TRC squad

taniwharugby

no real surprises, a couple can consider themselves lucky, but nothing too controversial (that hasnt been discussed already) it'll be the team naming some time next week might generate some chatter.

edit: JUst realised no LAumape, but then he has been called in to cover SBW anyway....

Stargazer

With age, teams, caps and position:

Forwards:

Hookers
Dane Coles (31, Hurricanes / Wellington, 56)
Nathan Harris (26, Chiefs / Bay of Plenty, 13)
Codie Taylor (27, Crusaders / Canterbury, 32)

Props
Owen Franks (30, Crusaders / Canterbury, 98)
Joe Moody (29, Crusaders /Canterbury, 34)
Tim Perry (30, Crusaders / Ta$man, uncapped)
Karl Tu'inukuafe (25, Chiefs / North Harbour, 3)
Ofa Tuungafasi (26, Blues / Auckland, 17)

Locks
Scott Barrett (24, Crusaders / Taranaki, 19)
Brodie Retallick (27, Chiefs / Hawke's Bay, 68)
Samuel Whitelock (29, Crusaders / Canterbury, 99)

Loose Forwards
Sam Cane (26, Chiefs / Bay of Plenty, 55)
Shannon Frizell (24, Highlanders / Ta$man, 1)
Jackson Hemopo (24, Highlanders / Manawatu, 1)
Kieran Read (32, Crusaders / Counties Manukau, 109) - Captain
Ardie Savea (24, Hurricanes / Wellington, 25)
Liam Squire (27, Highlanders / Ta$man, 17)
Luke Whitelock (27, Highlanders / Canterbury, 5)

Backs:

Halfbacks
TJ Perenara (26, Hurricanes / Wellington, 45)
Aaron Smith (29, Highlanders / Manawatu, 74)
Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi (23, Chiefs / Taranaki, uncapped)

First five-eighths
Beauden Barrett (27, Hurricanes / Taranaki, 65)
Damian McKenzie (23, Chiefs / Waikato, 15)
Richie Mo'unga (24, Crusaders / Canterbury, 1)

Midfielders
Ryan Crotty (29, Crusaders / Canterbury, 37)
Jack Goodhue (23, Crusaders / Northland, 1)
Anton Lienert-Brown (23, Chiefs / Waikato, 24)
Sonny Bill Williams (33, Blues / Counties Manukau, 46)

Outside backs
Jordie Barrett (21, Hurricanes / Taranaki, 5)
Rieko Ioane (21, Blues / Auckland, 16)
Nehe Milner-Skudder (27, Hurricanes / Manawatu, 11)
Waisake Naholo (27, Highlanders /Taranaki, 19)
Ben Smith (32, Highlanders /Otago, 67)

As well as the 33-man squad, two other players will assemble with the squad as injury cover. Hooker Liam Coltman comes in as cover for Dane Coles, who is expected to return to Test match rugby some time during the Investec Rugby Championship, while midfielder Ngani Laumape comes in for Sonny Bill Williams, who is recovering from a shoulder injury.

The squad also features two uncapped players. Crusaders and  Ta$man prop Tim Perry, who played two non-Tests on last year's Vista Northern Tour, was named in this year's Steinlager Series squad but missed the series with injury, while young Chiefs and Taranaki halfback Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi has also been selected.

Players Kane Hames, Nepo Laulala, Atu Moli and Jordan Taufua were not considered for selection due to injury.

Squad breakdown

The All Blacks squad is made up of 18 forwards (three hookers, five props, three locks and seven loose forwards) and 15 backs (three halfbacks, three first five-eighths, four midfielders and five outside backs) and has a total of 1078 Test caps experience.

The squad is made up of three Blues players, seven Chiefs, six Hurricanes, 10 Crusaders and seven Highlanders while 13 of New Zealand's Mitre 10 Cup provinces are represented, with seven Canterbury players, five from Taranaki, three each from Wellington, Manawatu and  Ta$man, Auckland, Counties Manukau, Waikato and Bay of Plenty have two players each while there is one player from Northland, North Harbour, Hawke's Bay and Otago.

The All Blacks squad will assemble in Christchurch on Thursday this week with the team taking on the Canterbury and Otago provincial sides in the Game of Three Halves match at AMI Stadium on Friday night. A squad of 32 will head to Sydney on Sunday to prepare for the first Bledisloe Cup Test.

http://www.allblacks.com/News/32796/all-blacks-squad-named-for-2018-investec-rugby-championship

KiwiMurph

So only 3 locks with Hemopo covering lock.

taniwharugby

@kiwimurph Ardie probably covers lock too...

mariner4life

@stargazer said in 2018 Rugby Championship:

This is the squad for the 2018 Rugby Championship:

yaaaawwwwnnnn

Frank

Squad
Hookers
Dane Coles (31, Hurricanes / Wellington, 56)
Nathan Harris (26, Chiefs / Bay of Plenty, 13)
Codie Taylor (27, Crusaders / Canterbury, 32)

Props
Owen Franks (30, Crusaders / Canterbury, 98)
Joe Moody (29, Crusaders /Canterbury, 34)
Tim Perry (30, Crusaders / Ta$man, uncapped)
Karl Tu'inukuafe (25, Chiefs / North Harbour, 3)
Ofa Tuungafasi (26, Blues / Auckland, 17)

Locks
Scott Barrett (24, Crusaders / Taranaki, 19)
Brodie Retallick (27, Chiefs / Hawke's Bay, 68)
Samuel Whitelock (29, Crusaders / Canterbury, 99)

Loose Forwards
Sam Cane (26, Chiefs / Bay of Plenty, 55)
Shannon Frizell (24, Highlanders / Ta$man, 1)
Jackson Hemopo (24, Highlanders / Manawatu, 1)
Kieran Read (32, Crusaders / Counties Manukau, 109) - Captain
Ardie Savea (24, Hurricanes / Wellington, 25)
Liam Squire (27, Highlanders / Ta$man, 17)
Luke Whitelock (27, Highlanders / Canterbury, 5)

Backs:
Halfbacks
TJ Perenara (26, Hurricanes / Wellington, 45)
Aaron Smith (29, Highlanders / Manawatu, 74)
Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi (23, Chiefs / Taranaki, uncapped)

First five-eighths
Beauden Barrett (27, Hurricanes / Taranaki, 65)
Damian McKenzie (23, Chiefs / Waikato, 15)
Richie Mo'unga (24, Crusaders / Canterbury, 1)

Midfielders
Ryan Crotty (29, Crusaders / Canterbury, 37)
Jack Goodhue (23, Crusaders / Northland, 1)
Anton Lienert-Brown (23, Chiefs / Waikato, 24)
Sonny Bill Williams (33, Blues / Counties Manukau, 46)

Outside backs
Jordie Barrett (21, Hurricanes / Taranaki, 5)
Rieko Ioane (21, Blues / Auckland, 16)
Nehe Milner-Skudder (27, Hurricanes / Manawatu, 11)
Waisake Naholo (27, Highlanders /Taranaki, 19)
Ben Smith (32, Highlanders /Otago, 67)

Frank

No Akira, no surprise.

Hemopo leapfrogs Fifita

NMS retains spot.

The Tongan 'special athlete' reserve 6 for the Highlanders gets in.

It'll be good to see the back of Harris once Dane Coles is fully fit.

ploughboy

props are going to be interesting .ofa seems to be only one to play both sides with a 3 loosehead 2 tighthead mix

Tim

NMS is a shocker.

ACT Crusader

@ploughboy said in TRC squad:

props are going to be interesting .ofa seems to be only one to play both sides with a 3 loosehead 2 tighthead mix

To me that seems the right mix and good thinking to have at least one that can play both sides in the case of an emergency and not having to bring in a further player into the squad

ACT Crusader

@tim said in TRC squad:

NMS is a shocker.

Must be on big money....

mariner4life

@tim said in TRC squad:

NMS is a shocker.

to be fair, right wing and the loose forwards are very ordinary

Frank

@tim said in 2018 Rugby Championship:

NMS is a shocker.

Yep, tidy and experienced are the most positive words to describe him now.

Also too light, not quick, and injury prone.

ACT Crusader

Ardie Savea’s played 25 tests? When?

ploughboy

@act-crusader
yeah but if ofa or franks go down late we have a loosehead specialist playing tight head.a 2 and 2 split plus ofa covers as better plus its what they have done in the past

KiwiMurph

@act-crusader said in TRC squad:

Ardie Savea’s played 25 tests? When?

This happens when you get a permanent spot on the bench for 2 seasons.

Stargazer

@kiwimurph said in TRC squad:

@act-crusader said in TRC squad:

Ardie Savea’s played 25 tests? When?

This happens when you get a permanent spot on the bench for 2 seasons.

That's where his hair follicles have taken root to enable his constant growth to giant height.

Frank

Hansen said the immediate goal was to "recapture the Bledisloe Cup."
"After the Rugby World Cup, this is the most important trophy we play for. We lost to Australia the last time we played them, so no doubt they'll have a lot of self-confidence and are worthy of starting as favourites." :smiling_face_with_open_mouth_smiling_eyes:

Donsteppa

NMS? 2015 called and wants its team list back.

ACT Crusader

@mariner4life said in TRC squad:

@tim said in TRC squad:

NMS is a shocker.

to be fair, right wing and the loose forwards are very ordinary

I hear Shannon Frizell was out doing promotions for adidas giving away his game boots from the super rugby season. To the surprise of the kiddies most of the boots were unmarked and clean as if they had never been worn on the field

The Silver Fern

TRC squad