ABs that arrived ‘fully formed’
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@bobily2 said in ABs that arrived ‘fully formed’:
@sparky said in ABs that arrived ‘fully formed’:
Carl Hayman.
This is before my rugby watching days, but didn't he debut back in 2001/02? He then only becsme (/showed he was) world class towards the end of 2004
Rookie TSF error.
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@victor-meldrew said in ABs that arrived ‘fully formed’:
@act-crusader said in ABs that arrived ‘fully formed’:
@dice said in ABs that arrived ‘fully formed’:
@victor-meldrew said in ABs that arrived ‘fully formed’:
@act-crusader said in ABs that arrived ‘fully formed’:
@victor-meldrew said in ABs that arrived ‘fully formed’:
@act-crusader said in ABs that arrived ‘fully formed’:
Snakey was a bit in and out of the team between 04-07. Remember Henry went back to Mils and played him at centre in a number of key matches. Then Ice was used also.
The era of the World-beating Rotation Policy...?
Even so, guys like Mauger, Mils, McAllister and even Ice still racked up a big number of tests.
Snakey only played 2 tests in 04, 4 in 05, 2 in 06 and 4 in 07 (that included Portugal and Romania)
Fascinating. Did Mauger & Lucky ever play at 13? Did Conrad ever play at 12 or was he a specialist 13?
Lucky played 3 games at 13.
Mauger had 2 games at 13. One of those was back in 2002 though.
Conrad played 1 game at 12 in 2008. The rest of his tests were at 13.
I don’t think he ever started at 2nd 5. I recall a test in 2008 that he replaced Nonu but then Kahui shifted to 2nd 5 and Conrad played at centre.
You guys are either complete AB Team geeks or have access to a bloody great database...
stats.allblacks.com is the cheat code.
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@damo said in ABs that arrived ‘fully formed’:
@bones said in ABs that arrived ‘fully formed’:
Did someone say Aaron Smith was fully formed? He was pretty damn average when he first hit super rugby and not even half the player he's become when first selected for the ABs. He was just an ok halfback.
Really? My memory may be off, but I seem to recall him getting picked and becoming the first choice halfback within half a season. He always had a very fast pass.
He might not have been as good as he is now, but he didn't have any period of apprenticeship (from what I can recall anyway).
a season and a half maybe but closer to two, cowen was still an AB in 2011 and only looked overseas after 2012, everyone remember 2013 and the worst run for a NZ team? 8 loses on the trot, that was with
9 smith
10 Slade/sopanga
12 Nonu
13 Tamati Ellison
15 Benderon paper you would think more than a capable super team
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@act-crusader He broke his leg - He was clearly going to be the 13 at RWC07
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@kiwiwomble said in ABs that arrived ‘fully formed’:
@damo said in ABs that arrived ‘fully formed’:
@bones said in ABs that arrived ‘fully formed’:
Did someone say Aaron Smith was fully formed? He was pretty damn average when he first hit super rugby and not even half the player he's become when first selected for the ABs. He was just an ok halfback.
Really? My memory may be off, but I seem to recall him getting picked and becoming the first choice halfback within half a season. He always had a very fast pass.
He might not have been as good as he is now, but he didn't have any period of apprenticeship (from what I can recall anyway).
a season and a half maybe but closer to two, cowen was still an AB in 2011 and only looked overseas after 2012, everyone remember 2013 and the worst run for a NZ team? 8 loses on the trot, that was with
9 smith
10 Slade/sopanga
12 Nonu
13 Tamati Ellison
15 Benderon paper you would think more than a capable super team
Yeah I remember 2013. That year we bought a whole lot of players and they didn’t gel at all. I am not sure I put much blame on Smith for that.
A Smith only made the ABS in 2012 after RWC. He and Piri battled it out but Smith won pretty easily.
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I'm truly amazed looking back at the AB squad for 1987 RWC and how few test caps they had in the squad, even if you double or treble them for modern times e.g. Grant Fox (1), Michael Jones (1), Steve McDowell (6), Sean Fitzpatrick (4), John Gallaher (0), Terry Wright (2), Wayne Shelford (2), Joe Stanley (6).
Of the semi-finalists Australia and France had so much more experience, Wales rather less so.
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@l_n_p said in ABs that arrived ‘fully formed’:
I'm truly amazed looking back at the AB squad for 1987 RWC and how few test caps they had in the squad, even if you double or treble them for modern times e.g. Grant Fox (1), Michael Jones (1), Steve McDowell (6), Sean Fitzpatrick (4), John Gallaher (0), Terry Wright (2), Wayne Shelford (2), Joe Stanley (6).
Of the semi-finalists Australia and France had so much more experience, Wales rather less so.
They were dubbed the Baby Blacks for a reason.
1995 is more amazing given most of the incumbents were still available for selection.
Kronfeld, Mehrtens and Osbourne had a solitary test against Canada prior to the tournament and were the starting 7, 10 and 15.
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@rotated said in ABs that arrived ‘fully formed’:
@l_n_p said in ABs that arrived ‘fully formed’:
They were dubbed the Baby Blacks for a reason.
1995 is more amazing given most of the incumbents were still available for selection.
Kronfeld, Mehrtens and Osbourne had a solitary test against Canada prior to the tournament and were the starting 7, 10 and 15.
The Baby Blacks was the 1986 side, which had a massive number of noobs due to the Cavaliers being stood down. Only four even had test experience -- and one of those was Arthur Stone.
While 1994 Lomu looked a bit out of sorts, it was pretty obvious right from the start that he was always going to be special. It was only three games into his AB career and he was the pretty close to the best player in the world. (
Christian Cullen only arrives fully formed if you don't count Sevens first.
1987 Rugby World Cup squads - Wikipedia
