All Blacks 2023

[Winger]

@booboo said in All Blacks 2023:

@pakman good post

Feel I'm nitpicking but I think Weber makes it in front of Christie and Roigard, and then its a matter of incumbent or in form rookie...

Roigard kicking game is outstanding. Far and away better than Smith. His running and passing is VG. He should be in the AB squad. In my view as the number 2 based on SR form. I'd like to see him start in one of the pre RWC games to see how he handles it

[cgrant]

Goodhue and LF are both leaving. Will they be included ?

[sparky]

Has the squad leaked yet?

[george33]

@sparky yes

[Tim]

@george33 who's in, who's out?

[ACT Crusader]

@sparky said in All Blacks 2023:

Has the squad leaked yet?

Yep.

Moody, Williams, Taylor, Jager, Whitelock, Barrett….

[akan004]

@cgrant said in All Blacks 2023:

Goodhue and LF are both leaving. Will they be included ?

So is Whitelock, BBBR, Smith etc. Them leaving should have no bearing on selection this year, it's a RWC year so pick the strongest team available.

[Bones]

@george33 said in All Blacks 2023:

@sparky yes

Great oil

[Victor Meldrew]

@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2023:

The selection of the props and loose forwards will tell us if Foster/Ryan/Schmidt are conservative or bold. I'm expecting the former.

They will probably go with those they think will go best at the RWC. The time to be bold has passed. Core team to be pretty much the same as last year with a few new names like Roigard & Stevenson to see how they go at Test level.

Interested in who they leave out - Ofa, Caleb Clarke, poss. BB?

[Victor Meldrew]

@Steve said in All Blacks 2023:

Surely his omission would be for either political or "character" reasons.

If rumours are correct on how he managed the step-up last year, they will be wary of a repeat, I guess.

[Dan54]

No good me guessing at this stage, I do think there will be thought if it better to see a couple of players in ABvx rather than only having bit parts in test teams?

[Mattasaurus]

Concerned about loosies... Savea and Cane and then who? so many have had multiple opportunities and not really taken them. Frizzel, Akira, Sotutu, should all be sweating bullets ( unfair to include Blackadder with those 3 but he has had so little rugby it may actually count for him) -- Paps and Jacobson I think have done enough - really don't think we lose anything by taking a , Finau, or Lio-willi and see how they go.

[Tim]

Is the AB XV announced at the same time?

[Bovidae]

@Tim said in All Blacks 2023:

Is the AB XV announced at the same time?

I believe so. That's a lot of names to read out.

[sparky]

I miss the days when reporters used to stalk out airports ahead of AB squad announcements.

[Bones]

@Mattasaurus Sotutu has never disappointed at AB level, people have short memories eh! Hence the weird recent love for Lio-Willie. People would be calling for Havili-Talitui if Razor had selected him instead.

I don't see what Lio-Willie brings that Cane, Savea, Papalii, Blackadder don't. 4 opensides that can play elsewhere is enough.

[Victor Meldrew]

@sparky

Used to be live under the stands at Athletic Park. Players heard their fate at the same time as everyone else. Some things have improved.

[Tim]

Liam Napier's Sunday predictions:

Shaun Stevenson: Will he make the squad - Highly likely
Cameron Roigard: Will he make the squad - Likely
Tamaiti Williams: Will he make the squad - Highly likely
Levi Aumua: Will he make the squad - Unlikely
Samipeni Finau: Will he make the squad - Unlikely
Emoni Narawa: Will he make the squad - Possible

Possible All Blacks squad
Props: Ethan de Groot, Tyrel Lomax, Tamaiti Williams, Ofa Tuungafasi, Fletcher Newell, Nepo Laulala

Hookers: Samisoni Taukei’aho, Codie Taylor, Dane Coles

Locks: Sam Whitelock, Scott Barrett, Brodie Retallick, Tupou Vaa’i, Josh Lord

Loose forwards: Sam Cane, Dalton Papali’i, Shannon Frizell, Akira Ioane, Ardie Savea, Hoskins Sotutu, Luke Jacobson

Halfbacks: Aaron Smith, Brad Weber, Cam Roigard

First-five: Richie Mo’unga, Beauden Barrett, Damian McKenzie

Midfield: Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Anton Lienert-Brown, Braydon Ennor

Outside backs: Will Jordan, Caleb Clarke, Mark Telea, Shaun Stevenson, Leicester Fainga’anuku

[sparky]

@Tim Looks about right. Foster might well go with Christie and Jack Goodhue though.

[Stargazer]

@sparky Josh?