All Blacks 2022
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Second NZ side set to shadow All Blacks for foreseeable future
NZR are in the process of implementing a secondary top-level NZ team.
New Zealand Rugby are in the midst of creating an NZ A or a second NZ side to shadow the All Blacks from 2022 onwards. With a huge breadth of players vying for a spot in the national squad, administrators believe that a secondary side will enable enhanced experience and playing time at the highest level for those who miss out on All Blacks selection. Former All Black Jeff Wilson broke the news on SENZ. Wilson is a huge supporter of the concept, believing that the addition of a secondary top-level team will change the mindset of selectors, and will inevitably aid the All Blacks in their preparation for the 2023 Rugby World Cup. “I would say this, NZ Rugby … they’re looking at a New Zealand A, or a second NZ side playing a number of games this year,” Wilson said on SENZ’s Super South. “I think that group is going to be critical, because there’s going to be a lot of guys who have worn the All Black jersey in the last 18 months who may miss out, and they’re going to get really important rugby. “There’s going to be another tier, which is going to be really well coached and have a number of games I believe this year. -
@KiwiMurph If that happens, it will be interesting to see whether NZR are going to designate this team as it's official national 2nd XV under World Rugby's Regulations (which means players will be captured by playing for this team).
Also, who's going to coach this team. Will one of the assistant coaches coach this team, or will they hand the gig to someone outside the current coaching set-up. Could be a good job for Robertson, preparing him for a smooth end-of-2023 takeover.
Edit: if they don't designate this team as its official 2nd XV, they can field Fakatava!
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@Stargazer Razor would do well as coach I reckon, although it would be some tough selections for him does he play Ennor at 13 or go with B Sullivan😅 how about number 8 would Razor go with what he knows in Grace or get Mikaele-Tu'u to partner Harmon & Jacobson🙂
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@FakatavaFuture said in All Blacks 2022:
@Stargazer Razor would do well as coach I reckon, although it would be some tough selections for him does he play Ennor at 13 or go with B Sullivan😅 how about number 8 would Razor go with what he knows in Grace or get Mikaele-Tu'u to partner Harmon & Jacobson🙂
I'm guessing this team might play at the same time as the Maori All Black team, and Sullivan would be unavailable.
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@bobily2 I may be wrong but I think it's far more likely that this All Blacks XV will play games before/during the End-of-year Tour, not in July. For example, the last weekend before the international test window starts and then maybe a mid-week game. They have done this in the past. In any case, after the NPC has finished.
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If there is going to be a NZ A (or more accurately a NZ B team) they need to be playing the equivalent teams from Aust, SA and Arg rather than the PI teams, or Japan. Games between NZ and Aust would be easy to organise but the extra SA and Arg teams would still be at the mercy of NH clubs.
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@Stargazer said in All Blacks 2022:
@FakatavaFuture Robertson never plays favourites (he's made some tough decisions in the past), so he'll go for the best available.
Agree. I recall him unceremoniously dropping Crockett from the 23 before the 2018 final, which would've been his 200th (and last ever) Crusaders match, but Razor apruptly ended his pro career on 199 caps..
Robertson said it was the toughest conversation he's ever had and Crockett was in tears apparently.
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@Asterik6 said in All Blacks 2022:
@Stargazer said in All Blacks 2022:
@FakatavaFuture Robertson never plays favourites (he's made some tough decisions in the past), so he'll go for the best available.
Agree. I recall him unceremoniously dropping Crockett from the 23 before the 2018 final, which would've been his 200th (and last ever) Crusaders match, but Razor apruptly ended his pro career on 199 caps..
Robertson said it was the toughest conversation he's ever had and Crockett was in tears apparently.
Another tough one for Razor was having to let Billy Harmon go and not being able to fit him into the squad.
Harmon didn't want to leave and Razor wanted to keep him but it didn't work. -
@chimoaus said in All Blacks 2022:
@MN5 How good was Conrad in setting that up though.
That's what happens when you have a world class centre that can distribute effectively.
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@Stargazer said in All Blacks 2022:
@KiwiMurph If that happens, it will be interesting to see whether NZR are going to designate this team as it's official national 2nd XV under World Rugby's Regulations (which means players will be captured by playing for this team).
Also, who's going to coach this team. Will one of the assistant coaches coach this team, or will they hand the gig to someone outside the current coaching set-up. Could be a good job for Robertson, preparing him for a smooth end-of-2023 takeover.
Edit: if they don't designate this team as its official 2nd XV, they can field Fakatava!
Twood be interesting if Robertson did become coach. He would prolly beat this current side anyho
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do people like the idea of a 2xv? wont it just mean seeing even less of these good players at NPC level for example, making our structure even more top heavy, even more of a closed shop? how much harder is it going to be for a young player to come through if there is twice as many people ahead of him already in the "system"?
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@Asterik6 That's not completely true. Crockett did get to 200 but the rest of it is correct.
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@Kiwiwomble I don't think it will be parallel to the Rugby Championship, exactly because I don't think they want to take more players out of NPC. During Northern Tour/after NPC is far more likely.
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@Stargazer i hope your right, i just always kind of think these things are funny, we hear a lot about players saying they play too many games and thats at least one of the reasons we dont get a full 14 team round robin NPC....but we we always seem squeeze in these kinds of things
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@Kiwiwomble Some players may miss NPC finals ... that has happened before. Not ideal, but better than missing the entire NPC.
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@Asterik6 said in All Blacks 2022:
Robertson said it was the toughest conversation he's ever had and Crockett was in tears apparently.
Very un Jesus-like, though.
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@African-Monkey said in All Blacks 2022:
@Asterik6 That's not completely true. Crockett did get to 200 but the rest of it is correct.
Yep.
Scott Robertson: 'My hardest decision'