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2018 Rugby Championship All Blacks squad

Kiwiwomble

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ABA1DDA8-E4C5-45CE-A768-DC0332A23963.jpeg Dane Coles? I'm a big fan but when did he last play?
 
Jeeze that is a good team. Every one of them is a potential starter... the bench will be awesome!
 
Jeeze that is a good team. Every one of them is a potential starter... the bench will be awesome!
and this is why why this site exits, differences of opinion

I was reading though the comments on the AB's facebook post and there is a fair contingent of people saying its the the worst squad in recent history and this will be the year we loose the Bledisloe!

I think its fine, good enough to win, annoyed Shag sticks with guys out of form or recently injured based on history, just think sometimes its harder to get dropped than it is to get picked, not rewarding guys busting a nut to get a crack in the black jersey.

Now is when i would be playing a few bolters so come next year if needed its not a complete shock to them. people say guys like SBW and Coles are big game players and i agree...but i think that also mean you shouldn't need to keep them close, you call coles in 6 months time when 100% again and he'll slot right back in
 
Coltman is called in as a replacement for Coles (who hasn't played since last November right? So needs a few matches to get back up to speed), whilst Laumape covers SBW until they're both ready.
 
Nathan Harris is overrated in my books
still not sure how tuugafasi keeps making it in
only 3 locks. luckily theyre awesome
i wouldve had bradWeber ahead of tahuriorangi
but this is still an awesome team
 
I think its fine, good enough to win, annoyed Shag sticks with guys out of form or recently injured based on history, just think sometimes its harder to get dropped than it is to get picked, not rewarding guys busting a nut to get a crack in the black jersey.
agree but on the other extreme you just cant get rid of proven big game players. dane and sbw have proven that when it comes to the crunch their xfactor comes to the fore.
i've learnt since the last wc when imo sbw wasnt ready and got to go. however when he got there he delivered the goods on the big stage.
with 2 other hookers its a good gamble to see how far coles has come

Now is when i would be playing a few bolters so come next year if needed its not a complete shock to them.
i reckon its too late for bolters at this stage
 
im not saying get rid of them completely, maybe im the only one that thinks you dont need to be picked for every squad.

i just mean right now there are guys that have actually played very well during super rugby and are not getting recognised. id send coles and SBW back to the NPC and say we'll see you for the end of year tour all going well
 
i just mean right now there are guys that have actually played very well during super rugby and are not getting recognised. id send coles and SBW back to the NPC and say we'll see you for the end of year tour all going well

man that is an awesome problem to have. a coaches dream

who in particular did you think shouldve gotten a look in?
 
What are peeps thoughts on the back 3? I see Hansen played Jordie at full back and shifted Smith to right wing v France inth first two tests, which he could play again in the Bledisloe, to counter the inevitable bombs from the Wallabies and Izzy's prowess in the air. But personally think Smith is better at full back and prefer NMS on the right wing; with Rieko on the left wing.
 
I'd like to see Beauden at 15 to accommodate Mo'unga at 10 with Ioane and Smith on the wings, but there's no way that'll happen.
 
Yeah I don't see Beauden ever going back to full back. McKenzie has taken over his role in the 22 jersey (from pre RWC 15) of coming off the bench to play full back or if Beauden is injured play 10. Jordie is clearly Smith's long term successor at full back, but until he retires I don't see the point of shunting the world's best full back onto the wing.

I seem to recall Sopoaga getting a start v SA pre RWC 2015 in SA, so not impossible Richie gets a start in one of the matches to see how he handles a test match. But for sure Beauden will start at 10 for the majority of the RC matches.
 
I could see that happening during the course of the game, if they bring Mo'unga on off the bench, or if they start him, and they bring BB off the bench. The later is more likely to happen against Argentina, when they play in Nelson (I'll be there :) )
I'd like to see Beauden at 15 to accommodate Mo'unga at 10 with Ioane and Smith on the wings, but there's no way that'll happen.

@mania - yes, they only have three locks named as locks, but they also have Hemepo named as a loose forward, when he's been playing at lock for the Highlanders. The selectors clearly see him as a blindside who will cover lock. As for Harris/the hooker situation, he's probably not as dinamic as Aumua/Coles/Taylor, but he's done very little wrong in the black jersey, and has had his own serious injuries to overcome in the past. I can't see too many obvious candidates who have outplayed him, and aren't already named
 
This is an extremely strong squad in comparison to anyone else but feels a little thin in comparison to previous AB squads in the FR and loose trio. The backline is incredible.
 

man that is an awesome problem to have. a coaches dream

who in particular did you think shouldve gotten a look in?

I think Laumape and Thompson have both really turned up for their super team this year


As for hooker, Im always going to say our guys (coltman and Dixon), canes supporters might know otherwise having watched all season but Riccitelli played well against us. putting myself in his shoes...good enough to wear coles jersey all season but he still get picked for the ABs ahead of me even if he's not expected back for a few weeks

Im a big B smith fan, have even forgiven him for going to Kings High, but i just dont see the point in moving him to the wing again. its not like we're short of wings and Naholo is not much worse under the high ball. I would even say he's better on with head on defense (smith sweeps better than anyone) but naholo make hits and gets straight to his feet like a loosie hunting for the ball.

If we thing there are better options at fulback then let smith step down gracefully rather than show horning him in
 
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...-blacks-are-mouldy-in-comparison-to-crusaders
kiss of death for the mounga argument. if markReason supports it then its gotta be wrong or not beneficial for ABs
always funny how mReason keeps calling for hansen to step down or that he's a bad coach. u can measure how successful the ABs are by how much mReason rants trying to convince everyone that all this ABs winning is wrong

like this littel tidbit i found "Winners of the past two World Cups, the All Blacks have lost just eight of their past 100 test matches to be the most dominant team in international rugby history."
 
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I think Laumape and Thompson have both really turned up for their super team this year
As for hooker, Im always going to say our guys (coltman and Dixon),
If we thing there are better options at fulback then let smith step down gracefully rather than show horning him in
laumape became immediately quieter once aso got injured. but laumape is a missile. we dont have any straight running power centres like him in the squad . a worry but then he is close at hand on standby so im not that worried.
i rate coltman ahead of harris and ash.
ricatelli not sure if he's ready for test rugby, but saying that im sure he'd perform well. he's a soldier and just does his job and core roles with singleminded focus. nothing flash just determined.
benders still top fullback.
i cant understand the argument to move beady (our best 1st5) to fullback, displace the best fullback to the wing just so mounga can get a start
as good as mounga is its not that urgent for him to get a game. ABs arent in desperate need of another good 1st5.
 
laumape became immediately quieter once aso got injured. but laumape is a missile. we dont have any straight running power centres like him in the squad . a worry but then he is close at hand on standby so im not that worried.
i rate coltman ahead of harris and ash.
ricatelli not sure if he's ready for test rugby, but saying that im sure he'd perform well. he's a soldier and just does his job and core roles with singleminded focus. nothing flash just determined.
benders still top fullback.
i cant understand the argument to move beady (our best 1st5) to fullback, displace the best fullback to the wing just so mounga can get a start
as good as mounga is its not that urgent for him to get a game. ABs arent in desperate need of another good 1st5.

Having watched both coltman and ash i see it like this. picking a squad now for the future, id pick coltman as i think some time in the squad would tidy up some of his rough edges....if it was a world cup final and id had 3 or 4 hookers go down and was bringing someone it (like Beaver in 2011) id go with Ash, he may not win a game on his own for you but he'll never loose one either

I think their argument is Mounga is a better first five. Barrett is an amazing footballer....just not an all out first five in my mind, the one thing that always get me when i watch him play is how slow he is when just distributing, from catch to pass seems to take an age, maybe he's holding it a fraction longer in case he spots a gap? the problem being when he doesnt he's put the 2nd5 a faction of a second behind

really splitting hairs here, still more than happy with barrett at first five
 
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I may be wrong but I feel like this is not the strongest AB's squad that I've ever seen. I would question the depth in the forward pack, particularly in the back row. I think the real strength of the All Blacks in this squad is the backline, they've got terrific options from 9-15 and they do have good depth in this area. who they pick at 10 will be interesting. for me based on super rugby form I think Mo'unga should get the nod but I think Steve Hansen will stick with Beauden Barrett. Always look forward to watching the AB's and I do think they'll retain the Bledisloe cup again this year, maybe not as comfortably as in recent years though.
 

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