All Blacks Squad for France

[Chris B.]

@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.

[Bovidae]

@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.

[Nepia]

@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.

[Bovidae]

@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.

[kiwiinmelb]

This thread is starting to resemble the good old days around AB selection time ,

All we need is Toeava to make himself available .

[Crucial]

@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

[Kirwan]

@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.

[Crucial]

@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.

[kiwiinmelb]

@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:

[cgrant]

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 ?

[nzzp]

@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.

[Bovidae]

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.

[Stargazer]

@cgrant I hope the selectors will convince Crockett to postpone his retirement. If not, they might move Ofa to LH.

[Stargazer]

@bovidae said in All Blacks Squad for France:

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.

Ahhh. I should have hit the "refresh" button.

[MajorPom]

@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.

[Crucial]

@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

[Bones]

@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 Ngatai Jonah Lowe.

[MN5]

It's probably about time I ask the same question I do every year.

What the hell does Luke Romano do to keep getting in the team?

[MajorPom]

@mn5 said in All Blacks Squad for France:

It's probably about time I ask the same question I do every year.

What the hell does Luke Romano do to keep getting in the team?

Plays for the Crusaders. A path many have trod.

[Stargazer]

@bones said in All Blacks Squad for France:

@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 Ngatai Jonah Lowe. Rob Thomas