All Blacks 2024.. locked

Chris

@chchfanatic
Yeah Burke out to at least April.

I like Havilli at first five it means we can play McLeod and Amua in the MF which is a big MF combo.

Duluth

@chchfanatic said in All Blacks 2024:

David Havilli will be starting 10 for the crusaders. No Burke for first part of season

Better 10 than Burke too IMO. He might keep the spot through the SR season.

Which would then make him a good chance of being one of the 3 AB 10's

Kiwiwomble

@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2024:

Speaking of Frizell, I think it was before the Arg SF when they were lined up for the anthems. Shannon was standing next to Williams and was noticeably shorter. The stats say there is only 1 cm difference.

MN5

@SBW1 said in All Blacks 2024:

Shaun Stevenson must be in the picture. Is there any truth to talk of Havili playing 10 at the Saders? If he ices that position, he would be a very versatile player. Have barely scene him this year at test level.

……and the All Blacks made the final of the World Cup.

It could all be a huge coincidence though.

ACT Crusader

When you think about the transition from 2003 to 2004 and that first squad that Henry and co selected there were players in that opening series against England and Argies test that weren’t a huge feature throughout that lead up to the 07 RWC.

A combination of first time ABs and guys bought back that weren’t in the 03 RWC squad.

I’m fully expecting a few left field selections but we still have a strong core that unless they fall off a cliff will be there in 2027.

Duluth

@ACT-Crusader

There were a few guys picked on 2003 form not 2004 form. The new coach trying to fix the last coaches selections. Definitely true of Rush and possibly Gibbes (can't remember exactly)

Selections didn't come right until 2005

ACT Crusader

@Duluth Gibbes got selected at blindside effectively replacing Thorne. Rush got selected at number 8 replacing Collins. Collins played off the bench in those tests.

The backline was largely unchanged from the RWC other than Umaga being back from injury and Mauger being injured (and DC playing 2nd 5)

I remember the more interesting one was when Henry selected Maling after he had been out of the side for some time. Then there was Mertz.

Duluth

@ACT-Crusader Rush was in very good form in 2003 and should've made the squad. 2004 he wasn't quite at the same level and his form got worse throughout the year.

Machpants

@chchfanatic said in All Blacks 2024:

David Havilli will be starting 10 for the crusaders. No Burke for first part of season

7:1 bench confirmed

delicatessen

@frugby said in All Blacks 2024:

Enough beating around the bush, here is Razor's first full squad:

Props:
Ethan de Groot
Tamaiti Williams
George Bower
Tyrel Lomax
Fletcher Newell
Pouri Rakete-Stones

Hookers:
Codie Taylor
Samisoni Taukei'aho
George Bell

Locks:
Scott Barrett
Josh Lord
Quinten Strange
Isaiah Walker-Leawere

Loose Forwards:
Ethan Blackadder
Samipeni Finau
Dalton Papalii
Devan Flanders
Ardie Savea (C)
Cullen Grace
Luke Jacobson

Halfbacks:
Cam Roigard
Folau Fakatava
Finlay Christie

First Fives:
Damian McKenzie
David Havili
Stephen Perofeta

Midfielders:
Jordie Barrett
Rieko Ioane
Anton Lienert-Brown
Dallas McLeod
Quinn Tupaea

Outside Backs:
Macca Springer
Mark Telea
Will Jordan
Emoni Narawa
Shaun Stevenson

Methinks, based on who I think will be available.

Will the first squad even be 36 men?

MN5

@Duluth said in All Blacks 2024:

@ACT-Crusader Rush was in very good form in 2003 and should've made the squad. 2004 he wasn't quite at the same level and his form got worse throughout the year.

Keith Robinson came back too. He was great fun to watch.

Duluth

@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks 2024:

I remember the more interesting one was when Henry selected Maling after he had been out of the side for some time. Then there was Mertz.

He was helped by the trial game too. Deacon Manu in the probables got destroyed by Hayman in the possibles. Changed the rankings of both players

Kiwiwomble

was going to tell everyone we should be talking about Super Rugby before worrying about the AB's...then i remembered who i support....as you were

Duluth

So what are the early Tests? Fiji then England x 2 I think?

Hopefully England has a good 6N and send down a strong side. It would be good to correct any errors early. If England are weak and the Wallabies are weak we won’t know anything until the Boks

Nepia

@MN5 said in All Blacks 2024:

@Duluth said in All Blacks 2024:

@ACT-Crusader Rush was in very good form in 2003 and should've made the squad. 2004 he wasn't quite at the same level and his form got worse throughout the year.

Keith Robinson came back too. He was great fun to watch.

I've come to the conclusion he might be one of the most overrated players to ever play for the ABs. Always marketed by his coaches and supporters as a hard edged saviour for the AB forwards. But he was never close to our two just retired gods level, hell, he wasn't even close to Williams and Thorn.

And appears to be an awful human off the field.

ACT Crusader

Robinson was a strange one because I never thought he was as good as Jack or Ali Williams and when you think about his availability and him being selected pretty sporadic over the 4 years leading into the 07 RWC, it still baffles me that Henry selected him for the QF vs France.

MN5

@Nepia said in All Blacks 2024:

@MN5 said in All Blacks 2024:

@Duluth said in All Blacks 2024:

@ACT-Crusader Rush was in very good form in 2003 and should've made the squad. 2004 he wasn't quite at the same level and his form got worse throughout the year.

Keith Robinson came back too. He was great fun to watch.

I've come to the conclusion he might be one of the most overrated players to ever play for the ABs. Always marketed by his coaches and supporters as a hard edged saviour for the AB forwards. But he was never close to our two just retired gods level, hell, he wasn't even close to Williams and Thorn.

And appears to be an awful human off the field.

Definitely gave a hard edge when fit which unfortunately wasn’t often. Very good in the lineout and doing the dirty work.

A fair few dickheads have played for the ABs so I won’t comment on your second point !

mariner4life

@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks 2024:

Robinson was a strange one because I never thought he was as good as Jack or Ali Williams and when you think about his availability and him being selected pretty sporadic over the 4 years leading into the 07 RWC, it still baffles me that Henry selected him for the QF vs France.

IMO it was because while skillful players, Williams and Jake were really a couple of lightweight white boys who didn't have any sort of physical edge to them. We needed someone to shift bodies.

Nepia

@MN5 said in All Blacks 2024:

@Nepia said in All Blacks 2024:

@MN5 said in All Blacks 2024:

@Duluth said in All Blacks 2024:

@ACT-Crusader Rush was in very good form in 2003 and should've made the squad. 2004 he wasn't quite at the same level and his form got worse throughout the year.

Keith Robinson came back too. He was great fun to watch.

I've come to the conclusion he might be one of the most overrated players to ever play for the ABs. Always marketed by his coaches and supporters as a hard edged saviour for the AB forwards. But he was never close to our two just retired gods level, hell, he wasn't even close to Williams and Thorn.

And appears to be an awful human off the field.

Definitely gave a hard edge when fit which unfortunately wasn’t often. Very good in the lineout and doing the dirty work.

A fair few dickheads have played for the ABs so I won’t comment on your second point !

You've emphasised exactly what I consider the overrating of him.

My second point has nothing to do with the overrating of him - I just felt like adding it.

MN5

@Nepia said in All Blacks 2024:

@MN5 said in All Blacks 2024:

@Nepia said in All Blacks 2024:

@MN5 said in All Blacks 2024:

@Duluth said in All Blacks 2024:

@ACT-Crusader Rush was in very good form in 2003 and should've made the squad. 2004 he wasn't quite at the same level and his form got worse throughout the year.

Keith Robinson came back too. He was great fun to watch.

I've come to the conclusion he might be one of the most overrated players to ever play for the ABs. Always marketed by his coaches and supporters as a hard edged saviour for the AB forwards. But he was never close to our two just retired gods level, hell, he wasn't even close to Williams and Thorn.

And appears to be an awful human off the field.

Definitely gave a hard edge when fit which unfortunately wasn’t often. Very good in the lineout and doing the dirty work.

A fair few dickheads have played for the ABs so I won’t comment on your second point !

You've emphasised exactly what I consider the overrating of him.

My second point has nothing to do with the overrating of him - I just felt like adding it.

Yeah but you’re forgetting Charlie Ngatai and Ethan Blackadder ( who admittedly has a chance to change this )

The Silver Fern

All Blacks 2024.. locked