All Blacks 2021-2024 Thread

[Al Bangor]

All Blacks vs Flying Fijians in July.

 

[Zootalaws]

New Zealand Rugby moves closer to selling off stake in All Blacks

New Zealand Rugby’s provincial unions have voted unanimously to give the green light to a NZ$387.5m deal with a US investment firm

www.theguardian.com

I worked for a company that was bought out by Silverlake. They are interested in one thing, only - profit.
They pillaged the co. I worked for by taking every last cent out of them and doing no building during the seven years they owned us.

I can't see what value they will bring.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

I worked for a company that was bought out by Silverlake. They are interested in one thing, only - profit.
They pillaged the co. I worked for by taking every last cent out of them and doing no building during the seven years they owned us.

I can't see what value they will bring.

really? they will bring exactly what you say they're interested in...money

there is a difference between being bought by them and selling a stake to them. If they only have a stake they cant change a hell of a lot in the business itself...but should be motivated to do what they can to develop the Market presence to make higher profits

The AB's get some cash in the bank to invest in rugby in NZ and a partner to help develop their presence in places like the US

I see people complaining about losing future earnings, i see the game slowly dying in NZ so why not sell something that might not even exist if you can get some cash now, one in the hand etc

dont get me wrong, i think NZR could have done lots of things better...concentrating on the Unions more than the AB would have given them something else to "sell off" a stake in but they have spent the last 20 years only really concentrating on the AB and now we're in a position where its the only thing worth any money

 

[Umaga's Witness]

Time for jordie to move to 12?

we have too many good fullbacks. 4 in fact who would start in most test teams around the world. Jordan can play wing, beauden and damian can play first five but that spot is taken, jordie can play anywhere but isnt that great in the wing and we kinda need a hard running midfielder, which he could be.

hes tough, likes the contact, a good distributor, great boot. A big change obviously in terms if comms on defence, but at this point im thinking maybe he is our answer.

imagine for an upcoming test we have
Smith
Mounga
Bridge
Jordie
Alb
Jordan
Beauden
Weber mckenzie ione

 

[Bada-Bing!]

I always thought Jordie would be good at 12. But has he played there much for the Canes?

 

[Kiwiwomble]

I have also thought Jordie at 12 could work but there is no way I want to see a cobbled together backline just to gthe best players out there…like last year…when we lost to Argentina and Aussie

players NEED to pay where they've been playing all season

I'm fine with bb not making the squad because we've had equally good 15s playing in nz

 

[Umaga's Witness]

I always thought Jordie would be good at 12. But has he played there much for the Canes?

I dont remember him ever playing at 12 for the canes, but he has played a bit at 13 (though not in the last few seasons). He played at 12 in his first season of provincial rugby (below super rugby), for canterbury.

I have also thought Jordie at 12 could work but there is no way I want to see a cobbled together backline just to gthe best players out there…like last year…when we lost to Argentina and Aussie

players NEED to pay where they've been playing all season

I'm fine with bb not making the squad because we've had equally good 15s playing in nz

i totally expected you to say that haha. And i get it. I just wonder whether our other options would even be better. Perhaps this year we could give him a couple of games against the easier opposition at the start of the test year and then give him some cameos late in the game for some of the bigger tests.

i dont see them leaving beauden out, hes the incumbent and probably their highest paid player.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

I dont remember him ever playing at 12 for the canes, but he has played a bit at 13 (though not in the last few seasons). He played at 12 in his first season of provincial rugby (below super rugby), for canterbury.


i totally expected you to say that haha. And i get it. I just wonder whether our other options would even be better. Perhaps this year we could give him a couple of games against the easier opposition at the start of the test year and then give him some cameos late in the game for some of the bigger tests.

i dont see them leaving beauden out, hes the incumbent and probably their highest paid player.

I just think shoehorning players in just tells those that have specialised that that all come secondary to have Barrett as a last name

 

[Umaga's Witness]

I just think shoehorning players in just tells those that have specialised that that all come secondary to have Barrett as a last name

It certainly seems like the barrets did an all or noone deal with nzr.

 

[Umaga's Witness]

Anyone know when the first all blacks squad is announced?

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

FWIW Jordie's last game at 12 for the Canes was in March 2019, 2 games before he went on to play 13 for 1 game. He's played a further 5 games in the centre for the Canes prior to that.

 

[Ruggerz]

Anyone know when the first all blacks squad is announced?

I believe it's being announced live on The Breakdown on Sky Sport Monday evening.

Also news out this morning that ALB had surgery yesterday on his elbow and will miss the first two test matches of the year. So no ALB, no Goodhue so who plays 12 & 13 in the first test of the year against Tonga? I'd be going with David Havili at 12 and I bet the selectors go with Reiko at 13.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Havilli and Rieko pairing will be interesting to see. Still miss that punch in midfield since Nonu, SBW retired.

 

[Umaga's Witness]

Havilli and Rieko pairing will be interesting to see. Still miss that punch in midfield since Nonu, SBW retired.

Yeah, we dont really have anyone at the moment that provides that punch. Actually crotty was really good at it too, you dont have to be powerful to peovide punch, you can do it with good lines too. Nankivell is a bit like that, not suggesting hes test quality though.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Yeah, we dont really have anyone at the moment that provides that punch. Actually crotty was really good at it too, you dont have to be powerful to peovide punch, you can do it with good lines too. Nankivell is a bit like that, not suggesting hes test quality though.

Yep was going to mention Crotty, like in the mould of a Mauger. But Crotty had either SBW inside him or ALB outside him. It is about balance.

 

[Umaga's Witness]

Yep was going to mention Crotty, like in the mould of a Mauger. But Crotty had either SBW inside him or ALB outside him. It is about balance.

And i was going to mention mauger. Actually fun fact there, crotty improved hugely during the year that mauger was a technical coach at canterbury.

 

[Umaga's Witness]

I dont know how bug the squad is goong to be, but will be interesting to see who they pick in the midfield. Potentially they will just pick havili and ione, and rely on jordie as cover for the first two tests. Or do they pick PUJ despite him getting limited gAme time this year for the canes? Liecester might have a good chance. Ennor and proctor are veey good but probably not what we need given their lack of punchiness and our other options at 13. Do they pick tupaea as a look to the future? Don't think hes ready yet but maybe they just get him in the sqaud?

my guess is they pick leicester, havili, ione and alb, thats it. Even if alb doesnt play i think theyll have him in the squad.

also, loose forward. Surely they wont pick grace again, hes like reuben thorne but not nearly as good, not all black quality for me. How injured is frizell? I think too injured, same with ardie and cane, whoch means our entire starting loose forward trio of last year will be unavailable. Ethan blackadder has been very good. Sotutu hasnt been as strong as last year but has still been good. Jacobson has been good. Sanders is a loss i reckon, can cover all positions. I dont think bishier has been as strong. Kirifi has cut down significantly on the number if penalties he gives away but has he been better than harmon? Boshier hasnt been as strong as last year, and they didnt want him last year, though he has improved on the carry. Devan flanders has been excellent on defence and good wirkrate, not too bad on the carey but they might prefer a better carrier. Akira hasnt shone in his limited oppirtunities for the blues but was good for abs last year. Tom robinson? Im not convimced hes the enforcer needed in test rugby. Papalii is obvious.

i think they just go for who theyve picked in the past, except grace, and add blackadder. So akira, blackadder, papalii, kirifi, sotutu, jacobson.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

Havilli and Rieko pairing will be interesting to see. Still miss that punch in midfield since Nonu, SBW retired.

ALB is nailed on starter, he's been the one bright light for the chiefs, my money is on reiko playing 11

never mind me, alb underwent surgery the other day

 

[Ruggerz]

I'm not convinced Reiko actually warrants being picked at all this year. He was pretty average in his outings for the All Blacks last year and didn't really do much for the Blues in Super Rugby Aotearoa and Trans Tasman. I reckon a campaign with Auckland in the NPC would be the best place for him right now.

I think Leicester has a few things to work on before he's picked for higher honors to be honest. His defense is a bit suspect and his ball security in some games during both Super campaigns was of particular concern.

 

[Umaga's Witness]

I'm not convinced Reiko actually warrants being picked at all this year. He was pretty average in his outings for the All Blacks last year and didn't really do much for the Blues in Super Rugby Aotearoa and Trans Tasman. I reckon a campaign with Auckland in the NPC would be the best place for him right now.

I think Leicester has a few things to work on before he's picked for higher honors to be honest. His defense is a bit suspect and his ball security in some games during both Super campaigns was of particular concern.

Fair points. Who do you pick instead?

I would agree that there are a few more complete players than ione for 13. But Riekos defence has improved, is pretty good, and he has x factor on his side. He was first in a couple if stats for the comp (for midfielders maybe, cant remember) and 4th in another one (im not much of a believer in relying on stats but they can say something). Hell definitely make the squad and its hard to see him not starting to be honest.

without caleb clarke or laumape they might be looking for someone with brute force, so i think theyll pick leicester as an option for 11 or 12. I agree hes not really ready, but he has performed in big games (which means a lot to the selectors) and they might feel now is their best opportunity to look to the future.

at 13 i think you need someone who has been playing there, so ione, ennor, or proctor, potentially PUJ. For 12, maybe its not quite as critical to have someone that been playing there a lot, so that brings options like leicester or jordie or PUJ. theyll pick havili ahead of all those, but theyll want a second option in the squad.

props will be interesring too

Unfortunately at the moment our best scrummaging props are the worst around the field and vice versa.
Apart from nepo joe and ofa, but perhaps the latter two will be unavailable due to injury?
Out of what is left,
at tighthead the best scrummagers are sione mafileo, tamaiti williams. Its unfortunate that two super franchises have overseas players as starting tighthead props, meaning we dont have a lot of experienced options. I think theyll bring back taavao, hes scrummaged well for the most part and is good around the field. Maybe they just let bower cover tighthead and dont pick any others. Renata might be an option. Fidow is good around the field but not so good in the scrum. Lomax hasnt been as good at scrum time this year but is a well balanced player so probably becomes option 3.

at loosehead, we have karl and bower. Hodgman made it last year but im not convinced with his scrummaging. Aidan ross or ethan de groot might get a chance. Numia is the best around the field but scrummaging not so good. Reuben oneill is an outside chance. Rakete stones is a great scrummager but inexperienced and not so good aroind the field

im guessing
Karl, bower, numia (project player)
Nepo, taavao, lomax