2014 North America Barbarians

[canadafan]

If Canada and the U.S. combined their sides, what would it look like? One catch, only players who played for their country is 2014 can be considered.

RED = Canada
BLUE= Americans

A match day 23:

1. Buydens
2. Carpenter
3. Marshall
4. Cudmore
5. Smith
6. Ardron
7. LaValla
8. Manoa


9. Mack
10. Braid
11. Scully
12. Suniula
13. DTH
14. Hassler
15. Wyles

Bench:

16. Thiel
17. Fry
18. Ilnicki
19. Sinclair
20.Dolan
21. McRorie
22. Kelly
23. Pritchard

13: Canada
10: USA

Some thoughts:

Don't think either nation is that strong at hooker right now, went with Carpenter because I think he would be a better starter. Starting props both go to Canada as I think the scrum problems are not with them. Lock, Cudmore is lucky to be starting there, mostly because I wanted Manoa at 8. Backrow only Ardron is Canada's representative.

Canada gets both starts at the 9 - 10 axel, 9 was easy, 10 was a bit more difficult. A lot more even representation in the back with the Americans having 3 starters there. Wyles at FB was easy as was Hassler at 14.

Bench was even, with 10 a piece, some good talent there with both Sinclair and Dolan sitting. Sinclair would be the lock cover as all the other Canuck locks suck right now and the American ones don't inspire me that much. Pritchard gets in as FB and kicking cover.

Notable omissions:

Forwards:

Clever
Kilifi
Moonlight
Hotson
Phelan

Backs:

Paris
Trainor
Jones
Evans
Negwenya

 

[Beerfalo]

That's a pretty solid lineup though mine would be a bit different but to each their own. Should probably be able to go toe to toe with the Islanders and Blossoms as well as the bottom T1 teams. No idea when a team like this could ever be a reality. Maybe if two T1s(lets say All Blacks and Ireland) decided to play a game in America you could have NA Baa-baas vs Maori All Blacks as an opener?

North American Barbarians

1) Hubert Buydens
2) Aaron Carpenter
3) Jason Marshall
4) Jamie Cudmore
5) Hayden Smith
6) Jebb Sinclair
7) Scott LaValla
8) Samu Manoa
9) Phil Mack
10) Connor Braid
11) Blaine Scully
12) Andrew Suniula
13) DTH van der Merwe
14) Jeff Hassler
15) Chris Wyles

Reserves:
16) Phil Thiel
17) Eric Fry
18) Jake Ilnicki
19) Greg Peterson
20) Tyler Ardron
21) Gordon McRorie
22) Sheamus Kelly
23) Takudzwa Ngwenya

That gives me a fairly even split of 12 Canucks and 11 Yanks though there are more Canadian starters but I'm slightly biased.

I left off Pritchard because I think it's start or bust for him. At this point in his career he's not starting over Wyles and I'd prefer more explosive potential for a sub. I went with Ngwenya over Paris mostly because of experience though either would do. I also have Sinclair starting over Ardron because I think Sinclair is the better Flanker while Ardron provides starter level cover for the entire Back Row. I put in Greg Peterson as Lock reserve because of potential and the fact he was the captain of his NRC team and is now with the Leceister Tigers system. I'm also not really impressed with most of the other current Canadian and American Locks and wanted Sinclair at Flanker so it wasn't that hard of a choice.

 

[jonny24]

Interesting idea. I don't know enough the Americans to make one up though. Except Manoa and Scully.

 

[psychic duck]

I left off Pritchard because I think it's start or bust for him. At this point in his career he's not starting over Wyles and I'd prefer more explosive potential for a sub. I went with Ngwenya over Paris mostly because of experience though either would do. I also have Sinclair starting over Ardron because I think Sinclair is the better Flanker while Ardron provides starter level cover for the entire Back Row. I put in Greg Peterson as Lock reserve because of potential and the fact he was the captain of his NRC team and is now with the Leceister Tigers system. I'm also not really impressed with most of the other current Canadian and American Locks and wanted Sinclair at Flanker so it wasn't that hard of a choice.

Ardron needs to be fitted in for me, really talented player. Better than Sinclair, or put him at 8 and move Manoa to lock ahead of Smith. Palamo is better than Suniula or Kelly as well.

 

[canadafan]

Really thought about doing a

4: Manoa
5. Smith
6. Sinclair
7. LaValla
8. Ardron

line up, with Cudmore on the bench. Were some tough choices in there.

 

[Beerfalo]

Ardron needs to be fitted in for me, really talented player. Better than Sinclair, or put him at 8 and move Manoa to lock ahead of Smith. Palamo is better than Suniula or Kelly as well.

I'm not as familiar as I'd like to be with my southern neighbors. I forgot Palamo existed. The only time I saw him play this year was against Canada back in June and I wasn't particularly impressed. I guess slide him in at 12 and pair him with DTH then Kelly to the bench?

I can live with the forward changes you suggested. Our front row might get a chance to hold their own more often than not with a combo of Cudmore/Manoa/Smith back there instead of the uninspiring trio of Phelan/Hotson/Buekeboom. I'd still vote Cudmore over Smith even though he's getting really up there but that's me. Probably choose Cam Dolan as the Back Row reserve if we roll with Sinclair, LaValla and Ardron.

Why couldn't Manoa have been a Canadian

Maybe North America could play Eastern Europe which I assume would pretty much be the Georgian pack with Russia's backs and Catalin Fercu at Fullback.

 

[canadafan]

We need to find some psychos to play lock for us, really hope Pierce takes the next step.

 

[psychic duck]

I'm not as familiar as I'd like to be with my southern neighbors. I forgot Palamo existed. The only time I saw him play this year was against Canada back in June and I wasn't particularly impressed. I guess slide him in at 12 and pair him with DTH then Kelly to the bench?

I can live with the forward changes you suggested. Our front row might get a chance to hold their own more often than not with a combo of Cudmore/Manoa/Smith back there instead of the uninspiring trio of Phelan/Hotson/Buekeboom. I'd still vote Cudmore over Smith even though he's getting really up there but that's me. Probably choose Cam Dolan as the Back Row reserve if we roll with Sinclair, LaValla and Ardron.

Why couldn't Manoa have been a Canadian

Maybe North America could play Eastern Europe which I assume would pretty much be the Georgian pack with Russia's backs and Catalin Fercu at Fullback.

Yes you're right Palamo was a little lost in that game, but he's easily one of the most physically talented players the USA have and was huge against Fiji. I expect he will become more and more prominent for the Eagles in 2015.

 

[LittleGuy]

Not going to do my own as I'd only have minor quibbles with choices but will add some general observations.

Interesting how pants the front row still is even with the two sides combined. The bench is a little less disturbingly terrible but the North American sides are really needing talent in the front row.

Locks are fairly decent when combined, a Cudmore, Manoa pairing would be pretty exciting. Depth could be better.

Back Row is a wealth of choices, lot's of depth and hard working players would compare with some Tier One sides in this department.

Scrum Half choices run hot or cold, though there is at least some talent there.

Fly Half is a flop, best choices are middling game manager's and from there it only gets worse. Some options are downright pathetic, this is closer to a Tier Three talent pool.

Wings are like the Back Row, depth and talent abounds some very exciting players here.

Centres aren't as strong as the wings but it's OK here, depth might not be as good as I'd like but the starters from a combined side would look good.

Fullback isn't as good as the rest of the backs but there are competent players here, no one game breaking but a few guys who can be relied on for decent play.

Bench would contain all professionals so fitness would be better than the sides individually.

Goal kicking is OK, McRorie or Pritch would likely kick with Braid and an American back as emergency options.

No one better be selecting Ardron as captain.