All Blacks 2022
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@Chris-B said in All Blacks 2022:
@Gunner Robinson is too small to be a genuine international lock.
correct.
He's squad cover for lock/loosie. As discussed above. Not a front line lock (but seemed to do well in the scrums last night, despite my trepidation)
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@Chris-B if you believe stats online he is taller than Scott Barret and only a kg lighter...4cm shorter than Lord and same weight.
I'm not advocating he be selected, as above I think if he was a shot he is in competition with Vaii who is same height but 7kg heavier...I don't see them ditching Vaii.
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@taniwharugby I don't think he is.
He looks a fair bit lighter than SB.
If I'm being blunt (are you reading this Leon?) I'm quite hoping the Blues play him at lock at the weekend, because I think we can exploit that.
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@Bovidae That probably muddies the waters a bit for me then.
It's handy if Fozzie can send a few players to the Maori with a message that they're receiving no discount on their AB aspirations.
Anyone know for sure who are Maori-qualified looseheads?
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@nzzp That's because he had Laulala infront of him.
Despite people criticising his play around the field, Laulala is still the best scrummaging tighthead in the country by a long long way and it showed again against the Brumbies.
I'd expect to see Robinson there tbh as he can cover 2 positions effectively.
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@Chris-B said in All Blacks 2022:
Anyone know for sure who are Maori-qualified looseheads?
Rakete-Stones, Norris and Williams. All young players, not in the conversation for the ABs.
Hodgman could be like Deacon Manu but has never been selected for the Māori before.
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@African-Monkey I suspect you might be right about Nepo, but I'm far from convinced about TR at lock.
And with competent selecting you would never need him there.
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@African-Monkey said in All Blacks 2022:
@nzzp That's because he had Laulala infront of him.
Despite people criticising his play around the field, Laulala is still the best scrummaging tighthead in the country by a long long way and it showed again against the Brumbies.
I'd expect to see Robinson there tbh as he can cover 2 positions effectively.
Laulala certainly put his name on the certainties with that performance, but it requires loosies and locks doing most of the heavy lifting with the ball.
Ofa (1 run, 0 metres) and Hodgman (2 runs, 3 metres) don't need to be heavy runners when you have Robinson (10 runs, 31 metres, 1 clean break, 1 offload), Akira (6 runs, 21 metres, 3 defenders beaten, 1 offload), and Sotutu (8 runs, 40 metres, 4 defenders beaten, 1 offload) as danger men with the ball. The blues have shown the way to have props who can scrum, tackle, and clean as they have enough running threats from 5-8.
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@Chris-B said in All Blacks 2022:
Anyone know for sure who are Maori-qualified looseheads?
See the list here (for all positions):
https://www.thesilverfern.com/post/undefined-maori-all-blacks-to-play-ireland -
@nzzp said in All Blacks 2022:
@Chris-B said in All Blacks 2022:
@Gunner Robinson is too small to be a genuine international lock.
correct.
He's squad cover for lock/loosie. As discussed above. Not a front line lock (but seemed to do well in the scrums last night, despite my trepidation)
Barrett and Vaa’i can cover 6 in emergencies.
I’m more in the genuine lock plus a bruiser loosie on the bench. And it makes more sense if we continue to start both Cane and Savea. Hence someone like Robinson is surplus unless he is in the top 4 locks.
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@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2022:
Paul Cully with his possible AB squad (including 5 new caps):
Hookers: Codie Taylor (Crusaders), Samisoni Taukei’aho (Chiefs), Dane Coles (Hurricanes)
Props: Nepo Laulala (Blues), Ofa Tuungafasi (Blues), Angus Ta’avao (Chiefs), Ethan de Groot (Highlanders), George Bower (Crusaders), Aidan Ross (Chiefs)
Locks: Brodie Retallick (Chiefs), Sam Whitelock (Crusaders), Josh Lord (Chiefs), Tupou Vaa’i (Chiefs), Scott Barrett (Crusaders)
Loose forwards: Sam Cane (Chiefs, captain), Ardie Savea (Hurricanes), Dalton Papalii (Blues), Akira Ioane (Blues), Luke Jacobson (Chiefs), Hoskins Sotutu (Blues), Shannon Frizell (Highlanders)
Halfbacks: Aaron Smith (Highlanders), Brad Weber (Chiefs), Folau Fakatava (Highlanders)
No 10s: Beauden Barrett (Blues), Richie Mo’unga (Crusaders)
Midfielders: Rieko Ioane (Blues), Jack Goodhue (Crusaders), Quinn Tupaea (Chiefs), Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (Blues), Leicester Fainga’anuku (Crusaders)
Outside backs: Caleb Clarke (Blues), Sevu Reece (Crusaders), Jordie Barrett (Hurricanes), Will Jordan (Crusaders), Stephen Perofeta (Blues)
Would not be hoping mad with that, although I'd go Ginge over Frizell.
Toss up for me Weber v Christie
Not sold on Faiunga'anuku ... but not sure who is better
Who misses out from that lot?
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@taniwharugby said in All Blacks 2022:
@nzzp As much as I think Robinson would be vwry good in the test environment, who does he replace?
In a way I think he is competing directly with Vai who is a lock that can play 6 while Robinson is a 6 that can play lock, and Vai has shown enough to continue the investment in him.
And this is where the NZ Maori is an issue for guys like Robinson, Eklund, Seger, Holland, MMT, Morgan, Roe etc, even Frizzel if he isn't in the main squad*
Guys that would likely thrive if given a chance against Ireland if it was NZ A, not NZ Maori playing them.
*Assuming none have any Maori ancestors.
Frizell
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If it's the end of Bridgey's run in black tomorrow then he can always cherish 2019 where he scored four tries on a sunny Hamilton afternoon & was then starting in the 11 Jersey at a World cup! in all seriousness I would like to see Fakatava, MMT & Perofeta named as new caps, we shall see what transpires at noon
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Leinster/Ireland have lost twice in a fortnight to teams fielding power locks. If we want the win, Romano would make more sense than Lord, who could continue as an apprentice.
For RWC I’d prefer they stuck with four locks and added an eighth loosie: MMT/Grace/PGS(whom I thought looked one dimensional in semi).
And for Leicester to get in requires Clarke to be injured and Havili and Perofeta to miss out, which seems to me unlikely.
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