2020 All Blacks Squad
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@Chester-Draws said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
No to Bryn Gatland, even if his dad is coach. He has zero upside -- not an ace kicker, not quick, not quick handed, not even a demon defender. I'd go Fletcher Smith before Gatland.
Number eight after the world cup will be Ardie Savea. If it isn't Foster picking, then Ioane will be the next choice.
We're playing Nonu at the world cup because Williams is "past it"! Very funny. I know Ma'a has staying power, but are we really going to be fielding a 37 year old guy who's been out of the system?
I reserve the right to change my position once I see him play, but Nonu is no ordinary player. The guy is a physical freak and tough as nails
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I am pretty sure Liam Squire will be in the RWC squad.
Among the names I could add to yours for 2020 are Parkinson, Luke Jacobson, Taukei'aho, Fidow, Ennor, Walker Leawere and Seu. -
@cgrant Luke Jacobsen isn't a starter for the Chiefs. He's not going to make the ABs.
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@Chester-Draws didn't stop Frizell at the Highlanders.
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not to mention Jacobson is likely to get a decent amount of gametime this year too with Cane being out most of the super season
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@Chester-Draws you watched any chiefs games?
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He doesn't even doesn't even particularly stand out for me for Waikato, let alone the Chiefs.
I know he was the next big thing at age level, but that was then.
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@KiwiMurph said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@Chester-Draws didn't stop Frizell at the Highlanders.
And raise your hands everyone who thinks that's a good decision.
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@Chester-Draws he didn’t stand out at ITM because he didn’t play...... his brother did
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@Chester-Draws :
Luke Jacobson was captain and blindside flanker of the 2017 U20 ABs. As the 2018 Super Rugby rounds progressed, he was more and more involved and was a regular starter by the end of the season. He looks like a young Liam Messam IMO.
I don't rated his brother who was Waikato's openside flanker during the Mitre 10 Cup. -
I confess I confused the two brothers. I was overseas for the last Super 12 and missed those games. I wasn't hugely impressed with Luke previously when he played for Waikato (although given the disaster that season was, perhaps that wasn't an ideal time for him to shine).
I did watch Liam Messam play as a young man. He had lightening top speed (I remember a commentator mentioning that he wasn't quick for a forward, he was quick full-stop, one of the reasons he was so good at Sevens). But he was light and an openside, as I recall -- he put on a lot of weight and changed sides before he was anywhere near good enough to be an AB. If Jacobson looks like a "young Messam" then he's a few years yet off making the ABs.
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@Chester-Draws said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
I confess I confused the two brothers. I was overseas for the last Super 12 and missed those games. I wasn't hugely impressed with Luke previously when he played for Waikato (although given the disaster that season was, perhaps that wasn't an ideal time for him to shine).
I did watch Liam Messam play as a young man. He had lightening top speed (I remember a commentator mentioning that he wasn't quick for a forward, he was quick full-stop, one of the reasons he was so good at Sevens). But he was light and an openside, as I recall -- he put on a lot of weight and changed sides before he was anywhere near good enough to be an AB. If Jacobson looks like a "young Messam" then he's a few years yet off making the ABs.
Young Messam had about three seasons of arguments about whether he was a loosie or a midfield.
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@Bones said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
Why do people keep insisting Goodhue is a 12?
Because, just like us backs think 1 and 3 are interchangeable, dumb ex forwards thing 12 and 13 are as well.
As an aside, Nonu showed the other day that in the current game even a small loss of first steps pace through age will be exposed by a younger skilled player in the wider channels.
There was a good reason that Umaga moved from 14 to 13 to 12 as he got older. -
@Crucial said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@Bones said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
Why do people keep insisting Goodhue is a 12?
Because, just like us backs think 1 and 3 are interchangeable, dumb ex forwards thing 12 and 13 are as well.
As an aside, Nonu showed the other day that in the current game even a small loss of first steps pace through age will be exposed by a younger skilled player in the wider channels.
There was a good reason that Umaga moved from 14 to 13 to 12 as he got older.I always thought Nonu looked far more at home at 12 than 13 , even during his peak ,
Even though he started as a 13
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@kiwiinmelb said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@Crucial said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@Bones said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
Why do people keep insisting Goodhue is a 12?
Because, just like us backs think 1 and 3 are interchangeable, dumb ex forwards thing 12 and 13 are as well.
As an aside, Nonu showed the other day that in the current game even a small loss of first steps pace through age will be exposed by a younger skilled player in the wider channels.
There was a good reason that Umaga moved from 14 to 13 to 12 as he got older.I always thought Nonu looked far more at home at 12 than 13 , even during his peak ,
Even though he started as a 13
True, but agree with @Crucial's general point.
