TRC squad
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Chris B." data-cid="601998" data-time="1470005805">
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<p>Most interesting - aside from Matt Todd being invited, because he's obviously breathing down Ardie's neck. :)</p>
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<p>I hope Todd isn't there to cover for the lingering concussion concerns that has been afflicting so many of late.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Don Frye" data-cid="602010" data-time="1470006861">
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<p>I hope Todd isn't there to cover for the lingering concussion concerns that has been afflicting so many of late.</p>
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<p>He is there so he can step in when Cane inevitably gets the 4 week suspension he seems to be craving of late.</p> -
<p>I seriously hope that Beauden Barrett gets to start in the No. 10 jersey. I think he's proved enough that he's too good to be a super sub only. </p>
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<p>TJP should also get enough game time; he's been much better than TKB since TKB returned from injury.</p>
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<p>The extra players in camp are 2 outside backs, 2 midfielders and 2 loosies. No frontrowers ...</p> -
<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/82675389/live-all-blacks-rugby-championship-squad-naming'>http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/82675389/live-all-blacks-rugby-championship-squad-naming</a></p>
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<p>Interesting that Hansen specifically says they did change at least one selection based on performances at the weekend - relating it to people's ability to cope with play-off pressure.</p>
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<p>That could be Lowe or Faddes (?) or (just possibly) Weber. Maybe Moala over Tamanivalu.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Unco" data-cid="601987" data-time="1470005081">
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<p>A good player who Toddy dropped for an entire season.</p>
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<p>Boring squad announcement, to be honest. Wanted to see Bird, Luatua and Lowe in there.</p>
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<p>I liked this for the Bird and Luatua parts, but I don't think Lowe is there yet. I have a feeling he played himself out of the extra picks over the last two weeks.</p>
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<p>I'm stoked about the Moala call-up. He's going to need time, but with this panel, he should get it and it could be sweet to see him and SBW together. He also makes an excellent last 20 minute option as he can cover wing too.</p>
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<p>With Luatua and Todd next in line, and Bird not even able to break back in, it really is nice to be an AB supporter. </p> -
<p>I am disappointed TKB got in over Webber.</p>
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Pretty strong squad. Luatua the unluckiest player in the country not Todd.<br>
Glad to see Moala in ahead of Seta. I winder if he was ahead the whole time but tgey just wanted a look at Seta against Wales. <br>
Welcome back SBW. <br>
Glad Savea is there. He has a shitload more upside tgan someone like Lowe (who they obviously don't rate as highly as some on the fern). Telling Savea to piss off, harden up and play npc would be the old school way. Personally i think working WITH him to get him right is the better way to do it. In form he is one of the best wingers in the world. Would expect Naholo to be starting though.<br>
IMO Fekitoa has been equally out of form but has never reached the heights of Savea. He is probably lucky Ngatai is injured. <br>
Similarly Romano must be running out of chances with Bird finally showing he is a potential AB. <br><br>
Very interesting to see ALB and Nanai in the training squad. Nanai in particular looked very promising in the back end of the season. -
<p>SBW And Moala might be the midfield combo for the Blues next year - sweet.</p>
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<p>I am wondering whether the omission of Luatua is something to do with the panel intending to select Akira Ioane on the EOYT - so with Dixon, Squire, Kaino, - there will be a logjam of 6/8s</p>
<p>Still surprised Dixon got in ahead of Luatua though. </p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Frank" data-cid="602026" data-time="1470009794">
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<p>SBW And Moala might be the midfield combo for the Blues next year - sweet.</p>
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<p>I am wondering whether the omission of Luatua is something to do with the panel intending to select Akira Ioane on the EOYT - so with Dixon, Squire, Kaino, - there will be a logjam of 6/8s</p>
<p>Still surprised Dixon got in ahead of Luatua though. </p>
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<p>I think All Black selection these days is a lot more about personnel management and consistency than simply who played the best last week. I think it's hard to get in, but once you're in you're likely to get a pretty good run - especially once you're part of the core group, but if you're left out it's not necessarily going to be easy to get back in. I particularly don't think they're into "give him a go".</p>
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<p>Some people on the fringes necessarily ping in and out a bit depending on injuries - e.g. Crotty up until this season, but I think the reality of the pecking order and future plans are communicated to them pretty clearly. McKenzie is presumably going to do some pinging - as Hansen explains in the video above.</p>
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<p>I think Luatua probably crapped in the nest a bit, by turning up wanting for fitness, so they're not necessarily going to rush him back in - when he comes back he's got to be hungry - but, the additional train on squad is a nod to him that he's moving in the right direction.</p>
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<p>For someone like Romano, I don't think he'll lose his place until they're certain that Bird is their man. Since they're talking about 4th lock they can bide their time, wait for an injury to give Bird his chance and then go from there.</p>
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<p>On prop - I guess after the four established props, Laulala and Manu have been anointed as the next in line on either side, so presumably they're again happy to bide their time and persist with Tu'ungafasi to cover both sides. Ofa seems pretty clearly the next best tighthead option currently available - and who knows who is the next loosehead after Manu. Quite possibly someone who is also currently injured or not fully fit - Goodes, Edmonds, Graham, etc. </p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Canerbry" data-cid="601979" data-time="1470004526">
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<p> :mocking: The wide-eyed wonderment at a hated former Crusader turning out actually be a good player after all...</p>
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<p>We are talking about the born and bred Hawkes Bay boy - I was hoping he'd come right eventually, he was less a player than his old man down south ....</p>
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<p>He was shit at the Crusaders, even you and Wurzel must admit that (you must shop at the same window shop Wurzel). He started coming right in the NPC last year and his form for the Chiefs has been mostly great after the first few weeks.</p> -
As expected a mostly predictable squad, but my 2c:<br><br>
- I'm over Romano. I was over him two years ago. Would have preferred Bird as he has all the raw attributes to become a world class lock, and is in good form.<br><br>
- I would have taken Luatua over Dixon. Like a couple of others I'm still not sold on Dixon. He was huge in last years final but lacks consistency and was awful when the Landers needed him to step up in the weekend. I'm happy with Squire, he provides great mongrel off the bench.<br><br>
- Pleased for Nathan Harris who has been very good for the Chiefs.<br><br>
- Really stoked to see Moala in the squad, I'm a huge fan and can see massive upside. Hopefully he gets decent gametime.<br><br>
- Happy with Savea in the squad, two years ago I was calling him Julian "Lomu" Savea and with good reason. He's had no injuries, so it is all mental and the ABs are leading the world in the "mental skills" department so I back them to get the best out of him.<br><br>
Despite all that, I'm very happy with the squad - fuck we have some talent. As I'm not privvy to the ABs game plan I don't know exactly what type of player they are looking for in every position, so am happy to defer to the guy with the 52-2-3 record
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="pukunui" data-cid="602025" data-time="1470009515">
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<p>Glad Savea is there. He has a shitload more upside tgan someone like Lowe (who they obviously don't rate as highly as some on the fern). Telling Savea to piss off, harden up and play npc would be the old school way. Personally i think working WITH him to get him right is the better way to do it. In form he is one of the best wingers in the world. Would expect Naholo to be starting though.<br>
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<p>Agree with this totally. He has been there and done that and there is clearly no physical reason why he can't do it again. Without knowing what his issue is, anyone who has been or is going through a tough time can tell you how much it can effect every aspect of your life, its just lucky a lot of us can hide behind semi-cushy jobs out of the limelight while we recover.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Canerbry" data-cid="601979" data-time="1470004526"><p>
:mocking: The wide-eyed wonderment at a hated former Crusader turning out actually be a good player after all...</p></blockquote>
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Only got good once he escaped Stalag Christchurch ... -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Tim" data-cid="602073" data-time="1470020082">
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<p>Is Dixon actually better than Shields?</p>
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<p>I think he was for most of the season, because Shields was pretty average except for the last few games in which he seemed to improve quite a bit. I think with Dixon it was exactly the opposite, started great, but average in the last few games.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Tim" data-cid="602073" data-time="1470020082">
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<p>Is Dixon actually better than Shields?</p>
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<p>The stats, if interested:</p>
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<p>Shields / Dixon</p>
<p>Games</p>
<p>15 / 15</p>
<p>Minutes</p>
<p>1064 / 1112</p>
<p>Tries</p>
<p>2 / 4</p>
<p>Carries</p>
<p>112 / 69</p>
<p>Metres</p>
<p>219 / 299</p>
<p>Clean Breaks</p>
<p>5 / 12</p>
<p>Defenders Beaten</p>
<p>5 / 12</p>
<p>Offloads</p>
<p>4 / 11</p>
<p>Passes</p>
<p>29 / 59</p>
<p>Lineout Catches</p>
<p>15 / 63</p>
<p>Lineout Steals</p>
<p>0 / 11</p>
<p>Tackles</p>
<p>141 / 103</p>
<p>Missed Tackles</p>
<p>25 / 16</p>
<p>Tackles Success</p>
<p>84.8 / 86.6</p>
<p>Turnovers Conceded</p>
<p>16 / 11</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Hooroo" data-cid="601960" data-time="1470003501">
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<div><strong>Forwards:</strong><br><br><strong>Hookers</strong><br>
Dane Coles (Wellington / Hurricanes, 39)<br>
Codie Taylor (Canterbury / Crusaders, 5)<br>
Nathan Harris (Bay of Plenty / Chiefs, 4)<br><br><strong>Props</strong><br>
Wyatt Crockett (Canterbury / Crusaders, 48)<br>
Charlie Faumuina (Auckland / Blues, 36)<br>
Owen Franks (Canterbury / Crusaders, 80)<br>
Joe Moody (Canterbury / Crusaders, 14)<br>
Ofa Tu'ungafasi (Auckland / Blues, 1)<br><br><strong>Locks</strong><br>
Brodie Retallick (Hawke's Bay / Chiefs, 50)<br>
Luke Romano (Canterbury / Crusaders, 24)<br>
Patrick Tuipulotu (Auckland / Blues, 9)<br>
Samuel Whitelock (Canterbury / Crusaders, 75)<br><br><strong>Loose Forwards</strong><br>
Sam Cane (Bay of Plenty / Chiefs, 34)<br>
Elliot Dixon (Southland / Highlanders, 1)<br>
Jerome Kaino (Auckland / Blues, 69)<br>
Kieran Read, captain (Canterbury / Crusaders, 87)<br>
Ardie Savea (Wellington / Hurricanes, 2)<br>
Liam Squire ( Ta$man / Highlanders, 1)<br><br><strong>Backs:</strong><br><br><strong>Halfbacks</strong><br>
Tawera Kerr-Barlow (Waikato / Chiefs, 21)<br>
TJ Perenara (Wellington / Hurricanes, 19)<br>
Aaron Smith (Manawatu / Highlanders, 50)<br><br><strong>First five-eighths</strong><br>
Beauden Barrett (Taranaki / Hurricanes, 39)<br>
Aaron Cruden (Manawatu / Chiefs, 39)<br>
Lima Sopoaga (Southland / Highlanders, 2)<br><br><strong>Midfielders</strong><br>
Ryan Crotty (Canterbury / Crusaders, 18)<br>
Malakai Fekitoa (Auckland / Highlanders, 15)<br>
George Moala (Auckland / Blues, 2)<br>
Sonny Bill Williams (Counties Manukau / Chiefs, 33)<br><br><strong>Outside backs</strong><br>
Israel Dagg (Hawke's Bay / Crusaders, 51)<br>
Waisake Naholo (Taranaki / Highlanders, 6)<br>
Julian Savea (Wellington/ Hurricanes, 43)<br>
Ben Smith (Otago / Highlanders, 51)</div>
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<p>Hookers - tick</p>
<p>Props - tick. But Crockett is ageing. Needs some forward-thinking selections for the EOYT.</p>
<p>Locks - Romano argh. He's not going to get any better and his best is just not top AB quality IMHO. Once again, hope EOYT sees some new blood.</p>
<p>Loose forwards - happy enough. But Dixon had better step up or he should be gone. I won't be surprised to see Akira Ioane given a go on the EOYT.</p>
<p>Halfbacks - tick. Weber had a mini-mare in the weekend.</p>
<p>1st-fives - tick. Easiest AB selection at the moment.</p>
<p>Midfield - tick. SB has to have a lock on the 12 shirt, I'd hope 13 goes to Crotty or Moala. Where does Ngatai fit in for the EOYT?</p>
<p>Ouside backs - tick. I was beating Lowe's drum 2 weeks ago, but had a pretty terrible (certainly not AB standard) semi-final. Who makes way for NMS in October? Savea seems a protected species so we see.</p>
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<p>I think the ABs will comfortably win the RC. Argentina will comfortably come last. SA & Australia fighting it out for 2nd.</p>
