All Blacks Squad for France
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@machpants the whole they were scheduled to play those other games is a loophole.
Any coach with any sense should always schedule his players in those matches for this very scenario, even if it is taking the piss.
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@booboo said in All Blacks Squad for France:
Well I'm wondering if the RWC squad was picked today if that is the squad they'd go with.
Aside from trimming a midfielder and 6/8 to get to 31, they probably drop on outside back to get the third hooker and achieve the 17/14 split from last time.
Taufua, Goodhue and NMS out?
Crockett would be called out of retirement if RWC was imminent too.
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@machpants said in All Blacks Squad for France:
How did Fox confirm that? Normally EOYT squads are larger, they're playing quite a few games
He said they will deliberately take less players than normal to use the tour as a dry run for Japan.
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@mariner4life Weak loose forwards. Cane the only top quality player.
Good thing we're only playing France, and the SANZA teams are so weak.
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@bovidae Thanks, I missed that. Gutsy move with Ireland and England at the end there. I suppose they can fly in cavalry if required for the last game vs Italy! My not-so-bold prediction, Abs will win that but it'll be a flush down the dunny performance.
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@gunner said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@bovidae said in All Blacks Squad for France:
What I find interesting is that a player like Frizzell won't even be in the Highlanders starting XV when Squire is back.
Pretty standard these days to have guys picked for the ABs who don’t regularly start for their franchise.
...
I’m sure there’s another one or two that I can’t think of right nowBrendan Leonard. Colin Slade and to a lesser extent Israel Dagg at times.
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Shannon Frizell - WTF! Seriously, even setting aside the fact he's a poach, he's the worst selection in the ABs for a long time.
Basically Akira has to move to a South Island team and do some of the mythical graft that @Machpants claims he doesn't do, despite the fact he's week in week out one of the hardest workers going un a bumbling Blues team. What graft has Frizell done in his 34 minutes per game he plays?
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@nepia said in All Blacks Squad for France:
Shannon Frizell - WTF! Seriously, even setting aside the fact he's a poach, he's the worst selection in the ABs for a long time.
Basically Akira has to move to a South Island team and do some of the mythical graft that @Machpants claims he doesn't do, despite the fact he's week in week out one of the hardest workers going un a bumbling Blues team. What graft has Frizell done in his 34 minutes per game he plays?
Im trying to work out what graft work Fifita and Savea do that Akira doesn't as well.
I could understand if all the guys infront of him were veterans and he just needed to wait for his chance but they are parachuting guys with less runs on the board in ahead of him. -
@pukunui And unless Akira changes teams it'll probably continue. I seriously don't get it.
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As Selectors pointed out its work rate and energy levels for Akira. ABs need the forwards to work, clean out rucks, link etc so backs can finish which is probably why Akira not chosen...in saying that I would have chosen him over Frizell
this french test series is to see if some are up to it. Tafua its make or break, as with Frizell. I can see why Ardie has been picked as well. With Tafua and Whitelock they are starters only, Ardie can play 8 of the bench which is very important for makeup of team. I wld suggest if Read is back playing 80min Ardie might need to play well to keep out Todd as an openside specialist. -
@african-monkey Hansen is in his dotage. Expect him to be out-coached by Schmidt again this year.
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@98blueandgold if its energy levels, maybe they need to give him more Gatorade?
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@98blueandgold Where do they get Frizell's workrate stats from then?
I don't have a problem with Taufua but Akira has been outworking him in nearly every stat this year. Clearly Akira needs to be in a team where he's not relied on to do 90% of the go forward so he can shine in the 'workrate' stats.
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@tim said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@mariner4life Weak loose forwards. Cane the only top quality player.
Good thing we're only playing France, and the SANZA teams are so weak.
Now that perma-crocked Read can't be relied on, what's the plan at #8? If it's A Savea (who is a shit test player) then we're basically Australia.
If we lose either of our top locks we are fucked.
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@98blueandgold said in All Blacks Squad for France:
With Tafua and Whitelock they are starters only, Ardie can play 8 of the bench which is very important for makeup of team.
Not sure about that for Taufua. He's played a bit of openside at NPC, so at a pinch he could cover all three positions. If he's got a long term future in the ABs then I'd see it as an impact sub - playing the last 20 minutes, hopefully not compromising the lineout.
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@mariner4life said in All Blacks Squad for France:
If we lose either of our top locks we are fucked.
Barrett is so far from test quality. Can't see the point in picking him.
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@mariner4life said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@tim said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@mariner4life Weak loose forwards. Cane the only top quality player.
Good thing we're only playing France, and the SANZA teams are so weak.
Now that perma-crocked Read can't be relied on, what's the plan at #8? If it's A Savea (who is a shit test player) then we're basically Australia.
If we lose either of our top locks we are fucked.
Pretty sure they'll start Luke Whitelock at No. 8. He played our previous test there.
