All Blacks 2021
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@kiwimurph I guess. I think the most likely back-ups to Smith and Weber are Drummond and TTT, as both have already been capped. Less likely, but still possible: Christie (heaven forbid) and maybe Roe?
TTT has hardly played, so you'd have to think Drummond? I'd have preferred Hall.
@stargazer yeah I agree. Christie was part of the South squad last year so is on their radar and unlike TTT is getting plenty of playing time. Whoever gets picked will be 'right place right time' rather than knocking the door down.
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TJP's form was pretty dire before he left......
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TJP's form was pretty dire before he left......
@old-samurai-jack said in All Blacks 2021:
TJP's form was pretty dire before he left......
But no worse, at SR level, than what remains - It's time to clone Aaron!
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@old-samurai-jack said in All Blacks 2021:
TJP's form was pretty dire before he left......
But no worse, at SR level, than what remains - It's time to clone Aaron!
@machpants No, Fakatava just needs to get healthy.
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@machpants No, Fakatava just needs to get healthy.
@stargazer said in All Blacks 2021:
@machpants No, Fakatava just needs to get healthy.
Not going to be in time for this year, when does the 3 year thing expire?
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@stargazer said in All Blacks 2021:
@machpants No, Fakatava just needs to get healthy.
Not going to be in time for this year, when does the 3 year thing expire?
@machpants I refer back to the suggestions earlier in this (?) thread about bringing on Fakatava in the last minute of a game of this year's EOYT. He can just run laps on our try line. I'd suggest the game v Italy on Sun 7 November (NZT). If not, then that 3-year residency period becomes a 5-year one, unless they postpone the new rule for another year.
Edited to add that NZR should try to convince the appropriate committee of World Rugby that Fakatava already had his "his primary and permanent home" in NZ when he was still at school. In that case, the residency period can start earlier and not at the time he turned 18 or left school.
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@machpants I refer back to the suggestions earlier in this (?) thread about bringing on Fakatava in the last minute of a game of this year's EOYT. He can just run laps on our try line. I'd suggest the game v Italy on Sun 7 November (NZT). If not, then that 3-year residency period becomes a 5-year one, unless they postpone the new rule for another year.
Edited to add that NZR should try to convince the appropriate committee of World Rugby that Fakatava already had his "his primary and permanent home" in NZ when he was still at school. In that case, the residency period can start earlier and not at the time he turned 18 or left school.
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@stargazer Yeah I really can't see that happening LOL
@machpants Just added something more serious to my previous post.
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do we think Fakatava is so good we'd risk looking that desperate? non of the guys coming through U20's looks good?
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do we think Fakatava is so good we'd risk looking that desperate? non of the guys coming through U20's looks good?
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With 36 names, at least, to be announced in the All Blacks squad this Monday, it's unlikely there will be a host of wildly unpredictable selections or shock omissions.
We can expect a few new names, possibly Leicester Fainga'anuku, and maybe Salesi Ryasi and Finlay Christie, while Brodie Retallick, David Havili and Braydon Ennor should all return after not being involved last year for various reasons.
But 2021 isn't a fresh start year. The door isn't closed to new arrivals, but having only been able to play six tests last year, All Blacks coach Ian Foster has his sights set on building the experience and ability of the group he mostly used last year.
@tim said in All Blacks 2021:
But 2021 isn't a fresh start year. The door isn't closed to new arrivals, but having only been able to play six tests last year, All Blacks coach Ian Foster has his sights set on building the experience and ability of the group he mostly used last year.
awesome. same players, same coaches, but things will be different this time i promise...
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@kiwiwomble None of the U20s players are even close enough to be ready in time for the 2023 RWC (if they ever will).
@stargazer do we think the log jam of Super level half backs around the country has stopped some young blokes getting a call up in the last couple of years?
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@stargazer do we think the log jam of Super level half backs around the country has stopped some young blokes getting a call up in the last couple of years?
@kiwiwomble An ABs call-up? A log jam of SR level halfbacks? I'd say our depth at halfback - even at SR level - has been pretty thin. Very few of those seem good enough for the ABS, so I don't really see a log jam, let alone one that stops players from getting an ABs call-up. If a player starts shining at SR level, he has a good chance of making the ABs. Hence Fakatava coming into the conversation.
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@kiwiwomble An ABs call-up? A log jam of SR level halfbacks? I'd say our depth at halfback - even at SR level - has been pretty thin. Very few of those seem good enough for the ABS, so I don't really see a log jam, let alone one that stops players from getting an ABs call-up. If a player starts shining at SR level, he has a good chance of making the ABs. Hence Fakatava coming into the conversation.
@stargazer no super call up,
i mean, we have several "fine" super level halfbacks and the teams have defaulted to those based on their experience rather than gambling on bringing through younger guys as second and third choice halfbacks
like the crusaders have hall at 29 and drummond at 27 and their third guys is like 24, would it be better for the AB's if drummond or hall were swapped for a 20 year old getting 10-20 minutes every third game
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@stargazer no super call up,
i mean, we have several "fine" super level halfbacks and the teams have defaulted to those based on their experience rather than gambling on bringing through younger guys as second and third choice halfbacks
like the crusaders have hall at 29 and drummond at 27 and their third guys is like 24, would it be better for the AB's if drummond or hall were swapped for a 20 year old getting 10-20 minutes every third game
@kiwiwomble said in All Blacks 2021:
@stargazer no super call up,
i mean, we have several "fine" super level halfbacks and the teams have defaulted to those based on their experience rather than gambling on bringing through younger guys as second and third choice halfbacks
like the crusaders have hall at 29 and drummond at 27 and their third guys is like 24, would it be better for the AB's if drummond or hall were swapped for a 20 year old getting 10-20 minutes every third game
if the young guy was better he would play. The Super Rugby teams are there to win games, the ABs is supposed to be an offshoot of that.
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@stargazer no super call up,
i mean, we have several "fine" super level halfbacks and the teams have defaulted to those based on their experience rather than gambling on bringing through younger guys as second and third choice halfbacks
like the crusaders have hall at 29 and drummond at 27 and their third guys is like 24, would it be better for the AB's if drummond or hall were swapped for a 20 year old getting 10-20 minutes every third game
@kiwiwomble At SR level, Roe seems to have become Weber's back-up, just like Fakatava has claimed the back-up spot at the Landers. They did that by leapfrogging TTT and Hammington, respectively. So the better players are progressing. Enari hasn't been able to do the same at the Crusaders, but has had his chances and just didn't convince enough.
TJP never has really had any competition at the Canes, or even a lasting adequate back-up (Christie, TTT coming in and leaving; Booth injured, but never more than SR level; Taumateine is pretty average and the Campbell and Roigard are still very green, but have had a lot of game time this year). The Blues have had their endless rotation of players, but never one really standing out as a possible AB, but plenty of players used and getting chances over the years.
Which NPC halfbacks do you think have been stopped by the current crop of SR halfbacks?
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@kiwiwomble said in All Blacks 2021:
@stargazer no super call up,
i mean, we have several "fine" super level halfbacks and the teams have defaulted to those based on their experience rather than gambling on bringing through younger guys as second and third choice halfbacks
like the crusaders have hall at 29 and drummond at 27 and their third guys is like 24, would it be better for the AB's if drummond or hall were swapped for a 20 year old getting 10-20 minutes every third game
if the young guy was better he would play. The Super Rugby teams are there to win games, the ABs is supposed to be an offshoot of that.
@mariner4life i agree 100%, just in the AB's thread i kind of change the focus to what would have been good, wouldn't suggest it in the super thread or a team one
@Stargazer i honestly have no idea, i struggle to keep up with otago let only all the other NPC team, these are really just question to educate myself more than anything, to understand how we've ended up with this giant gap between smith and the rest other than potentially fakatava
