All Blacks World Cup Squad

[Italic]

Dan Carter - Canterbury
Jerry Collins - Wellington
Andrew Ellis - Canterbury
Nick Evans - Otago
Carl Hayman - Otago
Andrew Hore - Taranaki
Doug Howlett - Auckland
Chris Jack - Tasman
Byron Kelleher - Waikato
Sione Lauaki - Waikato
Brendon Leonard - Waikato
Luke McAlister - North Harbour
Richie McCaw - Canterbury (Captain)
Leon MacDonald - Canterbury
Chris Masoe - Wellington
Aaron Mauger - Canterbury
Keven Mealamu - Auckland
Malili Muliaina - Waikato
Anton Oliver - Otago
Keith Robinson - Waikato
Josevata Rokocoko - Auckland
Sitiveni Sivivatu - Waikato
Conrad Smith - Wellington
Rodney So'oialo - Wellington
Reuben Thorne - Canterbury
Neemia Tialata - Wellington
Isaia Toeava - Auckland
Ali Williams - Auckland
Tony Woodcock - North Harbour

The selectors will name one additional player before August 14.


Andrew Ellis gets ahead of Piri Weepu.
Sione Lauaki replaces Troy Flavell.

The additional player will be Greg Somerville if he's fit enough, if not, John Schwalger will replace him.

 

[SPIDER18]

Andrew Ellis gets ahead of Piri Weepu.
Sione Lauaki replaces Troy Flavell.

The additional player will be Greg Sommerville if he's fit enough, if not, John Schwalger will replace him. [/quote] lauaki made it which is great or though he should have been ahead of thorne. weepu not making it is a shock. i mean his form was poor but there where no signs he had slipped outside the top 3. although not making last nights 22 showed he had slipped to no.3 halfback.

 

[candybum]

No rico gear too

man andrew ellis is a surprise for me, i guess piri hasn't been on form of late, but i'd thought he'd make it.

pretty good

 

[TRUE LEGND]

Reuben Thorne was a big surprise for me Piri's put on a bit of beef so you cant argue with that choice...

Sione Lauaki replacing Troy Flavell thats a nice move...

Overall I like the changes

 

[Kimmy_The_Kiwi]

I thought they would pick Ma'a FFS. Thats really shitted me! Conrad best step up.

Yeh Piri not being selected was a shock, I guess he has been out of form and boozing up, but I still thought he would be picked :|

Troy didnt deserved to get picked, he did jack all in the Tri Nations imo.


Congrats to all that made it.

 

[Sw1fty]

I was very surprised when I heard Andy Ellis' name read out. I was half expecting Lauaki's name to be read out so didn't really come as a surprise. I didn't expect Flavell to get picked. With the inclusion of Ellis it looks like the selectors are looking to signal a change of gameplan with two sniping/running type of halfbacks with swift passes and the hard running Lauaki. Could we see Weepu making the switch to League next year?

 

[melon]

No Ma'a Nonu and no Rico Gear. It really goes to show the depth NZ rugby has at the moment. Those two players, including Weepu, Flavell, could walk into almost any other international side.

 

[Ripper]

Nonu and Gear were hardly surprises - Gear was a dead man walking when he blew his chance against the Wallabies at the MCG while Howlett came back strong a week later and had another solid game last night in very poor conditions. And Nonu? Twickenham 2006 and Jamie Noon is all that have to be said.

Weepu missing out is the biggest surprise to me - I guess it's safe to assume that means Leonard has now sealed the Halfback Bench Spot. Although I've always rated Cowan and would've had him ahead of Andy Elis personally.

 

[esoj]

seems like the writing was on the wall for weepu gear and flavell fairly early before the announcement today.
http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/454218/1250136

bit of a shock to see ellis in there and thorne too. flavell would have offered ten times more than thorne but oh well. good squad

 

[voicekiller]

GO ALL BLACKS GO!!!!

 

[aussie1st]

Ellis hmmm wasn't even involved in the Tri Nations definitely would have picked Weepu over him.

 

[candybum]

Ellis was on form for the Junior All Blacks, Piri was just munted in the tri-nations. Wasn't any better against the weakened French and Canadian teams either

 

[danny_bullen]

No way Piri was munted in the Tri-Nations, he was back in great form and made a difference on the field when he played. Until last night i felt Kelleher had been very average but stepped up last night, and im happy for leonard to come off the bench as hes a good impact player. But Piri would have been my starting half back.

Im picking there is more to the Piri drop than meets the eye...

 

[Ripper]

I reckon it's cos he's Black.

Either that, or else he was indeed kak in the Tri Nations.

 

[Dmx#1]

Well, I have to disagree with Lauaki and Ellis descisions. I don't think we need anymore flankers and although Weepu may have not have been in top form, I think he was still solid. Oh well, hopefully the AB selectors have made the right decisions.

 

[BigTen]

I don' think that there was much between Kelleher and Weepu. Weepu is a bit unlucky and Kelleher is a bit lucky. I would have like to have seen Leonard start last night's game. It is hard to judge how Leonard goes when he comes on after 60 minutes when all of the other players are fatigued.



I guess that it is good that we have five half-backs that are all top quality.



No surprise that Nonu was not selected though - we have better centres.

 

[Wellycane]

I'm not happy to see Weepu left out just like that, although I agree with Lauaki switching places with Flavell. Graham Henry did say that Weepu has not been playing well in the tri-nations, but I believe, like most of us, he did not deserve to be dropped out of the squad. Anywayz congrats Andy Ellis on his selection as the 3rd half back . Hopefully Weepu won't swicth codes to Rugby League, as it was his dream to play the sport in his young age. He will be sorely missed by rugby fans. He had his chance, but there are more still yet to come.

 

[SaintsFan_Webby]

As a non-New Zealand supporter I'm delighted, although very suprised, to see Weepu being left out.

The guy looks so much snappier than Kelleher at the breakdown, and seems to grasp the concept that a number 9 is a link-man not a glory boy better than Byron.

Not exactly going to de-rail their RWC efforts, but I feel it's a mistake nonetheless.

 

[danny_bullen]

Henry said the Weepu decision was due to lack of form by Piri and that Ellis had been looking great for the Junior ABs - guess if the roles were reversed Piri could have looked good against all the B Teams and made the AB World Cup Squad.

Piri is definitely gonna be missed by the ABs

 

[ozzy]

Yes the Weepu issue, I watched most of the Jnr. ABs games and I have to say that Ellis didn't stand out in any of them to me. He merely appeared solid and nothing more. Weepu though I think came on and made a difference in 1 of the tri nations games didn't he? His introduction sped up the whole backline and the ABs went on to win a game they looked like losing. In his other appearances he was merely average. Doesn't seem significant reason to do such a turnaround and drop him for Ellis.
I have a suspicion that there were some bigger factors other than his form that have seen him left out of the squad.