All Blacks 2021

[Tim]

Is Tuungafasi back for the first Bledisloe game? He would be an upgrade on either side.

[Bovidae]

Ofa and Moody in the new squad.

Hookers
Asafo Aumua (24, Hurricanes / Wellington, 2)
Dane Coles (34, Hurricanes / Wellington, 76)
Codie Taylor (30, Crusaders / Canterbury, 58)

Props
Nepo Laulala (29, Blues / Counties Manukau, 31)
Tyrel Lomax (25, Hurricanes / Ta$man,
Joe Moody (32, Crusaders / Canterbury, 50)
Angus Ta’avao (31, Chiefs / Auckland, 16)
Karl Tu’inukuafe (28, Blues / North Harbour, 18)
Ofa Tuungafasi (29, Blues / Auckland, 39)

Locks
Scott Barrett (27, Crusaders / Taranaki, 42)
Brodie Retallick (30, Chiefs / Hawke’s Bay, 83)
Patrick Tuipulotu (28, Blues / Auckland, 38)
Tupou Vaa’i (21, Chiefs / Taranaki, 4)
Samuel Whitelock (32, Crusaders / Canterbury, 125) – captain

Loose Forwards
Ethan Blackadder (26, Crusaders / Ta$man, 2)
Shannon Frizell (27, Highlanders / Ta$man, 14)
Akira Ioane (26, Blues / Auckland, 4)
Luke Jacobson (24, Chiefs / Waikato, 5)
Dalton Papalii (23, Blues / Counties Manukau, 5)
Ardie Savea (27, Hurricanes / Wellington, 50)
Hoskins Sotutu (23, Blues / Counties Manukau, 6)

Backs

Halfbacks
TJ Perenara (29, Hurricanes / Wellington, 69)
Aaron Smith (32, Highlanders / Manawatu, 99)
Brad Weber (30, Chiefs / Hawke’s Bay, 9)

First five–eighths
Beauden Barrett (30, Blues / Taranaki, 91)
Richie Mo’unga (27, Crusaders / Canterbury, 24)

Midfielders
Braydon Ennor (23, Crusaders / Canterbury, 1)
David Havili (26, Crusaders / Ta$man, 5)
Rieko Ioane (24, Blues / Auckland, 37)
Anton Lienert-Brown (26, Chiefs / Waikato, 50)
Quinn Tupaea (22, Chiefs / Waikato, 1)

Outside backs
Jordie Barrett (24, Hurricanes / Taranaki, 25)
George Bridge (26, Crusaders / Canterbury, 12)
Will Jordan (22, Crusaders / Ta$man, 5)
Damian McKenzie (26, Chiefs / Waikato, 30)
Sevu Reece (23, Crusaders / Ta$man, 10)

[Kiwiwomble]

thought de groot did enough to be included

[Bovidae]

@kiwiwomble said in All Blacks 2021:

thought de groot dd enough to be included

Tuungafasi to be used as a LH again? Only 2 specialist LHs in the 6.

[Nepia]

@bovidae said in All Blacks 2021:

Ofa and Moody in the new squad.

And TJP.

[antipodean]

@kiwiwomble said in All Blacks 2021:

thought de groot dd enough to be included

Especially over Lomax

[Crucial]

@nepia said in All Blacks 2021:

@bovidae said in All Blacks 2021:

Ofa and Moody in the new squad.

And TJP.

I hope Christie was fully aware that he was being used as a stopgap. He did well and has now lost the option of going north and playing for Scotland.
TJP should have been made to wait IMO.

[Bovidae]

TJP was always coming back.

Obviously Coles' calf injury can't be that serious. I would have ditched Lomax and kept de Groot.

[Kiwiwomble]

and theyve gone with the "inside backs" naming thing we've seen in some of the NPC team namings

[Crucial]

I reckon Samisoni did everything they selected Aumua to do, so hoping that is recognised.
The persistence with an underwhelming Lomax is interesting.
Also thought that De Groot put his hand up well.
Are Moody, Ennor and Ofa ready or bag carriers?

[MN5]

@crucial said in All Blacks 2021:

@nepia said in All Blacks 2021:

@bovidae said in All Blacks 2021:

Ofa and Moody in the new squad.

And TJP.

I hope Christie was fully aware that he was being used as a stopgap. He did well and has now lost the option of going north and playing for Scotland.
TJP should have been made to wait IMO.

Pfft, he’s no Leslie, Simpson, Longstaff or Laney, as if he’d be an option for the mighty Scots.

[Bovidae]

"Prop George Bower will remain with the squad as injury cover for Moody, who is not expected to return to Test rugby until after the Bledisloe Cup Series. Hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho will also stay with the All Blacks squad as cover for Asafo Aumua who missed the last two Tests of the Steinlager Series. Aumua may also play the opening round of the Bunnings Warehouse NPC to build his match fitness."

[Crucial]

@mn5 said in All Blacks 2021:

@crucial said in All Blacks 2021:

@nepia said in All Blacks 2021:

@bovidae said in All Blacks 2021:

Ofa and Moody in the new squad.

And TJP.

I hope Christie was fully aware that he was being used as a stopgap. He did well and has now lost the option of going north and playing for Scotland.
TJP should have been made to wait IMO.

Pfft, he’s no Leslie, Simpson, Longstaff or Laney, as if he’d be an option for the mighty Scots.

I thought he would fulfil the ginga quota if required.

[MN5]

@crucial said in All Blacks 2021:

@mn5 said in All Blacks 2021:

@crucial said in All Blacks 2021:

@nepia said in All Blacks 2021:

@bovidae said in All Blacks 2021:

Ofa and Moody in the new squad.

And TJP.

I hope Christie was fully aware that he was being used as a stopgap. He did well and has now lost the option of going north and playing for Scotland.
TJP should have been made to wait IMO.

Pfft, he’s no Leslie, Simpson, Longstaff or Laney, as if he’d be an option for the mighty Scots.

I thought he would fulfil the ginga quota if required.

True, Scots are pretty short on those at the moment since Rob Harley fell out of favour.

[Stargazer]

Here's the media release (always prefer going to the source):
https://www.allblacks.com/news/all-blacks-squad-named-for-the-rugby-championship/

In addition to the info about Moody and Bower, Aumua and Taukei'aho, there's also this:

One of the key features of the squad is the return of 69-Test halfback TJ Perenara to the national side. Having recently returned from Japan, Perenara is following a progressive return to rugby programme of club then Bunnings Warehouse NPC rugby. New All Black Finlay Christie will remain as temporary cover with the squad.

Meanwhile, it’s also a welcome back to midfielder Braydon Ennor, who missed the Steinlager Series to undergo appendicitis surgery.

125-Test lock Samuel Whitelock will again captain the All Blacks, in the absence of Sam Cane who is still recovering from chest surgery. As well as Cane, midfielder Jack Goodhue was also not considered for selection due to injury.

[akan004]

TJ gets rewarded for being shit in 2020. Lomax and Bridge being ABs is just wrong.

[ARHS]

Don't know how Lomax stayed in ahead of De Groot and Ross. Otherwise as expected for me

[sparky]

I know it is a large squad but I am left underwhelmed by the selection of Tyrell Lomax, TJ Perenera, Braydon Ennor and George Bridge.

Adequate journeymen at Super Level but I can't see any of them pulling up trees at Test level.

[nostrildamus]

PUJ over Ennor for me. With the added advantage he isn 't always injured.
de Groot over Lomax sure but I thought Lomax was strong in the mauls etc, it was Ta'avao I would question. Better scrummager than Lomax?

[sparky]

Great to see Joe Moody and Ofa T back. They have been missed.