All Blacks 2023

Yeahtheboys

Everyone available

Ethan De Groot
Samisoni Taukeiaho
Fletcher Newell
Brodie Retallick
Sam Whitelock
Luke Jacobson
Sam Cane
Ardie Savea
Aaron Smith
Dmac
Reiko Ioane
Jordie Barrett
ALB
Will Jordan
Beauden Barrett
Codie Taylor
Aidan Ross
Tyrell Lomax
Scott Barrett
Tupou Vaa’i
Dalton Papalii
Cam Roigard
Leicester Faninga’anuku

Possible Bolsters

Samipeni Finau
Zarn Sullivan
Shaun Stevenson
Emoni Narawa
Peter Lakai
Dom Gardiner
Tamaiti Williams

SBW1

@Yeahtheboys I thought Fletcher Newell was out for the season. No mention of Ethan Blackadder who is coming back into some reasonable form from injury.

Steve

In my opinion as it stands DMAC is the 10 and Beuaden struggles to get in the 23.

cgrant

Even without his injury, no way Newell starts. Lomax is the best THP by a country mile.

Dolamite

@Steve Foster seems to be in love with Beaudy at 15

kiwi_expat

Only 2 (at most) of Mo'unga, McKenzie, B.Barrett should be in our 23, or else it throws off the team mix/balance, B.Barrett's value is becoming redundant as already 2 out/out tens & Dmac can also play fullback, not to mention one of our wingers is most certainly going to be a fullback as well...

But sadly we've become accustomed to Foster's unbalanced XV's because he tries so hard to satisfy everyone that he ends up neglecting team balance entirely, playing both Cane & Savea in the starting backrow - having Mo'unga, ALB, Havili, DMac, sideways running, lightweight backs all in the same 23 a few years ago (2021?) without direct ball carriers to square-up the defensive line.

ARHS

@kiwi_expat said in All Blacks 2023:

sideways running, lightweight backs all in the same 23 a few years ago (2021?) without direct ball carriers to square-up the defensive line.

Thought that was why he persevered with Clarke and wanted LF Tupaea and Goodhue in the mix as well as Jordie Barrett.

What is wrong with Cane and Savea together if the 6 is a big unit?

Tim

Props

I thought that Ross and Dyer were very good on the weekend. Lomax and Tu'ungufasi were good too. de Groot had a strong game and, as always, scrums well, though may need to up the work rate against NZ teams. Moody was unimpressive. Laulala was playing pretty well (hands aside) before his injury, though I hope we can do better than him.

If five props are in the WC squad, then Tu'ungufasi is a lock. Add Lomax and de Groot, and you have two places left. Ross is probably the form loosehead in NZ, with Williams playing pretty well on the other side of the scrum too. Have doubts about the latter's defence and workrate though. Chiefs ruck work has been noticeably better than Crusaders this year.

Old Samurai Jack

@Tim A year or so too early for Williams I think. Moody is playing OK and having a grizzled old experienced prop backing up de Groot is common sense I think. His impact in the mauls and lineout drives might be just what is required in a knockout game.

Steve

@Dolamite

Not for me.

I like my Allblack 15 to be a prolific try scorer from the back.

Will Jordan or Stevenson.

Teams need to be punished for kicking it to us.

Beaudy is gun shy now.

Tim

Any thoughts on WC squad make-up? With Beauden Barrett, DMac, and Jordie Barrett (plus Mo'unga) in the squad, you probably only need to take 4 back-three players. With the mandatory 3x halfbacks and hookers, that would leave 5 props, 4 locks, 6 loose forwards, and 4 midfield backs.

canefan

@Steve said in All Blacks 2023:

@Dolamite

Not for me.

I like my Allblack 15 to be a prolific try scorer from the back.

Will Jordan or Stevenson.

Teams need to be punished for kicking it to us.

Beaudy is gun shy now.

I agree. BB barely rates as a squad player right now. But Fozz will take him for his experience

Tim

@Tim If this squad composition is assumed, then the next step is to look at who are squad certainties. I would suggest if fit:

de Groot
Lomax
Tu'ungufasi

Taukei'aho
Taylor

Retallick
Whitelock
S Barrett

Cane
Papalii
Savea
Sotutu

Smith

Mo'unga
B Barrett
McKenzie

J Barrett
R Ioane

Jordan

Probably will also see Clarke on the wing, with two of Stevenson, Narawa, Telea, and maybe Fainga'anuku joining him. (3)

Hooker will be Aumua or Coles, hopefully the former. (1)

The two props are tough to pick, and injury dependent. LH: Moody, Ross, maybe Numia. TH: Laulala, Williams, Dyer, Newell. (1 each)

Lock is between Vaa'i, Tuipulotu, and Lord. (1)

Loose forward: Frizell, Ioane, Blackadder, Jacobson, Finau. (2)

Halfback: Christie, Weber, Roigard. (2)

Midfield: Havili, ALB, RTS, Goodhue. (2)

Bones

Reckon you can throw Clarke into the certainties and tempted to throw in Christie, Havili and ALB too.

Billy Tell

I see Mackenzie is locked in until 2025.

Victor Meldrew

@chimoaus said in All Blacks 2023:

So, for some reason I can't help but feel weird about the current coaching setup given the saviour is taking over post world cup. How do you think this impacts Fozzie and the current crop? I honestly hope it gives them that extra motivation to say fuck you to all who doubt them or don't believe they are capable. I guess anything but winning the cup will be deemed a failure by his reign.

I think we'll do better than we expect, but the Rugby world has changed and the gap has narrowed hugely. There's 4-5 teams pretty close at the top of the tree these days.

I wonder if Razor is secretly hoping they lose the WC as it would make his job a little harder taking over the world champions and trying to retain it. Thoughts?

Nah, doubt that completely. That's the sort of crazy conspiracy-theory bollocks you'd expect loons to throw at Foster.

Victor Meldrew

@Billy-Tell said in All Blacks 2023:

I see Mackenzie is locked in until 2025.

That's only two years. If DMac carries his SR form into the RWC, I'd expect him to get a longer contract.

Machpants

@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2023:

@Billy-Tell said in All Blacks 2023:

I see Mackenzie is locked in until 2025.

That's only two years. If DMac carries his SR form into the RWC, I'd expect him to get a longer contract.

Yup, he stay for two years, and if he hasn't nailed down the top ten role, he heads overseas. Still young enough to make a fair amount of money

Canes4life

@Bones said in All Blacks 2023:

Reckon you can throw Clarke into the certainties and tempted to throw in Christie, Havili and ALB too.

The way Foster was talking up Havili on the Breakdown last week, he's a certainty if fit.

antipodean

@Tim said in All Blacks 2023:

Halfback: Christie, Weber, Roigard. (2)
Midfield: Havili, ALB, RTS, Goodhue. (2)

If those selections go ahead as expected, that's terribly disappointing.

The Silver Fern

All Blacks 2023