AB RWC squad
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@Stargazer Probably not, still a bit green but a classy player with all the skills, the medium-term replacement for Ben Smith.
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@pakman said in RWC squad. Who's in, who's out?:
If Fifita injury serious Jacobson run times perfectly.
If Squire is going they should have the loose forwards sorted.
6: Read/Savea, Squire, Barrett
7: Cane, Savea, Todd
8: Read/Savea, SquireBut if Squire isn't in the squad 6/8 cover is more needed than a 6/lock. I don't think Fifita adds anything to the squad with 4 locks expected to be selected, one of which (SB) can also play 6. We need a more like-for-like replacement.
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@sparky said in RWC squad. Who's in, who's out?:
@Stargazer Probably not, still a bit green but a classy player with all the skills, the medium-term replacement for Ben Smith.
Highlight packages like this annoy me. Just show the usual camera angle FFS.
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@Bovidae said in RWC squad. Who's in, who's out?:
@pakman said in RWC squad. Who's in, who's out?:
If Fifita injury serious Jacobson run times perfectly.
If Squire is going they should have the loose forwards sorted.
6: Read/Savea, Squire, Barrett
7: Cane, Savea, Todd
8: Read/Savea, SquireBut if Squire isn't in the squad 6/8 cover is more needed than a 6/lock. I don't think Fifita adds anything to the squad with 4 locks expected to be selected, one of which (SB) can also play 6. We need a more like-for-like replacement.
Fifita adds speed. Could cover Read against Namibia/Canada and good bench option if dual sevens played. Best hard shoulder hitter replacement? Frizell?
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@nzzp said in RWC squad. Who's in, who's out?:
@Bovidae said in RWC squad. Who's in, who's out?:
I hope that is the situation. This isn't the time for sentiment.
The NZ selector's give some players rope (Reado), but wield the axe mercilessly otherwise. Dagg and Jane at RWC2015; Dagg starting voer Mills in 2011 ... they'll give yo uthe chance to show the attributes they like, but if you're surpassed it's sayonara baby
Outside backs are different though - once they lose their ability to beat the man with power/pace it's over. Whereas with Read you get the feeling he is just shot to piece physically but still has all the tools and can be nursed along to wind back the clock for a couple of performances.
Mils was never supplanted by Dagg, but the general consensus was that the change would have happened anyway had Mils not been injured in the QF.
They do have their favourites though. Obviously they subscribe to the theory that outside backs peak early and steadily decline (thus NMS/Naholo last time, Ioane for the Lions, Bridge/Reece this time) - but for whatever reason they persevered with Savea after he turned to custard. The Fifita/Moli parallels are obvious too.
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@rotated said in RWC squad. Who's in, who's out?:
@nzzp said in RWC squad. Who's in, who's out?:
@Bovidae said in RWC squad. Who's in, who's out?:
I hope that is the situation. This isn't the time for sentiment.
The NZ selector's give some players rope (Reado), but wield the axe mercilessly otherwise. Dagg and Jane at RWC2015; Dagg starting voer Mills in 2011 ... they'll give yo uthe chance to show the attributes they like, but if you're surpassed it's sayonara baby
Outside backs are different though - once they lose their ability to beat the man with power/pace it's over. Whereas with Read you get the feeling he is just shot to piece physically but still has all the tools and can be nursed along to wind back the clock for a couple of performances.
Mils was never supplanted by Dagg, but the general consensus was that the change would have happened anyway had Mils not been injured in the QF.
They do have their favourites though. Obviously they subscribe to the theory that outside backs peak early and steadily decline (thus NMS/Naholo last time, Ioane for the Lions, Bridge/Reece this time) - but for whatever reason they persevered with Savea after he turned to custard. The Fifita/Moli parallels are obvious too.
I do believe wingers are different too , when their confidence goes , they can look like spectators out there,you want your wingers to look like they want the ball in their hands
I’ve got a feeling right now the back 3 that played at eden park is the one in front ,with reiko not out of the picture completely yet .
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@Crucial said in RWC squad. Who's in, who's out?:
@Chris-B said in RWC squad. Who's in, who's out?:
@pakman Yeah - and I'd be happy enough with that logic, but I'm struggling to get around that they cut Karl from the squad, so it seems he's on the outer.
It would be interesting to know what they're seeing inside the camp in regard to these guys. They'll have a great deal more information than us. I'd think prop is the hardest position to pick from the TV
Karl had a pretty bad illness that sapped his energy and reduced his fitness. He was just coming back from that when he got injured.
He was dropped because he couldn’t play not for other reasons?https://www.msn.com/en-nz/sport/rugby-union/if-they-need-me-im-ready-karl-tuinukuafes-world-cup-hopes-still-alive-following-all-blacks-axing/ar-AAGfTNL -
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I find these sorts of comments about Squire from the article really odd:
"Hansen could have told Squire he had burned his bridges by not making himself available for the All Blacks from the outset."
There has been similar sentiment on here but why? Squire didn't feel that he was up to playing test rugby (for whatever reason) and stood himself down. If I wasn't 100% mentally or physically fit, couldn't give my best for my country / job, I would give my boss a call too.
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@Snowy said in RWC squad. Who's in, who's out?:
I find these sorts of comments about Squire from the article really odd:
"Hansen could have told Squire he had burned his bridges by not making himself available for the All Blacks from the outset."
There has been similar sentiment on here but why? Squire didn't feel that he was up to playing test rugby (for whatever reason) and stood himself down. If I wasn't 100% mentally or physically fit, couldn't give my best for my country / job, I would give my boss a call too.
I hear you there, so for me it rules him out for the biggest stage this year. We can't have question marks around mental strength so close to kick off.
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Players aren't robots. If he had some personal issues to deal with, then he did the right thing taking time to sort it out. If it's all sorted now, more depth is a good thing.
@Hooroo taking a decent player even at 90% mentally is better than a rubbish player like Fifita.
