Reshuffling the All Blacks backline
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<p>As for the comment earlier in the thread regarding speed,</p>
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<p>Meet the fastest man in New Zealand rugby, Toni Pulu.</p>
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<p>It's a bold call to make, but Chiefs coach Dave Rennie has confidently labelled the winger as the quickest man going around. And Rennie has a few others in his squad to compare him too - think Glen Fisiiahi and Damian McKenzie for instance.</p>
<p>Pulu got his first taste of Super Rugby off the bench in the team's 53-10 thrashing of the Force in Hamilton on Saturday night, and remarkably scored with his first touch of the ball in his 25 minute cameo.</p>
<p>His pace is set to be a weapon in an already dangerous Chiefs backline, which has shot them to the top of the New Zealand conference.</p>
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<p>"Quicker than all our players, quicker than Damian [McKenzie] and Brad Weber," Rennie said of Pulu's red-hot speed.</p>
<p>"<strong>He ran a 4.78 [seconds] this year over 40 [metres]. Anything under five's quick. There'd be no-one quicker than that in the country</strong>."</p>
<p>Chiefs co-captain Sam Cane backed that observation up after Saturday's game, saying Pulu was ahead of the pack on the gadget in the gym which measures speed off the mark.</p>
<p>Pulu himself wasn't having much of Rennie's assessment, with the 1.84m, 93kg flyer modestly batting away those claims.</p>
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<p>"I've got no idea where he gets his stats from, to be honest," he laughed. "But Damian McKenzie's quick, man, he's probably the quickest guy in New Zealand rugby. I wouldn't say I'm the quickest."</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="No Quarter" data-cid="568387" data-time="1459305010">
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<p>If you are Sopoaga you are thinking "tackle that bloody knee"</p>
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<p>Or just make the tackle! :)</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Nepia" data-cid="568427" data-time="1459309565">
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<p>So are Tony and Augustine not related? I've always assumed they were brothers but their birth dates would suggest not.</p>
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<p>So Tony was eligible for NZ, USA, Tonga and Niue? And he chose Niue? :think:</p>
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<p>Poached from the USA eh? So I assume his parents are Tongan and Nuiean?</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Nepia" data-cid="568427" data-time="1459309565">
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<p>So are Tony and Augustine not related? I've always assumed they were brothers but their birth dates would suggest not.</p>
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<p>So Tony was eligible for NZ, USA, Tonga and Niue? And he chose Niue? :think:</p>
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<p>Yeah. Was a late bloomer. Played one (or two) games for Niue at the Gold Coast 7s in 2012 before even getting a game at counties well into his 20s</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Wurzel" data-cid="569044" data-time="1459534208">
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<p>That 12 for the Crusaders looks handy. Could be worth consideration for the All Blacks midfield.</p>
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<p>Ryan Crotty Vs Charlie Ngatai for the 12 jersey is looking like one of those nice problems to have. Add SBW back in the mix from September and the ABs have strength in depth at second five.</p>
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<p>Not many challenges to Fekitoa at Centre so one of the above might shift across to the 13 jersey if there is an injury.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Wurzel" data-cid="569076" data-time="1459548266">
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<p>It's a full gone conclusion: Ngatai playing 12 is a formality. Crotty is a bit-part, stop-gap black mark on New Zealand rugby. And anyone who considers him for the All Blacks needs their head read.</p>
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<p>I don't think there are many people here who wouldn't have Crotty in their squad.</p> -
<p>According to some enlightened soul on page 5 "t<span style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">he only thing Crotty has in his favour is that he has been in the All Black environment longer."</span></p>
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<p><span style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">He's an international quality midfielder (not world class by any stretch of the imagination); as will Ngatai be with 10 more tests under his belt. Great position to be in for New Zealand rugby as our best ever centre partnership fades into memory.</span></p> -
Could you be any needier?
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If good old Charlie gets a run for the ABs will he be the first back for quite a while to wear headgear or am I forgetting someone obvious? My mind keeps going back to Mayerhofler (sp?) but surely there must have been someone since him.
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<p>Conrad wore some for a bit too didnt he?</p>
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<p>Has Ben Smith been promoted to All Blacks Vice Captain?</p>
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<p>Gregor Paul mentioned it at the end of this article: <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11615523'>http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11615523</a></p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="sparky" data-cid="569075" data-time="1459547358">
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<p>Ryan Crotty Vs Charlie Ngatai for the 12 jersey is looking like one of those nice problems to have. Add SBW back in the mix from September and the ABs have strength in depth at second five.</p>
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<p>Not many challenges to Fekitoa at Centre so one of the above might shift across to the 13 jersey if there is an injury.</p>
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<p>I don't really know if Fekitoa has really grabbed his AB chances with both hands and he has had plenty of chances. I wouldn't be surprised if at the very least they consider the 13 jersey carefully as well.</p>
