AB "What could have been" XV
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@pukunui when he signed to go overseas he still had Ellison and Kahui ahead of him, then had that huge super season and he and his manager siad he hadn't signed yet and he got picked for the French series.
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@taniwharugby said in AB "What could have been" XV:
@pukunui when he signed to go overseas he still had Ellison and Kahui ahead of him, then had that huge super season and he and his manager siad he hadn't signed yet and he got picked for the French series.
It was an interesting period. We had a midfield that were 80 minute players and two of our top performers. There were opportunities for others albeit very limited. I recall Kahui getting a shot at centre for a couple of consecutive tests with mixed reaction.
Basically the coaches needed a backup back three player but equally profiecient in the midfield. Ellison was definitely that guy whereas the AB coaches only played Ranger as a winger.
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@kiwiinmelb said in AB "What could have been" XV:
@act-crusader said in AB "What could have been" XV:
@bovidae said in AB "What could have been" XV:
You could include one of the Gear brothers on the other wing. Neither fulfilled their potential in the black jersey.
I reckon Rico carved out a damn good test career with three other quality wingers around the same time.
Hosea on the hand probably fits the bill. He didn’t translate that Super form to the test level. A bit like a few other players mentioned in this thread, had all the physical attributes but didn’t quite kick on.
From what I remember , at one stage Rico and Howlett were neck and neck for that right wing spot , there was nothing between them . And Joe was automatic selection for the left ( before Sivivatu emerged )
I remember when Rico got his first shot in that PI series. Henry rotated his players quite a bit in his first few tests.
But Howlett and Rok were the preferred duo throughout the Tri-Nations and Rico got another chance on the EOYT in the lesser matches.
2005 was when there was a heap of rotation with all four of them.
Gear - 8 caps
Rok - 7 caps
Howlett - 5 caps
Sivi - 6 caps -
@act-crusader said in AB "What could have been" XV:
@kiwiinmelb said in AB "What could have been" XV:
@act-crusader said in AB "What could have been" XV:
@bovidae said in AB "What could have been" XV:
You could include one of the Gear brothers on the other wing. Neither fulfilled their potential in the black jersey.
I reckon Rico carved out a damn good test career with three other quality wingers around the same time.
Hosea on the hand probably fits the bill. He didn’t translate that Super form to the test level. A bit like a few other players mentioned in this thread, had all the physical attributes but didn’t quite kick on.
From what I remember , at one stage Rico and Howlett were neck and neck for that right wing spot , there was nothing between them . And Joe was automatic selection for the left ( before Sivivatu emerged )
I remember when Rico got his first shot in that PI series. Henry rotated his players quite a bit in his first few tests.
But Howlett and Rok were the preferred duo throughout the Tri-Nations and Rico got another chance on the EOYT in the lesser matches.
2005 was when there was a heap of rotation with all four of them.
Gear - 8 caps
Rok - 7 caps
Howlett - 5 caps
Sivi - 6 capsobscene depth
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@mariner4life sure was. Add to them two quality fullbacks. In 2005 Mils played 10 tests and Rangi 9 tests.
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@act-crusader said in AB "What could have been" XV:
@mariner4life sure was. Add to them two quality fullbacks. In 2005 Mils played 10 tests and Rangi 9 tests.
Was the 2005 end of year tour squad the greatest ever assembled? Two complete 15s that bitch-whipped Ireland and Wales in consecutive weeks.
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@act-crusader Howlett played 15 too didnt he, was handy enough himself.
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Wales
N. S. Tialata
A. D. Oliver
C. J. Hayman
C. R. Jack
J. A. C. Ryan
J. Collins
M. C. Masoe
R. So'oialo
B. T. Kelleher
D. W. Carter
J. T. Rokocoko
J. F. Umaga (C)
C. G. Smith
R. L. Gear
J. M. Muliaina -
Ireland
T. D. Woodcock
K. F. Mealamu
I. F. Afoa
J. J. Eaton
A. J. Williams
S. T. H. Lauaki
R. H. McCaw (C)
M. M. Tuiali'i
P. A. T. Weepu
N. J. Evans
S. W. Sivivatu
A. J. D. Mauger
M. A Nonu
D. C. Howlett
L. R. MacDonald -
@taniwharugby said in AB "What could have been" XV:
@act-crusader Howlett played 15 too didnt he, was handy enough himself.
Mils played on the left wing vs SA, so the back three selection was really mixed up.
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We should’ve scrapped playing Wales and Ireland and just had a two test series between those two AB sides
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@act-crusader The team that played Scotland was very different to the team that played Ireland too.
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@act-crusader those 2 teams were rather handy.
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@taniwharugby said in AB "What could have been" XV:
@act-crusader Howlett played 15 too didnt he, was handy enough himself.
Definitely a handy fullback but I don’t think he played fullback for the ABs in 2005.
Toeava got his first cap at fullback against Scotland.
Mils played a bit of wing for the ABs but that was a little later on.
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@taniwharugby said in AB "What could have been" XV:
@act-crusader those 2 teams were rather handy.
If only we had access to the old TSF threads from then. There were calls for Henry’s head for cheapening the jersey, the arrogance, the ‘how is he an All Black’, the calls for Weepu to be now number 1 halfback, was Tialata really our best backup prop.....
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@act-crusader said in AB "What could have been" XV:
If only we had access to the old TSF threads from then. There were calls for Henry’s head for cheapening the jersey, the arrogance, the ‘how is he an All Black’, the calls for Weepu to be now number 1 halfback, was Tialata really our best backup prop.....
Shame it’s only the thread titles at archive.org
I see this same thread existed back then “Unfulfilled potential xv”
Edit - This link seems to have clickable threads from just before the 2005 EOYT
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@duluth Hahah, the benefit of hindsight:
How can they justify Eaton, Hore, Nonu, an injured and clearly below-par Sivivatu, and Toeava ahead of these players who have been doing the business week-in week-out, and helping their teams perform to a consistantly high standard.
What kind of motivation does this breed if players who are outstanding in the NPC do not get selected?
Does this de-value the competition even more than it seems to have been de-valued?Don't get me wrong, I think they've got it right with the majority of the squad, but it's around the fringes that we're losing quality players overseas.
A younger player like Toeava is not going to leave NZ for a long, long time, and there are better ways to see if he's go the goods, like the Juniors or - here's a crazy thought, but stick with me Ted - see how he handles S14???
I hope he becomes something brilliant, but I just don't see Toeava becoming anything more than another Kaino or Laulala.
