All Blacks 2021

[antipodean]

@taniwharugby said in All Blacks 2021:

@tim just lucky the opposition for this squad is weak, which will paper over plenty of cracks

My concern is which of them will the Muppet Collective drop for the RC? Because Australia can put together a pretty competitive 23.

[pakman]

@tim said in All Blacks 2021:

If Lomax and Ta'avao are the backups, we'd better hope that Laulala stays fit.

Which is why I’d have had Mafileo. Then Lomax OR Ta’avao.

[pukunui]

@bones said in All Blacks 2021:

@bovidae Ennor and Bridge - I mean, at least Faingaanuku showed something on the park. Sure Bridge and Ennor have been selected before, but not like they've absolutely blown everyone away - they've been ordinary mostly.

Nuts isn’t it. The less they play the better they were apparently.

[taniwharugby]

@antipodean well assuming no injuries, only Christie for TJ? Is Cane back for RC or was he gone for the season?

Thing is Aaron needs a light series given his super work load, meaning Christie WILL get a decent chunk of minutes I expect

[ARHS]

Surely it was either Christie or Drummond to cover TJ absence. No shock there for me. B

[antipodean]

@arhs said in All Blacks 2021:

Surely it was either Christie or Drummond to cover TJ absence. No shock there for me. B

Then Drummond was a walk up start. I'm near astonished anyone could watch Christie play and think he's Test quality. Our game depends on speed and they pick the slowest person to get to rucks, with the slowest decision making and a shit pass to round things off.

Look up Aaron Smith in the dictionary and under antonym it says Finlay Christie.

[Chris B.]

The somewhat unfortunate thing about this year's squad is that during Super Rugby Aotearoa, it was looking to me that we'd have a significantly better AB team than last year - but, I think injuries and unavailability have made this squad look a little bit fragile.

But, when you slot Moody, Tu'ungafasi, Cane, Perenara, Goodhue and Clarke into that team, it's going to look significantly stronger. I've probably forgotten a missing stalwart or two, as well.

[Bovidae]

@bones said in All Blacks 2021:

@bovidae Ennor and Bridge - I mean, at least Faingaanuku showed something on the park. Sure Bridge and Ennor have been selected before, but not like they've absolutely blown everyone away - they've been ordinary mostly.

I think Robertson would have chosen Ennor and Bridge as well.

[KiwiMurph]

RTS will back himself to crack a squad like this in 12 months time.

[Tim]

Final test XXIII?

1 Tui'nukuafe
2 Taylor
3 Laulala
4 Retallick
5 Whitelock
6 Ioane
7 Savea
8 Sotutu

9 Smith
10 Barrett
11 Ioane
12 Havili
13 ALB
14 Jordan
15 McKenzie

16 Coles
17 Bower
18 Ta'avao
19 Barrett/Tuipulotu
20 Papalii
21 Weber
22 Mo'unga
23 J Barrett

[Kirwan]

How bad are the available wings if Bridge and Reece get in? And Frizell only plays well at Super level, is crap at Test level.

Would have picked Robinson there for sure.

All the posters pointing at Finlay are forgetting how bad Weber is.

[Victor Meldrew]

@stargazer said in All Blacks 2021:

The worst selection IMO is Christie. Great liability, but he's obviously only there because TJP and Fakatava aren't in the squad. He won't be in the Rugby Championship squad, when TJP returns.

I agree. For me, watching SA & Trans Ta$man from afar, Christie is the clear 3rd choice at 9. I'm OK with his selection, but def. not OK with the depth at 9 in NZ at the moment. The gap between AS and the rest is worrying.

[Chris B.]

@bovidae said in All Blacks 2021:

For the loose forwards, it must have been Blackadder vs Robinson. I would have chosen the latter as he offers something different but Plumtree seemed to like the fact Blackadder could also play 7.

Not sure about that.

I reckon Ardie will be the starting 7, with Papali'i his understudy.

Jacobson and Sotutu the No. 8s.

Akira and Frizell the blindsides.

I reckon Blackadder becomes the sort of Ardie/Masoe bench man who can cover all three.

Tom might have needed to push out Akira or Shannon?

[Bovidae]

@tim said in All Blacks 2021:

Final test XXIII?

6 Ioane
7 Savea
8 Sotutu

Savea and Sotutu are too similar for me. Apparently on the NZH Plumtree mentions a loose forward trio of Papalii/Jacobson/Savea.

[taniwharugby]

@kirwan highlights the gulf in class behind Smith!

[antipodean]

@bovidae said in All Blacks 2021:

@tim said in All Blacks 2021:

Final test XXIII?

6 Ioane
7 Savea
8 Sotutu

Savea and Sotutu are too similar for me. Apparently on the NZH Plumtree mentions a loose forward trio of Papalii/Jacobson/Savea.

Jesus wept.

[booboo]

@higgins said in All Blacks 2021:

@taniwharugby said in All Blacks 2021:

I thought ALB was out?

Didn't they set the precedent when Charles Piatau was not selected when he announced that he was leaving to play overseas?

Sorry missing your point.

ALB is injured.

[ARHS]

@bovidae agree there. Much better combo

[Chris B.]

@gunner said in All Blacks 2021:

3 fullbacks and only 2 wingers selected, which means we’ll probably see the worlds slowest winger locked into 14 for the season again.

Will Jordan will have been picked mainly as a right wing.

[Kirwan]

@taniwharugby said in All Blacks 2021:

@kirwan highlights the gulf in class behind Smith!

Even TJ is miles behind him. He’s the GOAT IMO.