World Cup Squad Positions

[Chris B.]

@Nepia Yeah - it would be a good start on heading Laulala back to the Crusaders!

[Nepia]

@Chris-B said in World Cup Squad Positions:

@Nepia Yeah - it would be a good start on heading Laulala back to the Crusaders!

I don’t think he wants to be poached by the South Island twice.

[shark]

I don't think for a second that they'll take four specialist locks. Three and a utility, or two and two utilities. But these are just labels really.

The biggest variable in this mix for mine is how much faith they have in Barrett being able to play blindside.

They'll obviously take Whitelock, Retallick and Barrett and then probably one of Fifita and Hemopo. You could say that's three and a utility, or two and two utilities. There's a chance they'll take Tuipulotu and Barrett could take the Fifita/Hemopo spot.

[shark]

This is my first lick at a squad all year, I think. And this is who I think they'll pick. If I'm really unsure between two players, I've picked who I'd pick:

Taylor
Coles
Coltman (could easily be Harris)

Moody LH
Karl T LH
Franks TH
Laulala TH
Ofa T TH LH

Retallick
S Whitelock
S Barrett

Fifita BF L
Squire BF
Cane OF
Savea OF
Read 8
L Whitelock 8 BF

A Smith
Perenara
Drummond

B Barrett
Mo'unga
J Ioane

ALB 12 13
Crotty 12 13
SBW 12
Goodhue 13

J Barrett W FB
R Ioane W
Bridge W
B Smith W FB

I think they'll go safety first in several situations. Number 8 cover is one, where I don't think they'll use Savea except maybe as game day cover. I'm super keen on Ennor going, but I think they'll take the four proven performers in midfield and Bridge (who I don't consider a FB option at the highest level yet, same as Goodhue at 12) will be the fourth outside back, or Naholo.

[rotated]

@shark said in World Cup Squad Positions:

I don't think for a second that they'll take four specialist locks.

I think they almost certainly will; Whitelock, Rettalick, Barrett and probably Patty T.

Rettalick and Whitelock are on a shortlist of players who would be given the Richie treatment and retained in the squad if they picked up a serious injury with a questionable prognosis where they might be able to return later in the tournament. I'll take either at 85% with a five week layoff in a potential semi-final and final over most other options. The selectors are unlikely to put themselves in a situation where they could be forced to make a call to send either one home because of inadequate cover. Along those lines Chicago was a good reality check on how grim things can be without legitimate locking.

[antipodean]

@rotated said in World Cup Squad Positions:

@shark said in World Cup Squad Positions:

I don't think for a second that they'll take four specialist locks.

I think they almost certainly will; Whitelock, Rettalick, Barrett and probably Patty T.

Rettalick and Whitelock are on a shortlist of players who would be given the Richie treatment and retained in the squad if they picked up a serious injury with a questionable prognosis where they might be able to return later in the tournament. I'll take either at 85% with a five week layoff in a potential semi-final and final over most other options. The selectors are unlikely to put themselves in a situation where they could be forced to make a call to send either one home because of inadequate cover. Along those lines Chicago was a good reality check on how grim things can be without legitimate locking.

Add to that their apparent satisfaction with Barrett as a blindside if required.

[rotated]

@antipodean said in World Cup Squad Positions:

Add to that their apparent satisfaction with Barrett as a blindside if required.

Contrasted with their explicit dissatisfaction when Fifita is selected as a lock.

[Duluth]

@rotated said in World Cup Squad Positions:

I think they almost certainly will; Whitelock, Rettalick, Barrett and probably Patty T.

The coaches seem to rate Tuipulotu higher than TSF users do

I suspect he'll be on the bench against sides like Ireland/England etc. They've always commented on his ability to bend the line (assuming he doesn't drop the ball..)

However if one Whitelock/Retallick is injured, Barrett comes straight into the starting xv.

[Chris B.]

@shark said in World Cup Squad Positions:

I don't think for a second that they'll take four specialist locks. Three and a utility, or two and two utilities. But these are just labels really.

The biggest variable in this mix for mine is how much faith they have in Barrett being able to play blindside.

They'll obviously take Whitelock, Retallick and Barrett and then probably one of Fifita and Hemopo. You could say that's three and a utility, or two and two utilities. There's a chance they'll take Tuipulotu and Barrett could take the Fifita/Hemopo spot.

I think they'll take four locks because they'll be reasonably confident in Barrett as a blindside option. I think the big game plan for locks and loosies will be:

Retallick plays 80
Whitelock probably plays 80
e.g. Squire - plays 50
Cane plays 80
Read plays 80

Barrett covers lock and blindside if necessary - comes on if one of locks gets injured or fades. Or if we need height in the lineout - or if one of our 80 minute loosies is fading.
Ardie covers all three loosie positions plays 30

[Tim]

I really hope we won't have Barrett at lock, or Squire at 6, when we play South Africa, England, or Ireland.

[pakman]

I agree that selectors likely to shoot for four locks, which means Patty T competing with Hemopo. Also expect that they'll go with two 10s and look for a fullback who can play 10 against Canada. Jordie seems to have the inside running. As for Luke W, he only gets in if Read is crocked. More likely he's only a plane trip away.

[Nepia]

@Duluth said in World Cup Squad Positions:

The coaches seem to rate Tuipulotu higher than TSF users do

Not me, I prefer an on form Patty T to Barrett. And he's been pretty on form since coming back from his off field stuff.

[African Monkey]

@Duluth Well Blues players are hardly the most loved on this forum haha (apart from Rieko) but yeah, Pat's fitness seems to have improved a lot this season and is looking a lot busier around the field. He's certainly hitting much harder in the tackle to go with his strong ball carrying.

[Snowy]

@African-Monkey said in World Cup Squad Positions:

Well Blues players are hardly the most loved on this forum

Yeah, a reflection on the team they play for, not the individual's playing ability. Provincial bias is rife - and stupid - we all want the AB's to be as good as they can.

As for locks - world cup winning teams had a pretty much world best (for the time) lock in it.
Whetton (maybe a little debatable but certainly up there).
Eales
Weise and Strydom (that is debatable but that match was a bit "different")
Eales
Johnson
Matfield
Whitelock (and Thorn)
Rettalick and Whitelock

We will have to take specialist locks and hope that our top two stay fit IMO.

Obviously other positions are just as important but if your lineout isn't working, the kicking game falls apart and options become more limited. Scrums are largely a tight 5 effort and 2 of them are locks. Without even mentioning the ball running and passing game of our top 2 guys.
Barrett covering 6 (at a push) is a bonus.

[Wally]

@Snowy said in World Cup Squad Positions:

@African-Monkey said in World Cup Squad Positions:

Well Blues players are hardly the most loved on this forum

Yeah, a reflection on the team they play for, not the individual's playing ability. Provincial bias is rife - and stupid - we all want the AB's to be as good as they can.

As for locks - world cup winning teams had a pretty much world best (for the time) lock in it.
Whetton (maybe a little debatable but certainly up there).
Eales
Weise and Strydom (that is debatable but that match was a bit "different")
Eales
Johnson
Matfield
Whitelock (and Thorn)
Rettalick and Whitelock

We will have to take specialist locks and hope that our top two stay fit IMO.

Obviously other positions are just as important but if your lineout isn't working, the kicking game falls apart and options become more limited. Scrums are largely a tight 5 effort and 2 of them are locks. Without even mentioning the ball running and passing game of our top 2 guys.
Barrett covering 6 (at a push) is a bonus.

I agree. Particularly as an ex-lock.
All great teams have had great locks.
Hill/White, Meads/Meads, Meads/Strahan, McBride/Thomas etc etc ....

[MN5]

@Wally said in World Cup Squad Positions:

@Snowy said in World Cup Squad Positions:

@African-Monkey said in World Cup Squad Positions:

Well Blues players are hardly the most loved on this forum

Yeah, a reflection on the team they play for, not the individual's playing ability. Provincial bias is rife - and stupid - we all want the AB's to be as good as they can.

As for locks - world cup winning teams had a pretty much world best (for the time) lock in it.
Whetton (maybe a little debatable but certainly up there).
Eales
Weise and Strydom (that is debatable but that match was a bit "different")
Eales
Johnson
Matfield
Whitelock (and Thorn)
Rettalick and Whitelock

We will have to take specialist locks and hope that our top two stay fit IMO.

Obviously other positions are just as important but if your lineout isn't working, the kicking game falls apart and options become more limited. Scrums are largely a tight 5 effort and 2 of them are locks. Without even mentioning the ball running and passing game of our top 2 guys.
Barrett covering 6 (at a push) is a bonus.

I agree. Particularly as an ex-lock.
All great teams have had great locks.
Hill/White, Meads/Meads, Meads/Strahan, McBride/Thomas etc etc ....

Not sure about that. Gray/Gray have been let down by some of the Scots teams they’ve been in

[Snowy]

@Wally said in World Cup Squad Positions:

All great teams have had great locks.
Hill/White, Meads/Meads, Meads/Strahan, McBride/Thomas etc etc ....

Yeah, I chose an arbitrary starting point of RWCs.

When I had this discussion with my father in law (Welsh trialist in the 70s, but by no means a lock) we went back a bit further. Came to the same conclusion. AW Jones is pretty bloody good and Wales are now ranked #2.

7s and 10s get most of the hype / talk (in NZ anyway).

[MN5]

@Snowy said in World Cup Squad Positions:

@Wally said in World Cup Squad Positions:

All great teams have had great locks.
Hill/White, Meads/Meads, Meads/Strahan, McBride/Thomas etc etc ....

Yeah, I chose an arbitrary starting point of RWCs.

When I had this discussion with my father in law (Welsh trialist in the 70s, but by no means a lock) we went back a bit further. Came to the same conclusion. AW Jones is pretty bloody good and Wales are now ranked #2.

7s and 10s get most of the hype / talk (in NZ anyway).

True. Much as he tried Ali Williams could never get his face in as many woman’s magazines as Richie and Dan could.

[Snowy]

@MN5 said in World Cup Squad Positions:

Not sure about that. Gray/Gray have been let down by some of the Scots teams they’ve been in

You are looking at it in reverse - not all great locks got to play in great teams but most great teams had at least one great lock.

[MN5]

@Snowy said in World Cup Squad Positions:

@MN5 said in World Cup Squad Positions:

Not sure about that. Gray/Gray have been let down by some of the Scots teams they’ve been in

You are looking at it in reverse - not all great locks got to play in great teams but most great teams had at least one great lock.

Um can’t you argue this about every single position ?