All Blacks Test match venues (upcoming fixtures)
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so for our matches, I expect we will see a good few fringe players capped?
While we want to see the ABs play, full strength AB games vs our Pacific neighbours are rarely competitive, so do we expect a bunch of new faces each week?
Or will Fozzie be using these as his evidence for a contract extension?
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@taniwharugby said in All Blacks Test match venues (upcoming fixtures):
so for our matches, I expect we will see a good few fringe players capped?
While we want to see the ABs play, full strength AB games vs our Pacific neighbours are rarely competitive, so do we expect a bunch of new faces each week?
Or will Fozzie be using these as his evidence for a contract extension?
I think neither. Will see players blooded, but it won't be huge. And foster needs to get them working together as a team before the RC. He must win that, and win it well, to keep his job. So he'll be using these as opposed training runs
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@rapido where did you get your numbers from? Is that from the PI unions? I see an improved picture for PI's that Moana and Drua will make even better. By my count the 10 super teams include these capped PI players: J Lay R Niuia Z Kapeli K Leaupepe M Alaalatoa F Paea H Stowers S Ili F Lomani H Taefu T Pulu S Funaki N Fomai. Surely more than 3 grew up in the Islands? There are other capped players around like Motuga Alosio and the other Lay. Beyond that are the likes of Macilai Bower Taulani Vunivalu Sorovi Tokolahi Finau Taukeiaho Kaituu Faamausili Tomkinson Kata Mataele Vahaakolo V Aso Cowley-Tuioti etc Perhaps some of them may commit to the Islands this winter to be in line for World Cup. Hopefully the two new super teams will give them confidence to do so knowing their country of origin is lifting out of the doldrums. I do hope my optimism is not entirely misplaced. And maybe the prospect of playing the All Blacks might influence some as an alternative to the remote prospect of playing for them...
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@arhs said in All Blacks Test match venues (upcoming fixtures):
@rapido where did you get your numbers from? Is that from the PI unions? I see an improved picture for PI's that Moana and Drua will make even better. By my count the 10 super teams include these capped PI players: J Lay R Niuia Z Kapeli K Leaupepe M Alaalatoa F Paea H Stowers S Ili F Lomani H Taefu T Pulu S Funaki N Fomai. Surely more than 3 grew up in the Islands? There are other capped players around like Motuga Alosio and the other Lay. Beyond that are the likes of Macilai Bower Taulani Vunivalu Sorovi Tokolahi Finau Taukeiaho Kaituu Faamausili Tomkinson Kata Mataele Vahaakolo V Aso Cowley-Tuioti etc Perhaps some of them may commit to the Islands this winter to be in line for World Cup. Hopefully the two new super teams will give them confidence to do so knowing their country of origin is lifting out of the doldrums. I do hope my optimism is not entirely misplaced. And maybe the prospect of playing the All Blacks might influence some as an alternative to the remote prospect of playing for them...
They were just my own numbers, spent 10 minutes looking at the squads on wikipedia and adding up all the players I know were either Island born and raised if migration was as late as scholarship level at earliest.
So doesn't include an Ofa T who moved at 13 or Jonah Nareki who moved at 3 months ... but includes Reece, Fakatava etc (most contentious inclusion is Nepo Laulala).
Sorry to de-rail thread.
My number FYI.
I'm making the assumption that Sowakula, Tokolahi, Kata etc are unavailable (though not yet ineligible).
Obviously there are huge numbers of players who have passed through columns one and two that are now in Europe and Japan and that are now occasionally eligible/available for PIs now that they have left NZ & Aus central contracting system. My point is that the NZ system is a huge funnel responsible for removing as many players from international rugby either temporarily or permanently as the European clubs.
But as the number show - at this specific moment in time - 20 locally contracted but proper PI raised players , and top quality ones, are being removed from PI selection pool by NZ & Aus incentives.
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@rapido List is definitely not complete, but on first view: you can add Stacey Ili to the second column (Auckland born, Samoa capped). Leicester Fainga'anuku is Tonga born, but arrived in NZ as a toddler.
Assuming you mean Sione Havili Talitui in the last column: he was born in Tonga, but he grew up in Auckland. I don't know at what age he moved to NZ (he attended Auckland Grammar for 4 years, but that doesn't say much either).
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@rapido thanks. Most appreciated. I am hopeful that a number of those not captured by NZ or Aus will become available for their PI this winter with improved super rugby options and chance to play RWC and AB's. If not then I concede to your point on the impact from NZ and Aus influences.
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Feast of rugby for All Blacks fans as Rugby Championship unveiled
The bumper year for All Blacks fans continues – with the All Blacks to play five Test matches at home in this year’s Rugby Championship, as well as an extra Bledisloe Cup Test.
Third Bledisloe Cup Test, presented by Steinlager
Saturday 7 August
All Blacks vs Australia, 7.05PM, Eden Park, AUCKLANDThe 2021 Rugby Championship match schedule
Saturday 14 August
South Africa vs Argentina, venue & kick-off time TBC, SOUTH AFRICASaturday 21 August
Australia vs All Blacks, kick-off time TBC, Optus Stadium, PERTH
Argentina vs South Africa, venue & kick-off time TBC, SOUTH AFRICASaturday 28 August
All Blacks vs Australia, 7.05PM, Sky Stadium, WELLINGTONSaturday 11 September
All Blacks vs Argentina, 7.05PM, Eden Park, AUCKLAND
South Africa vs Australia, venue & kick-off time TBC, AUSTRALIASaturday 18 September
Argentina vs All Blacks, 7.05PM, Sky Stadium, WELLINGTON
Australia vs South Africa, kick-off time TBC, Suncorp Stadium, BRISBANE.Saturday 25 September
All Blacks vs South Africa, 7.05PM, Forsyth Barr Stadium, DUNEDIN
Australia vs Argentina, venue & kick-off time TBC, AUSTRALIASaturday 2 October
South Africa vs All Blacks, 7.05PM, Eden Park, AUCKLAND
Argentina vs Australia, venue & kick-off time TBC, AUSTRALIA -
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@nepia said in All Blacks Test match venues (upcoming fixtures):
I assume this is the pretend plan Sanzaar have to put out before putting out the real one later in the year when SA announce they officially wont come again?
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@bovidae said in All Blacks Test match venues (upcoming fixtures):
Third Bledisloe Cup Test, presented by Steinlager
Saturday 7 August
All Blacks vs Australia, 7.05PM, Eden Park, AUCKLAND
The 2021 Rugby Championship match schedule
Saturday 14 August
South Africa vs Argentina, venue & kick-off time TBC, SOUTH AFRICA
Saturday 21 August
Australia vs All Blacks, kick-off time TBC, Optus Stadium, PERTH
Argentina vs South Africa, venue & kick-off time TBC, SOUTH AFRICA
Saturday 28 August
All Blacks vs Australia, 7.05PM, Sky Stadium, WELLINGTON
Saturday 11 September
All Blacks vs Argentina, 7.05PM, Eden Park, AUCKLAND
South Africa vs Australia, venue & kick-off time TBC, AUSTRALIA
Saturday 18 September
Argentina vs All Blacks, 7.05PM, Sky Stadium, WELLINGTON
Australia vs South Africa, kick-off time TBC, Suncorp Stadium, BRISBANE.
Saturday 25 September
All Blacks vs South Africa, 7.05PM, Forsyth Barr Stadium, DUNEDIN
Australia vs Argentina, venue & kick-off time TBC, AUSTRALIA
Saturday 2 October
South Africa vs All Blacks, 7.05PM, Eden Park, AUCKLAND
Argentina vs Australia, venue & kick-off time TBC, AUSTRALII'm gonna see if I can make all the AKL and Welly games, I need some live rugby!
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My wife has moaned at me at I've never taken her to an ABs test in 11 years of being together so I said I'll take her to one this year so I got some tickets for us to go to the ABs v Tonga haha as it's the only test that is suitable for us to go to.
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The French Rugby Federation (FFR) has today announced three test matches for November. One of them is a test against the All Blacks .
So that's three test matche, not yet confirmed by NZR, for the end-of-year tour (assuming it's going ahead):
- Sat 30 October: v Wales in Cardiff
- Sat 6 November: v Italy (venue TBC)
- Sat 20 November: v France in Paris (k/o 9.00pm local time)
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@bovidae said in All Blacks Test match venues (upcoming fixtures):
Saturday 25 September
All Blacks vs South Africa, 7.05PM, Forsyth Barr Stadium, DUNEDINRight, hopefully now I'll finally get to see this stadium in the flesh. Good game for it too.
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@antipodean said in All Blacks Test match venues (upcoming fixtures):
@bovidae said in All Blacks Test match venues (upcoming fixtures):
Saturday 25 September
All Blacks vs South Africa, 7.05PM, Forsyth Barr Stadium, DUNEDINRight, hopefully now I'll finally get to see this stadium in the flesh. Good game for it too.
Get a seat on the long sideline if you can. The ones at the end are super cramped
