All Blacks 2024
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@canefan said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Chris-B said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@ruggabee said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@gt12 Well Razor is from the mount so
@Nepia said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2024 - lo oking forward:
Mils at Centre?
Mils is an interesting one, initially selected out of position at 15 because Bitchell hated Cullen, then selected out of position at 13 because early Conrad kept breaking.
Deans picked McDonald at centre for the 2003 semi final over a fully fit Umaga which lost us the game because Mortlock had rigorously targetted Leon's channel - the final nail in the coffin was the Spencer intercept happened because Leon was not in the right position to receive the pass because of his inexperience in the midfield, if Umaga had played 13 he would've picked Spencer's pass and scored under the posts.
Mind you, it's a bit of a pity that Tana didn't use this superior positional awareness to not run into Carlos in the Italy game, which is how he hurt his leg in the first place!

A bit rough to blame Tana. Even Carlos didn't know where Carlos was going half the time...
Tana should have run into a less tough first five like Merhts.
@MN5 said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Tana should have run into a less tough first five like Merhts.
Actually Merhts heard the criticism of his light frame and really bulked up.
Shame it was after he stopped playing. -
@Canes4life I'll take the $60 bet
@george33 said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Canes4life I'll take the $60 bet
your grammar seems to improve when there's money on the table...
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I don't know why anyone would choose Ethan as captain, his USP is machine-like dynamo berserker action I would have thought (apart from his injuries) ...surely a captain has to have time to plan and consider others...
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I don't know why anyone would choose Ethan as captain, his USP is machine-like dynamo berserker action I would have thought (apart from his injuries) ...surely a captain has to have time to plan and consider others...
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
I don't know why anyone would choose Ethan as captain, his USP is machine-like dynamo berserker action I would have thought (apart from his injuries) ...surely a captain has to have time to plan and consider others...
Who is choosing him as captain?
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@Frank said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Tim Confirms Akira is working hard. With the added bonus of more power.
Do you mean more power than others or playing more powerfully than before> as he played with some power before!
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@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
I don't know why anyone would choose Ethan as captain, his USP is machine-like dynamo berserker action I would have thought (apart from his injuries) ...surely a captain has to have time to plan and consider others...
Who is choosing him as captain?
@Crazy-Horse said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
I don't know why anyone would choose Ethan as captain, his USP is machine-like dynamo berserker action I would have thought (apart from his injuries) ...surely a captain has to have time to plan and consider others...
Who is choosing him as captain?
I thought someone briefly mentioned that in this thread but could have been as a joke and I could have got my wires crossed.
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@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Rieko's test form last year was terrific but I think there's still room for competition. For a test centre his hands are poor and he has no kicking game whatsoever.
Reiko is a fucking terrific centre though, and there isn't a team around who wouldn't pick him. So if Proctor is now better than him that is awesome for the ABs. And then you have a guy in the 23 jersey who is an absolute weapon.
Rieko has to be in the starting 15 no matter what, that's why I am wondering about a move back to 11 to accommodate Proctor. Like you I am loathe to play players out of position for this reason, but at the same time switching back to 11 where he was the worlds best wouldn't be difficult for him.
I take the point that it's been a long time since he played there though, but I haven't noticed any decrease in his pace or elusiveness which is what has hampered other wingers his age.
@No-Quarter Reiko will be 13 , unless injured off course, Pat making big run for a spot also , and don't put Renata out of a squad member also, there is some noise upstairs
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@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Rieko's test form last year was terrific but I think there's still room for competition. For a test centre his hands are poor and he has no kicking game whatsoever.
Reiko is a fucking terrific centre though, and there isn't a team around who wouldn't pick him. So if Proctor is now better than him that is awesome for the ABs. And then you have a guy in the 23 jersey who is an absolute weapon.
Rieko has to be in the starting 15 no matter what, that's why I am wondering about a move back to 11 to accommodate Proctor. Like you I am loathe to play players out of position for this reason, but at the same time switching back to 11 where he was the worlds best wouldn't be difficult for him.
I take the point that it's been a long time since he played there though, but I haven't noticed any decrease in his pace or elusiveness which is what has hampered other wingers his age.
@No-Quarter said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Rieko has to be in the starting 15 no matter what, that's why I am wondering about a move back to 11 to accommodate Proctor. Like you I am loathe to play players out of position for this reason, but at the same time switching back to 11 where he was the worlds best wouldn't be difficult for him.
I take the point that it's been a long time since he played there though, but I haven't noticed any decrease in his pace or elusiveness which is what has hampered other wingers his age.
I get your point but...
If Reiko moves to 11 then that leaves our mid-field just 1 Proctor injury away from having to move Rieko back to 13 and switching position within the year doesn't help anyones game.
I'd prefer Proctor and Reiko fought it out for the jersey and we build some mid-field depth there, we have plenty of class wingers and plenty of depth there. We need more midfield depth ATM and probably long-term also.
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why would we think having two strong options for a position means we have to move people around, get them working together and pushing each other, give razor options, we might even have the depth to chose horses for courses...game plans specific to our Opposition
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why would we think having two strong options for a position means we have to move people around, get them working together and pushing each other, give razor options, we might even have the depth to chose horses for courses...game plans specific to our Opposition
@Kiwiwomble said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
why would we think having two strong options for a position means we have to move people around, get them working together and pushing each other, give razor options, we might even have the depth to chose horses for courses...game plans specific to our Opposition
dur, because they are both awesome and therefore we just have to pick both of them
we're having the same convo as the other day!
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back in the day if the AB's needed someone to change positions the coach would have a quiet unofficial word with their super coach and they'd get 10-12 games in the that position before the international season...you know, get their eye in.....now we seem to think we'll just give them a few training runs once in camp and all will be fine
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The 30-year-old’s new contract includes a sabbatical clause.
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His new contract includes a sabbatical clause, whether it be of the non-playing variety or a playing stint elsewhere, such as Japan.
Barrett said he could utilise the clause in his contract next year or in 2026. However, given injuries sidelined him for most of Super Rugby, and the Crusaders are coming off a rotten season, a break of any sort is hardly on his mind.
Still hindered by a bulging disc in his back, had the Crusaders made the quarterfinals he would have been a 50/50 shot at playing this week.
Now, he faces the prospect of potentially playing club rugby before the All Blacks kickoff their two-test series against England in Dunedin on July 6.
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So that's Jordie and Scott Barrett confirmed to have sabbaticals. Was Rieko Ioane's s sabbatical confirmed too?
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@Bones said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Be good to have the captain fuck off shortly after getting used to his role.
theyre professional sportspeople that often talk about how short lived their careers are and that why they should get paid loads....have trip overseas when your done playing for the ABs...you'll have plenty of time then
mods, please move to the grumpy old man thread of needed
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@Bones said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Be good to have the captain fuck off shortly after getting used to his role.
theyre professional sportspeople that often talk about how short lived their careers are and that why they should get paid loads....have trip overseas when your done playing for the ABs...you'll have plenty of time then
mods, please move to the grumpy old man thread of needed
@Kiwiwomble I'm ok with a player having a sabbatical. Be retarded to select that player as captain though.
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@Kiwiwomble I'm ok with a player having a sabbatical. Be retarded to select that player as captain though.
@Bones although I guess his sabbatical could just be for super, as his brother has just done, in which case it doesnt matter for ABs?