EOYT 2017
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No Retallick.
No Mo'unga (apart from the Baabaas, and the ABs for the French Baabaas game).Disappointing for very different reasons.
Retallick because he's one of the two best locks in the world and obviously the home situation is very tragic.
Mo'unga, because they showed him the carrot, let him have a sniff, but are not giving it.
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@stargazer Makes for a long season for Whitelock. McKenzie as backup 1st 5 is disappointing.
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@nepia
Lots of inexperience in the front-row. I feel that this tour would've been an ideal one to repeat that 2001-2-3 EOYT tour (whenever it was) under Mitchell when they left the experienced guys at home. Would've been a good time to leave some guys out to rest up looking ahead to 2019.Touras the NZ Barbarians , no harm in leaving the big guns out Read, Whitelock, Retallick. Hopefully we really rest and rotate this tour to achieve something similar.
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Tawera Kerr-Barlow is the bizarre selection, as it has been all year. Hes not staying, they've hardly used him. WTF?
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@westcoastie said in EOYT 2017:
Tawera Kerr-Barlow is the bizarre selection, as it has been all year. Hes not staying, they've hardly used him. WTF?
None of the other 9s are good enough. He has a contract with NZR until the end of the year.
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Pleased to see Duffie, Goodhue and Aumua in there. Tamanivalu too. All deserved.
Of course would like to see Akira Ioane in there but he'll have his shot next year to force himself into the frame.
Props look weak - hopefully some of the talented youngsters coming through step up in Super Rugby.
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@nepia yep is a tough one...and we have seen these coaches not pick other players with one foot on the plane, although in this case it is more a reflection of the drop off after those 3...which I guess in itself shows they should be looking at a young fella to develop.
Of the newbies no real surprises.
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@tim
Long term the break will be good for Retallick (personally and looking on towards 2019)Whitelock needs a similar rest from international rugby somewhere in the next 12 months.
We should play DMac off the bench, if hes seen as 10-15 cover. Highly unlikely he'll succeed BB, more likely his role is as the impact guy. So play him that way. Develop someone else as a solid starting 15, Havili, JB (when hes back) Duffie.
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JS must be thinking of ways to get out of his contract. It’s a good reward for Seta who has done a good job of switching to the wing but his centre experience might get him a 23 shirt.
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@nepia
Thats all fair enough, but a contract doesn't mean he needs to be selected or play. I'll let them have it during the Rugby Championship, but should've got two young guys in there for the EOYT tour. Left someone else out (probably one of those wing/fullbacks - we're not stressed for replacements in that area when you consider who isn't touring, Ben Smith, Dagg, NMS, Jordie Barrett, Savea) -
@kiwimurph Loosehead prop selection is disappointing. No dynamic players there other than the ageing Crockett. Perry may be a fine player, but he's not going to offer much around the field at international level. Haimes offers nothing there.
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@billy-tell
Its really only been this year he's been usurped by Ioane. Bet the AB's wished they hadn't signed him so long term.
If they were smart - they'd have front-loaded the contract like they do in AFL - ie pay him more early when we was worth it - then maybe they could release him.
Solid wing stocks were a bit thin when the NZRU did sign him... -
Perry? Probably no surprise as he was called into the AB squad but he doesn't even make the Crusaders 23. I guess being a Crusaders prop means you're halfway to the ABs.
The only other option was Manu, a better player I believe. There aren't any young LH props around that would be good enough.
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@kiwimurph Loosehead prop selection is disappointing. No dynamic players there other than the ageing Crockett. Perry may be a fine player, but he's not going to offer much around the field at international level. Haimes offers nothing there.
Perhaps there's another criteria for selecting props
Like set piece proficiency?
Amazing rise for Perry, he's spent a lot of time playing club rugby in Christchurch for little reward.
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