All Blacks XV 2022

[Rapido]

weird innit.

November is obviously an absolute feast of international rugby in Europe, you've got 6 international 6 Nations teams all hosting, therefore all taking up the normal 4 slots (Friday evening, Saturday afternoon, Saturday evening, Sunday afternoon). Plus add Tier 2 hostings.

Really, these 'A' or 'XV' games should all be midweek Wednesday night games, if talking TV scheduling. Actually a rare chance in modern days for a rugby board to be able to provide midweek broadcastable product to their rights holders.

I suppose a Barbarians game is a bit different, as there is usually a good sized crowd, both Barbarians FC and NZRU probably hoping to maximize money out of ticket sales. Therefore an afternoon match. Not the Twickers car park boot party vibe though at Tottenham.

I see All Blacks XV v Ireland 'A' is a Friday night fixture. (Just gone and looked that up, in doing so - I see the 6 Nations unions have quite well staggered their games to avoid clashing) - e.g. SAT 5 NOVEMBER:

• Scotland v Fiji (1pm, BT Murrayfield) Live on Amazon Prime
• Wales v New Zealand (3.15pm, Principality Stadium) Live on Amazon Prime
• Ireland v South Africa (5.30pm, Aviva Stadium) Live on Amazon Prime

Which reminded me that the 6 nations have packaged their Autumn internationals as 'Autumn Nations somefink ...' as part of their CVC deal, so some co-ordination happening.

[Bovidae]

The South Africa Select XV are also playing a couple of Thu night games (vs Munster and Bristol).

[Crucial]

@Rapido said in All Blacks XV:

Not the Twickers car park boot party vibe though at Tottenham.

Will be quite funny to see the twats with their popped up collar polo shirts flooding the streets of Tottenham.

[Grooter]

@Crucial your Chiefs 10 ioane has been announced as the replacement for his fellow chief Gatland

[Crucial]

@FakatavaAllBlack said in All Blacks XV:

@Crucial your Chiefs 10 ioane has been announced as the replacement for his fellow chief Gatland

That is actually quite a surprise.

[Bovidae]

The All Blacks XV have called in an additional six players to join the squad, ahead of their inaugural Northern Tour against Ireland A (4 November) and Barbarians (13 November).
Cortez Ratima, Pouri Rakete-Stones, Shaun Stevenson, Josh Ioane, Tevita Mafileo and Tyrone Thompson will join the All Blacks XV in Auckland tomorrow morning. Replacing injured players and covering those called in to join the All Blacks.

https://www.allblacks.com/news/all-blacks-xv-bolster-squad-ahead-of-northern-tour/

[Stargazer]

The updated 25-strong All Blacks XV squad is as follows (age, Super Rugby club, province):

Forwards:

Props

Finlay Brewis (22, Crusaders / Canterbury)

Pouri Rakete-Stones (27, Hurricanes / Hawke's Bay)

Aidan Ross (26, Chiefs / Bay of Plenty)

Tamaiti Williams (22, Crusaders / Canterbury)

Tevita Mafileo (24, Hurricanes / Bay of Plenty)

Hookers

Brodie McAlister (25, Crusaders / Canterbury)

Tyrone Thompson (22, Chiefs / Hawke's Bay)

Locks

Josh Dickson (27, Highlanders / Otago)

Zach Gallagher (21, Crusaders / Canterbury)

Loose Forwards

Dominic Gardiner (21, Crusaders / Canterbury)

Billy Harmon (27, Highlanders / Canterbury)

Luke Jacobson (25, Chiefs / Waikato)

Christian Lio-Willie (24, Crusaders / Otago)

Marino Mikaele-Tu'u (24, Highlanders / Hawke's Bay)

Backs:


Halfbacks

TJ Perenara (30, Hurricanes / Wellington)

Cortez Ratima (21, Chiefs / Waikato)

Cam Roigard (21, Hurricanes / Counties Manukau)

First five-eighths

Josh Ioane (27, Chiefs / Otago)

Midfielders

Levi Aumua (28, Moana Pasifika / Ta$man)

Bryce Heem (33, Blues / Auckland)

Alex Nankivell (26, Chiefs / Ta$man)

Bailyn Sullivan (24, Hurricanes / Waikato)

Outside backs

AJ Lam (24, Blues / Auckland)

Ruben Love (21, Hurricanes / Wellington)

Shaun Stevenson (25, Chiefs / North Harbour)

Unavailable due to injury: George Bell, Bryn Gatland, Oli Jager and Angus Ta’avao

Asafo Aumua, Damian McKenzie, Mark Telea, Patrick Tuipulotu and Brad Weber have been called in from the All Blacks XV to join the All Blacks as a result of forced personnel changes. These players may re-join the All Blacks XV squad in Ireland, any updates to the squad will be worked through following All Blacks v Japan match this weekend.

[Stargazer]

Really chuffed that Rakete-Stones and Thompson have been added to the squad. Also Stevenson really deserving!
Surprised they've picked Ioane over Burke, but I guess the Crusaders quota has been more than filled with forwards.

[pakman]

Other than Mafileo, which of these props is a regular TH?

[Stargazer]

@pakman His first two seasons for Hawke's Bay (2017-2018), Rakete-Stones mostly played at TH. He changed to LH because that's where they needed him (same at the Canes); for Hawke's Bay, he sometimes still switches from LH to TH in the second half (btw, he was a hooker for Napier Boys'). Tamaiti Williams obviously can also play at both sides, but I don't know whether he has ever played there regularly.

[cgrant]

@pakman
I fear Tamaiti Williams will be used as a tight head where he looks uncomfortable. He is a far better LHP IMO. Ross and Brewis have never played on the tight head, as far as I know.

[Frye]

Asafo Aumua, Damian McKenzie, Mark Telea, Patrick Tuipulotu and Brad Weber have been called in from the All Blacks XV to join the All Blacks as a result of forced personnel changes. These players may re-join the All Blacks XV squad in Ireland, any updates to the squad will be worked through following All Blacks v Japan match this weekend.

Definitely gonna need these guys back.

And a couple of All Blacks as well probably looking at the propping stocks. With four tightheads I'm pretty sure they can spare one.

[chimoaus]

Have we simply run out of locks in NZ? What happens if one goes down early?

[Bovidae]

@chimoaus said in All Blacks XV:

Have we simply run out of locks in NZ? What happens if one goes down early?

Tuipulotu should move back to this team after the weekend. Relying on Gardiner to be a lock isn't wise.

[NTA]

@Machpants said in All Blacks XV:

So is this a eligibility capture team?

No, that's the ABs. :winking_face_with_tongue:

[Crazy Horse]

@Bovidae said in All Blacks XV:

@chimoaus said in All Blacks XV:

Have we simply run out of locks in NZ? What happens if one goes down early?

Tuipulotu should move back to this team after the weekend. Relying on Gardiner to be a lock isn't wise.

Agree. He is a but like Grace in that he is ok as a stop gap but he is not a long term lock. Canterbury seemed a bit underpowered when he played lock.

[Nepia]

@NTA said in All Blacks XV:

@Machpants said in All Blacks XV:

So is this a eligibility capture team?

No, that's the ABs. :winking_face_with_tongue:

You must be disappointed we managed to steal a Fijian from your wing farm.

[mariner4life]

@Nepia said in All Blacks XV:

your wing farm

the melbourne storm?

[Stargazer]

Also posted in another thread:

The All Blacks coach said Cane had suffered a fractured cheekbone in the match at National Stadium, while veteran hooker Coles has succumbed to a calf injury which had seen him a late scratching from Saturday’s test.

Canterbury and Highlanders loose forward Billy Harmon, and Wellington, Hurricanes, and six-test hooker Asafo Aumua – both of whom were part of the All Blacks XV squad – have been called up for the remaining tests against Wales, Scotland and England.

Foster also confirmed lock Patrick Tuipulotu and playmaker Damian McKenzie would rejoin the ABs XV squad, while winger Mark Telea – a late call-up after Leicester Fainga’anuku went home for family reasons – would stay on with the All Blacks as Will Jordan will stay on in New Zealand to get over his inner ear issue.

So the AB XVs lose Harmon and Aumua, meaning that the AB XV are left with two hookers (McAlister and Thompson). Either Aumua will still be available to them in case of injury (if he doesn't get game time for the ABs), or they'll call up another hooker. You'd think that Eklund or Marshall will be the frontrunners.

More interesting is the loose forward position. Of the loosies in this squad, Harmon was the only one who regularly plays at 7 (at least in Super Rugby). Will they call up a specialist 7? Tom Christie is probably the most likely selection if they want a specialist 7. Not sure who else.

Interestingly, that article doesn't say whether Weber will stay with the ABs or will rejoin the ABXV squad. I hope they keep him with the ABs, because the alternative would be TJP.

[Bovidae]

Kirifi should be the player to replace Harmon. Outplayed Christie in the NPC final and finished the season strongly. But Christie plays for Canterbury...

Tuipulotu might end up being back with the ABs once the AB XV tour is finished.