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The All Blacks Squad - The Rugby Championship 2014

interview with Steve Hansen, talking about the current squad ahead of the super 15 final:

[video]https://soundcloud.com/allblacks/head-coach-steve-hansen-about[/video]
 
Dan Carter has fractured a bone in his leg. He is expected to be out for the next month so will miss at least the first 2 tests (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11304240).

From an AB's perspective I don't think it is necessarily a bad thing. Cruden is the best 10 in NZ at the moment, while Barrett is the ideal backup option. There is no guarentee Carter will be fit come RWC time (and may struggle to last a whole tournament) so giving Cruden and Barrett as much time in the 10 jersey is a good thing IMO.
 
Dan Carter has fractured a bone in his leg. He is expected to be out for the next month so will miss at least the first 2 tests (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11304240).

From an AB's perspective I don't think it is necessarily a bad thing. Cruden is the best 10 in NZ at the moment, while Barrett is the ideal backup option. There is no guarantee Carter will be fit come RWC time (and may struggle to last a whole tournament) so giving Cruden and Barrett as much time in the 10 jersey is a good thing IMO.

Fully agreed!!! In the first place, I don't like the ideal of this called sabbatical leave. Was DC really fit for Super 15 final...he was already struggling in the last WC. The Coaching team must give as much as possible game exposure to the team that most likely will play in the next WC.
 
Sad news after sad news is all I hear with DC these days.

Is DC going to earn himself a spot in the RWC for next year or will they just select him on his past merits? He's got to play Super next year and he's got to play well. It'll be interesting to see how he goes 'cos I feel it's getting close to closing time for DC.
 
man it's pretty crazy how fate always puts Dan Carter down right at the 'wrong' time. Apparently he may be back around half-way through this very tournament, so his RWC hopes aren't buried as of now, but goddamn...
He'll be 33 by RWC time though, and with Barrett and Cruden I'm not sure why they'd even pick him. And they obviously won't play him at center...maybe in the bigger games, with all his experience ? But what if he's rusty, they're better off playing the youngsters.
 
man it's pretty crazy how fate always puts Dan Carter down right at the 'wrong' time. Apparently he may be back around half-way through this very tournament, so his RWC hopes aren't buried as of now, but goddamn...
He'll be 33 by RWC time though, and with Barrett and Cruden I'm not sure why they'd even pick him. And they obviously won't play him at center...maybe in the bigger games, with all his experience ? But what if he's rusty, they're better off playing the youngsters.

It's clear it's got nothing to do with fate. DC's body just can't stand up to the rigours of top class rugby. He'll be targeted even more now by teams knowing that they can take him out of the game.
 
It's clear it's got nothing to do with fate. DC's body just can't stand up to the rigours of top class rugby. He'll be targeted even more now by teams knowing that they can take him out of the game.

uh oh...
 
It's clear it's got nothing to do with fate. DC's body just can't stand up to the rigours of top class rugby. He'll be targeted even more now by teams knowing that they can take him out of the game.

It seems like a situation not dissimilar to Johnny Wilkinson. He was constantly out injured for four or so years. I'm not sure what Toulon did - but it seems he received the conditioning required to play even more rugby than usual, while being relatively injury free.

It may be the case where Carter just needs to be managed better. His injuries have been his groin, Achilles heel, leg etc, etc - so it's not as if he has had any one injury which continually gets aggravated.

I think the reality is we can't operate under the assumption he will be continually fit come the Rugby World Cup - I'd still like him in the squad as he's still a very classy player.
 
It's clear it's got nothing to do with fate. DC's body just can't stand up to the rigours of top class rugby. He'll be targeted even more now by teams knowing that they can take him out of the game.

Agreed!!. Everyone should recall the glorious occasion that was his 100th international at Twickenham last November, he was forced off the field prematurely with an Achilles injury.

Is a wake up to ABS coaching team select the players on form. Whats was DC thinking...go on sabbatical leave and comes back and play some club games and go straight super 15 final.

Sports are now played at very different level of intensity as compared to ten years back.
 
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It seems like a situation not dissimilar to Johnny Wilkinson. He was constantly out injured for four or so years. I'm not sure what Toulon did - but it seems he received the conditioning required to play even more rugby than usual, while being relatively injury free.

It may be the case where Carter just needs to be managed better. His injuries have been his groin, Achilles heel, leg etc, etc - so it's not as if he has had any one injury which continually gets aggravated.

I think the reality is we can't operate under the assumption he will be continually fit come the Rugby World Cup - I'd still like him in the squad as he's still a very classy player.

I think JW only really recovered to play consistently after he retired from international rugby in 2011, which meant he could just concentrate on club rugby for Toulon.
 
A real shame Rene Ranger not here, would have been good at 13 as backup to Conrad.

A SBW/Kahui or Ranger would be great backup pait to Nonu/Smith
 
A real shame Rene Ranger not here, would have been good at 13 as backup to Conrad.

A SBW/Kahui or Ranger would be great backup pait to Nonu/Smith

Nah Fekitoa has all the potential of Ranger and some. Come next year I think he will be humming along quite nicely. The chances he's got so far things just havent gone his way. When they do probably this weekend if he gets a decent shot it will be like Ranger who!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x33V5ey5nug
 
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Tamati Ellison can also return :( good option for 2nd 5-8
 

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