All Blacks 2024

[sparky]

@ACT-Crusader Happy New Year! I hope it's a great one for you and yours.

For the record, I didn't say I'd select Drummond for the ABs in 2024, I said 'how about this side?' 😉

[sparky]

I'm fairly certain we'll see at least one new player come through at Half Back.

[Bones]

@sparky said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:

I'm fairly certain we'll see at least one new player come through at Half Back.

Woah, steady on there sunshine! No need to push the boat out too far.

[booboo]

Just for completeness I add Paddy Tuipolutu (given he's back at the Blues) to the argument as a place holding lock while Holland and whoever develop physically.

So we have 4 locks with test experience to start with.

[MajorRage]

I'm a huge fan of Tuipolotu. He's never really asserted himself at test level though, and I can only hope under new management there is something which can make that happen.

[Tim]

@MajorRage He was never the same after having double hip surgery early in his career (after 2014 end of year tour?). Never had the same intensity.

[ACT Crusader]

@Tim said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:

@MajorRage He was never the same after having double hip surgery early in his career (after 2014 end of year tour?). Never had the same intensity.

Yeah I think we may have seen his best. And that best for me was when he came off the bench for the ABs and added some starch. Loved it back in the day when him and Faumauina would come on in the last quarter.

Injuries, up and down form, the emergence of Scooter, and his place in the side has been precarious.

[Tim]

This is a real "fingers crossed" call, but Lord might be the most exciting player in Super Rugby this year.

[SBW1]

Colin Newboult  /  Jan 18  /  New Zealand

Former England forward reveals 'dream' All Blacks switch

Experienced forward, Brad Shields, who represented England in 2018 and 2019, could put himself in contention for the All Blacks this season.

[Bones]

@SBW1 don't think I saw him in NPC, so no idea how he's playing...but if he was back to his best in super rugby it wouldn't upset me.

[Victor Meldrew]

@Bones said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:

@SBW1 don't think I saw him in NPC, so no idea how he's playing...but if he was back to his best in super rugby it wouldn't upset me.

He just needs to ditch the fish and chips get back onto the Paua Fritters

[sparky]

@SBW1 He's a big unit, but his hands aren't the best.

[taniwharugby]

@Tim yeah physically he seems to tick all the boxes, this year hopefully he gets his chance and takes it!

[sparky]

@Tim A good call. He could develop into a lynchpin of the All Black pack for next decade or so.

[Snowy]

@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:

the midfield / fullback hoohah (@Punch_up remember Matt Burke from OZ played both centre

Kurtley Beale played all of the place as well. Can't remember him at 13 but pretty sure he had a go at 12 (that's centre to an Aussie, and midfield wherever you are from).

[gt12]

@Snowy said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:

@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:

the midfield / fullback hoohah (@Punch_up remember Matt Burke from OZ played both centre

Kurtley Beale played all of the place as well. Can't remember him at 13 but pretty sure he had a go at 12 (that's centre to an Aussie, and midfield wherever you are from).

Emile Ntamack debuted as a wing (then featured in the try from the end of the world as a wing), then played there in the 1995 WC.

By 1999, he was a midfielder. From memory, he was at 12 when they beat us and I think played there in the final.

I'm sure he also played at FB for the French team (confirmed here where they state he played all three positions - FB, wing, and center in one game).

[gt12]

Another example: Mike Catt started at FB in the 1995 WC semifinal when he was posterized by Lomu, and started at 12 in a WC final against SA in 2007.

[MN5]

@gt12 said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:

Another example: Mike Catt started at FB in the 1995 WC semifinal when he was posterized by Lomu, and started at 12 in a WC final against SA in 2007.

Fairly sure Australia might have had four fullbacks in the starting line up in Latham, Roff, Burke and Roger’s at one point

[Machpants]

All right, but apart from the sanitation, medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, the fresh water system and public health, what have the Romans ever done for us?

[Crazy Horse]

The poor bastard. He makes one comment,.probably a throw away comment, and you lot spend spend days proving him wrong. I am starting to suspect Mrs Crazy has multiple accounts on here.