TRC squad
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So there will be 33 in the squad.
If we take the wider squad and add in the Chch possibles we get:
Hookers: Dane Coles, Liam Coltman and Nathan Harris. Codie Taylor.
Props: Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, Karl Tu'inukuafe and Ofa Tuungafasi. Owen Franks and Joe Moody.
Locks: Brodie Retallick and Patrick Tuipulotu. Sam Whitelock, Scott Barrett and Luke Romero.
Loose forwards: Sam Cane, Vaea Fifita, Shannon Frizell, Jackson Hemopo, Akira Ioane, Ardie Savea, Liam Squire and Luke Whitelock. Kieran Read.Backs
Halfbacks: TJ Perenara, Aaron Smith and Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi.
First five-eighths: Beauden Barrett and Damian McKenzie. Ritchie Mo'unga.
Midfielders: Ngani Laumape, Anton Lienert-Brown and Sonny Bill Williams. Ryan Crotty and Jack Goodhue.
Outside backs: Jordie Barrett, Rieko Ioane, Nehe Milner-Skudder, Waisake Naholo and Ben Smith. George Bridge.That's 41, so eight to be 'deselected'.
My thoughts:
Coles to be training with whilst playing Mitre 10.
Patty T and Luke Romero to be monitored in Mitre 10.
I'm assuming an 18/15 split so seven loosies to be permed from nine above. Starters Cane/Squire/Read. Extra 7 Savea (A). Two 6/locks from Fifita/Frizzell/Hemopo -- assume the former two, but Hemopo has definitely caught the eye. One back up 8 -- assume Whitelock (L), but they may decide Read will play all games and leave him and Ioane to play Mitre 10, which would allow Hemopo to be included.
In backs only have to lose two.
Expect SBW will be left out of squad owing to injury, but will be attached.
Also assume NMS will get another shot, leaving Bridge as a FAB.
That leaves us with:
Coltman/Harris/Taylor/Toomaga-Allen/Tu'inukuafe/Tuungafasi/Franks/Moody/Retallick/Whitelock/Barrett (S)/Cane/Fifita/Frizell/Hemopo/Savea (A)/Squire/Read/Perenara/Smith (A)/Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi/Barrett (B)/McKenzie/Mo'unga/Laumape/Lienert-Brown/Crotty/Goodhue/Barrett (J)/Ioane (R)/Milner-Skudder/Naholo/Smith (B)
Training with squad: Coles/Ioane (A)/SBW.
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Good work @pakman
May be worth taking into account that the official squad named has an impact on how players are payed during the year (if the same system as previous applies from the RPA agreement). From memory being named in the squad locks you in as an AB for the whole international season and you are paid accordingly.
Because of that I would expect that 'temporary' players will be treated as such while those not available yet but expected to play a majority of games will get named then released.
eg Coles and SBW should be on the official 33 list but someone else will be named as cover. -
Good work @pakman
May be worth taking into account that the official squad named has an impact on how players are payed during the year (if the same system as previous applies from the RPA agreement). From memory being named in the squad locks you in as an AB for the whole international season and you are paid accordingly.
Because of that I would expect that 'temporary' players will be treated as such while those not available yet but expected to play a majority of games will get named then released.
eg Coles and SBW should be on the official 33 list but someone else will be named as cover.Thanks @crucial. You make a good point.
The most typical response by Wise Men on Coles would be to once again attach Coltman.
More juicy with SBW. Seniority would suggest Goodhue attached, which seems harsh. The alternative is Laumape, which might make (slightly) more sense as the WM seem to have RC and SBW as preferred 12s.
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Pretty likely with Pakman/Crucial's additions, however I think that they'll select L. Whitelock and leave out another 6/lock, just in case Read goes down in a heap. And before any Blues fans jump up and down, I'd select A. Ioane, but I suspect that won't happen until the end of year tour. Hope to be proven wrong.
Based on what I've seen so far, Hemopo looks a better prospect, so they'll select Frizzell instead no doubt. Fifita doesn't have much going for him either.
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@gt12 I like Hemopo's workrate and injections. I wonder how much better he'd be with an extra 5-7kg on his frame.
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@antipodean said in TRC squad:
@gt12 I like Hemopo's workrate and injections. I wonder how much better he'd be with an extra 5-7kg on his frame.
Release him to provincial rugby and get him playing 8 I say.
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I'm only concerned about his speed - is he a short lock or was he too slow getting around to play 6? Either way, I like his hustle and the way he throws himself around.
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@antipodean said in TRC squad:
@gt12 I like Hemopo's workrate and injections. I wonder how much better he'd be with an extra 5-7kg on his frame.
Release him to provincial rugby and get him playing 8 I say.
What's his height/weight ratio?
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Pakman's assessment seems pretty close to the mark.
I expect the selectors will be overly cautious with returning players from injuries given it is the third year of the cycle. In past campaigns the goal was to peak for the EOYT as a dry run for the RWC, so they will use TRC get good looks at players who have been in the picture but haven't had that many tests. The injuries are almost a blessing as it gives them the necessary openings to do that.
Picking a RWC 31-man squad assuming everyone were fit is a more entertaining task at this point.
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@antipodean said in TRC squad:
@gt12 I like Hemopo's workrate and injections. I wonder how much better he'd be with an extra 5-7kg on his frame.
Release him to provincial rugby and get him playing 8 I say.
What's his height/weight ratio?
Yes indeed and are the stats 100% accurate or are we looking at an Adam Thompson being listed as heavier than Jerome Kaino fiasco like we have in the past?
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@antipodean said in TRC squad:
@gt12 I like Hemopo's workrate and injections. I wonder how much better he'd be with an extra 5-7kg on his frame.
Release him to provincial rugby and get him playing 8 I say.
What's his height/weight ratio?
Nothing like Carl Hayman's
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when's the squad named?
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@machpants said in TRC squad:
got one!In my Mo'unga defence I did pause to ponder if @taniwharugby was runnning the old Fern gag, but decided as I'd already typed it to send it anyway! 🐡
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