2020 All Blacks Squad
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Backs will be fine. We have enough core young players that will carry through a cycle (Mounga, TTT, ALB, Goodhue, Reiko, DMac) and plenty of upcoming talent to add in and experiment before upping the experience levels.
Forwards looking OK in the front row and any other problems are no different to what we always face.
The big question for the next cycle is captaincy. SW probably won't be there. Cane has a cloud over him (and is better not being Cap IMO). Coles? Maybe his time off will have extended his career or shown him that he needs to look at the money before his career ends. BBBR is a dark horse option although I can see him looking for an earner at some point through the cycle which wouldn't be ideal for a captain.
I can't see that we want a stopgap captain. Ideally we want someone to own the role and build a reputation.
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@bones said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@crucial Taylor the dark horse for captain?
Yeah, I considered him too.
Don't know of his leadership qualities but maybe he's one of those guys like Whitelock that is quiet but effective.
I'd love to see BBBR step up. For some reason I think he'd make a great captain but can understand that NZRU would have to pull a pretty huge deal to stop him having at least a sabbatical earner. -
@wairau said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
when will Niko Jones be an AB? 2021?
Depends on whether he has to follow the Akira pathway or the highlanders reserve one.
The loose forward mix will certainly be interesting. We are still looking for a long term 6, 8 will become vacant, 7 will depend a lot on whether/when Cane comes back.
If Cane returns and Ardie moves to 8 where does that leave Akira? Still out in the cold?
Put Akira at 8 and one of Cane/Ardie is wasted.
I think 6 at test level is too restrictive for Akira's playing style.
Then there will be new 'stars' to come in like Niko. I can see him taking the role Ardie has had up until this year. -
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@majorrage said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
If he keeps going up like he did last year, I'm picking Jack Goodhue as future long term captain.
As much as I hate to say it I prefer the captain to be a forward myself. You need to be closer to the breakdowns to get the feel for the ref and pick up on his comments.
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@crucial
Niko is only 17. Let's wait and see how he develops....2022?
We need Akira at 8, with a bit more maturity and focus another year or two will bring-and hopefully as a star off the bench in RWC 2019.
Jackson Hemopo at 6 would be good, and Cane/Ardie at 7, with Niko in the future...plus who knows who else? Papalii....Fifita....Whitelock...Evans...Hunt -
@crucial said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@majorrage said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
If he keeps going up like he did last year, I'm picking Jack Goodhue as future long term captain.
As much as I hate to say it I prefer the captain to be a forward myself. You need to be closer to the breakdowns to get the feel for the ref and pick up on his comments.
Well yes, but I can't see a ready leader in the pack ATM.
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@crucial said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
I can't see that we want a stopgap captain.
I would prefer we got away from picking long-term, full RWC cycle captains 6-8 years into their career and moved back to 4-6 if possible. We are tempting fate to expect guys to kick on and have 10 or 12 year careers.
If there are no quality candidates who own their jersey, don't have major injury issues and have leadership qualities then I would prefer they went with a Tana style appointment where the expectation is that they probably won't make the next RWC.
Gut feel says that unless Cane can come back with a vengeance it will hinge on which of Barrett, Retallick and Whitelock stay.
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I reckon there will be a bunch of guys ive never heard of .
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@majorrage he was captain through most of his age group sides including NZ I think?
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@stargazer said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@wairau said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
when will Niko Jones be an AB? 2021?
There's another up-and-comer, but without an AB dad, who'll compete for the same spot. Devan Flanders has future AB written all over him.
Yeah, so did Mitch Jacobson. He's barely getting games at Super level.
"Future AB" is a much, much bigger group of people than "actual AB".
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@chester-draws Yup, true that. I was just adding a name to the list.
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@stargazer said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@wairau said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
when will Niko Jones be an AB? 2021?
There's another up-and-comer, but without an AB dad, who'll compete for the same spot. Devan Flanders has future AB written all over him.
Niko Jones gets first dibs as he has a much cooler name.
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@crucial said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
I'd love to see BBBR step up. For some reason I think he'd make a great captain but can understand that NZRU would have to pull a pretty huge deal to stop him having at least a sabbatical earner.
BBBR is even reluctant to captain the Chiefs. He's done it once as a late replacement. Cooper may revert back to him next year, which is probably not a bad idea looking at the bigger picture.
