All Blacks XV 2022
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@ACT-Crusader Yep, and then there's the cross-over between the senior squad and this squad. Games of the ABs XV may be used to give game time to ABs who haven't played much. For example, if they use Smith and Fakatava for most tests, Christie may get a run for this team.
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@ACT-Crusader Really hoping they don't take Perenara. Would like to see Ratima get a go. Maybe Roe too.
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i hope they take Finau
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An AB XV vs the actual ABs would be interesting. Fozzie wouldn’t want to be losing that.
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@Stargazer said in All Blacks XV:
@ACT-Crusader Yep, and then there's the cross-over between the senior squad and this squad. Games of the ABs XV may be used to give game time to ABs who haven't played much. For example, if they use Smith and Fakatava for most tests, Christie may get a run for this team.
I really hope that is the case. So you would think this squad would be no more than 25 or 26 players.
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@ACT-Crusader Also from a cost perspective, that's the sensible thing to do.
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Possible squad :
Eklund, Aumua, Thompson (McAllister, Vikena eventual bolters)
Norris, Williams, Jager, Newell, Ainsley
Gallagher, Sangster, IWL, PPP (if fit)
MMT, Robinson, Harmon, Suafoa, Grace + an openside (Gibson, Christie ?)
Weber, Ratima, TJP
Ioane + AN other (Morgan, Love, Gatland, Burke, Gilbert ?)
TUJ, PUJ, Nankivell + AN other (Sullivan, Proctor, Evans, Savea ?)
Telea, Stevenson, Lam, Sullivan, Moorby (DMac ?)
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@cgrant I hope Flanders is in the equation, too, although the Canes' selection policy and his injury late in the season haven't done him any favours. I guess it may depend on whether Grace will be in the ABs EOYT squad, as he should be. Otherwise, he may have to wait a year.
Bailyn Sullivan should not be listed under "AN other". I'd pick him over PUJ.
And whether we like it or not, Ennor is a near certainty for this team, unless he's in the ABs to stay. As a midfielder or a wing, or a utitlity back.
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@cgrant too many players. There will be unselected players in the AB squad who will be able to get an AB XV game.
My mix would be something like below if the ABs take their standard size squad.
5x props
3x hookers
3x locks
4x loose forwards
2x halfbacks
2x 1st 5s
3x midfielders
3x outside backs -
@ACT-Crusader Yep, that makes a lot of sense.
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@Bovidae said in All Blacks XV:
It will be hard to move players from the ABs to the AB XV as there will be clashes with the AB tests against Scotland and England.
On game day you have your selected 23 plus a few others should there be injuries in the warmups. But not every one of the 12 or 13 would be on standby once the 23 is selected. The fact they are on the same weekend shouldn’t matter.
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@ACT-Crusader If the AB XV are taking these games seriously, which I am sure they will be, they would want all the players that are going to play each game to be training together that week. That means the ABs not having those players for the full week.
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@Bovidae Isn't one match in Scotland while the other one that weekend is at Tottenham Hotspurs stadium in North London? So group should be split up geographically anyway. Or do I have my fixture calendar wrong?
Maybe they are trying to hook up a new support base in a football hot-spot with a mix of rugby and breakdancing?
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@ARHS said in All Blacks XV:
@Bovidae Isn't one match in Scotland while the other one that weekend is at Tottenham Hotspurs stadium in North London? So group should be split up geographically anyway. Or do I have my fixture calendar wrong?
Correct. The ABs play Scotland on the same day as the Baabaas game. The AB XV still has 2 additional fixtures to add, one likely to be between Canada and the Barbarians.
v Canada, Saturday 29 October, venue TBC
v Barbarians, Sunday 13 November, Tottenham Stadium, London