squads below.

North Island

Forwards: Jeffery Toomaga-Allen (Hurricanes), Toby Smith (Chiefs), Josh Hohneck (Chiefs), Dane Coles (Hurricanes), Tom McCartney (Blues), James Broadhurst (Hurricanes), Michael Fitzgerald (Chiefs), Filo Paulo (Blues), Faifili Levave (Hurricanes), Brad Shields (Hurricanes), Scott Waldrom (Chiefs), Luke Braid (Blues)

Backs: Brendon Leonard (Chiefs), Alby Mathewson (Blues), Andrew Horrell (Chiefs), Hadleigh Parkes (Blues), Richard Buckman (Hurricanes), Charles Piutau (New Zealand Sevens), David Raikuna (Blues), Lelia Masaga (Chiefs), Lachie Munro (Blues), Robbie Robinson (Chiefs)

South Island

Forwards: Jamie Mackintosh (Highlanders), Chris King (Highlanders), Ma'afu Fia (Highlanders), Jason Rutledge (Highlanders), Quentin MacDonald (Crusaders), Jarrad Hoeata (Highlanders), Tom Donnelly (Crusaders), Culum Retallick (Highlanders), Tim Boys (Highlanders), Scott Fuglistaller (Highlanders), Matt Todd (Crusaders), Luke Whitelock (Crusaders)

Backs: Jimmy Cowan (Highlanders), Willi Heinz (Crusaders), Tom Marshall (Crusaders), Glenn Dickson (Highlanders), Kendrick Lynn (Highlanders), Adam Whitelock (Crusaders), Kade Poki (Highlanders), Buxton Poppali'i (Highlanders), Patrick Osborne (Crusaders), Kurt Baker (Highlanders)

[gt12]

@KiwiMurph said in North vs South:

Whilst the teams depth may be uneven, the quality of player overall should be higher than the last North-South game in 2012 which didn't include current ABs (at the time) and was played in front of 7500 fans.

See squads below.

North Island

Forwards: Jeffery Toomaga-Allen (Hurricanes), Toby Smith (Chiefs), Josh Hohneck (Chiefs), **Dane Coles** (Hurricanes), Tom McCartney (Blues), James Broadhurst (Hurricanes), Michael Fitzgerald (Chiefs), Filo Paulo (Blues), Faifili Levave (Hurricanes), Brad Shields (Hurricanes), Scott Waldrom (Chiefs), Luke Braid (Blues)

Backs: Brendon Leonard (Chiefs), Alby Mathewson (Blues), Andrew Horrell (Chiefs), Hadleigh Parkes (Blues), Richard Buckman (Hurricanes), Charles Piutau (New Zealand Sevens), David Raikuna (Blues), Lelia Masaga (Chiefs), Lachie Munro (Blues), Robbie Robinson (Chiefs)

South Island

Forwards: Jamie Mackintosh (Highlanders), Chris King (Highlanders), Ma'afu Fia (Highlanders), Jason Rutledge (Highlanders), Quentin MacDonald (Crusaders), Jarrad Hoeata (Highlanders), Tom Donnelly (Crusaders), Culum Retallick (Highlanders), Tim Boys (Highlanders), Scott Fuglistaller (Highlanders), Matt Todd (Crusaders), Luke Whitelock (Crusaders)

Backs: Jimmy Cowan (Highlanders), Willi Heinz (Crusaders), Tom Marshall (Crusaders), Glenn Dickson (Highlanders), Kendrick Lynn (Highlanders), Adam Whitelock (Crusaders), Kade Poki (Highlanders), Buxton Poppali'i (Highlanders), Patrick Osborne (Crusaders), Kurt Baker (Highlanders)

Coles! This could be a good trivia question.

[Kiwiwomble]

says something when so many of the South Island team are Landers

[Kiwiwomble]

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/north-vs-south-all-blacks-playmaker-josh-ioane-admits-being-torn-over-playing-for-south-island/?fbclid=IwAR0ye0Te2VJLzqZLaV-FzUV7y-Z806odt76vru-YnhmTphliwr7Mj-Z6rAM

obviously didn't do a hell of a lot of consultation with "top" players

[Bovidae]

Of course not!

This was always going to be an exercise in finding the selection criteria that maximised the number of players they (the AB selectors) wanted to be playing in the game.

[pukunui]

If these guys were so connected to their roots maybe they should have signed for their home provinces in the first place.

All levels of rugby have artificial movement of players. Lines could be drawn all over the place and there would always be people on the “wrong” side of it.

[booboo]

@nzzp said in North vs South:

@KiwiMurph that's really cool, but I just cannot get excited about it at all. Seems way to artificial.

A trial match, on the other hand, I'd be on like kong

You don't remember the days of All Black trials do you ... ?

[Machpants]

It's a trial by a different name, why is this any different from Prob vs Pos? Just, theoretically, a bit more even.

[Kiwiwomble]

@pukunui ....getting signed by a province isn't just up to the player...if so i'd be currently signed up to a pretty generous contract with Otago and the Highlanders

[pukunui]

@Kiwiwomble said in North vs South:

@pukunui ....getting signed by a province isn't just up to the player...if so i'd be currently signed up to a pretty generous contract with Otago and the Highlanders

I understand that. It’s just a bit rich being happy to represent a province you aren’t from for money/career reason, then complaining about playing for that province making you eligible for the island that you aren’t form.

Don’t be a mercenary in the first place.

[Kiwiwomble]

i mean, its their job. dont get me wrong, i love it when local boys come through, i even learnt forgive Tony brown and Ben smith for being kings boys...but if their local team is stacked in their position i dont blame them for looking elsewhere

I only resent Richie McCaw slightly for deserting Otago

I kind of like that this game is seen by players in this way, makes me think it might mean a bit more to them...just a pity some arent getting to play for the team they consider theirs

I think just asking all the plaers to declare who they wanted to represent could have been interesting

[taniwharugby]

@Kiwiwomble maybe ask players to say which they prefer and why (in 100 words or less haha) as I am sure people have other deeper affiliations to places...am sure it would end up being as 'even' as any other kind of criteria

[Kiwiwomble]

@taniwharugby it wouldn't have to be lame, they could have made it a "thing", groups of players announcing their affiliation in the weeks building up to it, as people announce rugby tragics like us would have re calc who we thought wold be in each team etc

[voodoo]

They should have done it the way the NBA All Star game is done now. Announce 2 captains, I guess Sam Cane and one other (maybe the highest capped player), then let them select their teams player by player, school yard style. Imagine the TV audience in NZ for that draft?