How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?

Milk

Some interesting comments from the selectors regarding Jordie Barrett v Damien McKenzie

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/93546477/all-blacks-eye-supersub-role-for-damian-mckenzie-but-need-to-see-him-at-no-10

Toddy

DMac does have a really high error rate that would be punished at test level. Being a midget doesn't help either. Wonder how much his AB games last year weighed on the selectors minds. He was clearly substandard.

Still, his tackling improved leaps and bounds this year. I don't see why he can't cut his error rate down as well.

gt12

I'm happy with that explanation except for this: Why pick Jordie? He's only played at 15 at super level , and there is plenty of cover there with Smith and Dagg - do we need to carry a 3rd FB? I'd have rather had another loosie in there, or a fullback wing like NMS or even Nanai. They must reaaaaaly like Jordie. I agree he has the tools, but I don't see why we need to carry a third FB - unless he's seen as a better FB than Dagg.

Milk

@Toddy said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:

DMac does have a really high error rate that would be punished at test level.

Yeah, he just has so many involvements at such a high pace and a percentage of those are always going to go awry. It's fine at Super level but agree it needs tightening at test level.

Stargazer

Lions tour: Aaron Cruden expected to miss Samoa Test but likely available for Lions' series

Bones

@gt12 development.

Bones

So it was Stephen Jones that came on here a couple of weeks back on the wind up regarding lions just being a commercial entity and no British/Irish being interested?

Crazy Horse

@gt12 I wonder if he is there for goal kicking insurance?

hydro11

We need at least two of our back three to be excellent under the high ball. Is Reiko good enough under the high ball?

Tim

@hydro11 Yes.

Tim

Hansen is confident Kieran Read's thumb will have sufficiently healed to lead out his team at the start of the series, although he is set to sit out Friday night's clash with Samoa at Eden Park.

Jerome Kaino will take the field this week after completing his recovery from knee surgery, while Brodie Retallick and Ben Smith are both free of concussion symptoms and Ryan Crotty will be "touch-and-go" with his damaged ribs.

Aaron Cruden will miss the Samoa match but should be available against the Lions, having received good news from this morning's scan on the knee he hurt in the Chiefs' win over the Hurricanes on Friday night.

Scott Barrett (knee) has also been passed fit, leaving only two All Blacks as confirmed absentees for the first test, with both Dane Coles (concussion) and Liam Squire (thumb) long expected to miss out.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11874333

Donsteppa

Excellent news. Very happy that Kaino will be playing this week.

nzzp

@Donsteppa said in How are the AB's tracking heading into the BIL series?:

Excellent news. Very happy that Kaino will be playing ~~this week.~~

Fixed that for ya

taniwharugby

Good photo of the 3 of them, but they probably needed Ardie next to them to give us some context.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/93597535/barrett-brothers-revelling-in-the-special-bond-they-have-in-these-all-blacks

Bovidae

That photo, and seeing them on the TV news, shows that you take the player stats with a huge grain of salt. Jordie is clearly taller than Scott, so they've inflated a lock's height.