Name Your AB Team

[canefan]

@Canes4life said in Name Your AB Team:

@canefan said in Name Your AB Team:

@Canes4life said in Name Your AB Team:

@canefan said in Name Your AB Team:

@Frank said in Name Your AB Team:

I would be quite happy with Newell and Williams being picked.
Both are young and have high potential.
Newell is a very powerful scrummager and Williams is devastating close to the line.
Hard luck on Numia.

Numia is hurt, and he's young. Has time on his side. But his upside looks huge

I feel Numia will get a shot this year, most likely end of year tour or if injuries strike. Absolutely gutted for him when he got injured. He was a beast around the park this year and was never beaten at scrum time.

Our scrum was immense. Left a lot of opposition packs broken. That is not something you often say about Hurricanes packs

100%. Let's hope we get that pack humming at the right end of the season next year. Getting Gallagher is huge aswell, will add to the engine room.

Injuries killed us. But our fozz blacks game plan in the SF was a self inflicted wound that we must learn from

[Canes4life]

The AB team I want to see tomorrow is as follows (excluding injured players). In brackets are players I think will be picked by Razor based on the chat.

Props
Lomax
Newell
Tu'ungafasi
Williams
De Groot

Hookers:
Taylor
Aumua
Riccitelli (Bell)

Locks:
Darry (Vaa'i)
Barrett
Tuipolotu
Walker-Leawere (Strange)

Loose forwards:
Papali'i
Sotutu (Sititi)
Lakai (Cane)
Savea
Finau
Blackadder

Halfbacks:
Perenara
Ratima
Christie

First Fives:
McKenzie
Plummer

Centres:
Proctor (Havili)
Ioane
Barrett
ALB

Outside backs:
Clarke
Reece
Telea
Love (Barrett)
Narawa

[canefan]

I could live with that list, minus the bracketed players!

[Chris B.]

If Chchfanatic is right and Scott and Ardie are going to be co-captains, I think I like that. Makes some sense to share the load in this day and age.

I think another interesting thing where Razor's experience might be in play is that he's not naming his team until Monday night. Gives the winners an opportunity to celebrate (and the losers to decompress) without having to worry about leaping on a plane to Christchurch at 9am on Sunday morning. Temptation would have been to rush everyone into camp. Hope it doesn't backfire!

Incidentally, congratulations to the Blues.

[Landers92]

@chchfanatic said in Name Your AB Team:

Props:
de Groot
Williams
Tu'ungafasi
Lomax
Newell
Bower

Hookers:
Taylor
Aumua
Bell if no Taukieho

Locks:
Barrett CC
Tuipulotu
Vaa'i

Loose Forwards:
Papalii
Savea CC
Blackadder
Sititi
Finau
Cane

Halfbacks:
Christie
Perenara
Ratima

First Fives:
McKenzie
Plummer

Midfielders:
Barrett
Havili
Ioane
Lienert-Brown

Outside Backs:
Tele'a
Clarke
Reece
Narawa
Barrett

You had an inside word on the squad naming too? If this is anything to go by, this place is going to be some bloody good entertainment around 5.35pm tomorrow evening.

[ACT Crusader]

@canefan said in Name Your AB Team:

@Canes4life said in Name Your AB Team:

@Chris said in Name Your AB Team:

It will be interesting to see how the ABs are going to play.

Very average based on a few of those selections.

The Blues showed the kind of game plan that will work vs teams like England and the Boks. We've been too loose for too long

Not to bring up old ground as we all look to the future and all that stuff, but in the tests before and during the World Cup I thought we got the balance right.

Other than a couple of kicks we basically had the tight game that matched and even for good periods surpass the Boks.

[Chris]

@Landers92 said in Name Your AB Team:

@chchfanatic said in Name Your AB Team:

Props:
de Groot
Williams
Tu'ungafasi
Lomax
Newell
Bower

Hookers:
Taylor
Aumua
Bell if no Taukieho

Locks:
Barrett CC
Tuipulotu
Vaa'i

Loose Forwards:
Papalii
Savea CC
Blackadder
Sititi
Finau
Cane

Halfbacks:
Christie
Perenara
Ratima

First Fives:
McKenzie
Plummer

Midfielders:
Barrett
Havili
Ioane
Lienert-Brown

Outside Backs:
Tele'a
Clarke
Reece
Narawa
Barrett

You had an inside word on the squad naming too? If this is anything to go by, this place is going to be some bloody good entertainment around 5.35pm tomorrow evening.

Yeah I have my popcorn ready.

[canefan]

@ACT-Crusader said in Name Your AB Team:

@canefan said in Name Your AB Team:

@Canes4life said in Name Your AB Team:

@Chris said in Name Your AB Team:

It will be interesting to see how the ABs are going to play.

Very average based on a few of those selections.

The Blues showed the kind of game plan that will work vs teams like England and the Boks. We've been too loose for too long

Not to bring up old ground as we all look to the future and all that stuff, but in the tests before and during the World Cup I thought we got the balance right.

Other than a couple of kicks we basically had the tight game that matched and even for good periods surpass the Boks.

Definitely better in Fozzies last year. The Irish QF was the peak

[voodoo]

@Kirwan said in Name Your AB Team:

If Razor doesn't pick the best looseforward in the country this Super season, then I have very low expectations from the ABs this year.

Who was that BTW? Not being a dick, the Final was literally the only Super game I’ve watched this season

Sotutu?

[Kirwan]

Yes, Sotutu.

[Bones]

@Frank said in Name Your AB Team:

Havili can play all three.

People keep saying this, but he can't. And if he can, it's to a much lower level than Jordie can.

But Havili was deemed such a failure at ten for the crusaders, that a loudly proclaimed "he will play there until the end of the season" was u-turned sharply after two games.

And then in a season where Jordan is injured, Havili didn't play fullback. He hasn't played there in years.

The only thing I can think of, is he's played his best rugby under Razor and he believes he's got the key to unlocking that at test level.

[KiwiMurph]

@Chris said in Name Your AB Team:

@Landers92 said in Name Your AB Team:

@chchfanatic said in Name Your AB Team:

Props:
de Groot
Williams
Tu'ungafasi
Lomax
Newell
Bower

Hookers:
Taylor
Aumua
Bell if no Taukieho

Locks:
Barrett CC
Tuipulotu
Vaa'i

Loose Forwards:
Papalii
Savea CC
Blackadder
Sititi
Finau
Cane

Halfbacks:
Christie
Perenara
Ratima

First Fives:
McKenzie
Plummer

Midfielders:
Barrett
Havili
Ioane
Lienert-Brown

Outside Backs:
Tele'a
Clarke
Reece
Narawa
Barrett

You had an inside word on the squad naming too? If this is anything to go by, this place is going to be some bloody good entertainment around 5.35pm tomorrow evening.

Yeah I have my popcorn ready.

How about the popcorn if Razor's mediocre bunch blow Eden Park's undefeated streak vs England in a few weeks.

Fireworks incoming.

[Chris]

@KiwiMurph said in Name Your AB Team:

@Chris said in Name Your AB Team:

@Landers92 said in Name Your AB Team:

@chchfanatic said in Name Your AB Team:

Props:
de Groot
Williams
Tu'ungafasi
Lomax
Newell
Bower

Hookers:
Taylor
Aumua
Bell if no Taukieho

Locks:
Barrett CC
Tuipulotu
Vaa'i

Loose Forwards:
Papalii
Savea CC
Blackadder
Sititi
Finau
Cane

Halfbacks:
Christie
Perenara
Ratima

First Fives:
McKenzie
Plummer

Midfielders:
Barrett
Havili
Ioane
Lienert-Brown

Outside Backs:
Tele'a
Clarke
Reece
Narawa
Barrett

You had an inside word on the squad naming too? If this is anything to go by, this place is going to be some bloody good entertainment around 5.35pm tomorrow evening.

Yeah I have my popcorn ready.

How about the popcorn if Razor's mediocre bunch blow Eden Park's undefeated streak vs England in a few weeks.

Fireworks incoming.

Even better

[sparky]

@frugby That looks about right, but I think Harry Plummer is perhaps ahead of Perofeta now.

[canefan]

@sparky said in Name Your AB Team:

@frugby That looks about right, but I think Harry Plummer is perhaps ahead of Perofeta now.

Hell, I'd be tempted to put him ahead of BB based on his last form in black

[sparky]

@chchfanatic That could well be correct.

1. Only three locks is insane given how often they get injured.

2. No Hoskins Sotutu is insane too given he's arguably been the best Super player of the season and could bugger off and play for England or Fiji.

3. Disappointing not to see Ruben Love there. I think he's our best player under the high ball.

4. Disappointing not to see Billy Proctor there. He's so ready for test rugby.

5. I'm not sure Sam Cane has played any Rugby in 2024. You'd have thought he needs to play at least half a club game before being considered for AB selection.

6. George Bell looks the part but his throwing and his work in the tight are a long way below Test standard.

[Bones]

@KiwiMurph said in Name Your AB Team:

@Chris said in Name Your AB Team:

@Landers92 said in Name Your AB Team:

@chchfanatic said in Name Your AB Team:

Props:
de Groot
Williams
Tu'ungafasi
Lomax
Newell
Bower

Hookers:
Taylor
Aumua
Bell if no Taukieho

Locks:
Barrett CC
Tuipulotu
Vaa'i

Loose Forwards:
Papalii
Savea CC
Blackadder
Sititi
Finau
Cane

Halfbacks:
Christie
Perenara
Ratima

First Fives:
McKenzie
Plummer

Midfielders:
Barrett
Havili
Ioane
Lienert-Brown

Outside Backs:
Tele'a
Clarke
Reece
Narawa
Barrett

You had an inside word on the squad naming too? If this is anything to go by, this place is going to be some bloody good entertainment around 5.35pm tomorrow evening.

Yeah I have my popcorn ready.

How about the popcorn if Razor's mediocre bunch blow Eden Park's undefeated streak vs England in a few weeks.

Fireworks incoming.

It'll be eggs cooked over fireworks if an AB team wipe England with names like Strange and Havili.

[Canes4life]

@sparky said in Name Your AB Team:

@chchfanatic That could well be correct.

1. Only three locks is insane given how often they get injured.

2. No Hoskins Sotutu is insane too given he's arguably been the best Super player of the season and could bugger off and play for England or Fiji.

3. Disappointing not to see Ruben Love there. I think he's our best player under the high ball.

4. Disappointing not to see Billy Proctor there. He's so ready for test rugby.

5. I'm not sure Sam Cane has played any Rugby in 2024. You'd have thought he needs to play at least half a club game before being considered for AB selection.

6. George Bell looks the part but his throwing and his work in the tight are a long way below Test standard.

Asafo Aumua will be pissed. He showed better form than Bell has over the last couple years and wasn’t considered for that very reason. Now Bell gets in despite being pretty inconsistent all year. Some of these selections are baffling.

[sparky]

@Canes4life Aumua will be delighted to get an AB recall.

[sparky]

@Kirwan said in Name Your AB Team:

Lam has done enough to get ahead of the epitome of mid Havilli for example. How many times does a player have to fail to impress at Test level before you move on?

I'd pick Billy Proctor ahead of AJ Lam, but I'd pick both of them and McLeod ahead of David Havili now.

Genuinely baffling selection, if true.