All Black Squad for Rugby Championship
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Against the Aussies I reckon we go with
15 Dagg
14 Naholo
11 Ioane / SaveaAgainst the Boks I'd prefer the Jordie and Dagg back division.
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@ACT-Crusader For me Jordie should always get the nod ahead of Dagg as a fullback purely due to his goal kicking. Beauden is a flaky kicker and we can't rely on him to take kicks in big test matches. I also don't think Dagg offers that much more as a player than Jordie anyway. He might have a bigger punt, but that's about it. In every other respect, there isn't a lot between them.
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Get Nanai in
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@mariner4life said in All Black Squad for Rugby Championship:
Get Nanai in
That sometime reserve from the worst NZ team in Super Rugby?
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@ACT-Crusader said in All Black Squad for Rugby Championship:
Against the Aussies I reckon we go with
15 Dagg
14 Naholo
11 Ioane / SaveaAgainst the Boks I'd prefer the Jordie and Dagg back division.
Dagg at fullback isn't going to happen. It was a retrograde step in the 2nd test and they admitted as much by moving him back to the wing in the 3rd test. When Dagg was a fullback he missed out the RWC squad. He never regained his fullback form, he just became a solid option on the right wing.
Dagg is extremely lucky that Ben Smith is having a sabbatical otherwise he could have found himself back playing ITM cup.
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F me. Ye olde anti-Dagg sentiments are peppering this forum lately.
I'm not personally saying he is a lock for a starting jersey, but Naholo has never ever impressed me in black yet (OK fleetingly when he scored his first try in his brief cameo at the RWC 2015), NMS looks a shadow of his former self, Ioane looks good at times, but has workrate issues in my opinion, and his clearing kick is a hollow impression of Dagg's, Savea...
I don't think we are as flush in the back 3 as people like to think. I personally would still put Piutau straight back into the starting XV for example. I do like the look of Jordie though.
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@Billy-Tell When is Piatau due back if he does decide to not renew his contract up morth? Next year or in 2019?
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@akan004 looks like he was on a 2 year contract from 2016/17-2017/18, so I guess he could be back for Mitre 10 Cup 2018?
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@taniwharugby I could see him coming back for the 2019 RWC and then signing for a NH club again after that. Would be great to have him back and he would definitely be in the AB mix.
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@taniwharugby @akan004 would he be starting behind the 8 ball and suffering a touch of Luatuaitis first up?
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@Billy-Tell said in All Black Squad for Rugby Championship:
F me. Ye olde anti-Dagg sentiments are peppering this forum lately.
I'm not personally saying he is a lock for a starting jersey, but Naholo has never ever impressed me in black yet (OK fleetingly when he scored his first try in his brief cameo at the RWC 2015), NMS looks a shadow of his former self, Ioane looks good at times, but has workrate issues in my opinion, and his clearing kick is a hollow impression of Dagg's, Savea...
I don't think we are as flush in the back 3 as people like to think. I personally would still put Piutau straight back into the starting XV for example. I do like the look of Jordie though.
I have no beef with Dagg on the wing for the purpose of balance but him at FB is nuts when we have a better option right here and now.
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@taniwharugby said in All Black Squad for Rugby Championship:
@booboo the path back from the NH is a well worn and one that doesn't often lead back to the ABs.
Yep he'll be unrecognizable if he comes back - fat and lazy as fuck and expecting the forwards to do all the work.
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@Frye said in All Black Squad for Rugby Championship:
@ACT-Crusader said in All Black Squad for Rugby Championship:
Against the Aussies I reckon we go with
15 Dagg
14 Naholo
11 Ioane / SaveaAgainst the Boks I'd prefer the Jordie and Dagg back division.
Dagg at fullback isn't going to happen. It was a retrograde step in the 2nd test and they admitted as much by moving him back to the wing in the 3rd test. When Dagg was a fullback he missed out the RWC squad. He never regained his fullback form, he just became a solid option on the right wing.
Dagg is extremely lucky that Ben Smith is having a sabbatical otherwise he could have found himself back playing ITM cup.
Dagg at fullback wasn't the issue in the 2nd test. In fact him being at fullback other than the wing was more beneficial when we used him to play field position.
I doubt they are dropping him even if Bender were available. He would probably start as the 1st test showed.
So with Bender out they will probably try a couple of different things.
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@akan004 said in All Black Squad for Rugby Championship:
@Billy-Tell When is Piatau due back if he does decide to not renew his contract up morth? Next year or in 2019?
Must be due to run out end of this year. I personally think if he genuinely does want to come home that NZRU should insist on a contract to at least 2020. Otherwise, it's not hard to see him commit for the minimum period that includes RWC 2019 before heading overseas again - no need for a malevolent mercenary influence in the AB camp.
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@Frye said in All Black Squad for Rugby Championship:
@Billy-Tell said in All Black Squad for Rugby Championship:
I have no beef with Dagg on the wing for the purpose of balance but him at FB is nuts when we have a better option right here and now.
Yeah I agree there. I thought he was utterly woeful at wing under Blackadder...but now I think wing is his best position. If Smith is out, would just hand the 15 shirt to Jordie - goal-kicking woes finished for the ABs.