New Zealand's 3rd Choice Backline could compete with any NH side's?

[Aedaphon]

Bear with the controversial thread ***le, but having started a bit of a storm by discussing the NZ centre-pairing for this year I started to consider the unbelievable depth the All Blacks have in their line up. This started me thinking could their 2nd or 3rd choice back line compete with any Northern Hemispheres?

Open to being shot down but I'd like to hear TRF's opinions (try not to be too harsh though)

1st Choice:

Weepu
Carter
Gear
SBW
Smith
Sivivatu
Muliaina

2nd Choice:
Ellis
Macalister
Guildford
Nonu
Fruean
Masaga
Dagg

3rd Choice:
Cowan
Donald
Maitland
Toeava
Ranger
Rokocoko
Jane

 

[Feicarsinn]

Haha, Stephen Donald and Jimmy Cowan. Next please.

 

[Aedaphon]

Ok, maybe not 3rd choice, but 2nd at least...

 

[lucky number 7]

Their Depth is un-******* believable

 

[Darwin]

Certainly plenty of depth - any of those backlines would be very dangerous on the international stage. My top 3 backlines:

1st
Weepu
Carter
Gear
SBW
Smith
Toeava
Muliaina

2nd
Cowan
Slade
Sivivatu
Nonu
Fruean
Jane
Smith

3rd
Mathewson
MacAlister
Rokocoko
Kahui
Payne
Ranger
Dagg

Unlucky: Ellis, Guildford, Maitland... (and probably others I'm forgetting).

 

[Aedaphon]

Ok, woops, totally forgot about Kahui + Payne, also, I'd agree Toeava is 1st choice as a utility player but in any individual position I couldn't put him first or even second just because of their incredible depth.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Haha, Stephen Donald and Jimmy Cowan. Next please.

My thoughts exactly

You could have the best 11-15 in the world and they'd be poor because the halfbacks are arse

 

[dan the man]

Yeah, that is true... But if a 3rd tier NZ side was competing against a full strength England side our forward pack would get minced...

1st Choice

Franks
Mealamu
Woodcock
Thorn
Whitelock
Kaino
McCaw
Read

2nd Choice

Franks
Hore
Afoa
Donnelly
Borich
Messam
Thompson
Vito

3rd Choice

Crockett
Elliot
Tialata
Jack
Williams
Waldrom
Todd
Whitelock

Actually after working it out we have 6 current test capped locks in NZ, thats pretty good! On paper a 2nd of even third tier NZ team could beat alot of other teams but unfortunately Rugby is played on grass, and these guys simply wouldn't have the experience or the leadership to take care of a solid International side.

 

[Aedaphon]

Actually after working it out we have 6 current test capped locks in NZ, thats pretty good! On paper a 2nd of even third tier NZ team could beat alot of other teams but unfortunately Rugby is played on grass, and these guys simply wouldn't have the experience or the leadership to take care of a solid International side.

Totally agreed on the forwards, although you could always be slightly cheeky and include all the forwards off in other leagues (Premiership/Top 14), frankly NZ wouldn't be unhappy to have Carl Hayman right now.

I'm just using this as a demonstration of depth really, bar an absolutely disastrous Super 14 season there's no way that the ABs could sustain more than 6 first class injuries and even then they'd be absolutely covered eveywhere but in the half-backs.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Yeah, that is true... But if a 3rd tier NZ side was competing against a full strength England side our forward pack would get minced...

1st Choice

Franks
Mealamu
Woodcock
Thorn
Whitelock
Kaino
McCaw
Read

2nd Choice

Franks
Hore
Afoa
Donnelly
Borich
Messam
Thompson
Vito

3rd Choice

Crockett
Elliot
Tialata
Jack
Williams
Waldrom
Todd
Whitelock

Actually after working it out we have 6 current test capped locks in NZ, thats pretty good! On paper a 2nd of even third tier NZ team could beat alot of other teams but unfortunately Rugby is played on grass, and these guys simply wouldn't have the experience or the leadership to take care of a solid International side.

Yeah you do have to take these thing with a pinch of salt. After all, the Munster 2nds beat Australia's 2nds earlier in November and game the All Blacks an awful scare a few years back.

 

[Aedaphon]

Yeah you do have to take these thing with a pinch of salt. After all, the Munster 2nds beat Australia's 2nds earlier in November and game the All Blacks an awful scare a few years back.

Well a well drilled team will always have a bit of an advantage and anyway this is all just a bit of fun, don't think it would ever happen unless the 2nds was picked as the NZ Maori. And even if you say that it should be taken with a pinch of salt, remember that the Maori dominated England when they came down south (also with in my opinion Hosea Gear's best try to date: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3Jhe2gMT1c )

 

[Feicarsinn]

Well a well drilled team will always have a bit of an advantage and anyway this is all just a bit of fun, don't think it would ever happen unless the 2nds was picked as the NZ Maori. And even if you say that it should be taken with a pinch of salt, remember that the Maori dominated England when they came down south (also with in my opinion Hosea Gear's best try to date: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3Jhe2gMT1c )

Oh no, I'm not denying the depth that NZ have in their back divisions is unreal.

 

[dangandan]

Yeah you do have to take these thing with a pinch of salt. After all, the Munster 2nds beat Australia's 2nds earlier in November and game the All Blacks an awful scare a few years back.

but he's comparing backlines. Munster 2nds was a team effort to push them that hard. i have to agree New Zealand have undeniably huge depth in the backs that could match any other countries including Australia.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Well a well drilled team will always have a bit of an advantage and anyway this is all just a bit of fun, don't think it would ever happen unless the 2nds was picked as the NZ Maori. And even if you say that it should be taken with a pinch of salt, remember that the Maori dominated England when they came down south (also with in my opinion Hosea Gear's best try to date: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3Jhe2gMT1c )

It wasn't England, it was an 'England XV' - and they didn't dominate, Hosea Gear did
If he'd've been playing for the All Blacks like he should've been then we might have won! :lol:

 

[Aedaphon]

It wasn't England, it was an 'England XV' - and they didn't dominate, Hosea Gear did
If he'd've been playing for the All Blacks like he should've been then we might have won! :lol:

Hah ok, point taken, it wasn't an English first side, but I'd say it was far closer to an England side than the Maoris were to the ABs

 

[TRF_Olyy]

True, but the NZ Maori =/= The All Blacks
It was:
New Zealand Maori vs England XV

 

[dan the man]

Alot of these players could slip into an International side and play well... Zac Guilford made his debut on the End of year tour a few years ago as injury cover (he was the only change to the 1st XV) and he had a blinder, but when they changed a few players around, leaving McCaw and Carter on the bench the less experienced players really started to show their inexperience.

 

[donmcdazzle]

but he's comparing backlines. Munster 2nds was a team effort to push them that hard. i have to agree New Zealand have undeniably huge depth in the backs that could match any other countries including Australia.

ehhhhh?? We have way better depth of backs than Aus, their 2nd and third tier back lines would be horrible.

 

[Seaton]

For good measure we should get the NZRU to try this out, preferably in the world cup.

They can have a different back division for every game, and the first one to lose is declared the worst one of the lot

Stephen Donald? Yes if NZ could only play with him at 10 from now on please

 

[donmcdazzle]

For good measure we should get the NZRU to try this out, preferably in the world cup.

They can have a different back division for every game, and the first one to lose is declared the worst one of the lot

Stephen Donald? Yes if NZ could only play with him at 10 from now on please

Unfortunately for opposition supporters Donald committed career suicide on the EoYT, lets hope he never gets anywhere near the black jersey come cup time!