2020 All Blacks Squad
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Hmm... an All Black squad in 2020... that depends on what spots are vacant. This will probably be the 2019 World Cup squad that Shag picks. He'll probably pick these players for the 2019 World Cup:
Hookers:
- Codie Taylor
- Dane Coles
- Asafo Aumua
Props:
4. Karl Tu'inukuafe
5. Owen Franks
6. Ofa Tu'ungafasi
7. Nepo Laulala
8. Joe MoodyLocks:
9. Sam Whitelock
10. Brodie Retallick
11. Scott BarrettLoose forwards:
12. Kieran Read - Captain
13. Ardie Savea
14. Vaea Fifita
15. Jackson Hemopo
16. Matt Todd/Sam Cane - IF Cane comes back
17. Luke WhitelockScrum-halves:
18. TJ Perenara
19. Aaron "kick away possession" Smith
20. Te Toiroa TahuriorangiFirst-Fives:
21. Beauden "kick away possession" Barrett
22. Richie Mo'unga
23. Damian "kick away possession" McKenzieMidfield:
24. Ma'a Nonu (Williams and Crotty are past it)
25. Anton Lienert-Brown
26. Jack Goodhue
27. Ngani LaumapeOutside backs:
28. Rieko
29. Ben Smith
30. George Bridge
31. Waisake NaholoSo after the World Cup we'll need to find replacements for Owen Franks, Ben Smith, Kieran Read, Dane Coles, Waisake Naholo, Ma'a Nonu, Aaron Smith, Matt Todd, and possibly Beauden Barrett. If Foster is Head Coach, all of those other players will stay the same.
Here's some possible replacements for those 8 or 9 players:
Folau Fakatava (currently uncapped) WILL replace Aaron Smith, it's just a matter of when
Jordie Barrett, David Havili could be re-called in 2020, or Will Jordan and Solomon Alaimalo could debut as replacements for Ben Smith. Matt Duffie is a bit old for a re-call.
Tyrel Lomax, Reuben O'Neil (uncapped), Mike Alaalatoa (uncapped) and Harry Allan (uncapped) are possible replacements for Owen Franks
Marino Mikaele-Tu'u (uncapped), Devan Flanders and Akira Ioane are probably better replacements for Read in the long-term, rather than sticking with Gareth Evans
I think we all know that even if Nathan Harris is chosen over Ricky Riccitelli (uncapped) and Asafo Aumua for 2019, both of them will be All Blacks by 2020 as replacements for Coles
So many options to replace Naholo, luckily. Uncapped players who could replace him are Salesi Rayasi, Etene Nanai-Seturo, Jordan Trainor, Caleb Clarke, Leicester Faingaanuku (who I think is the next Julian Savea), Tevita Li, even Jonah Lowe could have a crack at taking Naholo's spot.
Potential uncapped new midfielders to replace Nonu include the likes of Vince Aso (hope he isn't selected), Billy Proctor, the Umaga-Jensen brothers, but personally I'd move Rieko to centre and re-call David Havili to blood some new outside backs like Clarke.
Wether Dalton Papali'i makes the next World Cup or not, he's going to be a regular starter by 2023's World Cup. Other loose forwards who could possibly make their debuts after 2019's World Cup are Hugh Renton, Ethan Blackadder, Lachlan Boshier, Mitch Karpik and Blake Gibson. They'll do the job replacing Matt Todd.
If Beauden Barrett does end up leaving, I'd say it's a straight race between Brett Cameron and Bryn Gatland (uncapped) for his jersey. I don't see Stephen Perofeta giving Mo'unga a challenge at the starting role.
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No to Bryn Gatland, even if his dad is coach. He has zero upside -- not an ace kicker, not quick, not quick handed, not even a demon defender. I'd go Fletcher Smith before Gatland.
Number eight after the world cup will be Ardie Savea. If it isn't Foster picking, then Ioane will be the next choice.
We're playing Nonu at the world cup because Williams is "past it"! Very funny. I know Ma'a has staying power, but are we really going to be fielding a 37 year old guy who's been out of the system?
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@Chester-Draws said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
No to Bryn Gatland, even if his dad is coach. He has zero upside -- not an ace kicker, not quick, not quick handed, not even a demon defender. I'd go Fletcher Smith before Gatland.
Number eight after the world cup will be Ardie Savea. If it isn't Foster picking, then Ioane will be the next choice.
We're playing Nonu at the world cup because Williams is "past it"! Very funny. I know Ma'a has staying power, but are we really going to be fielding a 37 year old guy who's been out of the system?
I reserve the right to change my position once I see him play, but Nonu is no ordinary player. The guy is a physical freak and tough as nails
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I am pretty sure Liam Squire will be in the RWC squad.
Among the names I could add to yours for 2020 are Parkinson, Luke Jacobson, Taukei'aho, Fidow, Ennor, Walker Leawere and Seu. -
@cgrant Luke Jacobsen isn't a starter for the Chiefs. He's not going to make the ABs.
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@Chester-Draws didn't stop Frizell at the Highlanders.
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not to mention Jacobson is likely to get a decent amount of gametime this year too with Cane being out most of the super season
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@Chester-Draws you watched any chiefs games?
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He doesn't even doesn't even particularly stand out for me for Waikato, let alone the Chiefs.
I know he was the next big thing at age level, but that was then.
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@KiwiMurph said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@Chester-Draws didn't stop Frizell at the Highlanders.
And raise your hands everyone who thinks that's a good decision.
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@Chester-Draws he didn’t stand out at ITM because he didn’t play...... his brother did
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@Chester-Draws :
Luke Jacobson was captain and blindside flanker of the 2017 U20 ABs. As the 2018 Super Rugby rounds progressed, he was more and more involved and was a regular starter by the end of the season. He looks like a young Liam Messam IMO.
I don't rated his brother who was Waikato's openside flanker during the Mitre 10 Cup. -
I confess I confused the two brothers. I was overseas for the last Super 12 and missed those games. I wasn't hugely impressed with Luke previously when he played for Waikato (although given the disaster that season was, perhaps that wasn't an ideal time for him to shine).
I did watch Liam Messam play as a young man. He had lightening top speed (I remember a commentator mentioning that he wasn't quick for a forward, he was quick full-stop, one of the reasons he was so good at Sevens). But he was light and an openside, as I recall -- he put on a lot of weight and changed sides before he was anywhere near good enough to be an AB. If Jacobson looks like a "young Messam" then he's a few years yet off making the ABs.
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@Chester-Draws said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
I confess I confused the two brothers. I was overseas for the last Super 12 and missed those games. I wasn't hugely impressed with Luke previously when he played for Waikato (although given the disaster that season was, perhaps that wasn't an ideal time for him to shine).
I did watch Liam Messam play as a young man. He had lightening top speed (I remember a commentator mentioning that he wasn't quick for a forward, he was quick full-stop, one of the reasons he was so good at Sevens). But he was light and an openside, as I recall -- he put on a lot of weight and changed sides before he was anywhere near good enough to be an AB. If Jacobson looks like a "young Messam" then he's a few years yet off making the ABs.
Young Messam had about three seasons of arguments about whether he was a loosie or a midfield.
