All Blacks 2021
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@kiwimurph I guess. I think the most likely back-ups to Smith and Weber are Drummond and TTT, as both have already been capped. Less likely, but still possible: Christie (heaven forbid) and maybe Roe?
TTT has hardly played, so you'd have to think Drummond? I'd have preferred Hall.
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@stargazer yeah I agree. Christie was part of the South squad last year so is on their radar and unlike TTT is getting plenty of playing time. Whoever gets picked will be 'right place right time' rather than knocking the door down.
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TJP's form was pretty dire before he left......
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@old-samurai-jack said in All Blacks 2021:
TJP's form was pretty dire before he left......
But no worse, at SR level, than what remains - It's time to clone Aaron!
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@machpants No, Fakatava just needs to get healthy.
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@stargazer said in All Blacks 2021:
@machpants No, Fakatava just needs to get healthy.
Not going to be in time for this year, when does the 3 year thing expire?
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@machpants I refer back to the suggestions earlier in this (?) thread about bringing on Fakatava in the last minute of a game of this year's EOYT. He can just run laps on our try line. I'd suggest the game v Italy on Sun 7 November (NZT). If not, then that 3-year residency period becomes a 5-year one, unless they postpone the new rule for another year.
Edited to add that NZR should try to convince the appropriate committee of World Rugby that Fakatava already had his "his primary and permanent home" in NZ when he was still at school. In that case, the residency period can start earlier and not at the time he turned 18 or left school.
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@stargazer Yeah I really can't see that happening LOL
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do we think Fakatava is so good we'd risk looking that desperate? non of the guys coming through U20's looks good?
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@kiwiwomble None of the U20s players are even close enough to be ready in time for the 2023 RWC (if they ever will).
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@tim said in All Blacks 2021:
But 2021 isn't a fresh start year. The door isn't closed to new arrivals, but having only been able to play six tests last year, All Blacks coach Ian Foster has his sights set on building the experience and ability of the group he mostly used last year.
awesome. same players, same coaches, but things will be different this time i promise...
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@stargazer do we think the log jam of Super level half backs around the country has stopped some young blokes getting a call up in the last couple of years?
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@kiwiwomble An ABs call-up? A log jam of SR level halfbacks? I'd say our depth at halfback - even at SR level - has been pretty thin. Very few of those seem good enough for the ABS, so I don't really see a log jam, let alone one that stops players from getting an ABs call-up. If a player starts shining at SR level, he has a good chance of making the ABs. Hence Fakatava coming into the conversation.
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@stargazer no super call up,
i mean, we have several "fine" super level halfbacks and the teams have defaulted to those based on their experience rather than gambling on bringing through younger guys as second and third choice halfbacks
like the crusaders have hall at 29 and drummond at 27 and their third guys is like 24, would it be better for the AB's if drummond or hall were swapped for a 20 year old getting 10-20 minutes every third game
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@kiwiwomble said in All Blacks 2021:
@stargazer no super call up,
i mean, we have several "fine" super level halfbacks and the teams have defaulted to those based on their experience rather than gambling on bringing through younger guys as second and third choice halfbacks
like the crusaders have hall at 29 and drummond at 27 and their third guys is like 24, would it be better for the AB's if drummond or hall were swapped for a 20 year old getting 10-20 minutes every third game
if the young guy was better he would play. The Super Rugby teams are there to win games, the ABs is supposed to be an offshoot of that.
