All Blacks Squad for France

[Chris B.]

@cantab79 said in All Blacks Squad for France:

My guess at a likely squad. 33 players 18 forwards and 15 backs.

Hookers: Codie Taylor, Nathan Harris, Ricky Riccitelli Liam Coltman
Props: Owen Franks, Joe Moody, Ofa Tu'ugafasi, Tim Perry, Nepo Laulala
Locks: Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick, Scott Barrett, Luke RomanoPatrick Tuipolotu
Loose forwards: Sam Cane, Akira Ioane, Vaea Fifita, Matt Todd, Liam Squire, Luke Whitelock

Halfbacks: Aaron Smith, TJ Perenara, Brad WeberTe ToiroaTahuriorangi
First Fives: Beuden Barrett, Damien McKenzie, Richie Mo'unga
Midfield: Ryan Crotty, Sonny Bill Williams, Anton Lienart-Brown, Jack Goodhue, Ngani Laumape
Outside backs: Ben Smith, Waisake Naholo, Reiko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Nehe Milner Skudder

Agree with Bovidae that Coltman has been there before. Given they've got Coles and Aumua in the injury ward, I don't think they need to develop anyone new, so Coltman (or whomever) may not get a start.

I read that Romano is unlikely to be fit in time - in which case probably Tuipolotu, but maybe someone like Tom Franklin.

I think they'll pick TTT, though I'd pick Bryn Hall. Drummond is a chance if the selectors have seen his game differently to me. Weber also a chance, but I'm not a huge fan.

Midfield is a case of five into four don't go. I think Crotty is a cast iron certainty. I wonder if Hansen would have been happy enough if SBW had stayed in the injury ward and made the decision for him. That being said, if he's available it's hard to see him missing out. I'm thinking two broadswords and two rapiers so Laumape and SBW are my two broadswords. So a choice between ALB or Goodhue. My opinion is that Goodhue is likely to be our best centre by about this time next year (if he isn't already), so I'd pick him - but, he's the new boy relative to ALB...who knows!

@gt12 Would be interesting if someone had looked closely at the pods the various teams use and which loosies play which roles. I certainly haven't, but I reckon Fifita, Ioane and Squire are all suited to playing looser and wider roles, whereas Whitelock plays tighter - I reckon in Read's absence there is a good chance they will start by playing Luke at No. 8 and pair him with one of the other three.

Edit: There's a good chance they'll pick NMS, but in that case Lam will be unlucky.

[Cantab79]

Has Tahuriorangi really overtaken Weber? I know Weber has missed a lot of Rugby this year, but he has a playing style that suits what the All Black selectors want (similar style to Aaron Smith's) and he has experience in the All Black environment. Given that the 3rd halfback will potentially play very little Rugby, I wonder if Weber is a safer option for Steve Hansen?

[antipodean]

@cantab79 said in All Blacks Squad for France:

Has Tahuriorangi really overtaken Weber?

Like Usain Bolt overtaking a mobility scooter, with a flat battery.

[Cantab79]

@antipodean

Fair enough. I'd take both over Drummond and that's coming from a Canterbury fan.

[Canerbry]

@cantab79 Bryn Hall over Weber too right now

[Cantab79]

@canerbry said in All Blacks Squad for France:

@cantab79 Bryn Hall over Weber too right now

Hall is a funny one, no-one seems to rate him. Even Scott Robertson seems to rate him on par with Drummond - hence why he rotates them evenly. I must be watching a different player because I rate him highly, and if it were up to me he'd always start for the Crusaders. I think he's a really talented player but he just never seems to even be in the discussion for the All Blacks.

[cgrant]

He is underrated because he was not up to the task when playing for the Blues.
He is having a very good season with the Crusaders. He is not brilliant but safe and sound. His box kicks are better than Drummond's and his passing is OK.
I think Hansen will pick TTT who is the nearest to Aaron Smith in terms of pass accuracy and speed to get behind the rucks. Weber's passing is too erratic IMO while Drummond's form is far from what it was last year.

[African Monkey]

It's a style thing with Bryn Hall. The Crusaders being so dominant up front allows him to play his up tempo game, where as behind other forward packs you need more creativity from your halfback which is where he struggled at the Blues. He's fairly basic and one-dimensional which suits the Crusaders perfectly and has proved to be a good signing but personally I wouldn't have him in the ABs squad.

[Chris B.]

@cantab79 It's hard to know what the selectors think of Hall. Last year he started for the Crusaders more than Drummond and started the play-off games, so you'd have to conclude Robinson had a preference for him - though not a huge one, because Drummie got plenty of starts and they weren't shy of giving him plenty of time in big games.

This year Drummond has been in the AB frame, so it wouldn't have been very fair of Razor to not give him a decent opportunity to show his wares and compete for the spot.

There hasn't been a halfback vacancy in the ABs for several years - when Drummond got his call up, Hall and several others were injured.

When TTT got called into the North Island camp, Perenara had just been injured and potentially out for the French series - so we've been tipped that he, at least, is in the frame. Harder to know who else is.

Pulu has also been there before so has to be a shot.

[taniwharugby]

I thought TJP was out until during or after the June series?

Problem is, other 9s that they have looked at, Webber & TTT are similar to AS, so really want a different 9 as the other option, which is where Pulu probably fills the gap with no TKB.

[mariner4life]

I know we're talking "on paper" but could this be the weakest AB squad in a good number of years? Some of the names floating around are pretty average.

We're a Codie Taylor injury away from playing a couple of very ordinary hookers
Props are starting to go okay with the cantab boys coming back.
Two of the locks are only just test standard, and not really starting quality. If Patty T is next in line then, well, jesus...
In the loosies, i have faith in the opensides (not named Savea), but the rest are green as all fuck.

3rd halfback is a cripple fight, and the 2nd guy isn't exactly a reliable test player despite years of experience.
At 10 our starter isn't that good, the anointed backup is definitely not up to standard, lets hope Mo'unga goes alright
The midfielders are either injured, or green (though ALB is having a better year this compared to last)
At least the back 3 look alright.

[Chris B.]

@taniwharugby I'm pretty sure they were interviewing TJ before last weekends Hurricanes game and he said he was hoping to play club rugby this weekend. Unfortunately, I was only had the TV on in the background and wasn't paying much attention till that point, but I'm pretty sure it was him talking.

In which case he should be on the bench for the Canes next weekend and starting the following....vs the Crusaders.

[Darren]

Front row is really not great.
But the rest of the team is fine I think.
And saying our 10 isn't that good? I couldn't disagree more.

[taniwharugby]

@mariner4life assume your comment re 10 is sarcastic...

[Stargazer]

@darren-nicholson What's not great about Joe Moody, Codie Taylor and Owen Franks? It's only the bench that's not that great.

[Bovidae]

@stargazer

With Laulala or Ofa we're OK at TH on the bench. But LH is an issue. Perry FFS! Hames won't be back anytime soon and I think Aidan Ross might have been a bolter before his injury.

Harris has been average this season but is servicable to play limited minutes like he did in the Lions series.

[Stargazer]

@bovidae Perry is currently injured, too, and I don't know whether he'll be available for the French tests. They may need to beg the Crockzilla to postpone his international retirement.

[mariner4life]

@taniwharugby said in All Blacks Squad for France:

@mariner4life assume your comment re 10 is sarcastic...

not at all, I've made the comment before. BB is a fantastic rugby player, but a pretty ordinary test match 10. Having mad wheels, and a halfback with an insane pass allows him to bail himself and us out a lot.

[Darren]

@stargazer said in All Blacks Squad for France:

@darren-nicholson What's not great about Joe Moody, Codie Taylor and Owen Franks? It's only the bench that's not that great.

Thats perfect, but it's been so long since we put out that front row I tend to forget. Reserves worry me then for the last 20 or 30 minutes.

[nzzp]

The Frogs are suffering some serious injuries aren't they? Still would hate to see them get up again at Eden Park in teh first test.