All Blacks 2023
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@Chris-B said in All Blacks World Cup bolters:
in the midfield, I reckon most likely it will be Jordie and Rieko, with Havili and ALB as the back-ups.
I think you are 100% that barring injury those 4 will go,D Mac,Jordan,BB and Jordie can all cover FB ,
Rieko could cover Wing so maybe room for another utility Back. -
@Chris We've got so much utility in our team already, I'm not sure it will be a prized trait.
Important question for me is whether we go with a 18/15 or 19/14 split between forwards and backs.
Given the above utility comment, I'm somewhat leaning to 19/14. Depends on who they decide is the first choice fullback - Beaudy is the incumbent and if he stays there (or is replaced by DMac) we probably need one less back.
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Backline squad last WC had 11 players (not counting 9s).
A guess at where the selectors might go..2 10s (Mounga, DMac)
4 Midfielders (JB, RI, ALB, Havili)
3 wings (Telea, Jordan, Narawa)
2 Fullbacks (Stevenson, BB)Coverage would be
10 - 3 (4 with Havili)
12 - 3
13 - 2
11/14 - 5
15 - 6Obvious thing there is that 15 is too well covered. Out and wings a bit light. 13 also a bit light.
Could use one of the extra squad spots (from size increase) for a Wing/Centre. They are probably looking at Ennor but Heem would be an option. Given the lack of depth at 13 I wonder if Proctor could be the bolter? Not sure how we get him game time except during minnow games but it does balance things a bit better.
I'm not too concerned about wings. For minnow games there are plenty of players that can have a run there.
Perofeta and Clarke to be in the 'keep warm and train' back at home squad. -
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@Duluth Yeah, true, but eventually the squad make-up/balance will be an important consideration. So if it's the choice between a wing/centre (Fainga'anuku) or a wing/fullback (Narawa), then it may not be a close call, because there' s already plenty of fullback cover. It all depends on what you consider to be a "close call".
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D Duluth forked this topic on
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@Stargazer said in All Blacks 2023:
Fainga'anuku instead of Narawa gives that extra 13 cover.
That's true. I just have a feeling that LF has shit in that bed.
@Frank I take your point but also wonder if a roaming back 3 set up could be a plan.
Not convinced that a power winger is that valuable at the moment. They can be a liability in getting too easily isolated. What we definately need is skilled finishers. That ability to dot in the corner under pressure is very valuable.
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@Duluth said in All Blacks 2023:
It's a close call if Leicester makes the squad and he's opted for the money over an AB career. Foster has said he'll opt for players who are committed to NZ rugby if its a close call.
Charles Piutau got shafted in 2015 for taking the money.....
Leicesters goose is cooked.
Someone on here mentioned they had inside info his time in AB's camp was a disaster last year. Went home for "personal reasons" in Japan too.
Something not right there. 10 tries this season......shame.
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@Steve said in All Blacks 2023:
@Duluth said in All Blacks 2023:
It's a close call if Leicester makes the squad and he's opted for the money over an AB career. Foster has said he'll opt for players who are committed to NZ rugby if its a close call.
Charles Piutau got shafted in 2015 for taking the money.....
Leicesters goose is cooked.
Someone on here mentioned they had inside info his time in AB's camp was a disaster last year. Went home for "personal reasons" in Japan too.
Something not right there. 10 tries this season......shame.
To me the biggest thing is that LF has reportedly said he doesn't really care about the ABs (can't find link, but did read that).
Something didn't go right. I suspect he knows that he has shit the bed with other players and his best option is overseas. -
@Steve said in All Blacks 2023:
Charles Piutau got shafted in 2015 for taking the money.....
Leicesters goose is cooked.
The story with Piutau was very different though. Piutau had already agreed to a deal with NZR and had received the contract for signing, but didn't sign it and signed an overseas contract instead. Without much communication. That pissed NZR/the coaches off. No such issue with LF.
@Steve said in All Blacks 2023:
Someone on here mentioned they had inside info his time in AB's camp was a disaster last year. Went home for "personal reasons" in Japan too.
I wouldn't believe too much of that. Vague rumours, that's all it is.
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@Steve said in All Blacks 2023:
JK suggests bringing Jacobsen as a 7.
Are they on Fentanyl in that studio or what?
JK always comes up with strange stuff and it's not through trying to be innovative IMO. He just doesn't think stuff through.
Back when he was a butcher's apprentice his boss was probably glad he went to rugby as he kept giving customers mince when they ordered sausages.
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I think Fosters midset when selecting his squad will differ slightly from his predeccessors, in that he knows he is not there next year, so development or future proofing means very little to him (although I dont expect he would do anything just to spite NZR or Razor) his goal is to try and win the RWC, and is this is with players not playing beyond 2023...
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@Stargazer said in All Blacks 2023:
@Steve said in All Blacks 2023:
Charles Piutau got shafted in 2015 for taking the money.....
Leicesters goose is cooked.
The story with Piutau was very different though. Piutau had already agreed to a deal with NZR and had received the contract for signing, but didn't sign it and signed an overseas contract instead. Without much communication. That pissed NZR/the coaches off. No such issue with LF.
@Steve said in All Blacks 2023:
Someone on here mentioned they had inside info his time in AB's camp was a disaster last year. Went home for "personal reasons" in Japan too.
I wouldn't believe too much of that. Vague rumours, that's all it is.
Always seems to be the centres too.
Nonu 2007
Piutau 2015
Laumape 2019
Leicester 2023????????? -
@Crucial said in All Blacks 2023:
To me the biggest thing is that LF has reportedly said he doesn't really care about the ABs (can't find link, but did read that).
Something didn't go right. I suspect he knows that he has shit the bed with other players and his best option is overseas.You may or may not be right. Context is everything. Media were talking him up, asking him about being in the ABs. He answered with possibly a badly worded reply (I can't remember the exact words he used). Maybe he just meant that at that stage of the SRP competition, the ABs weren't on his mind because at that moment, SR/Crusaders was more important. I think way too much importance is given to the use of certain words.
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@taniwharugby said in All Blacks 2023:
I think Fosters midset when selecting his squad will differ slightly from his predeccessors, in that he knows he is not there next year, so development or future proofing means very little to him (although I dont expect he would do anything just to spite NZR or Razor) his goal is to try and win the RWC, and is this is with players not playing beyond 2023...
I don't think development or future proofing comes into any coaches RWC squad decisions.
I get what you are saying though.
For me the big question is whether he plays safe or rolls the dice. -
@Frank said in All Blacks World Cup bolters:
@Crucial I cant see them dropping Clarke, they seem very wedded to the idea of a power winger (and all the wings you named are right wingers)
Edit: Or, as Stargazer just said, Fainga'anuku at left wing.
I can't see them dropping Caleb, either. Can't say I've watched him closely this year, but at a minimum I reckon everyone who was a first choice player last year will make Fozzie's initial squad - possibility of not making the cut from there if they've really lost their mojo.
