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

[nickdnz]

Let's be honest though, you love Rokocoko almost as much as you love Hosea Gear - you would pick him no matter what sort of form he was in. Indeed if they ever perfected human cloning you would probably pick a squad with 15 Hosea Gear's and 15 Joe Rokocoko's

That's true enough. That being said, after Rokocoko has scored five more tries, I can then move on...

 

[Darwin]

That's true enough. That being said, after Rokocoko has scored five more tries, I can then move on...

If he continues his phenomenal test try scoring rate of the last three years (1 try per yer) you might still be waiting until after the 2015 World Cup before he gets those five tries!

 

[dan the man]

Why 5 more? What significance does 51 tries have??? If he scores 4 more he'll overtake Howlett's record...

 

[Amobokoboko]

Rok sis still looking for his shape, he only squeezed in 2 tries in 7 games for the Blues this season.

 

[nickdnz]

Why 5 more? What significance does 51 tries have??? If he scores 4 more he'll overtake Howlett's record...

Ahh, four more tries rather. I am optimistic that he can score his 4 tries against Fiji, Japan and Canada, whom we'll see the AB's play this year, if not a few against the other teams.

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

Besides Carter, I honestly believe that Cory Jane and Condard Smith are the best back NZ have. First team musts.

Anyway, the 2nd and 3rd backlines posted in the first post V the Hoem Nations backlines

2nd Choice:
Youngs>Cusiter>Ellis>Reddan>Phillips
Flood/Hook>Sexton>MacAlister>Jackson/Parks
Shane>Evans>Cueto>Fitzgerald>Guildford
Nonu>Davies>Lamont>D'Arcy>Hape
O'Driscoll>Roberts>Fruean>Ansbro>Tindall
Ashton/Bowe>Halfpenny>Masaga>Danielli/Walker
Foden>Dagg>Patterson>Kearney>Byrne

That's England 4, Wales 2, Ireland 2, All Blacks II 1 Scotland 0.

However, there isn't a lot between many of them- The strength in depth is riddculous. This is an entirely second XV we're talking about.

 

[munstermuffin]

Thing is though not having best individuals but best units :*

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

Yeah, I was going to say something about that afterwards, but my internet is so crap I thought it was going to burst any minute, so I hurried up and got it posted.

 

[MindofMykyta]

I feel confident that the US can beat the All Blacks this World Cup... as long as we are talking about the eleventh or twelth line... maybe! New Zealand is the team to beat. I agree with one of the above posts about momentum. The best chance anyone is going to have will be if the ABs coast their way to final and find a team that has been on the proving grounds the whole way.

C'mon the mighty Eagles!!!

Pshh, Canada is gonna show the All Blacks a thing or two about playing rugby!

Although we did have a frightening time beating Japan around a year and half back (and by that, I mean we lost both games).

 

[Aedaphon]

Thing is though not having best individuals but best units :*

Again, I started this with the intention of raising NZ's strength in depth more than anything else. And by the way I live in London and watch every Home Nations team whenever they play and I can definitely say that (as a winger) Guildford is definitely more of a threat than Cueto, Fitzgerald and Evans.

Also in response to the rankings table above, while individually the players may be better they most certainly don't function as well as a backline as many of the AB players can. Although this may just be due to recent poor form I can not see any Home Nations back line holding off an Nonu/Fruean pairing in the centres with Masaga, Maitland and Dagg running on their shoulders.

 

[fusuke78]

I didn't noticed this thread earlier, it's shocking how NZ has an incredible depth.
In France, we have a great depth too, but not as impressive, don't get me wrong. However, this is my top 3 french backline :

1st :
Parra (only 22y.o and already the boss everywhere he plays)
Trinh-Duc (has not confirmed yet at international level, but a fantastic player, has to improve his kicking skills tough)
Malzieu (I dunno why he hasn't made the Six Nations. Wait, I know why, because of this retarded coach)
Jauzion (not as good as before, but hell, it's Jauzion we're talking about. Can still be really precious against SH teams)
Bastareaud (has to do a lot of work to be in France's squad, but it's a deadly weapon. Has made a couple of great games lately)
Clerc (on his way to be as good as he was in 2007, when he was one of the best winger in NH)
Médard (the most talented there. A really good one, our best threat in our backline)

2nd :
Yachvili (impressive skills, really clever, has a lot of rugby in his hands)
Skrela (really good lately, will certainly be at the WC)
Andreu (insane guy, way better than Huget)
Mermoz (really talented, would be my first choice but has been injured a long time)
David (same as Mermoz, an insane player, but injured all season. Will be our top center in few years I think)
Rougerie (I prefer him as a winger than as a center)
Poitrenaud (make some silly mistakes sometimes, but can be really impredictable, and make some great moves)

3rd :
Dupuy (a clever boy, Leicester fans won't argue about that)
Beauxis (or Wiesnewski) Has been disappointing since he's in Stade Français, but coud be great in Toulouse next year. Still has an enormous potential. Wiesnewski has made an incredible season with Racing-Metro.
Heymans (we thought he was over, but his latest appearances with Toulouse confirmed he's still a top player)
Fritz (you can count on him to go on war when he's on the field)
Marty (not a big fan, but as Fritz, can be a warrior for his team)
Planté (or Fall) Surely one of the most underrated winger in France. Fall has a huge potential, but has not confirmed this year. We expect more about him.
Porical (really clever, good kicking skills, one of USAP's key player)

No Palisson, nor Huget, or Traille. And they could be at the WC !! That's incredible.

Tomas (9), Durand (9), Tillous-Borde (9), Cazenave (9), Boyet (10), Doussain (10), Bézy (10), Candelon (11), Saubade (11), Coux (11), Chavancy (12), Messina (12), Fofana (13), Boussès (13), Lamerat (13), Sid (14), Donguy (14), Arias (14), Floch (15), Thiéry (15), all of them could make a 4th team. They're all a bit light for international level, excepted for our scrum halves, but they're all great Top 14 players.


It's a bit frustrating because NZ's third backline would smash all these teams easily, but still.

=== > Again, I'm not saying our 3rd backline could beat anyone. It's not the point, even our first team would struggle to be in WC semi-finals, when NZ's 3rd choice could win it. I was just bored, and I wanted to see how our 3rd backline would be. Sorry about that.

 

[Aedaphon]

Skrela (really good lately, will certainly be at the WC)

How can you say that about anyone with Lievremont as a coach? :lol:

It's certainly true that France have a lot more depth than most other European sides in the backline though, but I really don't think anything can compare to New Zealand, they're just unfairly talented. That said I am a huge fan of Parra and Trinh-Duc (it's the Vietnamese in me) and can't wait to see them at the RWC

 

[fusuke78]

Lol ! You certainly made a point here concerning Lièvremont ! :lol:

And I totally agree, we can't compare any backline to NZ one, as I said before it was not what I meant. Carter, Gear, SBW, Smith, Toeava, Muliaina, Sivivatu, Nonu, Fruean, Jane, Rokocoko, Kahui, Payne, Ranger, Dagg, Ellis, Guildford, Maitland, Masaga... that's sick.

Really hope they'll get the trophy this time, I will cheer for them at the WC, excepted against France... Come on, NZ, no team deserves more to be world champions than the AB's !