How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?
-
@kiwiinmelb said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
Nigel Yalden said today he believes Crotty will be named in the squad but will probably miss the first test ,
Coles will be named but may not feature at all .
Bugger, that is really shitty for Coles. At least Crotty may get a shot at the Lions at some point.
-
I think what's likely to happen is that Hansen will name his team of 33 and then he'll name quite a few extras as a cover/training/stand-by group for those under injury clouds. So, I reckon we'll see a team of something close to:
Moody
Crockett
Coles
Taylor
Coltman
Franks
Faumuina
Tu'ungafasi
Retallick
Whitelock
Romano
Barrett
Kaino
Squire
Cane
Todd
Savea
ReadSmith
Perenara
TKB
Barrett
Cruden
Sopoaga
Crotty
SBW
Lienert-Brown
Fekitoa
Savea
Naholo
Milner-Skudder
Dagg
SmithTraining/Stand-by
Hames
Harris
Laulala (?)
Franklin/Tuipolotu
Luatua/Dixon
Goodhue/Ioane
DMac(I'm suspecting Hansen might strategically pick people like Scott Barrett and Skudder, so that he can justify extra players in his training squad).
-
Lock Brodie Retallick has emerged as the latest injury worry for the All Blacks ahead of the test series against the British and Irish Lions.
Radio Sport rugby editor Nigel Yalden understands Retallick has had headaches since the Waratahs game at the weekend and won't be considered for selection this week against the Hurricanes.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11870419
-
Fuck you Will Smith!!
Seriously, the All Blacks are starting to sound like my wife. There's a fucking headache epidemic. HTFU!!
I am actually quite worried about how undercooked a few certain starters are likely to be. Like most of our loose forwards for instance. Both Read and Kaino haven't played in yonks, will either get a game beforehand? Squire would have been next, but he's in the same boat. We've got 3 AB sevens playing well, but nothing in 6 & 8. The ABs are usually a bit rusty first up, but add in a couple of months off. Actually Read has barely played at all.
Coles has been a significant point of difference for us over the past couple of years. While his replacements will do a job, they don't offer what he does. So obviously we want to play him if possible, but can we add a 3rd starting forward who has had that long off?
-
@mariner4life I don't think we can afford to play Read and Kaino together if neither has played a warm-up game. Similarly Coles - at best he comes off the bench.
Assuming these guys can't make the Samoa test, then I reckon the loose forward trio for the 1st test should be Luatua, Cane, Read.
-
-
@Chris-B. I would be more than happy with that trio. Kaino then doesn't make the bench either in my side.
-
@mariner4life When Read came back after his wrist surgery in March (?), he had played one half game of club rugby. He played for the Crusaders like he had played every single game and hadn't been out of action for months. I am pretty confident that he can do the same for the ABs. Some players just have that capacity to come back in at top level without (much) game time. In the backs, the same applies to Crotty. Other players seem to need a bit more time, like Dagg this year and probably Kaino (based on last year). I think SBarrett is expected to be available for the Saders' game v the Lions, so they could play him at 6.
-
@Stargazer said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
SBarrett is expected to be available for the Saders' game v the Lions, so they could play him at 6
too slow in my opinion
And i don't share your confidence in Read in terms of test rugby, considering i thought he was pretty average last year with loads of rugby under his belt
-
@mariner4life No - he's got to go and play some club rugby and we see how the first test result shapes up.
Savea and Romano are on the bench in my team.
-
If Ben Smith can't make it who is vice-captain? (Wondering whether that replacement (Whitelock?) might quickly be promoted to captain...)
-
@Stargazer said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
@mariner4life When Read came back after his wrist surgery in March (?), he had played one half game of club rugby. He played for the Crusaders like he had played every single game and hadn't been out of action for months. I am pretty confident that he can do the same for the ABs. Some players just have that capacity to come back in at top level without (much) game time. In the backs, the same applies to Crotty. Other players seem to need a bit more time, like Dagg this year and probably Kaino (based on last year). I think SBarrett is expected to be available for the Saders' game v the Lions, so they could play him at 6.
That game was against the sunwolves, and he came off at half time I think.
Slightly different circumstances to captaining the ABs against the Lions.
-
@SammyC said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
@Stargazer said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
@mariner4life When Read came back after his wrist surgery in March (?), he had played one half game of club rugby. He played for the Crusaders like he had played every single game and hadn't been out of action for months. I am pretty confident that he can do the same for the ABs. Some players just have that capacity to come back in at top level without (much) game time. In the backs, the same applies to Crotty. Other players seem to need a bit more time, like Dagg this year and probably Kaino (based on last year). I think SBarrett is expected to be available for the Saders' game v the Lions, so they could play him at 6.
That game was against the sunwolves, and he came off at half time I think.
Slightly different circumstances to captaining the ABs against the Lions.
Read was also outstanding against the Stormers and the Cheetahs (he broke his thumb in that last game).
I didn't suggest the games were similar; I just have confidence that Read can come back in good form straight away. The rest may have done him good. Last year, his form slumped a bit at the end of the season, probably because his work load had been too much and he needed a break (esp because he played with that wrist injury and it was his first year as captain of both the Saders and the ABs).
-
Hansen has pretty much said that if Read is fit he'll be playing - and he expects him to be fit. I don't have too many arguments with that, because we're not overburdened with test-class options at No. 8.
Can't see Scott Barrett starting at 6. He hasn't played there enough and I think we have better options in Luatua and Dixon - plus Kaino and Squire when fit. They might stick him on the bench and use him at 6 though.
-
@Stargazer said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
@SammyC said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
@Stargazer said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
@mariner4life When Read came back after his wrist surgery in March (?), he had played one half game of club rugby. He played for the Crusaders like he had played every single game and hadn't been out of action for months. I am pretty confident that he can do the same for the ABs. Some players just have that capacity to come back in at top level without (much) game time. In the backs, the same applies to Crotty. Other players seem to need a bit more time, like Dagg this year and probably Kaino (based on last year). I think SBarrett is expected to be available for the Saders' game v the Lions, so they could play him at 6.
That game was against the sunwolves, and he came off at half time I think.
Slightly different circumstances to captaining the ABs against the Lions.
Read was also outstanding against the Stormers and the Cheetahs (he broke his thumb in that last game).
He also came off at half time v the stormers (a game which we also won easily)
I'm not sure he was "outstanding" in the cheetahs game either. From memory he came off pretty early after missing a tackle that led directly to a Cheetahs try.
-
-
@Stargazer said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
@SammyC He came off early in the Cheetahs game (in the 37th minute) because he broke his thumb. Had nothing to do with his form or missing a tackle.
Thanks Captain Obvious !
.... Yes I do realise he's been out of the team with a broken thumb and yes I know it happened in the Cheetahs game
He missed a tackle that lead to a Cheetahs try, watch the replay if you don't believe me
I'm just debating your assertion that he was "outstanding" in his few games this year.... he wasn't.
-
-
@SammyC said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
@Stargazer said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:
@SammyC He came off early in the Cheetahs game (in the 37th minute) because he broke his thumb. Had nothing to do with his form or missing a tackle.
Thanks Captain Obvious
.... Yes I do realise he's been out of the team with a broken thumb and yes I know it happened in the Cheetahs game
He missed a tackle that lead to a Cheetahs try, watch the replay if you don't believe me
I'm just debating your assertion that he was "outstanding" in his few games this year.... he wasn't.
No need, to resort to unoriginal name-calling. We can just agree to disagree without becoming nasty.
Oh, and that try was disallowed.
