All Blacks 2022

[Grooter]

8 players in the squad have played provincial for Taranaki, must be some sorta record to have 7 Bulls involved in the ABs at once

[Bovidae]

@Frye de Groot got the reality check he needed. He's 23 so fitness should not be an issue, and it's not up to the AB coaches to improve it within the AB camp.

Karl's selection is an entirely different argument, given he is leaving.

[ACT Crusader]

@Tim said in All Blacks 2022:

Cane maybe captain, but is recovering from injury … again.

Does anyone think he will play better than Papalii would in this series?

Hard to say. Cane has risen to the test occasion in the past when his Super form has been okay-ish. He still has one of the best shoulders going around and unless he is under a fitness cloud I expect him to start and get the boys going.

Some might say I’m a fatalist for this, but I’m starting to get excited for this genuine test series and seeing the ABs in action again. I quite like the squad. Plus playing Ireland will be different and not same-same 4Ns stuff.

[Tim]

@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks 2022:

I’m starting to get excited for this genuine test series

Definitely. I'm expecting this series to be 2-1, and could easily go in either direction.

[number9]

Well here is a bold prediction, with the idiot that Foster is, with this forward pack the AB's will not win the World Cup. Bring on Razor, sack this clown.

[gt12]

@number9 said in All Blacks 2022:

Well here is a bold prediction, with the idiot that Foster is, with this forward pack the AB's will not win the World Cup. Bring on Razor, sack this clown.

Is that bold?

If we took a straw poll, wouldn't the bold prediction be that we'll win it?

I don't have much hope, as I don't think this team is better (in any real sense) than 2019.

In 2015, I was confident but even then we only got past SA by two points.

[Bones]

@number9 said in All Blacks 2022:

Well here is a bold prediction, with the idiot that Foster is, with this forward pack the AB's will not win the World Cup. Bring on Razor, sack this clown.

I'm not sure Razor would select Hodgemins either

[Nepia]

Haven’t read the thread yet, but PGS - WTF. He’d already gone well off the boil this season before the abortion that was his 80 minutes on Friday.

MMT must be eyeing up the Samoan squad after seeing that selection.

[Frye]

@number9 said in All Blacks 2022:

Well here is a bold prediction, with the idiot that Foster is, with this forward pack the AB's will not win the World Cup. Bring on Razor, sack this clown.

The field is still favourites against the All Blacks so hardly that bold!

[Stargazer]

@Nepia Yep, we may lose him if he isn't selected for the EOYT. I hope they have at least talked to him and given him some work-ons.

[ACT Crusader]

@Winger said in All Blacks 2022:

Highlander 2
Canes 3
Chiefs 9
Crusaders 10
Blues 11

Has to be a first for the All Blacks in the pro era that only 2 players selected from the one franchise and they both play the same position.

[Crucial]

@number9 said in All Blacks 2022:

Well here is a bold prediction, with the idiot that Foster is, with this forward pack the AB's will not win the World Cup. Bring on Razor, sack this clown.

Yawn.
You forgot to mention how fat he is.

[Frank]

I don't think he has a shit's show of starting , but RTS is very lucky in that he plays between the starting 1st five and starting center - COMBINATIONS!!!!!!!

[ACT Crusader]

@Bones said in All Blacks 2022:

@number9 said in All Blacks 2022:

Well here is a bold prediction, with the idiot that Foster is, with this forward pack the AB's will not win the World Cup. Bring on Razor, sack this clown.

I'm not sure Razor would select Hodgemins either

Moody, Bower, Jager and Owen Franks gets a recall

[Stargazer]

@ACT-Crusader Last year, initially, for the RC as well, except then it was Smith and Frizell. De Groot was brought in later, when they travelled to Oz.

[Nepia]

@Crucial said in All Blacks 2022:

@Stargazer said in All Blacks 2022:

@Crucial said in All Blacks 2022:

@FakatavaAllBlack said in All Blacks 2022:

Happy for Folau! nothing else to really add

You do realise he needs to get a haircut? That stupid shit is OK at ITM and Super for comedy value but he has to wear the black jersey now

He's hardly the only one with a mullet. The blond noodles have long gone.

I know which of these looks better

Perfect illustration of what happens when a good Hastings Boys fellow gets corrupted in the South Island.

[Nepia]

@Stargazer said in All Blacks 2022:

@Nepia Yep, we may lose him if he isn't selected for the EOYT. I hope they have at least talked to him and given him some work-ons.

Wonder what the work ons are, start well and then fade as the season goes on rather then start slow and then peak for the rest of the season?

[Tim]

@Nepia I think he needs to learn how to tackle.

[Victor Meldrew]

Pretty happy overall with the squad, though 1-2 surprises. Good mix of experience and new guys with opportunities to look at the likes of RTS & LF in the AB environment. Bit surprised by PGS , but they obviously see something in him and want to develop that if they can. Hope he prospers a bit better than Frizzell.

They seem to have gone for a known quantity in 1-2 key areas with Karl T & Havili, which makes sense in some ways, but maybe not if we are looking forward.

From what I've seen in SRP, it looks a pretty strong squad - loose forwards in particular look strong. We wait and see of Foster & co. can mould it into a winning team..

[Old Samurai Jack]

I kind of understand PGS's inclusion (type of player) but when you have Grace, Robinson, Jacobson, MMT (haven't noticed too much but will defer to Fern narrative) running around.......
Grace and Robinson especially have been superb at the business end while PGS has looked overawed. Oh well... I hope he proves all the doubters wrong and becomes a beast in test rugby.