AB squad for the Rugby Championship
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The ABs named a 41 man squad in 2015 and I think will do so again.
4 Hookers
6 Props
5 Locks
7 Loose Forwards
4 Half Backs
3 First Fives
6 Midfielders
6 Outside BacksTaylor, Coles, Coltman, Harris,
Moody, Tu'inukuafe, Franks, Lomax, Tu'ungafasi, Moli
Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Tuipulotu, Scott Barrett, Franklin,
Squire, Frizzell, Ardie Savea, Cane, Read, Todd, Akira Ioane
Aaron Smith, TJP, Weber, TTT
Beauden Barrett, Mo'unga, Josh Ioane,
Crotty, ALB, Goodhue, SBW, Laumape, Ennor,
Reiko Ioane, Bridge, Ben Smith, Jordie Barrett, Naholo, Reece -
@sparky possibly, but this RC is a different kettle of fish - last RC the RWC squads needed to be named before the final RC match and this time players in the SR final unlikely to appear in 1st RC game. So I think it could be very different, and maybe a double naming, initial and then final.
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@sparky said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
The ABs named a 41 man squad in 2015 and I think will do so again.
And Akira will be 42nd?
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@ACT-Crusader said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
@sparky said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
The ABs named a 41 man squad in 2015 and I think will do so again.
And Akira will be 42nd?
You’re optimistic - there’s still at least 4 bench Highlanders vieing for 42nd before he’ll get a look in.
Plus, he’ll be too tired, he doesn’t have the luxury of playing 30-50 minute games like those Crusaders loosies.
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@sparky Yeah - it would probably make most sense for them to name their TRC squad, and then name a few additional players for the first game against Argentina, if required.
I think a squad of 41 is likely, since it allows them to have 10 players additional to what they'll take to Japan - so cover with people up to speed with systems in case of injury.
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@Chris-B said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
@sparky Yeah - it would probably make most sense for them to name their TRC squad, and then name a few additional players for the first game against Argentina, if required.
Hansen said three squad announcements. Arg/SA games, Bledisloe games and then RWC (presumably includes Tonga).
The interview on the weekend with Keyes was pretty decent, Hansen drops a few nuggets: part one & part two
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@rotated said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
@Chris-B said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
@sparky Yeah - it would probably make most sense for them to name their TRC squad, and then name a few additional players for the first game against Argentina, if required.
Hansen said three squad announcements. Arg/SA games, Bledisloe games and then RWC (presumably includes Tonga).
The interview on the weekend with Keyes was pretty decent, Hansen drops a few nuggets: part one & part two
Nuggets? Hansen is one of the best fishermen going around....
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Jesus weeps for Blues fans again
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@canefan although
"He came down for university and rugby," Otago general manager Richard Kinley told Stuff.
Did Auckland/Blues really lose him in that case? Similarly Goodhue's name gets thrown about as being lost, but he was always going to Uni down in Crusaders land, I expect there are plenty of other similar cases...that said, I guess when you have these ones with goals outside of rugby, more work should be done to try and retain their services where possible.
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@canefan so how many players have the Blues lost from their region over the last five years?
From the top of my head:
Highlanders - Waisaki Naholo, Malakai Fekitoa, Josh Ioane, Dillon Hunt
Crusaders - Braydon Ennor, Jack Goodhue, Bryn Hall
Hurricanes - Michael Fatialofa, Vince Aso, Willis Halaholo, Loni Uhila, Sam Lousi, Scott Scrafton (next year)
Chiefs - Teleni Seu, Solomon Alaimalo, Tamua Manu, Shaun StevensonThere are probably many more but it just showcases where the Blues need to be better if they want to make the playoffs going forward.
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@Canes4life pretty sure with the articles logic, Solomon was lost to Canterbury/Crusaders having been schooled in Christchurch.
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@taniwharugby I agree. Some guys just want to study for a uni degree. At that stage in your life, you just don't know whether you're going to have a successful rugby career, so you plan for the future. That's what happened with Goodhue, Scott Barrett (and also Jordie, but he left for the Canes), Taufua and several more.
It's also why Gareth Evans went to Dunedin, and - initially - Brad Weber. Evans went back to his home franchise, the Hurricanes; Weber didn't, but both came back to the Bay in Mitre 10 Cup.
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@taniwharugby Depends on what he's studying. If Phys Ed, Health Sciences or Dentistry, then Otago the best. But Auckland has Auckland Uni and AUT which both have top notch programs, plus Unitech, MIT, Massey campus. So leaving in general for study is a bit of a stretch when Auckland has tons of options.
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@Mokey yeah I kinda covered that with Blues (ARU, NRU & NHR) should be all over the exceptional young kids, seeing what thier long term plans are outside rugby and trying to make it work for them.
But by the same token I expect some will have always had a dream of gong to X-Uni (as well as the other dream of being a professional rugby player) so that may still dictate where they go first.
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Many of these guys (eg Malakai) weren't making it in AKLD so went elsewhere. I think the uni angle in the pro era is less significant than in the past. The Blues have to sort out everything from the management at the top down to scouting and talent identification. The other hard thing is talent development. Players stagnating in Auckland only to go elsewhere and then make the ABs is very concerning
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@canefan I wonder if the franchises add education as an incentive to sign as well?
I reckon they should be, help these guys study/train for somethign post-rugby, if rugby doesnt pay off or they get a career ending injury.
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@taniwharugby said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
@canefan I wonder if the franchises add education as an incentive to sign as well?
I reckon they should be, help these guys study/train for somethign post-rugby, if rugby doesnt pay off or they get a career ending injury.
Not sure. I think they give them financial advice now
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@taniwharugby If by franchises you mean Waikato, Taranaki etc. I know of one. Bradley Slater who was the hooker called into the Chiefs was on a scholarship to the University of Waikato from the TRFU and that had him go stay in the halls of residence and study, not sure what, but also part of the agreement was he had to come back and play for Taranaki and not move to Waikato. I know this because my old flatmate was in the halls with him and. If you mean the Chiefs, I'm pretty certain ALB was on a scholarship with Waikato and the Chiefs to go to uni and play rugby. Also, considering the the University of Otago is a major sponsor of the Landers, I'd say there would be some kind of scholarship.
Edit: Tagged the wrong person.
