All Blacks 2022
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@Dan54 said in All Blacks 2022:
@FakatavaFuture said in All Blacks 2022:
@Dan54 it's just that I feel MMT is knocking on the door more at present
Yep, he's certainly been form 6/8 I reckon too, I wouldn't be upset if he was there by any means. I was really on his wagon a couple of years back, he didn't ge well last year, but certainly seems back on his game this year.
Behind Sotutu and Akira, but certainly ahead of Frizzell, just on workrate on defence. Be a good backup to Akira to see how he handles the next level.
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36 players = 2 full teams less one outside back plus 7 'extras'
What I think will be close to the selection.
Props: Ofa Tuungafasi, Nepo Laulala, Ethan de Groot, Aiden Ross, George Bower, Alex Hodgman/ Angus Ta'avao
Hookers: Codie Taylor, Samisoni Taukei'aho, Dane Coles
Locks: Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick, Scott Barrett, Tupou Vaa'i, Josh Lord
Loose forwards: Sam Cane (c), Ardie Savea, Dalton Papalii, Akira Ioane, Luke Jacobson, Hoskins Sotutu, (MMT/Finau/Grace/Frizzell)
Halfbacks: Aaron Smith, Finlay Christie, Folau Fakatava (Weber and TJ to NZ Maori)
First-fives: Beauden Barrett, Richie Mo'unga, Stephen Perofeta
Midfield: Jack Goodhue, Rieko Ioane, Quinn Tupaea, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
Outside backs: Will Jordan, Sevu Reece, Caleb Clarke, Jordie Barrett, Leicester Fainga'anuku
Room for one more. Either another prop or two of those bracketed loose forwards.
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@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2022:
If they pick 6 props it would be 3 x LH and 3 x TH, so only three of de Groot, Ross, Bower and Hodgman would be in. Based on last year that come down to Ross vs Hodgman.
Agree, however both Ofa and Bower cover both sides. I agree that we need another TH which is why I bracketed Angus and Alex.
The two best front rows in Super have been Saders and Chiefs -
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@Crucial When did you last see Bower at TH? He struggled last year at LH when the ABs played SA and France, so I wouldn't be confident he is a genuine option at TH. The Irish scrum isn't that strong, but the ABs will face better scrums later in the year.
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@FakatavaFuture said in All Blacks 2022:
@Crucial do Bridge, Havili & Ennor get sent a box each of Canterbury Draught as commiseration
I suspect that DH might get that extra spot to be honest. It's one call where a bit of loyalty may come into play given that there is likely a theory that his form drop last year was from the length of a season dropped into a new position.
I can't see justification for Bridge at all and Ennor is filler at most considering that ALB will return at some stage.
Plenty of midfield cover in that squad.
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@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2022:
@Crucial When did you last see Bower at TH? He struggled last year at LH when the ABs played SA and France, so I wouldn't be confident he is a genuine option at TH. The Irish scrum isn't that strong, but the ABs will face better scrums later in the year.
It's what I expect to see, not what I necessarily agree with. I'm not sold on Bower at all but the front row club here keep telling me that it's a good thing that he's there.
I agree that we have some other good loosehead options and also that we need more TH ones (as I'd rather see Laulala drift into the sunset)Not an area I know a huge amount about tbh so only going off previous selections and what others are saying about form.
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@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2022:
@Crucial When did you last see Bower at TH? He struggled last year at LH when the ABs played SA and France, so I wouldn't be confident he is a genuine option at TH. The Irish scrum isn't that strong, but the ABs will face better scrums later in the year.
Bower has actually covered TH from the bench when Williams had covid and Jager was injured this season.We were down to 4 props at that stage.
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I reckon Havili just may get a spot, as he can cover so many spots, and to be honest if we get to situation where Jordan is at 15, Havili would probably be needed as an alternate playmaker as he is used generally at Crusaders. If JB at 15 he can do job.
Just a thought -
Havili is a fascinating case.
On one hand he is a perfect candidate for the 23 jersey as he can cover 12/wing/fullback and emergency 10.
However looking at Crucial's squad he's a bit of a luxury as he could well be seen as behind goodhue/tupaea/rts for 12 and behind jordie/jordan/beaudy/perofeta for 15. I think vs Ireland an extra loose forward would be a better bet especially as Cane and Papali'i get nicked up an awful lot.
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@KiwiMurph the depends on the role you see for the 23 jersey. If it's purely having a back up if someone goes down, thrn yeah I guess.
But if it's actually for impact late, then no.
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@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2022:
@KiwiMurph the depends on the role you see for the 23 jersey. If it's purely having a back up if someone goes down, thrn yeah I guess.
But if it's actually for impact late, then no.
If the back 3 is Jordie, Jordan and Reece, I’d give the 23 jersey to someone like Caleb Clarke or a bolter like Fainganuku or RTS.
If all of Beaudie, Mo’unga and Jordie are in the 23 then you don’t need a guy like Havili
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@Dan54 said in All Blacks 2022:
@Nepia said in All Blacks 2022:
@Dan54 said in All Blacks 2022:
and in super has really only played well last couple of seasons,
Huh, you have real Akira blinkers, he was carving up at Super level at least as far back as 2018. He was the Blues MVP that year.
Bullshit maybe 2018, but he hardly carved anything up in 2017, that was when the likes of Buck etc were saying we know he can be great, when he ups his workrate. Isn't 2019 the year he was sitting in the stands chowing down in pies because he struggled to get on the bench, I remember because I got on his wagon thinking he was going to be really good, and it was almost he was trying to prove me wrong, he did very little in super. He carved up at NPC, but not super. He has done that last 2-3 years only really and not consistently, same as test rugby one or two tests he looks like he breaking out and been great, but not really stamped his name in it as yet. I still hope and think he will, he just needs to remember when he has a good one what he does and repeat it. Mate there is no way I against him, like every player with high ability (well NZ ones) I want them to flourish!!
He played every Blues match in 2019 in a year where he admitted he was struggling mentally.
And "maybe 2018" - the Blues decided he was their best player that year and you're willing to concede maybe.
You're really not doing anything to convince that you don't have Akira blinkers especially when you continually push Frizell's case when there's no argument against him being a flop so far at test level.
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@Tim said in All Blacks 2022:
@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks 2022:
Jordie, Jordan and Reece
No power-wing, no thanks.
yeah, surely you start with the power wing, someone to wear them out...and then someone like reece will come on and find holes all over the place
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@Kiwiwomble Reece's best test last season was when he came on & caused the Welsh some problems
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@Tim said in All Blacks 2022:
@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks 2022:
Jordie, Jordan and Reece
No power-wing, no thanks.
I’d still prefer Ioane on the wing but it looks as if centre is his gig. Given that I’d like to see a back 3 of Jordan, Reece and Clarke, with Jordie at 2nd 5. But I’m not sure if they will move Jordie.
Reece and Jordan’s skillsets covers all the critical bases for wing play. And my eye patch comes in red and black
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@Kiwiwomble said in All Blacks 2022:
@Tim said in All Blacks 2022:
@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks 2022:
Jordie, Jordan and Reece
No power-wing, no thanks.
yeah, surely you start with the power wing, someone to wear them out...and then someone like reece will come on and find holes all over the place
I agree. Reece is a very good option as impact/injury or someone else having a mare.
