All Blacks World Cup bolters
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@DMack said in All Blacks World Cup bolters:
@Canes4life so we have Smith, Christie, Fakatava, Roigard, Weber, Perenara. Seems like a strong position. Who misses out? I think they’ll go with Smith, Christie (not my choice) with one other. For me Fakatava if they choose Christie but who knows?
Christie stepped up to Test rugby well but seems to have regressed a bit speed-wise. Probably still OK to finish a match, but I'd be wary of his starting one.
Problem for me is lack of experience starting at 9 in a Test. Perenara might have the edge on that, but if Roigard continues his form and Foster & co think he'll handle the transition, I think he'll be in the squad.
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks World Cup bolters:
Perenara might have the edge on that,
Nooooooooo
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@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks World Cup bolters:
Perenara might have the edge on that,
Nooooooooo
@nzzp said in All Blacks World Cup bolters:
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks World Cup bolters:
Perenara might have the edge on that,
Nooooooooo
I hope not too but the relative lack of experience at 9 is worrying and there isn't much time...
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@DMack said in All Blacks World Cup bolters:
@Canes4life so we have Smith, Christie, Fakatava, Roigard, Weber, Perenara. Seems like a strong position. Who misses out? I think they’ll go with Smith, Christie (not my choice) with one other. For me Fakatava if they choose Christie but who knows?
Christie stepped up to Test rugby well but seems to have regressed a bit speed-wise. Probably still OK to finish a match, but I'd be wary of his starting one.
Problem for me is lack of experience starting at 9 in a Test. Perenara might have the edge on that, but if Roigard continues his form and Foster & co think he'll handle the transition, I think he'll be in the squad.
@Victor-Meldrew I get the experience thing. But I don’t think we are good enough at the moment to play it safe. Weber/Perenara staying at home (aka an hr away at some French beach) and coming in if Smith is injured suits me. So it leaves room for a bolter. If Fakatava or Roigard, whatever. But we won’t beat Ireland or France by being predictable.
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@Victor-Meldrew I get the experience thing. But I don’t think we are good enough at the moment to play it safe. Weber/Perenara staying at home (aka an hr away at some French beach) and coming in if Smith is injured suits me. So it leaves room for a bolter. If Fakatava or Roigard, whatever. But we won’t beat Ireland or France by being predictable.
@DMack said in All Blacks World Cup bolters:
@Victor-Meldrew I get the experience thing. But I don’t think we are good enough at the moment to play it safe. Weber/Perenara staying at home (aka an hr away at some French beach) and coming in if Smith is injured suits me. So it leaves room for a bolter. If Fakatava or Roigard, whatever. But we won’t beat Ireland or France by being predictable.
Oh, I don't think we have any option other than to do that, but it's an area of real concern for me. Fakatava's injury and lack of games for, say, Roigard to be blooded is a real problem
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If we look at the 2019 RWC squad there wasn't an uncapped bolter like NMS in 2015. The closest to bolters were Jacobson and Moli, who debuted in Arg before the squad was announced. Weber also came back from the cold.
Edit: NMS played 2 tests before the RWC as well.
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@Bovidae Sevu Reece was a bolter in 2019, wasn't even on a full super contract at the start of that year
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@Bovidae Sevu Reece was a bolter in 2019, wasn't even on a full super contract at the start of that year
@FakatavaAllBlack said in All Blacks World Cup bolters:
@Bovidae Sevu Reece was a bolter in 2019, wasn't even on a full super contract at the start of that year
Yeah, Reece might be the closest in that squad, but he also started in 3 tests before the RWC squad was announced. Maybe the days of unexpectedly selecting an uncapped player for a RWC is over in the professional era.
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@FakatavaAllBlack said in All Blacks World Cup bolters:
@Bovidae Sevu Reece was a bolter in 2019, wasn't even on a full super contract at the start of that year
Yeah, Reece might be the closest in that squad, but he also started in 3 tests before the RWC squad was announced. Maybe the days of unexpectedly selecting an uncapped player for a RWC is over in the professional era.
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@Bovidae Sevu Reece was a bolter in 2019, wasn't even on a full super contract at the start of that year
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@Bovidae Shaun Stevenson a certainty if Will Jordan is out, even if he is not he would still add some electrifying extra speed.
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Only seen him play a little bit, but if Peter Lakai can get some decent SR game time, he could be one to consider as a bolter in a month or two.
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@Bovidae Shaun Stevenson a certainty if Will Jordan is out, even if he is not he would still add some electrifying extra speed.
@SBW1 said in All Blacks World Cup bolters:
@Bovidae Shaun Stevenson a certainty if Will Jordan is out, even if he is not he would still add some electrifying extra speed.
His boot is also an asset and needed if BB or RM are the pivots.
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There's something badly wrong if Stevenson is not at least in an all blacks squad this year
@Mackerzzzz said in All Blacks World Cup bolters:
There's something badly wrong if Stevenson is not at least in an all blacks squad this year
Came in to post his name. The boy is confident.
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I think Stevenson and Roigard are already well in the mix. Some room in midfield for a 13 and for a 6 or 8. Don't think Aumua up to it though as lacks finesse skills imho. TUJ Sullivan or Poihipi maybe. Tom Robinson and MMT are both possible as is Lakai. Used to think Finau could explode into calculations too. Last bolter may be a young prop as I think Laulala Bower and Tuungafasi are not shoo ins. So Tamati Williams or Ollie Norris may get a chance as a big ball carrier. Numia may be too small.
I think a lot will depend on refereeing interpretations and law changes as to what options the coaches want to develop. If game speeds up then Roigard must be considered. If 8s get more running space off scrum then we need another bulldozer with legspeed. Maybe a 6 like Big Red can swap to 8 for some scrums? I do think a wrecking ball prop may be useful from tap penalties too.
Big search will be for a 10 with a reliably long clearing kick and accurate up and under. Unless Zarn plays 10 for blues that has to be BB RMo or DMac as only genuine contenders.
