All Blacks Squad for France

[nostrildamus]

@shadowtrooper said in All Blacks Squad for France:

Ta'avao
1.94m 124kg apparently. I did not realize he was such a big lad.

[pakman]

@shadowtrooper So far I think Ala'alatoa has suffered in comparison with Forearm Franks. Seems a good all-rounder, and the time in the Chch prop factory can only make him better. Two more years and who knows?

[Chris B.]

@pakman I've thought Alaalatoa has been pretty good when Franks has been out and Alaalatoa has had to start.

But when he's come off the bench behind Franks he's struggled - which is not what you'd expect, against tired or bench props.

[MN5]

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks Squad for France:

@shadowtrooper said in All Blacks Squad for France:

Ta'avao
1.94m 124kg apparently. I did not realize he was such a big lad.

Crikey. That's more than 6 foot 4.

Here's hoping he's more Carl Hayman than Jamie Macintosh.

[nzzp]

@mn5 said in All Blacks Squad for France:

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks Squad for France:

@shadowtrooper said in All Blacks Squad for France:

Ta'avao
1.94m 124kg apparently. I did not realize he was such a big lad.

Crikey. That's more than 6 foot 4.

Here's hoping he's more Carl Hayman than Jamie Macintosh.

Maybe he could play 8?

[Stargazer]

Sonny Bill Williams out of Steinlager Series

All Blacks and Blues midfielder Sonny Bill Williams has been ruled out of rugby for several weeks with a knee injury.

Williams aggravated an old knee injury this week and Blues medical staff said an x-ray yesterday showed a loose piece of bone in his knee joint. He will undergo keyhole surgery today in Auckland.

Blues medical staff expect that Williams will be unable to train for around four weeks.

http://www.allblacks.com/News/32495/sonny-bill-williams-out-of-steinlager-series

[nzzp]

@stargazer damn. He's a unit, and we'll miss him.

sad face.

[Stargazer]

I hope Crotty will be fit and that we'll see a return to the successful 2016 midfield line-up with a Crotty-ALB, or a Crotty-Goodhue combo. Ngani maybe for the 3rd test.

We didnt' miss SBW in 2016.

[nzzp]

@stargazer said in All Blacks Squad for France:

I hope Crotty will be fit and that we'll see a return to the successful 2016 midfield line-up with a Crotty-ALB, or a Crotty-Goodhue combo. Ngani maybe for the 3rd test.

We didnt' miss SBW in 2016.

If he'd stayed on teh field last year, we'd have won the Lions tour.

Ditto B Smith. Our midfield wound up with debutantes.

[Tim]

Goodhue 12, ALB 13 is the best we can hope for.

[Stargazer]

@nzzp said in All Blacks Squad for France:

@stargazer said in All Blacks Squad for France:

I hope Crotty will be fit and that we'll see a return to the successful 2016 midfield line-up with a Crotty-ALB, or a Crotty-Goodhue combo. Ngani maybe for the 3rd test.

We didnt' miss SBW in 2016.

If he'd stayed on teh field last year, we'd have won the Lions tour.

Ditto B Smith. Our midfield wound up with debutantes.

I don't think we'd have won if SBW was on the field but if we'd had 15 players on the field. Slight difference. It's having a man less on the field that cost us; not that that man was SBW.

[nzzp]

@stargazer said in All Blacks Squad for France:

I don't think we'd have won if SBW was on the field but if we'd had 15 players on the field. Slight difference. It's having a man less on the field that cost us; not that that man was SBW.

Thoughts on the third test then? Laumape on his second test (after debuting in No 2 the week before), and ALB only 12 tests into his career. Lack of experience and combination

12. Ngani Laumape (1)
13. Anton Lienert-Brown (12)

[Stargazer]

@nzzp Depends on the results of the first two tests. If we've won both, we can take more risks for the 3rd. Either Laumape-ALB or Laumape-Crotty (to reduce the risk).

[mariner4life]

@stargazer said in All Blacks Squad for France:

hope Crotty will be fit

[KiwiMurph]

Backs?

I'm worried about Crusaders props taking out Cane and Retallick with off the ball hits tomorrow....then apologising....

[taniwharugby]

@tim said in All Blacks Squad for France:

Goodhue 12, ALB 13 is the best we can hope for.

I reckon Goodhue would be very good at 12, has the size and skills to play that hard running 12 that we usually have, but if they want a hard running 12, then you have Laumape who actually plays there....although Goodhue is a better defender.

[Tim]

@taniwharugby said in All Blacks Squad for France:

Laumape

Laumape is overrated. His distribution isn't up to it at test level. Goodhue has the best combination of physicality, distribution, and defence, with SBW out.

[Marty]

@nzzp said in All Blacks Squad for France:

@stargazer damn. He's a unit, and we'll miss him.

sad face.

Even if he's not in top form, opponents like the French revere guys with his reputation (trying hard not to say 'aura' here). He'll be a loss for that alone.

[broughie]

@stargazer Crotty will be fit for about 30 minutes then will get injured and need a replacement.

[broughie]

@tim Agreed. He is a bit of a one trick pony and I hope the selectors are looking beyond him for the WC. Rip shit and bust incarnate.