All Blacks Squad for France

[Machpants]

Crotty concussed, again, so probably another midfield slot open

[Wurzel]

Crockett's the bolter

[Bovidae]

@wurzel said in All Blacks Squad for France:

Crockett's the bolter

Good that they pick a young up-and-coming player.

Rather him than Perry though (I hope).

[nzzp]

@bovidae said in All Blacks Squad for France:

Good that they pick a young up-and-coming player.

I'm not sure 'up and coming' fits with a quick series against the Froggies. Whoever plays is unlikely to feature at the RWC next year - I guess they figure they'd grab Crockett again if needed ... o rjust abandon ship if it gets that bad again.

I guess I"m happy with that

[Machpants]

Any live stream anywhere? FFS it's 2018!

[Bovidae]

Live on Sky Ch54 I've just noticed.

[Machpants]

Thanks wasn't showing on the online Sky Guide

[nzzp]

Well, Bidwell gets it

Frizzell in
Akira out

JTA and Perry in

[nzzp]

and a new cap for Taufua

[nzzp]

Full squad

Ben Smith, Liam Squire, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Jordan Taufua, Codie Taylor, Toomaga-Allen, Ofa Tu'ungafasi, Luke Whitelock, Sam Whitelock (captain), Sonny Bill Williams.

[nzzp]

@nzzp said in All Blacks Squad for France:

Full squad

Ben Smith, Liam Squire, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Jordan Taufua, Codie Taylor, Toomaga-Allen, Ofa Tu'ungafasi, Luke Whitelock, Sam Whitelock (captain), Sonny Bill Williams.

Tim Perry, Brodie Retallick, Ardie Savea, Aaron Smith
Rieko Ioane, Ngani Laumape, Anton Lienert-Brown, Damian McKenzie, Nehe Milner-Skudder, Joe Moody, Richie Mo'unga, Waisake Naholo, TJ Perenara
Beauden Barrett, Jordie Barrett, Scott Barrett, Sam Cane (vice captain), Ryan Crotty, Fifita, Owen Franks, Shannon Frizell, Jack Goodhue, Nathan Harris.,

[Machpants]

Who were the two as standbys, Akira and ???

[African Monkey]

@machpants Coltman

[Machpants]

cheers

[Stargazer]

Hookers:
Codie Taylor and Nathan Harris; Liam Coltman also training with squad

Props:
Owen Franks, Joe Moody, Tim Perry, Ofa Tu'ungafasi, Jeff To'ogama-Allan

Locks:
Scott Barrett, Brodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock (c)

Loosies:
Sam Cane (vc), Vaea Fifita, Shannon Frizell (new), Ardie Savea, Liam Squire, Jordan Taufua (new), Luke Whitelock
Akira Ioane also training with squad

Halfbacks:
TJ Perenara, Aaron Smith, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi (new)

First-fives:
Beauden Barrett, Damian McKenzie, Richie Mo'unga

Midfielders:
Ryan Crotty, Jack Goodhue, Ngani Laumape, Anton Lienert-Brown, Sonny Bill Williams

Outside backs:
Jordie Barrett, Rieko Ioane, Waisake Naholo, Ben Smith (vc), Nehe Milner-Skudder

Not picked: Luke Romano, Matt Todd, Julian Savea

[Bovidae]

Harris' partner is expecting so Coltman is his replacement if he isn't available.

What I find interesting is that a player like Frizzell won't even be in the Highlanders starting XV when Squire is back.

[taniwharugby]

SO Perry, Frizell, Taufua, Tahuriorangi, MOunga and Goodhue all potential new caps.

Hookers
Nathan Harris (26, Chiefs / Bay of Plenty, 11)
Codie Taylor (27, Crusaders / Canterbury, 29)

Props
Owen Franks (30, Crusaders / Canterbury, 95)
Joe Moody (29, Crusaders /Canterbury, 31)
Tim Perry (29, Crusaders / Ta$man, uncapped)
Jeffery Toomaga-Allen (27, Hurricanes / Wellington, 1)
Ofa Tuungafasi (26, Blues / Auckland, 14)

Locks
Scott Barrett (24, Crusaders / Taranaki, 16)
Brodie Retallick (26, Chiefs / Hawke's Bay, 68)
Samuel Whitelock (29, Crusaders / Canterbury, 96) - Captain

Loose Forwards
Sam Cane (26, Chiefs / Bay of Plenty, 53) - Vice-captain
Vaea Fifita (25, Hurricanes / Wellington, 5)
Shannon Frizell (24, Highlanders / Ta$man, uncapped)
Ardie Savea (24, Hurricanes / Wellington, 22)
Liam Squire (27, Highlanders / Ta$man, 15)
Jordan Taufua (26, Crusaders / Ta$man, uncapped)
Luke Whitelock (27, Highlanders / Canterbury, 2)

Halfbacks
TJ Perenara (26, Hurricanes / Wellington, 42)
Aaron Smith (29, Highlanders / Manawatu, 71)
Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi (23, Chiefs / Taranaki, uncapped)

First five-eighths
Beauden Barrett (27, Hurricanes / Taranaki, 62)
Damian McKenzie (23, Chiefs / Waikato, 12)
Richie Mo'unga (24, Crusaders / Canterbury, uncapped)

Midfielders
Ryan Crotty (29, Crusaders / Canterbury, 32)
Jack Goodhue (22, Crusaders / Northland, uncapped)
Ngani Laumape (25, Hurricanes / Manawatu, 4)
Anton Lienert-Brown (23, Chiefs / Waikato, 22)
Sonny Bill Williams (32, Blues / Counties Manukau, 46)

Outside backs
Jordie Barrett (21, Hurricanes / Taranaki, 2)
Rieko Ioane (21, Blues / Auckland, 13)
Nehe Milner-Skudder (27, Hurricanes / Manawatu, 11)
Waisake Naholo (27, Highlanders /Taranaki, 18)
Ben Smith (30, Highlanders /Otago, 64) - Vice-captain

[pukunui]

Wow no Akira. WTF is going on there? Does he fail the no dickheads test?

No Todd is a surprise. Thought he had gone well past Savea by the end of last year.

Not hugely surprised that Lam didn't make it with NMS fit again.

Happy they picked TTT ahead of other alternatives and happy they picked Goodhue in midfield.

Overall its a pretty underwhelming squad. Especially the forwards. A few key injuries and we might be scraping the barrel a bit (Whitelock, BBBR, Cane)

[taniwharugby]

@pukunui yeah the Savea over Todd and Frizell over Akira are 2 very big ones IMO

[Machpants]

Akira is not in because he still doesn't graft - he's got the most upsides of any in the squad IMO but needs to calm down (another tussle last night) and needs to put the graft in. The ABs will be able to bring that out in him, I reckon

So overall odd squad balance 2 hookers, 5 props (normally 3 6) 3 locks normally 4, but 7 loose forwards (normally 5, tho 1 covers lock), 5 instead of 4 midfielders.