AB Depth Chart 2020
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New players, new coaches, new season, new reality. Huge changes this year in every aspect. So, it must be time to look what depth remains from previous AB squads, and who might join them or take their place.
Worth revisiting at the end of the Super Rugby season ...
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Loosehead Prop
Joe Moody - best scrummager in NZ, very good in tight work, not great around the field. Needs a big year, with improved defence and/or some solid ball carrying role added to his game.
Atu Moli - converted tight head, hasn't been in impressive form, looks better at tight head. Now injured for the season, looked most at risk of dropping out as a LH. Might have made it for covering both sides.
Karl Tu'inukuafe - impressive form before COVID-19, should've been at the 2019 RWC. Shoe in if fit. He's a big guy though, so is going to have to put in some work at getting off the deck and back into the defensive line under the SRA interpretations.
Contenders:
Alex Hodgman (good around the field, scrummaging has improved), Aidan Ross, Ayden Johnstone.
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Hooker
A big issue for Foster's team. NZ really only has one international quality hooker, Codie Taylor, and he has probably been over played over the past two seasons, and isn't dominant at test level. Coles has okay as backup, but has been below desired quality for the past two years, and has discipline problems. Showed some signs of life on Sunday, but much of his game was of lesser quality to Parsons. Time to drop him.
Contenders:
First thing to note is that all the next level of hookers (Parsons isn't in contention for the ABs) have problems with their throwing. This can be exacerbated by lack of lineout targets (Chiefs, Hurricanes).
Taukei'aho - has a very good mix of power in the loose and tight roles, and a good work rate. Throwing needs a lot of work.
Aumua - dynamic player with good speed, brutal ball carrier, can put in some big hits on defence. Has improved his work rate. Skills will continue to develop. Poor lineout thrower.
Coltman - excellent "jackler", poor thrower, rest of game not international standard.
Makalio - big guy, pretty powerful, decent thrower. Different type of player than the ABs have used in the past, possible stopgap.
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Tighthead Prop
Depth is thin, and the cupboard is looking a bit bare as far as top class players go. Moli should've stayed on this side.
Nepo Laulala - the incumbent. Underwhelmed at the world cup, quite good this year but nothing special, and has been put under pressure at scrum time. Needs to improve loose play, work rate, and scrummaging. Needs a big year.
Ofa Tu'ungafasi - Very good around the field, but can give away a silly penalty around the ruck. Underrated scrummager, but can be inconsistent. Could be his year to step up as a starter.
Angus Ta'avao - Stop gap player selected to play both sides, but isn't able to play loosehead at a competitive level. Okay in the scrum, okay around the field, not really international quality. Returning from long term injury.
Contenders:
Tyrel Lomax - okay scrummager with potential to improve a lot, has been drilled by a few looseheads. Good around the field but not outstanding.
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Laulala didn't even last 40 mins in his first game against the Blues before injuring his knee. He played more minutes than I thought he would on his return on Sat night. He is the best TH scrummager so I would favour a Nepo-Ofa combo on that side.
Coles is still in the top 2 hookers but is probably better as the impact player now, as long as that impact is positive.
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@Tim said in AB Depth Chart 2020:
@Bovidae Got to disagree on Coles. Apart from a charge down the wing, he doesn't offer much quality now. Also his on field "leadership" is a liability. A has-been.
agreed, except for his work in Fitzy's channel, i didn't think he offered that much. I have him points over Parsons, but in hindsight that was harsh. He threw okay and scrummaged well though.
I'm totally cool with your FR selections. I like Ofa T, but really want him to come off the bench.
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Lock
Another tough one. There are three names automatically on the sheet, but all have real limitations or concerns.
Whitelock - One of the best ever for NZ, and pretty much a complete player. Has played a lot over the last three seasons, and form has slid over the last two. May not be an automatic starter any more. Hopefully a break has rejuvenated him. Had a poor World Cup by his standards. ABs need a couple of good years out of him, so needs to have time managed.
Barrett - An "inbetweener". Will never be physically dominant as a lock, but has a great work rate and pace around the field. Not a starter against a big pack (SA, England, France). Not a six. Overrated by NZ media. Decent but not particularly good lineout target.
Tuipulotu - A "power" lock. Physically dominant around the park, improved at set piece a lot, work rate improved. Not a good lineout target at top level. Decent at steals. Should start against the big packs.
Retallick - Potentially the best player in the world. Frequently injured over last two seasons. Not back until next year, and not playing Super Rugby in 2021 either. Don't rely on him as AB saviour ...
Contenders:
Dunshea, Strange, Walker-Leawere.
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@Tim said in AB Depth Chart 2020:
Lock
Another tough one. There are three names automatically on the sheet, but all have real limitations or concerns.
Whitelock - One of the best ever for NZ, and pretty much a complete player. Has played a lot over the last three seasons, and form has slid over the last two. May not be an automatic starter any more. Hopefully a break has rejuvenated him. Had a poor World Cup by his standards. ABs need a couple of good years out of him, so needs to have time managed.
Barrett - An "inbetweener". Will never be physically dominant as a lock, but has a great work rate and pace around the field. Not a starter against a big pack (SA, England, France). Not a six. Overrated by NZ media. Decent but not particularly good lineout target.
Tuipulotu - A "power" lock. Physically dominant around the park, improved at set piece a lot, work rate improved. Not a good lineout target at top level. Decent at steals. Should start against the big packs.
Retallick - Potentially the best player in the world. Frequently injured over last two seasons. Not back until next year, and not playing Super Rugby in 2021 either. Don't rely on him as AB saviour ...
Contenders:
Dunshea, Strange, Walker-Leawere.
huge concern. also tied in to Foster needing to have a bit of a rethink around the way we play test football
Whitelock may just be cooked. He's not that old, but he's played a lot of test footy. I hope not, because he's a fucking gun, and probably now in the conversation as an "all-time" AB
Retallick is nearly our most important player. He's the difference maker in our pack. We are so much more average when he is out, or under-cooked. Those days will only be more frequent.
My thoughts on SB are well known. Decent squadie, but to be great, we need an upgrade.
Patty T is my big hope, he's the kind of guy that can just bash opposition packs in to surrender. I really hope this year it finally clicks, because it hasn't yet. But he's going to need a Whitelock-type next to him.
No one really looks "to the manor born"
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For me the concern is come the next RWC some of our current top players may be past it and I don't see replacements who have the potential to get to the level of these players coming through. Guys like Aaron Smith, Beauden, Retallick, Whitelock, Taylor, Coles and Cane come to mind.
