All Blacks 2021
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@sparky said in All Blacks 2021:
Tupou Vaa'i
Nah Scott B is 197cm so he's third tier.
Then again Brad Thorn was even shorter and had ok physicality. -
@sparky said in All Blacks 2021:
@booboo Yes, but we have lots of good locks.
The way I see our lock situation is three 2m + guys: Whitelock, Retallick, PPP
Four 1.98 guys: Tuipulotu, Scott Barrett, Tupou Vaa'i, Tom Robinson.
I'd always pick the three big guys for the AB squad because that extra height and physicality are a huge advantage at Test Level.
All four of the other guys are very good players (Robinson can also cover 6), but their leadership skills and smarts give Tuipulotu and Scott Barrett the edge.
Leadership wise, the Blues looked good when Robinson led.
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@kev Agree. But hard to argue he's a better Lock or leader than Patrick Tuipulotu or Scott Barrett.
I hope he's picked on Monday. He's a very good player and won't be out of place at all for the ABs.
Just missed out in my squad at both lock and in the backrow because I thought the alternatives were a little bit better. Not much in it. -
@sparky said in All Blacks 2021:
@kev Agree. But hard to argue he's a better Lock or leader than Patrick Tuipulotu or Scott Barrett.
I hope he's picked on Monday. He's a very good player and won't be out of place at all for the ABs
Just missed out in my squad at both lock and in the backrow because I thought the alternatives were a little bit better. Not much in it.Akira was dropped by Blues for Robinson - his effort for 80 minutes is still an issue. No doubt about what he brings and likely to get a place but he is the player under pressure.
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@sparky said in All Blacks 2021:
@kev Agree. But hard to argue he's a better Lock or leader than Patrick Tuipulotu or Scott Barrett.
I hope he's picked on Monday. He's a very good player and won't be out of place at all for the ABs.
Just missed out in my squad at both lock and in the backrow because I thought the alternatives were a little bit better. Not much in it.Which Patty T will turn up for the All Blacks. The 130kg behemoth that plays for the Blues or the 100kg nice guy who doesn't want to hurt anyone while playing in Black.
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@tim Honestly there is some real shit coming out of Rugby Pass. This is a shit article, everytime I read their player ratings they are mostly shit and they mostly provide shit stats. It is almost as if Justin Marshall has been writing for these guys and this article is another example of that.
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Pakman squad:
Based on Moari squad having a few who might have been selected.
Hookers: Taylor, Coles, Aumua
Props: Laulala, Mafileo, Lomax Karl T, Ross, [Bower] (DeGroot unlucky)
Locks: S. Whitelock, S. Barrett, Tuipulotu, Retallick, Vaa'i
Loosies: Papali'i, Sotutu, Savea, Aioane, Frizell (Blackadder if not fit), Robinson, [Jacobson] (Kirifi might be given another chance)
Half Back: Weber, Smith, [TTT]
First Fives: Mo'unga, B. Barrett
Midfield: Havili, Gregory, ALB (assume misses one test), [PUJ] (Ennor unlucky)
Back 3: DMac, J. Barrett, Jordan, Reece, Rioane, [Nareki] (Lester unlucky)Midfield is area I'm least convinced by.
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@booboo said in All Blacks 2021:
@sparky said in All Blacks 2021:
Okay, Sparky's squad.
Ethan De Groot, Tupou Vaa'i, Tom Robinson and Zarn Sulivan just miss out.
Hookers: Taylor, Coles, Aumua
Props: Laulala, Karl T, Hodgman, Angus T, Newell, Ross
Locks: S. Whitelock, S. Barrett, Tuipulotu, Retallick, PPP
Loosies: Papali'i, Sotutu, Savea, A. Ioane, Blackadder, Grace, Jacobson
Half Back: Weber, Drummond, Smith (won't play)
First Fives: Mo'unga, B. Barrett
Midfield: Havili, R. Ioane, PUJ, Nankivell
Back 3: DMac, J. Barrett, Jordan, Reece, Fainga'anuku, Nareki
PPP over Vaa'i?
Nankivall and PPP in Maori squad.
Also Harmon and Tupea, who would have been close for me.
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@pakman said in All Blacks 2021:
@booboo said in All Blacks 2021:
@sparky said in All Blacks 2021:
Okay, Sparky's squad.
Ethan De Groot, Tupou Vaa'i, Tom Robinson and Zarn Sulivan just miss out.
Hookers: Taylor, Coles, Aumua
Props: Laulala, Karl T, Hodgman, Angus T, Newell, Ross
Locks: S. Whitelock, S. Barrett, Tuipulotu, Retallick, PPP
Loosies: Papali'i, Sotutu, Savea, A. Ioane, Blackadder, Grace, Jacobson
Half Back: Weber, Drummond, Smith (won't play)
First Fives: Mo'unga, B. Barrett
Midfield: Havili, R. Ioane, PUJ, Nankivell
Back 3: DMac, J. Barrett, Jordan, Reece, Fainga'anuku, Nareki
PPP over Vaa'i?
Nankivall and PPP in Maori squad.
Also Harmon and Tupea, who would have been close for me.
I know. I was picking who I'd pick not predicting who will be picked.
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@sparky said in All Blacks 2021:
@pakman said in All Blacks 2021:
@booboo said in All Blacks 2021:
@sparky said in All Blacks 2021:
Okay, Sparky's squad.
Ethan De Groot, Tupou Vaa'i, Tom Robinson and Zarn Sulivan just miss out.
Hookers: Taylor, Coles, Aumua
Props: Laulala, Karl T, Hodgman, Angus T, Newell, Ross
Locks: S. Whitelock, S. Barrett, Tuipulotu, Retallick, PPP
Loosies: Papali'i, Sotutu, Savea, A. Ioane, Blackadder, Grace, Jacobson
Half Back: Weber, Drummond, Smith (won't play)
First Fives: Mo'unga, B. Barrett
Midfield: Havili, R. Ioane, PUJ, Nankivell
Back 3: DMac, J. Barrett, Jordan, Reece, Fainga'anuku, Nareki
PPP over Vaa'i?
Nankivall and PPP in Maori squad.
Also Harmon and Tupea, who would have been close for me.
I know. I was picking who I'd pick not predicting who will be picked.
Once Maori picked I found it hard to assume open slather. My team is not quite what I think they’ll pick.
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My squad:
Props: K Tu'inukuafe, N Laulala, T Lomax, A Hogman, E De Groot, G Bower, A Ross
Hooker: C Taylor, A Aumua, D Coles
Locks: S Whitelock, S Barrett, B Retalick, P Tuipulotu, T Vaii
Flankers: D Papalii, H Sotutu, T Robinson, E Blackadder, A Savea( if fit), A Ioane
Scrumhalfs: A Smith, B Webber, F Christie
Flyhalfs: B Barrett, R Moanga, M Hunt
Centre: D Havili, ALB(if fit), R Ioane, L Fianganuku, PUJ
Back three: W Jordan, J Barrett, D McKenzie, S Recce, J Nareki
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Knowler's squad:
Possible All Blacks squad:
Hookers: Dane Coles, Codie Taylor, Asafo Aumua.
Props: Nepo Laulala, Tyrel Lomax, Angus Ta’avao, George Bower, Karl Tu’inukuafe, Alex Hodgman.
Locks: Brodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Scott Barrett, Patrick Tuipulotu, Tupou Vaa’i.
Loose forwards: Ardie Savea, Hoskins Sotutu, Dalton Papalii, Ethan Blackadder, Luke Jacobson, Akira Ioane, Shannon Frizell.
Halfbacks: Aaron Smith, Brad Weber, Finlay Christie.
First five-eighths: Richie Mo’unga, Beauden Barrett.
Midfielders: Rieko Ioane, David Havili, Braydon Ennor, Anton Lienert-Brown.
Outside backs: Jordie Barrett, Damian McKenzie, Will Jordan, Sevu Reece, George Bridge, Leicester Fainga’anuku.
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@tim I think Ennor might be good enough to make the ABs, but he's mostly been injured the last two years so I can't be sure.
I've seen very little from George Bridge or Finlay Christie to suggest they should be in this squad. Journeymen both. I've reservations about Bower around the park and big concerns about Lomax at scrum time.
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@sparky said in All Blacks 2021:
@tim I think Ennor might be good enough to make the ABs, but he's mostly been injured the last two years so I can't be sure.
I've seen very little from George Bridge or Finlay Christie to suggest they should be in this squad. Journeymen both. I've reservations about Bower around the park and big concerns about Lomax at scrum time.
Those are probably the names that stick out for me in that list as well.
If we have spots where the decision is between someone merely adequate or one with potential to be very good in a couple of years time I would go with the latter eg Zarn Sullivan over Bridge.
