All Blacks Squad for France
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@stargazer I will come out of the woodwork. If Taufua is an enforcer at test level I am a horses ass. Seriously. Not wanting to read the article but who makes this shit up? He is too small and one dimensional for a test player and remember he plays in a Cantab pack that as a group never seems to be shown up. Anyway my dos pesos.
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@broughie said in All Blacks Squad for France:
Not wanting to read the article but who makes this shit up?
Patrick McKendry, the worst rugby journalist in NZ.
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@mariner4life Missing from the first test 23 vs the Lions last year will (most likely) be Kaino, Read, Dagg, Crockett, Faumuina, Cruden plus Coles would have been there if fit.
I guess we've had a bit of a post-Lions cleanout.
Starting XV should be pretty strong (according to me):
Moody, Taylor, Franks, Retallick, Whitelock, Squire, Cane, Whitelock, Smith, Barrett, Ioane, SBW, Crotty, Smith, BarrettAfter that it's getting a bit thinner (bench): Perry, Harris, Laulala, Barrett, Todd, Perenara, McKenzie, Laumape
There's some assumptions about people who are going to make it back in time and also a pretty big assumption that no-one else is going to get injured in the meantime. Seems to me that on average about two players per team hobble off injured per game - sometimes they're back the following week...sometimes not.
For a game like Crusaders-Hurricanes, where about half the starting players are going to be AB squad members, we could easily lose two or three just in that game - and there's still three or four Super games left for all our teams before the French arrive. Lose the wrong people and we will be tested!
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@tim You don't think they'll ever want to use him and Jordie in the same team?
It's a biggish (and slightly provocative!) call for me to say it will happen in the first test, but I'll be pretty surprised if we don't see Ben get some minutes there with Jordie off the bench during the French series.
I'll be similarly surprised if we don't see Ben start a game for the ABs on the wing this year - if Jordie plays well maybe quite a few. After all, the Highlanders started him on the wing less than ten days ago.
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@mariner4life said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@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.
My "white knight Canes players" alarm just went off, but that's probably a pretty accurate statement. He's not your traditional test 10 that's for sure, but he does have some pretty obvious strengths which the AB coaches really like:
- Outrageously quick off the mark.
- Strong defender.
- Brilliant at seizing half chances and turning them into points, which can turn a test match.
No doubt Aaron Smith plays a key role against rush defense. He struggles a bit without him.
We were bloody spoilt with DC who has to go down as the GOAT 10 of the modern era - we're unlikely to see someone of his ilk again in our lifetimes. But I'd say most, in fact probably all international sides right now would give their left nut to have Beauden at 10.
@no-quarter said in All Blacks Squad for France:
My "white knight Canes players" alarm just went off, but that's probably a pretty accurate statement. He's not your traditional test 10 that's for sure, but he does have some pretty obvious strengths which the AB coaches really like:
- Outrageously quick off the mark.
- Strong defender.
Let's not get carried away. Improved or solid are the words you are looking for. When I think of a strong defender at 1st 5 I think of DC, Honiball and Wilkinson. Beauden isn't like them.
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@no-quarter said in All Blacks Squad for France:
My "white knight Canes players" alarm just went off, but that's probably a pretty accurate statement. He's not your traditional test 10 that's for sure, but he does have some pretty obvious strengths which the AB coaches really like:
- Outrageously quick off the mark.
- Strong defender.
Let's not get carried away. Improved or solid are the words you are looking for. When I think of a strong defender at 1st 5 I think of DC, Honiball and Wilkinson. Beauden isn't like them.
@bovidae said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@no-quarter said in All Blacks Squad for France:
My "white knight Canes players" alarm just went off, but that's probably a pretty accurate statement. He's not your traditional test 10 that's for sure, but he does have some pretty obvious strengths which the AB coaches really like:
- Outrageously quick off the mark.
- Strong defender.
Let's not get carried away. Improved or solid are the words you are looking for. When I think of a strong defender at 1st 5 I think of DC, Honiball and Wilkinson. Beauden isn't like them.
Good cover defender (due to his speed) is probably more accurate, and he has definitively improved his front on defence.
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@bovidae said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@no-quarter said in All Blacks Squad for France:
My "white knight Canes players" alarm just went off, but that's probably a pretty accurate statement. He's not your traditional test 10 that's for sure, but he does have some pretty obvious strengths which the AB coaches really like:
- Outrageously quick off the mark.
- Strong defender.
Let's not get carried away. Improved or solid are the words you are looking for. When I think of a strong defender at 1st 5 I think of DC, Honiball and Wilkinson. Beauden isn't like them.
Good cover defender (due to his speed) is probably more accurate, and he has definitively improved his front on defence.
@nepia said in All Blacks Squad for France:
Good cover defender (due to his speed) is probably more accurate, and he has definitively improved his front on defence.
Yes, to the first statement. But let's be honest, BB's front-on defence used to resemble a speed bump so there was only one way he could go.
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This thread is starting to resemble the good old days around AB selection time ,
All we need is Toeava to make himself available .
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This thread is starting to resemble the good old days around AB selection time ,
All we need is Toeava to make himself available .
@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks Squad for France:
This thread is starting to resemble the good old days around AB selection time ,
All we need is Toeava to make himself available .
DMac is the new Toeava
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@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks Squad for France:
This thread is starting to resemble the good old days around AB selection time ,
All we need is Toeava to make himself available .
DMac is the new Toeava
@crucial said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks Squad for France:
This thread is starting to resemble the good old days around AB selection time ,
All we need is Toeava to make himself available .
DMac is the new Toeava
Toeava could play ten.
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@crucial said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks Squad for France:
This thread is starting to resemble the good old days around AB selection time ,
All we need is Toeava to make himself available .
DMac is the new Toeava
Toeava could play ten.
@kirwan said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@crucial said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks Squad for France:
This thread is starting to resemble the good old days around AB selection time ,
All we need is Toeava to make himself available .
DMac is the new Toeava
Toeava could play ten.
Burn.
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@crucial said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks Squad for France:
This thread is starting to resemble the good old days around AB selection time ,
All we need is Toeava to make himself available .
DMac is the new Toeava
Toeava could play ten.
@kirwan said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@crucial said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks Squad for France:
This thread is starting to resemble the good old days around AB selection time ,
All we need is Toeava to make himself available .
DMac is the new Toeava
Toeava could play ten.
Every position in the backline , in a heartbeat :winking_face:
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With Perry injured, Hames still feeling symptoms of his concussion and Crockett retired, who is going to be the reserve LHP ? Let's have a look at the different teams.
Blues : Manu. I think he is not fit enough for international rugby.
Canes : Smith. He is Australian. Eves. Cannot scrum.
Crusaders : Allan. Too green. King. Too old.
Landers : DLB. Not up to the task in terms of scrummaging.
Chiefs : Tu'inukuafe. Maybe the best scrummager in the country. Questions about his workrate though.Your opinion ?
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With Perry injured, Hames still feeling symptoms of his concussion and Crockett retired, who is going to be the reserve LHP ? Let's have a look at the different teams.
Blues : Manu. I think he is not fit enough for international rugby.
Canes : Smith. He is Australian. Eves. Cannot scrum.
Crusaders : Allan. Too green. King. Too old.
Landers : DLB. Not up to the task in terms of scrummaging.
Chiefs : Tu'inukuafe. Maybe the best scrummager in the country. Questions about his workrate though.Your opinion ?
@cgrant said in All Blacks Squad for France:
With Perry injured, Hames still feeling symptoms of his concussion and Crockett retired, who is going to be the reserve LHP ? Let's have a look at the different teams.
Blues : Manu. I think he is not fit enough for international rugby.Still has a world cup winner's medal, but not an AB cap. Unique.
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With Perry injured, Hames still feeling symptoms of his concussion and Crockett retired, who is going to be the reserve LHP ? Let's have a look at the different teams.
Blues : Manu. I think he is not fit enough for international rugby.
Canes : Smith. He is Australian. Eves. Cannot scrum.
Crusaders : Allan. Too green. King. Too old.
Landers : DLB. Not up to the task in terms of scrummaging.
Chiefs : Tu'inukuafe. Maybe the best scrummager in the country. Questions about his workrate though.Your opinion ?
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If Laulala is good to go I wonder if they will use Ofa as a reserve LH? It's not his best position but might be the best option available.
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@crucial said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks Squad for France:
This thread is starting to resemble the good old days around AB selection time ,
All we need is Toeava to make himself available .
DMac is the new Toeava
Toeava could play ten.
@kirwan said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@crucial said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks Squad for France:
This thread is starting to resemble the good old days around AB selection time ,
All we need is Toeava to make himself available .
DMac is the new Toeava
Toeava could play ten.
Toeava could either play nothing or play the entire backline by himself, depending on which side of Toeava fence you sat.
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@kirwan said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@crucial said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks Squad for France:
This thread is starting to resemble the good old days around AB selection time ,
All we need is Toeava to make himself available .
DMac is the new Toeava
Toeava could play ten.
Every position in the backline , in a heartbeat :winking_face:
@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@kirwan said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@crucial said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks Squad for France:
This thread is starting to resemble the good old days around AB selection time ,
All we need is Toeava to make himself available .
DMac is the new Toeava
Toeava could play ten.
Every position in the backline , in a heartbeat :winking_face:
That's an exaggeration. He was no Charlie Ngatai
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@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@kirwan said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@crucial said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks Squad for France:
This thread is starting to resemble the good old days around AB selection time ,
All we need is Toeava to make himself available .
DMac is the new Toeava
Toeava could play ten.
Every position in the backline , in a heartbeat :winking_face:
That's an exaggeration. He was no Charlie Ngatai
@crucial said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@kirwan said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@crucial said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks Squad for France:
This thread is starting to resemble the good old days around AB selection time ,
All we need is Toeava to make himself available .
DMac is the new Toeava
Toeava could play ten.
Every position in the backline , in a heartbeat :winking_face:
That's an exaggeration. He was no
Charlie NgataiJonah Lowe.
