All Blacks XV 2024
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My list of players that I think should be lock ins to make it and ones I’d like to see. Just to be clear, I have heard nothing around this squad, this is just my personal list.
Lock ins:
Lakai
Numia
Jacomb
Plummer
Hotham
Holland
Lord
NarawaSmall tidbit. I know Z.Gallagher is rated very highly so don’t be surprised to see him named.
Ones I’d like to see:
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Jack Taylor - Some big talent and still a young age. Will only grow in these environments.
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Haig - Goes without saying with the chat around him this season and as we all know the ABs could do with a proper 6 that can cover lock at a pinch.
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Zarn Sullivan - Been knocked around by injury this year but one heck of a player who is in a bit of a Perofeta spot at the moment, is he a 10 or is he a 15. Get him in the environment for a closer look.
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Caleb Delaney - Quiet NPC season but huge in Super and went about his business. Could have a big future.
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Riley Higgins - Keep him in the midfield and he will continue to go up to another level. His chance to own the Canes 12 jersey with J.Barrett heading off too.
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Cam Millar - Touch and go here but a third 10 in the environment behind Plummer and Jacomb won’t hurt. Need as much depth as we can get here. Also think Plummer will link with the AB’s so a 3rd 10 will be needed. Talent is there, might just take another year or so to look comfortable.
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AJ Lam - no explanation needed here imo.
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Kini Naholo - See above
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JRK - See above. Also chat about him being tempted by Fiji, get him into the environment now! Massive talent.
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Brayden Iose - A stand out for the Hurricanes, deserves recognition and a chance to kick on.
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Quinn Tupaea - Unsure how well he has been tracking for Waikato as I haven’t watched all their games but we do know there is a player in there, injuries just slowed him down a bit. Keep him around for this tour.
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Hoskins Sotutu - We all know he deserves it.
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Lio-Willie - Undeniable form for Otago and the Crusaders this year. He deserves his spot.
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@Chris said in All Blacks XV 2024:
@brodean said in All Blacks XV 2024:
I don't think anyone is expecting Sotutu to be there.
FIhaki will be in too even though Hutchinson has already surpassed him at 15.
Millar, Haig and Holland will also be new guys but they have talent worth investigating after being fairly consistent form wise and players who get regularly mentioned.
Sotutu will be selected wether he takes up the spot is anyones guess if he has a shift overseas in mind, if he goes it will re set his 3 year stand down.
Not if he only plays for the XV it doesn't
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@Machpants said in All Blacks XV 2024:
@Chris said in All Blacks XV 2024:
@brodean said in All Blacks XV 2024:
I don't think anyone is expecting Sotutu to be there.
FIhaki will be in too even though Hutchinson has already surpassed him at 15.
Millar, Haig and Holland will also be new guys but they have talent worth investigating after being fairly consistent form wise and players who get regularly mentioned.
Sotutu will be selected wether he takes up the spot is anyones guess if he has a shift overseas in mind, if he goes it will re set his 3 year stand down.
Not if he only plays for the XV it doesn't
I think those rules have changed.
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@Landers92 said in All Blacks XV 2024:
ot.
Good list.
The only one I would question is Kini Naholo. I think there are others like Narawa or Stevenson who offer more.
Taylor has an excellent workrate but he lacks a bit of impact to his game.
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@Chris said in All Blacks XV 2024:
@Machpants said in All Blacks XV 2024:
@Chris said in All Blacks XV 2024:
@brodean said in All Blacks XV 2024:
I don't think anyone is expecting Sotutu to be there.
FIhaki will be in too even though Hutchinson has already surpassed him at 15.
Millar, Haig and Holland will also be new guys but they have talent worth investigating after being fairly consistent form wise and players who get regularly mentioned.
Sotutu will be selected wether he takes up the spot is anyones guess if he has a shift overseas in mind, if he goes it will re set his 3 year stand down.
Not if he only plays for the XV it doesn't
I think those rules have changed.
Have NZR decalred the XV as second team? I haven't seen anything anywhere that says anything has changed, from either NZR or WR
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@Chris said in All Blacks XV 2024:
@brodean said in All Blacks XV 2024:
I don't think anyone is expecting Sotutu to be there.
FIhaki will be in too even though Hutchinson has already surpassed him at 15.
Millar, Haig and Holland will also be new guys but they have talent worth investigating after being fairly consistent form wise and players who get regularly mentioned.
Sotutu will be selected wether he takes up the spot is anyones guess if he has a shift overseas in mind, if he goes it will re set his 3 year stand down.
Which could be the ulterior motive for his selection................(laughs evilly)
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I didn't think so either, I thought I remembered it being the Maori and thinking that was a bit odd given the eligibility criteria - but now I'm 2nd-guessing myself.
The ever-reliable allblacks.com says "The All Blacks XV was launched as NZR’s next senior national representative team after the All Blacks, as a critical high-performance pathway to the All Blacks. As the next senior national representative side, the All Blacks XV will have the same high expectations as the other Teams in Black."
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@reprobate said in All Blacks XV 2024:
I didn't think so either, I thought I remembered it being the Maori and thinking that was a bit odd given the eligibility criteria - but now I'm 2nd-guessing myself.
The ever-reliable allblacks.com says "The All Blacks XV was launched as NZR’s next senior national representative team after the All Blacks, as a critical high-performance pathway to the All Blacks. As the next senior national representative side, the All Blacks XV will have the same high expectations as the other Teams in Black."
But that doesn't answer if it is registered with WR as a capture team tho, that's just PR talk
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@brodean said in All Blacks XV 2024:
@Landers92 said in All Blacks XV 2024:
ot.
Good list.
The only one I would question is Kini Naholo. I think there are others like Narawa or Stevenson who offer more.
Taylor has an excellent workrate but he lacks a bit of impact to his game.
My thought with Naholo were is he’s got the talent and we know the All Blacks love their power left wingers. Naholo fits the mold.
Jack Taylor is still only 21. Those little extras will come into his game with time.
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@Machpants said in All Blacks XV 2024:
@reprobate said in All Blacks XV 2024:
I didn't think so either, I thought I remembered it being the Maori and thinking that was a bit odd given the eligibility criteria - but now I'm 2nd-guessing myself.
The ever-reliable allblacks.com says "The All Blacks XV was launched as NZR’s next senior national representative team after the All Blacks, as a critical high-performance pathway to the All Blacks. As the next senior national representative side, the All Blacks XV will have the same high expectations as the other Teams in Black."
But that doesn't answer if it is registered with WR as a capture team tho, that's just PR talk
Then we should refer to: https://www.world.rugby/organisation/governance/next-senior
Which has PDFs helpfully listing all the nations' 2nd teams!
For New Zealand, our 2nd team in 2024 is: N/A. And it's been N/A since 2020 when it was the Junior All Blacks.
What it is it with rugby admin and incompetence? -
@reprobate said in All Blacks XV 2024:
@Machpants said in All Blacks XV 2024:
@reprobate said in All Blacks XV 2024:
I didn't think so either, I thought I remembered it being the Maori and thinking that was a bit odd given the eligibility criteria - but now I'm 2nd-guessing myself.
The ever-reliable allblacks.com says "The All Blacks XV was launched as NZR’s next senior national representative team after the All Blacks, as a critical high-performance pathway to the All Blacks. As the next senior national representative side, the All Blacks XV will have the same high expectations as the other Teams in Black."
But that doesn't answer if it is registered with WR as a capture team tho, that's just PR talk
Then we should refer to: https://www.world.rugby/organisation/governance/next-senior
Which has PDFs helpfully listing all the nations' 2nd teams!
For New Zealand, our 2nd team in 2024 is: N/A. And it's been N/A since 2020 when it was the Junior All Blacks.
What it is it with rugby admin and incompetence?That's not incompetence, you do not have to declare a second team. NZR obviously decided not to*, so Sotutu can play for XV with no risk to possible England rep, however if he is part of the extras that go to Japan - a different thing. However we have such a bloated number of loosies, that have hardly played, in the main squad probably won't happen
- there has been a bt of backlash against 2nd teams and capturing players, like those that could rep PI or other smaller nations stuck for 3 years, was permanently
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All Blacks XV leaked an hour early
Josh Bartlett
Xavier Numia
Saula Mau
George Bower
Ben Lopas
Ricci Ricitelli
Kurt Eklund
Soane Vikena
Fabian Holland
Josh Lord
Shneil Singh
Peter Lakai
Brayden Iose
Nikora Broughton
Hoskins Sotutu
Tom Christie
Noah Hotham
Finlay Christie
Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi
Harry Plummer
Josh Jacomb
Dan Hawkins
Riley Higgins
AJ Lam
Kini Naholo
Emoni Narawa
Drew Wild
Chay Fihaki
Timoci Tavatavanawai -
@Landers92 said in All Blacks XV 2024:
@brodean said in All Blacks XV 2024:
@Landers92 said in All Blacks XV 2024:
ot.
Good list.
The only one I would question is Kini Naholo. I think there are others like Narawa or Stevenson who offer more.
Taylor has an excellent workrate but he lacks a bit of impact to his game.
My thought with Naholo were is he’s got the talent and we know the All Blacks love their power left wingers. Naholo fits the mold.
Jack Taylor is still only 21. Those little extras will come into his game with time.
I don't think Naholo will be far away.
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The other thing that should be pointed out with this NZ XV squad, is the further down the levels you go, the more players of equal ability you get, so naturally there are going to be many players who could have easily been in this squad that won't be... and I don't think that means they are out of the frame for the ABs either.
If someone like JRK (who I expect to miss out) rips it up in an improving Highlanders team next year, then he could easily jump the queue. Same goes in the loose forwards. Tight five, halfbacks and midfielders does feel quite settled for the foreseeable though.
