Possible All Blacks 2020
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@Chris-B Aumua at Hooker instead of Coltman for me. Aumua has been solid this year in his core work and definitely offers more than Coltman on attack. The fact we need to blood young talent in that position also puts him at an advantage.
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Am still of the opinion that it's way too early in the SR season.
Anyway, if he plays as well after his return from the injury ward as he did in the first rounds, I expect David Havili to be in the squad. The form back until his surgery. Maybe at the expense of Jordie.
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@Crucial said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Chris-B said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@booboo said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Bones said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Chris-B Grace, Robinson, Marino, etc, etc!
Papalili, Jacobsen ...
I decided not to consider Jacobsen because there seems a reasonable chance he'll be on the sidelines for a while.
Based on? He has a minor hammy issue.
Is that all! I thought he'd had a return of concussion symptoms?
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@Chris-B said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Crucial said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Chris-B said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@booboo said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Bones said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Chris-B Grace, Robinson, Marino, etc, etc!
Papalili, Jacobsen ...
I decided not to consider Jacobsen because there seems a reasonable chance he'll be on the sidelines for a while.
Based on? He has a minor hammy issue.
Is that all! I thought he'd had a return of concussion symptoms?
Fake news
Edit: there was a description of 'neural issues' and people jumped to a conclusion. Something to do with a nerve in/near the hammy. He can run fine but it flares up when pushing in scrums/rucks apparently.
A couple of Panadol and a lie down and he'll be fine. -
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@Bovidae said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@sparky said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@mooshld said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
Cruden has looked in top form.
Did you not see the Brumbies game? He doesn't tackle any more. His defensive is a long way below international standard.
Cruden made a number of important and try-saving tackles against the Crusaders. That said, it is better to look to the future so I don't see him being in the mix.
Why? The guy is only 30 and, although he is off to Japan shortly, there is no reason why he can't be a genuine squad option for the next World Cup if his form is good enough. He's actually been a very decent AB first-five and could still do a job at a major tournament if required to do so - certainly more of a natural 10 than BB and with a far better temperament and game management than RM. I think the selectors would be mad to write him off as an option now that he's available again.
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@Canes4life Taukei'aho over Aumua.
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@Tim said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
According to Nigel Yelden, Dalton Papalii's rest game was not due to his brief time in the ABs last year, but his possible inclusion in an AB squad this year. Doesn't mean they selected a squad.
This. everyone moaning about the rest weeks seems to be forgetting that they are there to make sure tat potential All Blacks (e.g., Ennor who didn't even go to the WC) are at their best when they are needed in black later in this year.
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@Tim said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
According to Nigel Yelden, Dalton Papalii's rest game was not due to his brief time in the ABs last year, but his possible inclusion in an AB squad this year. Doesn't mean they selected a squad.
Yeah last years games have nothing to do with the rest periods in SR, itis all about managing this years (possible) games, from a list of the coach's best guess possible team at the begginning of this year. Last year rest will mean f all if you play continually this year and are burnt out by the time th NH tour comes around.
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It’s a weird way of managing workload though.
Take someone like DMac. He trained through summer and had to reach match fitness. Has an early game off followed by a couple of weeks break around the bye playing golf. Sounds ok until you realise that if the Chiefs go long into the tournament and he gets selected for the ABs he could now play and train constantly for the next 9 months.
A couple of weeks at the end of Feb seem a lost cause -
@Crucial Yeah. Coaches are going to want to get the rests out the way ASAP to maximize their squad flexibility if injuries bite later in the season.
But, it's a pretty blunt instrument.
You'd think it wouldn't be that hard for the AB coaches to work with the Super coaches to map out season programmes for each individual player, with a bit of flexibility for most if they're really needed by their Super team. With "needed" clearly defined.
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@Crucial There is still the rule that ABs can't play more than 6 games in succession (during the regular season). Byes and rest weeks reset the count, but it depends entirely on when a franchise has their byes, whether this will affect a player. A very quick look at the schedule tells me that this rule does affect the Highlanders and Crusaders at the end of the season, but not the Chiefs and Hurricanes, and it affects the Blues (but not in the last two rounds).
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@Stargazer said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Crucial There is still the rule that ABs can't play more than 6 games in succession (during the regular season). Byes and rest weeks reset the count, but it depends entirely on when a franchise has their byes, whether this will affect a player. A very quick look at the schedule tells me that this rule does affect the Highlanders and Crusaders at the end of the season, but not the Chiefs and Hurricanes, and it affects the Blues (but not in the last two rounds).
Chiefs have a break in round 12. Cane and ALB likely to have to sit a game out before then. I assume that as you can't plan for finals they are exempt? Would be pretty shit to have to stand down players from finals because you have played them to get there.
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@Stargazer said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
... (during the regular season) ...
Don't expect people to actually read what you type. This is the Fern. I had a point to make
Anyway, that kind of goes back to my OP. Depending on the draw a player could easily have to do 9 games at the crunch end followed by AB camp, more games and a travel schedule around the world.
Not much of a way around that without a clear gap between Super and internationals for a refresh but I can't see how a break in Feb really helps much. -
Shirley a break in Feb is better than no break at all?
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@Crazy-Horse said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
Shirley a break in Feb is better than no break at all?
And isn't part of the break a mental break as well, not just fitness/game exposure.
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@Bovidae said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@junior Cruden has a 2 yr contract at Kobe with the possibility of an extension so he won't be playing in NZ beyond this season.
If he is selected for the ABs this year, then in my view there is a chance of him coming back for 2023 - as I said above. Now, we might have an excellent third option by that time, which makes any discussion about selecting Cruden moot. However, we may not and, as a third option, I think he would be a good one.
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A guy I am picking who may not be an All Black this year, but I reckon he could be in the mix for RWC in 2023 is Manaaki Selby Rickett ..I know this selection may not go down well with many, but I believe through a couple of sources , that his form is being monitored..I would imagine on and off the field
