All Blacks 2022
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From Liam Napier in the Herald:
The Herald understands Fakatava's convoluted eligibility scenario is again under consideration from World Rugby.
As it stands, Tongan-born Fakatava is ineligible for the All Blacks until December, despite living in New Zealand since the age of 16.
Qualification via residency does not start until a player turns 18 but Fakatava has since been the victim of World Rugby's residency change from three to five years, the unfortunate timing of his injury and further Covid complications.
Had Fakatava been fit last year, he would almost certainly have made his All Blacks debut.
Behind the scenes, New Zealand officials are seeking to rectify Fakatava's anomaly – possibly within the next month - in the hope common sense will prevail.
There are no guarantees Fakatava will get the green light before December but whenever he does become eligible, TJ Perenara is likely to be most vulnerable.
Fresh blood, vulnerable stars: Inside All Blacks' complicated No 9 conundrum
Fresh blood is kicking down the door for the All Blacks. Nowhere more so than at halfback.
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@junior said in All Blacks 2022:
@MN5 said in All Blacks 2022:
@junior said in All Blacks 2022:
@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2022:
I can't believe they didn't include Hosea Gear flattening Keith Earls in that compilation
Here it is. You’re welcome
You are a gentleman and a scholar
Everything but Marshall's commentary was awesome
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@FakatavaFuture said in All Blacks 2022:
Squad of 36 isn't it? well I think the loose forward contingent should be Dalton, Akira, cane, sotutu, ardie, Todd's son & Mikaele-Tu'u..
How long do we have to wait for Matera to get eligibility
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@Stargazer said in All Blacks 2022:
@cgrant Going by Foster's comments a few weeks back, Blackadder is probably a certainty, too.
Yes my guess would be
Papali'i, Cane, Savea and Ioane,Blackadder, and Sotutu or Vai'i so they can squeeze in Whitelock,Retallick,Barrett and Lord.
Or they take 6 LF with Sotutu and 5 Locks. -
Just going on from the Crusaders match thread what are the most important skills for the AB's props. Is it scrummaging first and foremost, speed to rucks, gainline metres, tackles, lineout, passing etc.
For me at the moment Ofa T seems to possess everything one would want in a modern day prop. Hodgeman is also in that mould. I wonder about the fitness and mobility of the big boys like Karl T, Nepo, De Groot etc.
I forget who posted it but those stats on the Super Rugby Props were very interesting with just how many rucks they hit, tackles etc etc. Are those stats available for this season so far?
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@Chris said in All Blacks 2022:
@Stargazer said in All Blacks 2022:
@cgrant Going by Foster's comments a few weeks back, Blackadder is probably a certainty, too.
Yes my guess would be
Papali'i, Cane, Savea and Ioane,Blackadder, and Sotutu or Vai'i so they can squeeze in Whitelock,Retallick,Barrett and Lord.
Or they take 6 LF with Sotutu and 5 Locks.Probably something like that. The only wildcard is if they want cover for the Ioane role.
Cane, Papali’i & Blackadder play a similar role. As do Ardie and Sotutu. Do they look at Sowakula, Tu’u or (yuck) Frizell to backup Ioane? Probably not as I think they might use Dalton at 6 a bit this year
My guess is for the four loosies in the top 23: Cane/Ardie/Ioane/Papali’i (one of the Blues players on the bench)
Squad cover from Blackadder, Sotutu & Vaa’i -
@Duluth said in All Blacks 2022:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2022:
@Stargazer said in All Blacks 2022:
@cgrant Going by Foster's comments a few weeks back, Blackadder is probably a certainty, too.
Yes my guess would be
Papali'i, Cane, Savea and Ioane,Blackadder, and Sotutu or Vai'i so they can squeeze in Whitelock,Retallick,Barrett and Lord.
Or they take 6 LF with Sotutu and 5 Locks.Probably something like that. The only wildcard is if they want cover for the Ioane role.
Cane, Papali’i & Blackadder play a similar role. As do Ardie and Sotutu. Do they look at Sowakula, Tu’u or (yuck) Frizell to backup Ioane? Probably not as I think they might use Dalton at 6 a bit this year
My guess is for the four loosies in the top 23: Cane/Ardie/Ioane/Papali’i (one of the Blues players on the bench)
Squad cover from Blackadder, Sotutu & Vaa’iYeah I think they will go that way too.
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The 20-year-old Kiwi capped by Japan who is open to All Blacks allegiance switch
He may have made his test debut as a teenager for Japan last year, but Kiwi youngster Warner Dearns could yet become an All Black.
Son of Tania Dearns, one half of the legendary Silver Ferns Wall of Death, hiding in plain sight up in Japan. We could do with a powerful lock, one for the future and eligible despite already playing for Japan
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@canefan Yep, his dad is former Magpies trainer and strength & conditioning coach Grant Dearns. He'll be eligible after a 3-year stand-down, but wants to play the 2023 RWC for Japan, so won't be available until late 2026. A lot can happen in 4 years.
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@Stargazer said in All Blacks 2022:
@canefan Yep, his dad is former Magpies trainer and strength & conditioning coach Grant Dearns. He'll be eligible after a 3-year stand-down, but wants to play the 2023 RWC for Japan, so won't be available until late 2026. A lot can happen in 4 years.
What a shame. He needs to be back playing here ASAP
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We're saved!!! A tight 5 player from Japan might play for us in 4 years.
Fucking awesome.
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@mariner4life From NZ, actually, but yeah, he may be good in/for Japan, but whether he's good enough for NZ is an entirely different question.
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@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2022:
We're saved!!! A tight 5 player from Japan might play for us in 4 years.
Fucking awesome.
I’m sure he didn’t mean it to sound that way, but I thought it was pretty rich for a kid who gets into the Japan side by being tall, essentially saying ‘yeah, I could turn out for the ABs’.
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@Crucial said in All Blacks 2022:
@TheMojoman said in All Blacks 2022:
@Crazy-Horse said in All Blacks 2022:
@Kirwan said in All Blacks 2022:
Ioane is now one of the top players in two positions at Test level, delivered - objectively - on the field.
If he has a top season at test level at centre this year then yeah, top player in two positions. Last year he was very good, but still looked like a winger doing a good job at centre. This year to me, at Super level, he is looking more and more like a centre. Hoping he can show it at Test level too.
At test level he'll need a decent 12 next to him - solid playmaking and kicking with the ability to bend the line and give Ioane some space to use his pace to try and get outside of his defender. A blend of Havili/Tupaea.
An example of why us old buggers from different eras of play really have no idea.
These days players align everywhere and anywhere. RI appears on the wing as much as centre and the 12 is often the 13 with fullback or wing between them and the 10.
We need to stop picturing players in traditional first phase spots.We’ve been using one of our outside backs (mainly the fullback) as a second playmaker both at Super and AB level for quite a few years.
For example Sivivatu and Rangi back in the day now Jordie and Jordan.
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@nzzp I reckon Mark Telea will at least be in the conversation for a wing spot - especially if they decide that their fullbacks are 1 Jordie and 2 Jordan.
Reece looks a certainty - but, they could pick two more wings, with Clarke next in my mind, and then Big Leicester and Telea looking the best of the rest.
Though they could play Jordie at 2nd five. Convert Dave Havili back to fullback and pick Jordan, Havili, Reece, Telea, Big Leicester and Tavatavanawai.
Pity James Lowe will be playing for Ireland or we could pick him as well!
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@Chris-B said in Blues v Reds:
@nzzp I reckon Mark Telea will at least be in the conversation for a wing spot - especially if they decide that their fullbacks are 1 Jordie and 2 Jordan.
Reece looks a certainty - but, they could pick two more wings, with Clarke next in my mind, and then Big Leicester and Telea looking the best of the rest.
Though they could play Jordie at 2nd five. Convert Dave Havili back to fullback and pick Jordan, Havili, Reece, Telea, Big Leicester and Tavatavanawai.
Pity James Lowe will be playing for Ireland or we could pick him as well!
Telea is definitely playing better now that he's moved away from Ta$man.
He's primarily a right wing option and I think that is well covered by Jordan and Reece. He seems to have two really good games followed by a game with really amateur mistakes.
