AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?

[sparky]

Angus Ta'avao might well be one of the selected propa but he didn't look too flash in his first game back at the weekend.

[sparky]

Lots of depth in most positions and so much exciting young talent. Good players missing out even on a 35 man squad after lots of injuries.

Only Lock, Half Back and 12 where talent looks thinner.

[sparky]

@Tim said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:

@sparky Apologies Sparky! I saw three names at 10, without seeing that two were Beauden and Barrett.

No worries. Think they'll pick DMac or Joah Ioane but not both.

Peter Umaga-Jensen might get the nod. But personally I thibk another year of Mitre 10 and Super Rugby will boast his development.

[Bones]

@sparky said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:

Only Lock, Half Back and 12 where talent looks thinner.

Crusaders failing us yet again. At least the blues are providing options now...

[antipodean]

@sparky said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:

@Tim said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:

As the days tick down to Ian Foster's first All Blacks squad naming on August 30 there is no shortage of selection debates. The loose forwards, where Lachlan Boshier and Dalton Papalii continue to shine, and outside backs, with rookie Blues wing Caleb Clarke leading the charge, will be hotly contested among the 35 man squad.

Props: Moody, Tu'inukuafe, Laulala, Tu'ungafasi, Lomax, Hodgman
Hookers: Taylor, Coles, Aumua
Locks: S Whitelock, Tuipulotu, Parkinson, Cowley-Tuioti
Back Row: Cane (c), Savea, Frizell, Grace, A Ioane, Papali'i, Sotutu (Bolshier if Grace, Papali'i or Sotutu still injured).
Half Backs: A Smith, Perenera, Drummond Hall
First Five: Beauden Barrett, Mo'unga
Midfield: ALB, Goodhue, only injuries should see them in, R Ioane, Ennor, PUJ, TJF
Back Three: C Clarke, Reece, Jordan, J Barrett, Bridge, McKenzie let's be serious

[Bones]

@antipodean yuuuuuck

[antipodean]

@Bones said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:

@antipodean yuuuuuck

You DMac fanbois...

[sparky]

@Bones Will Tucker may eventually be an All Black but needs more gametime at Mitre 10 and Super level.

[Bones]

@antipodean said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:

@Bones said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:

@antipodean yuuuuuck

You DMac fanbois...

You could be onto something - if there's going to be a "bolter" I reckon it'll be Faiane (in the backs). Proper 2nd/5, accurate on defence, likes to put his outsides away, deft boot and his style looks like it'd suit test rugby.

Edit: Ennor can try again next year though.

[Chris]

North v South maybe as close as it gets
Looks more and more like no tests this year .

Mitre 10 cup maybe all we will have after SR this season.

[canefan]

@Chris said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:

North v South maybe as close as it gets
Looks more and more like no tests this year .

Mitre 10 cup maybe all we will have after SR this season.

Yes, unless opposition agree to enter quarantine, sanctioned by the government

[sparky]

@Chris said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:

North v South maybe as close as it gets
Looks more and more like no tests this year .

Mitre 10 cup maybe all we will have after SR this season.

There are going to be dozens of Rugby Tests later in the year in the UK where over 45,000+ people died with COVID-19.

It will look totally inept if NZR/ the New Zealand can't negotiate the ABs involvement in one Test this year.

[pakman]

@sparky said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:

@Tim said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:

As the days tick down to Ian Foster's first All Blacks squad naming on August 30 there is no shortage of selection debates. The loose forwards, where Lachlan Boshier and Dalton Papalii continue to shine, and outside backs, with rookie Blues wing Caleb Clarke leading the charge, will be hotly contested among the 35 man squad.

Props: Moody, Tu'inukuafe, Laulala, Tu'ungafasi, Lomax, Hodgman
Hookers: Taylor, Coles, Aumua
Locks: S Whitelock, Tuipulotu, Parkinson, Cowley-Tuioti
Back Row: Cane (c), Savea, Frizell, Grace, A Ioane, Papali'i, Sotutu (Bolshier if Grace, Papali'i or Sotutu still injured).
Half Backs: A Smith, Perenera, Drummond
First Five: Beauden Barrett, Mo'unga
Midfield: ALB, Goodhue, R Ioane, Ennor
Back Three: C Clarke, Reece, Jordan, J Barrett, Bridge, McKenzie

That forward pack covers the bases, but might need to lose a loosie.

I'd like to see ALB and TJ Faiane picked at 12 and Goodhue and PUJ at 13.

Then Roane, Reece, Clarke and Jordan on wing, with Jordie and DMac at back.

Hard on Bridge, but for me it's him OR Jordan at this stage. Ennor also knocking at door.

[Bones]

@pakman I don't see the point in DMac, but I can see they might select him in the hopes they can get him right. Unless he covers third halfback....

Ennor has had a pretty forgettable SRA. Roane is his immediate competition and has proven far more capable. Remember when he was carving up super rugby as a wing, with Goodhue carving up at centre? Yeah seems Robertson forgot.

[pakman]

@Bones said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:

@pakman I don't see the point in DMac, but I can see they might select him in the hopes they can get him right. Unless he covers third halfback....

Ennor has had a pretty forgettable SRA. Roane is his immediate competition and has proven far more capable. Remember when he was carving up super rugby as a wing, with Goodhue carving up at centre? Yeah seems Robertson forgot.

Good case for Bridge over DMac, but I'm guessing they'll look to inject some X-factor.

[Duluth]

@Bones said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:

I don't see the point in DMac, but I can see they might select him in the hopes they can get him right

Selection isn't objective, every rugby fan has a bias towards a team they support. Do you think Foster cheers for the Chiefs?
I fully expect some close calls to fall the way of Chiefs players. DMac makes it and I can't see Boshier missing out (he's probably competing with Papali'i for a spot)

Not a criticism of Foster I would have said a similar thing if Robertson was coach. It's unavoidable.

[Machpants]

I think every squad people post should be prefixed with either 'what I'd pick' versus 'what will be picked' often a big difference. We've got a coach who got in on a ‘continuity and experience’ ticket, I can see him picking a ‘continuity and experience’ team - recently the ABs coaches went for form rather than experience. Maybe that didn’t work so well at RWC in their minds. Expecially after many years of trusting experience did so well for them? So I think we will see very conservative selections, but I hope they are bold

[KiwiMurph]

@Machpants On the other hand wasn't a huge part of Foster's pitch that he is going to bring a fresh new approach as head coach than what he was as an assistant coach (whilst surrounded by a new coaching staff)?

[MN5]

@Duluth said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:

@Bones said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:

I don't see the point in DMac, but I can see they might select him in the hopes they can get him right

Selection isn't objective, every rugby fan has a bias towards a team they support. Do you think Foster cheers for the Chiefs?
I fully expect some close calls to fall the way of Chiefs players. DMac makes it and I can't see Boshier missing out (he's probably competing with Papali'i for a spot)

Not a criticism of Foster I would have said a similar thing if Robertson was coach. It's unavoidable.

Tell me about it. I'm still clinging to the hope that Vaea Fifita can add some more test appearances this year.

[Chris]

@sparky

I think there is a lot more Covid activity ramping up in Australia that will be the determining factor, and if New Zealand and Australia want to emilate that sort of UK carnage.