All Blacks 2021
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@tim daylight is a distant 2nd.
IMO Nock has the closest game to Smith but he is a fairway off the ABs, inconsistent and can't start for the Blues (although as I've mentioned all year this is part of the issue at the blues for 9)
Had Fakatava not been injured i think he'd have been a shoe in for the squad, but we have TJP or Webber to back up...
I wouldn't be keen on Christie, TTT, Hall or Steve Smiths twin...so the cupboard is bare.
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@tim daylight is a distant 2nd.
IMO Nock has the closest game to Smith but he is a fairway off the ABs, inconsistent and can't start for the Blues (although as I've mentioned all year this is part of the issue at the blues for 9)
Had Fakatava not been injured i think he'd have been a shoe in for the squad, but we have TJP or Webber to back up...
I wouldn't be keen on Christie, TTT, Hall or Steve Smiths twin...so the cupboard is bare.
@taniwharugby Not at all keen on Weber or Christie. Other than Fakatava, Roe and Nock are the only others with the skills.
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@taniwharugby Not at all keen on Weber or Christie. Other than Fakatava, Roe and Nock are the only others with the skills.
@tim Roigard looks bloody decent but he’s far too young.
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The tight five selections for the next squad seem pretty locked in now (Moody is out), except for 3rd tight head prop.
Props
Karl Tu'inukuafe
Aidan Ross
Alex Hodgman
Nepo Laulala
Ofa Tu'ungafasi
?Hookers
Codie Taylor
Dane Coles
Asafo AumuaLocks
Sam Whitelock
Brodie Retallick
Patrick Tuipulotu
Scott BarrettTrain with the team:
Tamaiti Williams
Samisoni Taukei'aho
Tupou Vaa'i@tim surely Lomax, he’s been decent this year.
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@tim Roigard looks bloody decent but he’s far too young.
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@canes4life Yeah, guys like him and Roe are too young yet. Maybe worth giving them some time training with the squad though.
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@taniwharugby Not at all keen on Weber or Christie. Other than Fakatava, Roe and Nock are the only others with the skills.
@tim said in All Blacks 2021:
Not at all keen on Weber or Christie
I think Christie probably will get picked though. Apparently he was going to get called up last year but got sick
With the lack of depth they might want to cap him before Scotland do
I can't remember the last time the halfback depth was this shitty?
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@taniwharugby Not at all keen on Weber or Christie. Other than Fakatava, Roe and Nock are the only others with the skills.
@tim said in All Blacks 2021:
@taniwharugby Not at all keen on Weber or Christie. Other than Fakatava, Roe and Nock are the only others with the skills.
With TJP unavailable, Weber will make it. Not a fan, but that’s the situation with many inexperienced halfbacks and the couple of experienced ones being overlooked.
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@machpants said in All Blacks 2021:
Play DMac there as an emergency measure, then keep him in the pocket as an RWC back up!
TBH playing at halfback seems a silly way to utilise DMacs skills. He is best as first or second receiver on multiple phases. He basically carried the Chiefs this year doing that.
I don’t think just because he’s small that should automatically make him a halfback. If that was the thinking let’s give Mo a go there too.
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@tim said in All Blacks 2021:
@taniwharugby Not at all keen on Weber or Christie. Other than Fakatava, Roe and Nock are the only others with the skills.
With TJP unavailable, Weber will make it. Not a fan, but that’s the situation with many inexperienced halfbacks and the couple of experienced ones being overlooked.
@act-crusader said in All Blacks 2021:
@tim said in All Blacks 2021:
@taniwharugby Not at all keen on Weber or Christie. Other than Fakatava, Roe and Nock are the only others with the skills.
With TJP unavailable, Weber will make it. Not a fan, but that’s the situation with many inexperienced halfbacks and the couple of experienced ones being overlooked.
Wah, my two Crusaders are being overlooked. (Just thought I’d translate that for any newcomers).
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The tight five selections for the next squad seem pretty locked in now (Moody is out), except for 3rd tight head prop.
Props
Karl Tu'inukuafe
Aidan Ross
Alex Hodgman
Nepo Laulala
Ofa Tu'ungafasi
?Hookers
Codie Taylor
Dane Coles
Asafo AumuaLocks
Sam Whitelock
Brodie Retallick
Patrick Tuipulotu
Scott BarrettTrain with the team:
Tamaiti Williams
Samisoni Taukei'aho
Tupou Vaa'i@tim Personally I've not been particularly blown away by either Patrick T or Dane Coles this year. Senior players, with lots of experience and some great past performances but I'm not fully convinced about them as ABs going forward. Think Vaii and Eklund might be better players.
I'd give the Third Prop slot to Tamaiti Williams. Think he's an outstanding prospect.
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@taniwharugby Not at all keen on Weber or Christie. Other than Fakatava, Roe and Nock are the only others with the skills.
@tim said in All Blacks 2021:
@taniwharugby Not at all keen on Weber or Christie. Other than Fakatava, Roe and Nock are the only others with the skills.
Half Back is the position where selection is problematic.
Of the older guys it's Aaron Smith then daylight, then some more daylight. Weber and Drummond are adequate at international at best. Hall might do a job for the ABs especially in tandem with Mo'unga. TJP has been repeatedly tried and found wanting. Not convinced by TTT, Nock or Christie.
Of the young guys I rate Fakatava (but he's injured and might not be NZ available) and Roe (but the Chiefs haven't given him huge game time).
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@tim Personally I've not been particularly blown away by either Patrick T or Dane Coles this year. Senior players, with lots of experience and some great past performances but I'm not fully convinced about them as ABs going forward. Think Vaii and Eklund might be better players.
I'd give the Third Prop slot to Tamaiti Williams. Think he's an outstanding prospect.
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@sparky said in All Blacks 2021:
Personally I've not been particularly blown away by either Patrick T or Dane Coles this year
Patrick hasn’t started a game since March. He’s finally over the injury and was strong off the bench yesterday
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@tim Roigard looks bloody decent but he’s far too young.
@canes4life said in All Blacks 2021:
@tim Roigard looks bloody decent but he’s far too young.
I like what I've seen of Roigard but think he needs more Rugby under his belt before being considered for the International squad.
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@canes4life said in All Blacks 2021:
@tim Roigard looks bloody decent but he’s far too young.
I like what I've seen of Roigard but think he needs more Rugby under his belt before being considered for the International squad.
@sparky 100% he's only twenty. A few more years in Super will do him good, I just hope the Canes have signed him up.
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@duluth If he has been a bit injured all season then that would explain the drop off in his performance. Agree that Patrick Tuipulotu looked sharp yesterday. Worth his place in the squad if fully fit. If not there's Vaii or PPP.
@sparky said in All Blacks 2021:
@duluth If he has been a bit injured all season then that would explain the drop off in his performance. Agree that Patrick Tuipulotu looked sharp yesterday. Worth his place in the squad if fully fit. If not there's Vaii or PPP.
His lack of performance is down to not playing.
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@tim said in All Blacks 2021:
@taniwharugby Not at all keen on Weber or Christie. Other than Fakatava, Roe and Nock are the only others with the skills.
With TJP unavailable, Weber will make it. Not a fan, but that’s the situation with many inexperienced halfbacks and the couple of experienced ones being overlooked.
@act-crusader said in All Blacks 2021:
@tim said in All Blacks 2021:
@taniwharugby Not at all keen on Weber or Christie. Other than Fakatava, Roe and Nock are the only others with the skills.
With TJP unavailable, Weber will make it. Not a fan, but that’s the situation with many inexperienced halfbacks and the couple of experienced ones being overlooked.
I quite like Hall, but I think I'm influenced by the rugby podcast as much as his form (or relative lack of it).
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If everyone's fit I'd pick the following in the back row squad:
Sam Cane, Cullen Grace, Akira Ioane, Dalton Papali'i, Ardie Savea, Hoskins Sotutu
Ethan Blackadder, Shannon Frizell, Luke Jacobson and Tom Robinson have all had some cracking performances in Super Rugby this year. Even if they lack the physically of my top 6.
