All Blacks 2021
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Gregor Paul: Ian Foster's most intriguing choice
Opinion: Foster needs to appoint a care-taker skipper who can glue squad together.
With 36 names, at least, to be announced in the All Blacks squad this Monday, it's unlikely there will be a host of wildly unpredictable selections or shock omissions.
We can expect a few new names, possibly Leicester Fainga'anuku, and maybe Salesi Ryasi and Finlay Christie, while Brodie Retallick, David Havili and Braydon Ennor should all return after not being involved last year for various reasons.
But 2021 isn't a fresh start year. The door isn't closed to new arrivals, but having only been able to play six tests last year, All Blacks coach Ian Foster has his sights set on building the experience and ability of the group he mostly used last year.
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I'll laugh fucking maniacally if Salesi Ryasi gets into an All Black squad. With his error rate and decision making he's barely NPC level.
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@antipodean I'll laugh harder if Finlay Christie gets in.
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@kiwimurph I guess. I think the most likely back-ups to Smith and Weber are Drummond and TTT, as both have already been capped. Less likely, but still possible: Christie (heaven forbid) and maybe Roe?
TTT has hardly played, so you'd have to think Drummond? I'd have preferred Hall.
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@stargazer yeah I agree. Christie was part of the South squad last year so is on their radar and unlike TTT is getting plenty of playing time. Whoever gets picked will be 'right place right time' rather than knocking the door down.
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TJP's form was pretty dire before he left......
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@old-samurai-jack said in All Blacks 2021:
TJP's form was pretty dire before he left......
But no worse, at SR level, than what remains - It's time to clone Aaron!
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@machpants No, Fakatava just needs to get healthy.
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@stargazer said in All Blacks 2021:
@machpants No, Fakatava just needs to get healthy.
Not going to be in time for this year, when does the 3 year thing expire?
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@machpants I refer back to the suggestions earlier in this (?) thread about bringing on Fakatava in the last minute of a game of this year's EOYT. He can just run laps on our try line. I'd suggest the game v Italy on Sun 7 November (NZT). If not, then that 3-year residency period becomes a 5-year one, unless they postpone the new rule for another year.
Edited to add that NZR should try to convince the appropriate committee of World Rugby that Fakatava already had his "his primary and permanent home" in NZ when he was still at school. In that case, the residency period can start earlier and not at the time he turned 18 or left school.
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@stargazer Yeah I really can't see that happening LOL
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do we think Fakatava is so good we'd risk looking that desperate? non of the guys coming through U20's looks good?
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@kiwiwomble None of the U20s players are even close enough to be ready in time for the 2023 RWC (if they ever will).
