All Blacks 2022
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@crucial Bit early to call, but i don't see ho Tupaea's woeful defence can keep him in the discussion and Havili isn't exactly setting the world on fire to assuage concerns about his Test form.
Of all positions, the midfield is the most contentious an open. Only ALB is guaranteed, RIoane by virtue of being a guaranteed winger if not centre.
@antipodean said in All Blacks 2022:
@crucial Bit early to call, but i don't see ho Tupaea's woeful defence can keep him in the discussion and Havili isn't exactly setting the world on fire to assuage concerns about his Test form.
Of all positions, the midfield is the most contentious an open. Only ALB is guaranteed, RIoane by virtue of being a guaranteed winger if not centre.
I see it that way too Not convinced about Tupaea, his defence is weak and he doesn't look to his outsides or insides enough so dies with the ball.
Havilli started well but I am not convinced he is the answer either. -
@arhs I think Moody, Tuúngafasi and Laulala probably all still are - barring catastrophic loss of form.
Lomax and de Groot are still young guys with potential to grow.
I'd be looking most closely at the other three - Ta'avao, Bower and Big Karl. None of them really screaming "Test match prop" to me.
Of course, we don't need eight at any one time - and if you keep the five I've listed above, that doesn't leave much room.
There have been unusually large AB squads over the last 2 years because of the covid circumstances. If a 35-man squad is selected again then 8 props become 6 and some tough selection decisions will have to be made in almost all of the other positions. Of course, you need to retain some experience but current performance/form and not reputation should count.
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I think on props for 2022 these four will be certainties: Moody, Laulala, Tu'ungufasi, Lomax. Hard to see any one else at tight head. Are there any candidates? Ta'avao would have to have a great season in the scrum.
On the loose head side, de Groot, Hodgman, Bower, Tu'inukuafe, Ross, and Norris are probably the contenders. I'd like to see Hodgman and Norris selected, and it would be good to cut Moody now. If Moody starts (can't see him as a bench option) at the world cup then we are in trouble.
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I think on props for 2022 these four will be certainties: Moody, Laulala, Tu'ungufasi, Lomax. Hard to see any one else at tight head. Are there any candidates? Ta'avao would have to have a great season in the scrum.
On the loose head side, de Groot, Hodgman, Bower, Tu'inukuafe, Ross, and Norris are probably the contenders. I'd like to see Hodgman and Norris selected, and it would be good to cut Moody now. If Moody starts (can't see him as a bench option) at the world cup then we are in trouble.
@tim said in All Blacks 2022:
I think on props for 2022 these four will be certainties: Moody, Laulala, Tu'ungufasi, Lomax. Hard to see any one else at tight head. Are there any candidates? Ta'avao would have to have a great season in the scrum.
On the loose head side, de Groot, Hodgman, Bower, Tu'inukuafe, Ross, and Norris are probably the contenders. I'd like to see Hodgman and Norris selected, and it would be good to cut Moody now. If Moody starts (can't see him as a bench option) at the world cup then we are in trouble.
Same could be said for Laulala for the same reason as Moody.
Maybe we should blood Norris at LH and William as a TH.
Stick with De Groot and Hodgeman I don't mind that as LH plus Norris.Select Williams as a TH and retain Tu'ungufasi, Lomax.
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I think on props for 2022 these four will be certainties: Moody, Laulala, Tu'ungufasi, Lomax. Hard to see any one else at tight head. Are there any candidates? Ta'avao would have to have a great season in the scrum.
On the loose head side, de Groot, Hodgman, Bower, Tu'inukuafe, Ross, and Norris are probably the contenders. I'd like to see Hodgman and Norris selected, and it would be good to cut Moody now. If Moody starts (can't see him as a bench option) at the world cup then we are in trouble.
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@tim I'm surprised at people naming Norris. I have seen nothing that suggests he's better than someone like Rakete-Stones.
@stargazer said in All Blacks 2022:
Rakete-Stones.
Rakete-Stones he would be another good investment at LH
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There have been unusually large AB squads over the last 2 years because of the covid circumstances. If a 35-man squad is selected again then 8 props become 6 and some tough selection decisions will have to be made in almost all of the other positions. Of course, you need to retain some experience but current performance/form and not reputation should count.
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I think on props for 2022 these four will be certainties: Moody, Laulala, Tu'ungufasi, Lomax. Hard to see any one else at tight head. Are there any candidates? Ta'avao would have to have a great season in the scrum.
On the loose head side, de Groot, Hodgman, Bower, Tu'inukuafe, Ross, and Norris are probably the contenders. I'd like to see Hodgman and Norris selected, and it would be good to cut Moody now. If Moody starts (can't see him as a bench option) at the world cup then we are in trouble.
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@bovidae Where Tu'ungufasi plays for the Blues has no bearing on his AB selection. He's been in the AB squad for six years.
Don't see any new players coming through at tight head, so they won't drop Laulala, even if it would be better to replace him now. Seems we have more options at loose head. In the past, AB coaches have seemed to expect less around the field from tight heads than loose heads, which may be a poor policy too.
Is Williams going to start games for the Crusaders?
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@bovidae Where Tu'ungufasi plays for the Blues has no bearing on his AB selection. He's been in the AB squad for six years.
Don't see any new players coming through at tight head, so they won't drop Laulala, even if it would be better to replace him now. Seems we have more options at loose head. In the past, AB coaches have seemed to expect less around the field from tight heads than loose heads, which may be a poor policy too.
Is Williams going to start games for the Crusaders?
@tim ive heard more than once the old joke, the first first position you chose is tighthead prop...and the second position is reserve tight head prop
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@bovidae Where Tu'ungufasi plays for the Blues has no bearing on his AB selection. He's been in the AB squad for six years.
Don't see any new players coming through at tight head, so they won't drop Laulala, even if it would be better to replace him now. Seems we have more options at loose head. In the past, AB coaches have seemed to expect less around the field from tight heads than loose heads, which may be a poor policy too.
Is Williams going to start games for the Crusaders?
@tim said in All Blacks 2022:
@bovidae Where Tu'ungufasi plays for the Blues has no bearing on his AB selection. He's been in the AB squad for six years.
Don't see any new players coming through at tight head, so they won't drop Laulala, even if it would be better to replace him now. Seems we have more options at loose head. In the past, AB coaches have seemed to expect less around the field from tight heads than loose heads, which may be a poor policy too.
Is Williams going to start games for the Crusaders?
Yep he has started but got covid so missed the last game against MP
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@tim said in All Blacks 2022:
@bovidae Where Tu'ungufasi plays for the Blues has no bearing on his AB selection. He's been in the AB squad for six years.
Don't see any new players coming through at tight head, so they won't drop Laulala, even if it would be better to replace him now. Seems we have more options at loose head. In the past, AB coaches have seemed to expect less around the field from tight heads than loose heads, which may be a poor policy too.
Is Williams going to start games for the Crusaders?
Yep he has started but got covid so missed the last game against MP
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@chris Started last year? Didn't see him at 1 or 3 in any Crusaders team sheets this year. Newell started a game at 3 though.
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@bovidae Where Tu'ungufasi plays for the Blues has no bearing on his AB selection. He's been in the AB squad for six years.
Don't see any new players coming through at tight head, so they won't drop Laulala, even if it would be better to replace him now. Seems we have more options at loose head. In the past, AB coaches have seemed to expect less around the field from tight heads than loose heads, which may be a poor policy too.
Is Williams going to start games for the Crusaders?
@tim said in All Blacks 2022:
@bovidae Where Tu'ungufasi plays for the Blues has no bearing on his AB selection.
But it does have a bearing on the makeup of the 6 AB props if Ofa is considered a LH or TH for the ABs. Frankly, he isn't good enough to just swap between the two positions depending on the team he plays for.
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@chris said in All Blacks 2022:
@crucial said in All Blacks 2022:
Can someone please remind me what side Ainsley plays on.
TH
Cheers. Just surprised he wasn't being mentioned
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lets not forget Ainsely is available now (i think) and playing well
@kiwiwomble said in All Blacks 2022:
lets not forget Ainsley is available now (i think) and playing well
@crucial said in All Blacks 2022:
@chris said in All Blacks 2022:
@crucial said in All Blacks 2022:
Can someone please remind me what side Ainsley plays on.
TH
Cheers. Just surprised he wasn't being mentioned
me too.....
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@dan54 All Blacks have been poor, especially since 2020. Ireland are a better team. There is no negativity in that statement, it is what it is. Wouldn't an arrogant NZ supporter believe we will win in June? I just can't believe the articles in NZ surprised that Six Nations is faster and more physical than Super rugby etc, etc. NZ supporters do kind of live in a bubble if they think the ABs are still a world force. They potentially can be of course but.....some deep thinking and changes are needed.
@old-samurai-jack said in All Blacks 2022:
@dan54 All Blacks have been poor, especially since 2020. Ireland are a better team. There is no negativity in that statement, it is what it is. Wouldn't an arrogant NZ supporter believe we will win in June? I just can't believe the articles in NZ surprised that Six Nations is faster and more physical than Super rugby etc, etc. NZ supporters do kind of live in a bubble if they think the ABs are still a world force. They potentially can be of course but.....some deep thinking and changes are needed.
No you misunderstood what was said, to say ABs lost against France etc because they are poor is arrogant and not giving France Ireland credit, which is arrogant. Sometimes other teams are just better. ABs won RC etc last years, so I guess if a poor team won that you are saying the Wallabies, Pumas and Boks are pretty crap. That is what Crowley is talking about, so called fans that just rubbish own team because they are beaten by a better team is arrogance!
And of course we can still want the ABs to win against Irish, I want them to beat Boks,etc etc too, but if another team beats them by playing as well as Irish etc have, I will accept it! Irish also beat everyone else apart from France, does that make everyone poor?
