All Blacks 2023
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@Chris-B said in All Blacks 2023:
@Bovidae On the props - they could go two ways - either they decide Moody and Newell are both likely to be ready by RWC, so no need to develop more - or decide that they know what one or two of their experienced guys bring
Laulala is the prop that if selected shows they are still too conservative. If he makes the test 23 it will be at Newell's expense.
I put Frizell in the same category for loose forwards. Time to move on.
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@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2023:
@Chris-B said in All Blacks 2023:
@Bovidae On the props - they could go two ways - either they decide Moody and Newell are both likely to be ready by RWC, so no need to develop more - or decide that they know what one or two of their experienced guys bring
Laulala is the prop that if selected shows they are still too conservative. If he makes the test 23 it will be at Newell's expense.
I put Frizell in the same category for loose forwards. Time to move on.
There's a few of the old guard might be watching nervously. Nepo would be just about number one on that list.
Fozzie surprised me last year with a few new names in his first team, so I'm wondering if he will again. I'm pretty much thinking Marc Hinton is on the money - except he's only picked 35 names. Add a loose forward - and he may have another wrong.
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I think that they should look to split the squad to maximise the opportunities for players to either perform, or be cut. Where possible, send one squad to Arg and then have another preparing for SA in Auckland. There can't be any crossover with the AB XV due to the dates of their games in Japan.
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@booboo said in All Blacks 2023:
@pakman good post
Feel I'm nitpicking but I think Weber makes it in front of Christie and Roigard, and then its a matter of incumbent or in form rookie...
Roigard kicking game is outstanding. Far and away better than Smith. His running and passing is VG. He should be in the AB squad. In my view as the number 2 based on SR form. I'd like to see him start in one of the pre RWC games to see how he handles it
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@sparky said in All Blacks 2023:
Has the squad leaked yet?
Yep.
Moody, Williams, Taylor, Jager, Whitelock, Barrett….
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@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2023:
The selection of the props and loose forwards will tell us if Foster/Ryan/Schmidt are conservative or bold. I'm expecting the former.
They will probably go with those they think will go best at the RWC. The time to be bold has passed. Core team to be pretty much the same as last year with a few new names like Roigard & Stevenson to see how they go at Test level.
Interested in who they leave out - Ofa, Caleb Clarke, poss. BB?
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@Steve said in All Blacks 2023:
Surely his omission would be for either political or "character" reasons.
If rumours are correct on how he managed the step-up last year, they will be wary of a repeat, I guess.
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Concerned about loosies... Savea and Cane and then who? so many have had multiple opportunities and not really taken them. Frizzel, Akira, Sotutu, should all be sweating bullets ( unfair to include Blackadder with those 3 but he has had so little rugby it may actually count for him) -- Paps and Jacobson I think have done enough - really don't think we lose anything by taking a , Finau, or Lio-willi and see how they go.
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@Mattasaurus Sotutu has never disappointed at AB level, people have short memories eh! Hence the weird recent love for Lio-Willie. People would be calling for Havili-Talitui if Razor had selected him instead.
I don't see what Lio-Willie brings that Cane, Savea, Papalii, Blackadder don't. 4 opensides that can play elsewhere is enough.
