All Blacks 2021
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1.86m around 6 foot 1 inches if you believe the interwebs, not little. Solid looking joints too.
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My first stab at naming an AB team in 2021
- Moody ( By a country mile)
- Taylor
- Laulala
- Whitelock
- Scott Barrett (when's Lurch back?)
- Very open. Maybe Big Red.
- Sam Cane (c)
- Ardie Savea (Hoskins seems to have second season blues)
- Aaron Smith
- Richie Mo'unga
- Caleb Clarke (Needs to up his work rate)
- David Havili
- Jack Goodhue
- Will Jordan
- Jordie Barrett
- Aumua (If he gets fit)
- Karl T
- Ofa T
- Very open. Patrick T? Dunshea?
- Dalton Papalii
- Fakatava
- DMac
- Reiko Ioane
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@sparky List looks good, but swap Whitelock and S Barrett.
Agree that that 6 is very open. I think Big Red and Blackadder have been the best at 6, thus far (although the coaches may choose to play Cullen Grace there, too, who has also been good).
Retallick should be back in time, but we don't know in what shape he and others on sabatticals in Japan, will return to NZ. So that applies to him, BB and TJP as well. If Guzzler is top fit and ready to go, he'd probably get the 4 jersey, and Scooter Barrett the 19 jersey.
I think Leicester Fainga'anuku can challenge Clarke for the 11 jersey, if he continues to play well. Clarke hasn't been bad, but he's been relatively quiet.
Not convinced by Big Karl. I wonder whether Hodgman would be a better option, but he needs more game time for the Blues, first. Bower may be another option.
Dmac will have to battle with BB for that 22 jersey, I think. They can both cover 10 and 15, so they're a bit similar (and still so different as players, so it may depend on the opposition).
That 23 jersey is also still wide open. Many options there. Rieko, ALB, Reece, Bridge, Ennor (if he plays SR T-T as expected).
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@stargazer All good points, especially Cullen Grace and Leicester F, both likely to be part of the AB squad if they stay fit.
Think Karl T is a better option at scrum time than George Bower or Alex Hodgman. The job of the reserve loose head Prop is mostly to scrum, lift and tackle, anything else is a massive bonus.
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@sparky i would have aidan ross in the mix. He was close a few years ago .he was penciled in but broke his leg and now hes back up there.
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@cpt-kumera Good call. Doing well at the moment. He'll be on the selectors' radar.
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@nostrildamus said in Blues v Crusaders:
1.86m around 6 foot 1 inches if you believe the interwebs, not little. Solid looking joints too.
121kg not bad for a 20 year old probably going to add a few kgs to that frame
The best young TH with big potential produced in NZ for a while . -
@gt12 said in Blues v Crusaders:
@cantab79 said in Blues v Crusaders:
@old-samurai-jack said in Blues v Crusaders:
@chris Can't have such a babyface in the ABs though. He needs to go and have a few nights in a blues bar or something.
Whilst he does have a babyface, I like his old school prop physique. He's a fatty, portly and proud. I don't like the modern move towards slimline props who excel in yoyo tests and have six packs. I'm happy for a TH prop to waddle around the field. I'm happy for a TH prop to be ashamed to go swimming with their shirt off. As long as they punish opposing props at scrum time. Newell fits that mould.
Is he? He doesn't look that potty now (he may have been as a school boy). I'll bet he can lift plenty of tin and I agree that he'll be an All Black sooner rather than later.
Yep
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@chris said in Blues v Crusaders:
@nostrildamus said in Blues v Crusaders:
1.86m around 6 foot 1 inches if you believe the interwebs, not little. Solid looking joints too.
121kg not bad for a 20 year old probably going to add a few kgs to that frame
The best young TH with big potential produced in NZ for a while .I couldn't agree more. I think he's better than Owen Franks was at the same age, which is a massive call but one I stand by.
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@bones said in All Blacks 2021:
Maybe Blackadder a chance to leapfrog a few folk? Him and Grace seem very similar players, but Blackadder has his nose in front this year imo. Shoulders to steer clear of.
Yeah agree with all of that he has a big engine great work rate
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@sparky said in All Blacks 2021:
My first stab at naming an AB team in 2021
- Moody ( By a country mile)
- Taylor
- Laulala
- Whitelock
- Scott Barrett (when's Lurch back?)
- Very open. Maybe Big Red.
- Sam Cane (c)
- Ardie Savea (Hoskins seems to have second season blues)
- Aaron Smith
- Richie Mo'unga
- Caleb Clarke (Needs to up his work rate)
- David Havili
- Jack Goodhue
- Will Jordan
- Jordie Barrett
- Aumua (If he gets fit)
- Karl T
- Ofa T
- Very open. Patrick T? Dunshea?
- Dalton Papalii
- Fakatava
- DMac
- Reiko Ioane
This might be the least threatening All Black side I have ever seen
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@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2021:
@sparky said in All Blacks 2021:
My first stab at naming an AB team in 2021
- Moody ( By a country mile)
- Taylor
- Laulala
- Whitelock
- Scott Barrett (when's Lurch back?)
- Very open. Maybe Big Red.
- Sam Cane (c)
- Ardie Savea (Hoskins seems to have second season blues)
- Aaron Smith
- Richie Mo'unga
- Caleb Clarke (Needs to up his work rate)
- David Havili
- Jack Goodhue
- Will Jordan
- Jordie Barrett
- Aumua (If he gets fit)
- Karl T
- Ofa T
- Very open. Patrick T? Dunshea?
- Dalton Papalii
- Fakatava
- DMac
- Reiko Ioane
This might be the least threatening All Black side I have ever seen
is Laulala the best current tighthead prop?
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@nostrildamus He was at the end of last season. I suspect his training schedule is based around being at his best come the International season. Going to be interesting to see how Newell and Williams come on at the Crusaders.
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@sparky said in All Blacks 2021:
My first stab at naming an AB team in 2021
- Moody ( By a country mile)
- Taylor
- Laulala
- Whitelock
- Scott Barrett (when's Lurch back?)
- Very open. Maybe Big Red.
- Sam Cane (c)
- Ardie Savea (Hoskins seems to have second season blues)
- Aaron Smith
- Richie Mo'unga
- Caleb Clarke (Needs to up his work rate)
- David Havili
- Jack Goodhue
- Will Jordan
- Jordie Barrett
- Aumua (If he gets fit)
- Karl T
- Ofa T
- Very open. Patrick T? Dunshea?
- Dalton Papalii
- Fakatava
- DMac
- Reiko Ioane
Someone isn’t a fan of the Ioane bros by the looks of things
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@mn5 Akira Ioane a possibility at 6, his power would be very useful at Test level, but he is not playing well enough to have a lock on the Jersey.
Reiko's an option at both 11 and 13, but missed six tackles yesterday.
I'm a fan of the Ioane bros when they are playing well.
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@sparky said in All Blacks 2021:
@mn5 Akira Ioane a possibility at 6, his power would be very useful at Test level, bu he is not playing well enough to have a lock on the Jersey.
Reiko an option at both 11 and 13, but missed six tackles yesterday.
Akira was outstanding enough in the first two matches to be topping the Fern Blues fans MOTM poll, surely there's no higher award than that. Last week he was actually statistically good in the time he was on the field - but think we only use that if we're looking to put down an Ioane.
I was only half watching the first half his week so didn't see how he went aside from being annoyed when he scored against the Chiefs.
Still, as per the last few years 6 is definitely up in the air with the contenders and no one 100% nailing down the spot.
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@nepia Besides his try, Akira Ioane was strangely quiet last night. 5 carries for 11 metres, made one tackle. At his best Akira Ioane is one of the most dangerous players in NZ, but he is frustratingly inconsistent.
So many contenders at 6 but hard to see a clear best option yet.
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@sparky said in All Blacks 2021:
@nepia Besides his try, Akira Ioane was strangely last night. 5 carries for 11 metres, made one tackle. At his best Akira Ioane is one of the best players in NZ, but he is frustratingly inconsistent.
So many contenders at 6 but had to see a clear best option yet.
I don't think Ioane is that inconsistent (2018 and 2020 after he got starts he was consistently good, 2019 he was average all year but we all know that), but like most players he has his dips in some games. I'm a little worried for NZ rugby as I maybe Prinseep was the best 6 on display this weekend.
That new redhead guy on the wing looked good for the Blues last night. He has the size, I wonder how he'd go on the blindside?
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