All Blacks 2024
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@taniwharugby said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Canes4life my guess is, there are plenty of fringe players also in attendance at the gathering/camp etc this week, some wont make the cut, but is exposing these to the environment, so whoever is spying at this camp, sees Player X, speculates...
That said, I understand some of those in the Maori squad have already been told if they are in, so I'd say many in the ABs will know, there may also be a few hinging on what happens this weekend too or at least coming through unscathed.
Yeah you're probably right, someone probably saw him at the airport, knew there was a camp taking place and then put two and two together. I hope that's the case anyway.
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@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Frank said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Duluth said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
It seemed like a negotiated exit.. he cuts his (expensive) contract short in return he gets nursed to 100 caps
Considering Razor dropped Wyatt Crockett on 99 caps, I highly doubt he is being "nursed" to 100.
That's not the way Razor works.It'll be because they still rate him
On what basis though? He's hardly played this year and when he has it has been in the Japan league which is a massive step down from test rugby. Razor made a comment that he was going to pick the 'best players', Cane isn't that anymore.
So you too think Ardie should be in the NPC instead?
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@antipodean said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Frank said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Duluth said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
It seemed like a negotiated exit.. he cuts his (expensive) contract short in return he gets nursed to 100 caps
Considering Razor dropped Wyatt Crockett on 99 caps, I highly doubt he is being "nursed" to 100.
That's not the way Razor works.It'll be because they still rate him
On what basis though? He's hardly played this year and when he has it has been in the Japan league which is a massive step down from test rugby. Razor made a comment that he was going to pick the 'best players', Cane isn't that anymore.
So you too think Ardie should be in the NPC instead?
As mentioned above it's impossible to gauge test form based on a player plying his trade in the Japan League. Ardie hasn't been injured this year, so even though he made the Japan league look like club rugby at times, the coaches will look silly if they exclude the reigning world player of the year, who by the way is about to put pen to paper on a long-term contract with NZ Rugby and isn't retiring at the end of the year.
My biggest gripe is that there is literally no point persisting with Cane, we've got guys coming through who are more than capable of doing the job i.e. Papali'i getting consistent starts, Lakai learning under him etc. Cane just gets in the way of all that.
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If there's 5 loosies and two of them are Ardie & Cane, there's only three places for SR players. If Blackadder takes up one of them then there's only two loosies with meaningful SR form
Remember when Canes fans were talking about how many loosies they were going to have in the squad? It could easily be zero from this years team
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@Duluth said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
If there's 5 loosies and two of them are Ardie & Cane, there's only three places for SR players. If Blackadder takes up one of them then there's only two loosies with meaningful SR form
Remember when Canes fans were talking about how many loosies they were going to have in the squad? It could easily be zero from this years team
Lakai and Iose were probably the only two in consideration. Lakai rightfully or wrongfully will now likely miss out because of Cane. Whether that’s the right way to go or not, I guess we’ll find out. Jacobsen will be another that will be peeved off by this news.
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@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
will now likely miss out because of Cane
If true. Not sure I trust Devlin
I'm also hoping for 6 loosies, 2 for each position
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Lakai has 2005 onwards available to him. Jacobson isn't good enough in any position to press a claim, so he'd be the Masoe in this squad.
Cane was good enough to be AB captain last year and if Razor considers him fit enough with two weeks to get a squad ready to play against England, why wouldn't he be in the squad?
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@antipodean said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Cane was good enough to be AB captain last year and if Razor considers him fit enough with two weeks to get a squad ready to play against England, why wouldn't he be in the squad?
Because he's an absolute warrior who is really limited in his game.
Hopefully he was at the camp to deliver motivational talks to the lads about legacy.
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@nzzp said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@antipodean said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Cane was good enough to be AB captain last year and if Razor considers him fit enough with two weeks to get a squad ready to play against England, why wouldn't he be in the squad?
Because he's an absolute warrior who is really limited in his game.
Hopefully he was at the camp to deliver motivational talks to the lads about legacy.
Hopefully with Finau in the squad, Cane wouldn't be asked to do two/ three people's work in defence.
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@Tim said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
IIRC, Cane isn't available for the England series.
The old reports were that he'd be fit to play in August. Maybe that's changed.
Back injuries can be tricky though. Scott Barrett tried coming back too early from his
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So we going to get some meltdowns one way or another. Cane getting in squad would be one to top it off.
Hell from what I have read on here at times a few will meltdown when Chritie is named as halfback. Wirh a few other surprises I reckon we need all fire brigades on Maondy evening!!! -
@Chris-B said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
If we go down to the poms the sharks will be taking chunks out of the sufboard before he's paddled past the breakers.
I think England will be tougher than many think and why I expect a pretty conservative approach selection and game plan-wise.
It would be pretty dumb to get the knives out if we ship a game against the Poms - which I don't think will happen. Lose a couple of games in the RC and on the EOYT and I think some questions will rightly be asked.
Given I didn't watch the Six Nations - what should we expect from England? Is this basically the team they used - or did they have Farrell etc?
Others are more capable of commenting, and they are rebuilding in places, but have a strong pack and the backs are starting to gel. There's 4-5 news caps IIRC. I rate Borthwick as a coach - he getting their heads into the right space.
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@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
If true, that's such a backwards selection. I thought Razor was all about innovation and picking the 'best' players? Cane hasn't played for ages and is 'E Blackadder' level injury prone these days.
First Test in charge, wants to get off to a good start, same forwards coach, pick as much of the RWC team as possible?
There is a logic to it. Innovation can kick in once he has his feet under the table
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@Chris-B said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Machpants Cheers.
What about their other backs - any new guns?
As @Machpants said, there's some exciting players out wide. 4-5 new caps IIRC. Ollie Lawrence is developing in midfield with Slade. Marcus Smith is a talent, but over-hyped. Overall, I think our 10-15 is much better.
My big concern is around who Robertson plays at 9 as the England pack could well be a handful.
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@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
I rate Borthwick as a coach
Think he's pretty ordinary myself.
Lucky you specified coach though, he'd be even worse as a player I reckon. Probably a shit physio too.
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@nzzp said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@antipodean said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Cane was good enough to be AB captain last year and if Razor considers him fit enough with two weeks to get a squad ready to play against England, why wouldn't he be in the squad?
Because he's an absolute warrior who is really limited in his game.
Hopefully he was at the camp to deliver motivational talks to the lads about legacy.
Coach in his first-ever Test and a new captain - makes perfect sense to get a bloke with Cane's experience involved.
Whatever limitations Cane may have, excess of ego and lack of esprit de corps aren't on the list.
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@Bones said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
I rate Borthwick as a coach
Think he's pretty ordinary myself.
Lucky you specified coach though, he'd be even worse as a player I reckon. Probably a shit physio too.
He was no Martin Johnson, Danny Greenock or Simon Shaw