All Blacks Rugby Championship Squad?

[Kiwiwomble]

play favorites with your starting 15 is one thing, but we should be bringing new blood into those back positions. Even if McKenzie isn't as flash in big super games...lets not underrate the extra level of coaching and support these guys get or what having guys like aaron smith feeding him or naholo outside him might do!

 

[nzlizard]

As long as Ben Smiths first choice it matters not who's the second choice.

wtf you on about, its 23 players that win a test and every squad position counts.

 

[austingtir]

wtf you on about, its 23 players that win a test and every squad position counts.

Forgot to put the smiley face after it.... you lot get your knickers twisted rather easily.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Anton Lienert-Brown has been called into the All Blacks squad to replace SBW.

Would be pretty great to see him line up alongside either Fekitoa or Moala!

 

[Nubiwan]

I think chucking Dagg back in as starting fullback is mental...no idea why everyone is jumping to it.

Not sure if it is mental, but I agree. I reckon Smith is your best FB, where he gets a better look at the game, and can be more of a threat. Reckon I just don't rate Dagg as highly either, but that's just me. NZ seem to have plenty of out and out wingers to choose from - but I only ever think of Smith when it comes to an AB full back.

- - - Updated - - -

......


Centres: 24. SBW, 25. ??, 26. ??, 27. ??

(Contenders: Ryan Crotty, Charlie Ngatai, Malakai Fekitoa, George Moala, Seta Tamanivalu)

Outside Backs: 28. Ben Smith, 29. Israel Dagg, 30. ??, 31. ??, 32.??

(Contenders: Julian Savea, Nehe Milner Skuddler, Waisake Naholo, Damian McKenzie)

How about that Faddes (SP?) fella at centre? Looked sharp to me. Certainly his form was good in the last several SR games.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

So with Naholo out will Hansen finally pick James Lowe?

Also wonder who he will pick to replace Codie Taylor if he's out with Concussion and Harris - out with ACL?

 

[The Jones Boy]

Savea may not make the Canes team but he still has a very desirable try scoring ratio for the AB's (or any international rugby team) and he rewarded Hansen for his choice with yet another try against Australia.
Dagg, hmmm... I still don't understand the thinking on Dagg but as we keep winning it's pointless to make a fuss about it.
Will Moala get a look in if Crotty is injured?

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Savea may not make the Canes team but he still has a very desirable try scoring ratio for the AB's (or any international rugby team) and he rewarded Hansen for his choice with yet another try against Australia.
Dagg, hmmm... I still don't understand the thinking on Dagg but as we keep winning it's pointless to make a fuss about it.
Will Moala get a look in if Crotty is injured?

Moala's injured. I'd expect to see Fekitoa shift to 12 with Smith at 13. With Naholo out Savea will start, and with Smith shifting to centre I would've thought that with the players in the squad, Dagg will go to wing, Barrett to FB and Cruden at 10.

 

[The Jones Boy]

Moala's injured?
Oh bugger it.
I was hoping to see him steaming up the middle of the park like a Wild Boar.
He's entertaining.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Moala's injured?
Oh bugger it.
I was hoping to see him steaming up the middle of the park like a Wild Boar.
He's entertaining.

He is, had he been fit I'd have liked to see him over Fekitoa at 13. Whenever he gets the ball he breaks the line, it's superb to watch.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Damien McKenzie, Seta Tamanivalu and Rieko Ioane all called up. Great to see Ioane get the nod, boy has massive potential. Ryan Crotty's out though, as are Naholo and Moala.

Predicted Back Line:
9. Smith
10. Barrett
11. Savea
12. Fekitoa
13. Tamanivalu
14. Smith
15. Dagg

21. Perenara
22. Cruden
23. Lienert-Brown/McKenzie/Ioane

Liam Coltman and James Parsons also called up for Harris and Taylor. Scary that one if those will be in the match day 23.

I'm surprised at no Lowe. If he's not in now he never will be.

Also looking at the players out and players in, does this mean Ioane's being looked at as a centre? I'd have thought McKenzie's in as back three cover for Naholo, Tamanivalu's in as a centre for Moala/Crotty, which means that the other vacancy is at centre. If so that makes Savea the only winger in the squad. It would be great to see Ioane get a run out though, wing or centre.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

The call ups show AB selectors do not like Hika Elliot or James Lowe.

Ioane is a interesting one looks like he is there to cover right wing and long terms they see him as a 13. But difficult to see Hansen putting him straight into the starting 15, so maybe there to cover the 23 shirt.

Wonder if ABs will choose a Lienert-Brown - Fekitoa midfield partnership with Crotty out?

 

[Larksea]

I guess we will never know exactly what the issue is between Hansen & Elliot. He obviously did something wrong way back in ~2010, hes come back put his hand up and been humble but it seems that bridge is burned.

I think given the chance Elliot would do well, cant see it happening though.

sucks for Lowe too. while he didn't have a good finish to the season generally he would run rings around Savea, the last few rounds of super rugby Lowe just looked like he needed a couple of weeks R&R.

The selectors have their reasons though, its not enough to just be the form player or the best in your position. They look for traits & Skills that they need to go with their gameplan.

Lowe seems good all round though, fine under the high ball and defends well to complement his great footwork and energy on attack.

And he has the added bonus of an insane kicking game. Can pull off epic kicks to gain 50+ meters and completely turn territory on a regular basis and hes pretty much the only winger in NZ who can pull that off.

I personally cant see where the AB selectors go wrong with Lowe. fast, big, agile, great skillset and still quite young as he has only just turned 24... And I dont think we have seen his best yet either, he's still improving with experience. I wasn't always sold on him but now I think its kinda silly hes not in the AB's even before the injuries struck... Now Jane is overseas, we have two frontline wingers injured another in crap form and Lowe still isn't there... Insane.

 

[eidde]

Can't remember where or how I got the info but I believe Hika Elliot was dropped from the AB's because of their 'no ********s' policy. (No. 6)

He wasn't welcome back at the Magpies for the same reason apparently, hence has become something of a journeyman of recent years.

No doubting ability, but not so sure on his attitude.....

 

[nightmarehitter]

Savea back into the form that sees him as the best winger in world rugby. Something about the All Blacks turns players like Nonu and Savea from provincial poor performances into dominant world beaters.

Lowe will struggle to make the All Blacks with guys like Ioane, Naholo, McKenzie and Skudder available over the next 3 or so years. There is also another bunch of incredible players coming through like Nanai, Reece, Faingaanuku, Manasa Moala

 

[Larksea]

Does it not make you wonder how a bunch of our other wingers who have all been in better form than Savea this year would perform at test level given the chance?

Even just a little?

Does 2 big tests in the last two years in games we would have won anyway make up for being below par the rest of the time, even riding the pine in super rugby? All the while preventing someone else who is in form getting a chance?

Its great that he had a good game, but its been a while but IMO the All Blacks is not a focus group to help struggling players regain their form its group that represents the best of the best in NZ rugby. There are 3-5 guys getting gametime which I dont think deserve it on form. I don't like it I think it sends the wrong message. Sure you can back a player for a while but their has to be a point where they need to go work on their form/fittness in NPC. When it all boils down to be an All Black being the best/form/most consistent player in your position in the country is not enough. IMO they are selection mistakes. I think we get away with it because our player depth and overall quality is just so good right now and we are also really lacking a genuine rival to test us. We can afford to carry players and hope they come good. In the past losing a game here and there has been great for us and its been the catalyst for selection changes that took us to another level. SA and AU are both a shadow of what they were a few years ago. We are not losing those games and the coaches and selectors are being rewarded for playing it safe. Players are only getting a shot when there are injuries. Rotation has kinda vanished and it was actually one of the reasons we have become so strong. Will be interesting to see if that catches up on us in 2019.

 

[The Jones Boy]

Pretty much sums up the AB midfield situation nicely

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11714310