AB squad next RWC (2023)?
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@Higgins said in AB squad next RWC (2023)?:
@Hooroo said in AB squad next RWC (2023)?:
The Jesse Ryder of NZ rugby
At least Jesse actually performed at the highest level. A crying shame that he did not persevere, certainly a case of "what might have been".
His test batting average places him at 17th place in NZ behind
TA Blundell @ 68 (two tests in 2017)
CS Dempster @ 65.72
KW Hough @ 62 (two tests in the late 1950s)
MP Donnelly @ 52.90
KS Williamson @ 52.22
HM McGirr @ 51.00 (two tests in 1930)
FB Smith @ 47.40 (four tests in the late 40s/early 50s)
LPRL Taylor @ 46.52
MD Crowe @ 45.36
JF Reid @ 46.28
MH Richardson @ 44.77
GM Turner @ 44.64
AH Jones @ 44.27
HM Nicholls @ 44.25
TWM Latham @ 44.03
HG Vivian @ 42.10 (seven tests in the 1930s)
JD Ryder @ 40.93It's not what he has achieved I am getting at, it is what he didn't achieve...
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Discussing what an AB's squad might look like in 4 years time, holy heck!!!!
There will be players in there that no one has ever heard of, players whose form falls off a cliff, new coaches with new ideas and new favourites......
And perhaps the biggest unknown of all, it's near impossible to know who the Highlanders 3rd string No.6 will be this far out.
What a waste of energy even thinking about who might be in this team.
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@Gunner said in AB squad next RWC (2023)?:
Discussing what an AB's squad might look like in 4 years time, holy heck!!!!
There will be players in there that no one has ever heard of, players whose form falls off a cliff, new coaches with new ideas and new favourites......
And perhaps the biggest unknown of all, it's near impossible to know who the Highlanders 3rd string No.6 will be this far out.
What a waste of energy even thinking about who might be in this team.
What will be interesting it comparing this list to the one selected in 4 years time, that would be worth the energy.
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Didn't we have a similar thread after a previous World Cup? If so, maybe someone more talented than me could dig it out. Would be an interesting read.
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@Crazy-Horse doesnt look like it goes back that far, but here is a bolters thread from 2016.
https://www.forum.thesilverfern.com/topic/646/ab-bolters-thread
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@taniwharugby you need to delete that link! Just read the first page and it makes it look like @Baron-Silas-Greenback knows what he's talking about. He predicted Savea being a bolter and when challenged about three opensides he said Savea transcends positions. Something along the lines of Ardie's position is 'the Savea'.
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@Crazy-Horse said in AB squad next RWC (2023)?:
@taniwharugby you need to delete that link! Just read the first page and it makes it look like @Baron-Silas-Greenback knows what he's talking about. He predicted Savea being a bolter and when challenged about three opensides he said Savea transcends positions. Something along the lines of Ardie's position is 'the Savea'.
You will get used to it. I am always pulling that sort of Nostradamus shit.
Cricket oracle is my actual specialty though, rugby soothsaying is more a hobby. -
@Bovidae said in AB squad next RWC (2023)?:
@ACT-Crusader If you has also met Manute Bol you'd have the full set. Eaton was a giant in his time.
It was a young Shaq, when he came to OZ early in his NBA career (still at Orlando) on a Reebok tour, but he was a big unit then that became even bigger when he went to LA and Miami (and ginormous are Phoenix, Boston).
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Fletcher Newell and tamati Williams
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@Hooroo At least he got a go at the international stage.
Yes his form fell away this year and he's in horrible shape at this current stage, but he deserved a run somewhere between 2017-2018 despite people continuously finding reasons not to pick him when there were far inferior players given opportunities ahead of him.
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@African-Monkey said in AB squad next RWC (2023)?:
@Hooroo At least he got a go at the international stage.
Yes his form fell away this year and he's in horrible shape at this current stage, but he deserved a run somewhere between 2017-2018 despite people continuously finding reasons not to pick him when there were far inferior players given opportunities ahead of him.
I've lost track ... we still talking Akira?
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@ACT-Crusader said in AB squad next RWC (2023)?:
@Bovidae said in AB squad next RWC (2023)?:
When I lived in the USA I saw up close a number of basketball players who breathed rarified air. The backup centre for the college team was a white guy who was 2.18 m (7' 2").
shameless name drop alert
I’ve met Shaq (7’1), Yao Ming (7’3), Shawn Bradley (7’6), Mark Eaton (7’4) and they are sun blockers! I was only a kid at the time when I met Eaton and I thought he was Goliath!
Yao is 7'6" (2.29m)
Substantially taller than Shaq:
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@TeWaio said in AB squad next RWC (2023)?:
@ACT-Crusader said in AB squad next RWC (2023)?:
@Bovidae said in AB squad next RWC (2023)?:
When I lived in the USA I saw up close a number of basketball players who breathed rarified air. The backup centre for the college team was a white guy who was 2.18 m (7' 2").
shameless name drop alert
I’ve met Shaq (7’1), Yao Ming (7’3), Shawn Bradley (7’6), Mark Eaton (7’4) and they are sun blockers! I was only a kid at the time when I met Eaton and I thought he was Goliath!
Yao is 7'6" (2.29m)
Substantially taller than Shaq:
Looks like Yao’s wearing Air Force 1’s which add an inch and half....
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@sparky said in AB squad next RWC (2023)?:
A long way out I know, but I had a little think about who could still be around or might break through by then.
Props
Atu Moli (28 at start of next RWC)
Alex Fidow (26)
Karl Tu'inukuafe (30)
Ofa Tu'ungafasi (31)
Tyrel Lomax (27)Hookers
Codie Taylor (32)
Nathan Harris (31)
Asafo Aumua (26)Locks
Scott Barrett (29)
Patrick Tuitupolou (30)
Brodie Retallick (32) or Pari Pari Parkinson (27)Back row
Luke Jacobson (26)
Nico Jones (22) or Aaron Segner (22)
Ardie Savea (29)
Dalton Papali'i (25)
Akira Ioane (28) or Devan Flanders (24)
Shannon Frizzell (29) or Sam Cane (31)Half Backs
TJ Perenera (31)
Mitchell Drummond (29)
Leroy Carter (24) or Folau Fakatava (23)First Fives
Beauden Barrett (32)
Richie Mo'unga (29)
Josh Ioane (28)Midfield
ALB (28)
Jack Goodhue (28)
Jordie Barrett (26)
Vince Aso (27) or Ngani Laumape (30)Back Three
Reiko Ioane (26)
Sevu Reece (27)
Damian McKenzie (28)
Will Jordan (25)
Leicester Fainga'anuku (23) or George Bridge (28)Any other suggestions?
Stephen Perofeta?
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@booboo said in AB squad next RWC (2023)?:
@Gunner said in AB squad next RWC (2023)?:
Discussing what an AB's squad might look like in 4 years time, holy heck!!!!
How long you been signed up here?
A while, even long enough to know better... 😉
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@Tim said in AB squad next RWC (2023)?:
@Steven-Harris With an underdone Retallick, and Whitelock playing a lot of minutes in his absence, we really got done there.
Barrett is too small against big packs. Pat T is a beast, but he's not a great lineout target.
Pat also plays far too nice. There’s no reason why he can’t be a high performing “power” lock like Itoje, provided he can up his aggression
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@sparky said in AB squad next RWC (2023)?:
@Steven-Harris said in AB squad next RWC (2023)?:
@sparky
Alex Fidow would have to improve his scrummaging big time
Asafo Amua would have to improve throwing his darts
Akira Ioane ..would will require a massive attitude shift..I'm hoping the next set of All Blacks coaches can do something about all three in the same way Eddie Jones has improved the England forwards.
A lot of the development of the guys like Billy V, IMO, is due to lack of alternatives. They can’t afford to not to be patient with Billy, because the next can off the rank is a big step down and simply put there’s no other player like him in that country. The ABs on the other hand can afford to be more ruthless generally speaking because we presume the next big thing will be coming along soon enough. That view has bitten us in the arse a bit recently particularly at 6.
Yao Ming - Wikipedia
