All Blacks XV 2022
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Overall again like the AB squad a fairly predictable squad which is a good thing. Lots of test caps which bodes well for the younger guys.
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PGS has been a shadow of himself since he was dropped and has paid the price. What a shame. I really hope he bounces back in 2023
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Why they didn’t pick Stevenson is a mystery. Dude has been the form fullback of the NOC and tore it up for the Māori this year
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Naitoa Ah Khoui has been playing well with his versatility. Unlucky.
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Christian Lio-Willie? What exactly has he done? Suafoa given his versatility would’ve been a better pick or even Braydon Iose
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Would’ve likes to have seen Fabian Holland tour given the likely departures of Whitelock and potentially Retallick after RWC
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I guess Heem is someone who could really "fill a role". Only going off super, but he was a pretty safe pick in whatever position he was selected and does cover from 12 out potentially. Perhaps if they're looking at a Jordie 12 type player, he could be fairly like-for-like?
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@Bones said in All Blacks XV:
I guess Heem is someone who could really "fill a role". Only going off super, but he was a pretty safe pick in whatever position he was selected and does cover from 12 out potentially. Perhaps if they're looking at a Jordie 12 type player, he could be fairly like-for-like?
He must be the 2nd winger though given Telea is the only specialist winger? Sullivan has played a bit of wing but clearly 13 is his best position.
I reckon Stevenson would’ve been a better pick given the nature of this team.
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@TheMojoman said in All Blacks XV:
@Bones said in All Blacks XV:
I guess Heem is someone who could really "fill a role". Only going off super, but he was a pretty safe pick in whatever position he was selected and does cover from 12 out potentially. Perhaps if they're looking at a Jordie 12 type player, he could be fairly like-for-like?
He must be the 2nd winger though given Telea is the only specialist winger? Sullivan has played a bit of wing but clearly 13 is his best position.
I reckon Stevenson would’ve been a better pick given the nature of this team.
Has he been named as a wing? I would've thought he's probably being looked at as a midfielder who can cover back 3.
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@TheMojoman said in All Blacks XV:
@Bones said in All Blacks XV:
I guess Heem is someone who could really "fill a role". Only going off super, but he was a pretty safe pick in whatever position he was selected and does cover from 12 out potentially. Perhaps if they're looking at a Jordie 12 type player, he could be fairly like-for-like?
He must be the 2nd winger though given Telea is the only specialist winger? Sullivan has played a bit of wing but clearly 13 is his best position.
I reckon Stevenson would’ve been a better pick given the nature of this team.
AJ Lam plays wing for the Blues.
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@SBW1 said in All Blacks XV:
@Tim Levi Aumua named, that means he is locked in to represent the Abs at some stage, thought he wouldn't be considered due to playing for MP. Glad he has been chosen, he is a big power centre.
He can't be called up into ABs, but this is a non capture team so no problem.
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@Bones said in All Blacks XV:
I guess Heem is someone who could really "fill a role".
So why not pick Savea? He's even a year younger.
They've missed a trick by not selecting Thompson. It would be nice to have a hooker in the mix with some size, like Marx. Bell isn't any bigger than Eklund.
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@Machpants said in All Blacks XV:
@SBW1 said in All Blacks XV:
@Tim Levi Aumua named, that means he is locked in to represent the Abs at some stage, thought he wouldn't be considered due to playing for MP. Glad he has been chosen, he is a big power centre.
He can't be called up into ABs, but this is a non capture team so no problem.
MP isn't a capture team either, so playing for either team is no problem.
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@Bones said in All Blacks XV:
I guess Heem is someone who could really "fill a role". Only going off super, but he was a pretty safe pick in whatever position he was selected and does cover from 12 out potentially. Perhaps if they're looking at a Jordie 12 type player, he could be fairly like-for-like?
Here's my guess. They really want a midfielder/wing on the bench and they are unsure about the options in the full squad.
Ennor is a decent wing, who isn't in his best form, and hasn't played well in midfield for the ABs
LF does a couple of things well but there some gaps in his skills
RTS is raw
AJ is another option in this squad but he would need time in midfield at SR level
If none of those guys kick on, Heem might become the specialist reserve in the 23. He does that specific role better than the others right now. The others have more potential but time is running out
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@Bones said in All Blacks XV:
@Bovidae said in All Blacks XV:
So why not pick Savea?
Because Heem is better and actually good in all the positions he covers?
Nothing against Heem, as he will do a job, but I don't see his selection as being one for the future.
And Savea has actually played much better than I thought he could this season. My comment would be the same if he was selected.
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@Bovidae are a number of selections in this and the main squad, with no eye on the future.
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@taniwharugby or the ‘future’ only extends to the next 6-9 months
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On the midfielders - if you go back to the business end of Super rugby, it seems like most of the guys who were mainly starting have either made the squads or are injured or are not that good. From memory:
Blues - RTS, Heem, Rieko
Chiefs - Nankivell, Tupaea, ALB
Canes - Jordie, Sullivan (+ Proctor, Savea and PUJ)
Crusaders - Havili, Goodhue, Ennor
Highlanders - (+TUJ, Gregory, Paea)
MP - AumuaI'm probably forgetting a couple, but the only guy from this list who's a bit surprising to miss is Thomas U-J and I'm somewhat guessing he's injured. People are talking about his brother, but for whatever reasons Peter was stuck behind Billy Proctor for most of the season and if you can't push Billy out the way then it's not surprising you're not making the higher teams.
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@ACT-Crusader well 12 months I expect, but I guess thats the point.
Seems plenty of straws being grasped after an interesting last 36 months or so of rugby.
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@taniwharugby said in All Blacks XV:
@Bovidae are a number of selections in this and the main squad, with no eye on the future.
I posted a few days back that I thought the team would end up a messy mish-mash of recent ABs, rewards for recent play and future prospects. I didn't quite think there would be so many projects in the squad whos selection seems to be as an incentive to stay around.
I would have preferred more focus on our locking stocks and a bit more of an eye to RWC 'backups' if we consider the main squad as fairly locked in.
To me these teams should be the Seconds with a handful along for the experience ride, but obviously the plans are a bit different here.
I just find it very weird that it is considered that the Crusaders have half of the top 6 hookers in the country, 5 of the best props and 4 of the best locks. Smacks of Jase Ryan marking his own work.
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@Duluth said in All Blacks XV:
@Bones said in All Blacks XV:
I guess Heem is someone who could really "fill a role". Only going off super, but he was a pretty safe pick in whatever position he was selected and does cover from 12 out potentially. Perhaps if they're looking at a Jordie 12 type player, he could be fairly like-for-like?
Here's my guess. They really want a midfielder/wing on the bench and they are unsure about the options in the full squad.
Ennor is a decent wing, who isn't in his best form, and hasn't played well in midfield for the ABs
LF does a couple of things well but there some gaps in his skills
RTS is raw
AJ is another option in this squad but he would need time in midfield at SR level
If none of those guys kick on, Heem might become the specialist reserve in the 23. He does that specific role better than the others right now. The others have more potential but time is running out
I don't mind Heem at all but I think something must have gone pretty badly wrong with All Black succession planning etc if the coaches did turn to him. I don't think he should have made this team. Pohipi would have been a better bet. Nankivell hasn't been playing as well as he has in the past either.
I don't like Brewis or Bell being selected as they are mainly bench players. Tyrone Thompson has to be unlucky. Ollie Norris would have been a better bet too (even though I know he's been playing a lot on the bench too, but he has more SR experience). Hodgman omission is a bizarre one.
I've liked what I saw of Gardener but Lio-Willie is a head scratcher. If it was only a couple of iffy Canterbury/Crusader selections then that would be fine, but so many really make it look like a joke honestly. It reeks of nepotism.
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im as keen to jump on the crusaders favoritism as anyone...stupid crusaders with all their winning and shit...but Lio-willie hasn't even played for them yet, he's been picked based on outperforming in an underperforming Otago team...its actually a cased of the Crusaders and AB's have seen the same promising signs in him...im just gutted the highlanders let him go
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I dont know how I managed to mangle a Socts/Irish name with a Maori pronunciation.
But for several years, in my head ,I have been pronouncing McWhannel's name with a Maori ''F'.
Been injured so often, I never heard it corrected in commentary for a few years
It was so weird to hear his name in commentary, the other day, pronounced with a 'W', rather than as Mac Fannel.
