All Blacks 2022

[Tim]

@mariner4life My best friend marked him in Auckland 1st XV rugby, so maybe I am a little biased over that!

[MN5]

@Tim said in All Blacks 2022:

@mariner4life My best friend marked him in Auckland 1st XV rugby, so maybe I am a little biased over that!

He played 13 more tests than Lowen, Steinmetz, Ranby and King managed between them.

Show some respect Timothy.

[Bones]

@nzzp said in All Blacks 2022:

@pakman said in All Blacks 2022:

On LH much harder. Karl best scrummager, but signed for France. Hodgman superb around field/lineouts but not top level test standard in scrum. De Groot and Bower seem a bit in between. Ross seems good in scrum and pretty useful round field. Norris similar but strengths the other way around.

You've got to think he got the word to leave the year before the RWC

He's worth more now...

[Kiwiwomble]

Maybe I should put more weight on the fact I once tackled sir Richie at u13’s

[booboo]

@Tim said in All Blacks 2022:

Here's food for thought, RTS is an expert stepper, but is he better than Pita Alatini, who was the worst AB 12 in living memory. He was an expert stepper

Gonna disagree with that. Thought he awesome in the 2001 Bled. Got us back in ther match. But Ron Cribb couldn't tackle.

[booboo]

How many of us did @Tim hook with that Alatini bait?

[Bones]

@Kiwiwomble said in All Blacks 2022:

Maybe I should put more weight on the fact I once tackled sir Richie at u13’s

Yeah, well, I once avoided even subbing on the field when Lauaki was wreaking havoc against us in Tauranga 7's.

[ACT Crusader]

@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2022:

Eklund playing for the Māori will give us a good idea if he has the game for the next level. He is a small hooker.

If one of Taylor, Sami, Coles got injured, I’d bring in Eklund ahead of Aumua.

[pakman]

Is Gamble eligible for ABs?

[Grooter]

@pakman if he was to return to NZ & play then yeah?

[number9]

@pakman Gamble is a good player, but not as good as Cane, Dalton, Ardie, Akira and Hoss. We have crazy depth amongst the loosies.

[number9]

@ACT-Crusader so would I. I believe Samisoni should also be our starting Hooker.

[Daffy Jaffy]

[Machpants]

@Daffy-Jaffy said in All Blacks 2022:

Any one got cheats notes off interesting points? Foster puts me to sleep, slow drawl

[number9]

Anyone know what this article was all about? I don't have a Herald subscription.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/nzme-writers-roundtable-the-all-blacks-who-should-be-cut-for-ireland/XTNOI6T4H6UBBVTFRCFI4ZRQVM/

[Tim]

@number9

These were their teams at the end:

Who makes your All Blacks 23 for the first test?

Liam Napier: Jordie Barrett, Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, Quinn Tupaea, Caleb Clarke, Beauden Barrett, Aaron Smith, Ardie Savea, Sam Cane, Dalton Papalii, Brodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Ofa Tuungafasi, Samisoni Taukeiaho, Ethan de Groot.

Reserves: Codie Taylor, Aidan Ross, Fletcher Newell, Tupou Vaa'i, Ethan Blackadder, Folau Fakatava, Richie Mo'unga, Jack Goodhue.

Elliott Smith: Will Jordan, Sevu Reece, Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Caleb Clarke, Beauden Barrett, Aaron Smith, Ardie Savea, Sam Cane, Akira Ioane, Brodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Ofa Tuungafasi, Codie Taylor, Alex Hodgman.

Reserves: Samisoni Taukeiaho, George Bower, Fletcher Newell, Scott Barrett, Dalton Papalii, Finlay Christie, Richie Mo'unga, Jack Goodhue.

Christopher Reive: Will Jordan, Sevu Reece, Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Caleb Clarke, Beauden Barrett, Aaron Smith, Ardie Savea, Sam Cane, Dalton Papalii, Brodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Ofa Tuungafasi, Codie Taylor, Ethan de Groot.

Reserves: Samisoni Taukeiaho, Ollie Norris, Nepo Laulala, Scott Barrett, Akira Ioane, Finlay Christie, Richie Mo'unga, Quinn Tupaea.

[Stargazer]

@number9 Just a few sports writers giving their personal opinion of who are most likely to be bolters or to drop out of the 36-man squad. Most discussion is about halfback. Then they give their favourite 23.

It's basically the same thing Ferners are doing in this thread. Over and over again.

Main take-away from this article: Perenara's spot is most at risk, but who will be the two halfbacks joining Aaron Smith, they don't agree about.

[Machpants]

@number9 nothing more than is said around here, opinions on new picks (eg fakatava, RTS) and who gets dropped (eg Bridge, TJ) then a first Ireland test 23 in their opinion. Not who they think will be picked, but who they would pick.

[Crucial]

To me the biggest takeout (one the just about everybody -sports writer or not) agrees on is that we should see the back of Havili, Bridge, TJP, possibly Laulala (can't judge Frizzell as he's injured but I suspect him as well)

So the team will be pretty damn close to the one we all want and performance will come down to tactics/ strategy

Our players are what they are

[bobily2]

@Machpants said in All Blacks 2022:

@Daffy-Jaffy said in All Blacks 2022:

Any one got cheats notes off interesting points? Foster puts me to sleep, slow drawl

The last few years were about "building depth", this year is about building combinations.

He wasn't particularly excited about Jordie playing at 12. He thought he was one of our best last year with his work under the highball etc. However, perhaps he is an option there.

He views Rieko as a wing playing centre, but has been very impressed by his growth in the last year.

Something like he wants to see RTS improving as a link for the rest of the backline, and wants to see more of his kicking game, but likes what he sees as a ball carrier.

Versatility might become increasingly important in the loose forwards.