AB Positions up for grabs
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Lock - backup starter and off the bench impact player.
Whitelock and Retallick are all time greats, and the drop-off when they are absent is huge. We want a very good set-piece player who also has a high workrate and is athletic around the field to back them up - so does everyone. No one fulfils those requirements currently.
A high impact, physically dominant player who puts in solid tackles, carries well, and hits rucks is great to bring on with 30 minutes to go. In 2014 Tuipulotu was that player, but he hasn't come back from injuries as well as he'd like. Barrett is a good player, but he struggles against physical opposition. Romano is a good player and squad member, but doesn't fill either role.
Impact Lock Contenders:
Tuipulotu - can he find his form again? Needs a season without significant injuries.
Hemopo - Looks exciting, is pretty short (1.93m).
Barrett - can he increase his power? Probably not. Still a good player.
Sam Lousi - powerful player still adapting to Union. Could be the dark horse.
Fifita - AB coaches see him as a six. May be better suited to power lock role.
Gerard Cowley-Tuioti - fine player, strong, mobile, good in the air, benefiting from exposure to top level rugby. Doesn't have the power of Tuipulotu.
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(Reserve) Starting Lock Contenders:
Scott Scrafton - the spine of the Blues and Auckland packs. Very good lineout lock, excellent workrate, tall (2.00m) and athletic, excellent defender. Needs to improve his ball carrying and link play. Worth picking this year - two years in the ABs could see him develop into a world class set piece lock with a great workrate. Soon to be 25 years old.
Michael Fatialofa - impressive before injury, how well will he recover? Hasn't been a good all rounder, powerful around the field, but not a standout. Tidy in the lineout but not great.
Luke Romano - good player and squad member. Probably the best current option, but not world class in any facet.
Dominic Bird - doesn't seem to be consistently good, not outstanding in any area except the scrum.
Would like to see more of Quinten Strange. Young and probably tall enough (1.99m). Good workrate.
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Dominic Bird is outstanding in one area, which is scrummaging. The Chiefs scrum power drops amazingly when he doesn't play.
Not saying he's the next AB, just that he does deliver one real bonus.
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@chester-draws Cheers. Will change my post.
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The one you've been waiting for, Blindside Flanker.
With Kaino's career winding down this is a huge season for those wearing the six jersey. His replacements last year were unimpressive to say the least. Neither imposed any presence down the blindside channel on defence, with Fifita's workrate inconsistent, and Squire's non-existent. All Black ruck defence was particularly poor last year, and was exploited twice by Australia. Of the two, Fifita has the most athletic potential, though seems better adapted to power lock play at this stage of his career.
The Contenders:
Jerome Kaino - the greatest of all time, does he have another season left? If well managed he probably has a partial one. Must watch injuries though. Will not play all games, even if his form returns dramatically.
Fifita - excellent athlete learning a difficult position. Reminder that Kaino took several years to grow into the position. So did Luatua. Could be the answer, would help to get more time at six this Super Rugby season.
Squire - good ball carrier, flat-track bully. See his performance against the Crusaders in last year's playoff game. Went missing when up against top notch opposition. Very little physical impact in Brisbane against Australia. Needs a massive improvement in workrate and defensive presence.
Ioane - another outstanding young athlete who is still learning the role. Very strong, hits rucks and gains turnovers, physical defender, excellent ball carrier. Needs to improve decision making and workrate consistency. Will play at eight a lot, but has had his best games at six. Future All Black star. Should be developed for the World Cup. Should benefit from his second season playing XVs exclusively.
Hemopo and Evans are the outsiders. Barrett may get some time there for the ABs.
A potential weakness for the All Blacks.
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Backup Openside Flanker
Cane is an excellent player, but he's frequently injured, so we need a good backup for him. In reserve we have some good but not great players, some younger than others. Most need to improve their physical impact, which is easier for the young.
Contenders:
Todd - excellent Super Rugby player, lacks size and physical impact at test level, especially on defence. Still gets turnovers though.
Savea - very fast, good link player, but lacks size. Did not impress last year, where his defence (especially around the ruck) was exposed by Australia, and his lack of physicality by the Lions. How much weight has he put on in the off-season? Didn't notice him in the preseason game against the Blues. 24 years old.
Gibson - very good defender, wins turnovers, high workrate. Needs to work on link play, ball carrying, and general physical impact. Makes dominant tackles but not as often as Cane. Chances curtailed by injury so far. Could be in for a breakout season. Only 22 years old.
Dillion Hunt - fine all-round player, not outstanding in any aspect, but young (22) and has potential to develop.
Lachlan Boshier - good player but not a standout. 23.
Dalton Papali'i is the dark horse here. Physically imposing, he's one of the best young players I've seen recently. Was good against the Hurricanes in limited game time.
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@tim said in AB Positions up for grabs:
(Reserve) Starting Lock Contenders:
Scott Scrafton - the spine of the Blues and Auckland packs. Very good lineout lock, excellent workrate, tall (2.00m) and athletic, excellent defender. Needs to improve his ball carrying and link play. Worth picking this year - two years in the ABs could see him develop into a world class set piece lock with a great workrate. Soon to be 25 years old.
Seriously impressed me in teh Blues last year. Shored up an area we have been weak in. Would need to go up another level to get into the ABs, but a really solid first professional year for him.
Came from nowhere for me -- not sure if that's because I don't follow enough club rugby, but was a pleasant suprise.
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@nzzp He was in the NZ U20s in 2013, and NZ schools before that. He had a great season for Auckland in 2015, and was quieter in 2016 but was still their defensive player of the year.
Our very own @muddyriver picked him as the best lock in Auckland and at the Blues in the 2017 preseason.
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Bird was very good during the EOYT, particularly against the French in Lyon. He is not very old so he is a serious contender for the AB, given the fact that Scott Barrett has shown his lack of physicality in the tight against muscular opposition.
If Fatialofa can regain his 2016 form, then he could be the best of the reserves.
Gareth Evans could also be a contender for the Cane's backup. He is the type of player that won't let his team down. -
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