Your All Black Squad for June Tests

[Darwin]

If you watch the Highlanders closely, you would see that Dagg stands in at first reciever more than the first five does on attack, and covers the fullback spot on defense. He has pretty much been playing flyhalf all year.
That said i know its still a bit of a leap for him, but its only the welsh and irish after all we can afford a few risks

Yeah he did play at first receiver a lot for the Highlanders, however I don't think he was very impressive there - he was solid, but I don't think he made any breaks or really set the backline going. The strongest part of his game is running the ball back in broken play from fullback - at first-five you take that part of his game away. If they want him to be a first-five I think he needs to get a full season at provincial level in the position - though he certainly has the skills to play 10 (similar to Nick Evans). I can see why people would want him to play 10 - we have about 5-6 test quality fullbacks and we only really have one test quality 10.

 

[lance2010]

1.Neemia Tialata
2.Kevin Mealamu
3.Owen Franks
4.Brad Thorn
5.Sam Whitelock
6.Victor Vito
7.Richie Mc Caw
8.Kieran Read

9.Jimmy Cowan
10.Dan Carter
11.Joe Rokocoko
12.Benson Stanley
13.Conrad Smith
14.Hosea Gear
15.Isreal Dagg

16.Wyatt Crocket
17.Jason Rutlegde
18.Micheal Peterson
19.Jerome Kaino
20.Alby Matthewson
21.Cory Jane
22.Stephan Brett

a few newbys but i think this would be able to compete with Aus and Sth Africa considring what players we have left.....Could put chris Jack and Luke Mc Aillster in there too and Mils.....

 

[ranger]

Yeah he did play at first receiver a lot for the Highlanders, however I don't think he was very impressive there - he was solid, but I don't think he made any breaks or really set the backline going. The strongest part of his game is running the ball back in broken play from fullback - at first-five you take that part of his game away. If they want him to be a first-five I think he needs to get a full season at provincial level in the position - though he certainly has the skills to play 10 (similar to Nick Evans). I can see why people would want him to play 10 - we have about 5-6 test quality fullbacks and we only really have one test quality 10.

I think he did pretty well at first receiver considering what he had to work with. At the Highlanders the ball he was getting was sloppy (no excuse for this, the coach needs a bullet for choosing not to play to his strengths in the tight 5) and the players outside him were **** poor, i mean if youre a defender and you are marking up against Dagg, Shoemark, Lynn and Smith, youre going to be focusing your attention on Dagg.
In the All Blacks set up he would have space, quality ball, and players that actually pose a real threat outside him. That kind of situation is just as good as broken play.

I just think it would be great if we had a backup 10, Dagg has all the skills for it so it makes sense for mine.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Well thats one award covered, time to get myself an agent and get into an acamedy and be a bigger ass than versus, anyone know the name of the agent of someone controversial in the US? lol Yeah I was having a laugh, gotta take the **** every now and again.

The best agent in the world is Andre Pretorius' agent; seriously, the guy got big money to not play for the Force and now again for the Sharks.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I haven't seen Adam Thompson mentioned. Do people in NZ seriously not rate this guy? He ****** on Kaino in his spare time.

 

[ranger]

I haven't seen Adam Thompson mentioned. Do people in NZ seriously not rate this guy? He ****** on Kaino in his spare time.

He is a top class player, but Kaino edges him due to his superior work in the tight. Thompson would definitely be in my squad and will be in the All Blacks 22, but he doesnt quite beat Kaino and Vito for mine. He shot himself in the foot last year by playing so poorly at 7, he could have sewn up the 19 jersey with a couple of decent performances.

I was always a fan of Pretorius too, he was an awesome runner of the ball.