All Blacks World Cup bolters

[Nepia]

@Steve said in All Blacks World Cup bolters:

Turning up with the likes of Perenara, ALB, Goodhue, Havili et al won't cut the mustard anyway.

They weren't the answer 4 years ago.

He doesn't belong in that group.

[Steve]

@Nepia said in All Blacks World Cup bolters:

@Steve said in All Blacks World Cup bolters:

Turning up with the likes of Perenara, ALB, Goodhue, Havili et al won't cut the mustard anyway.

They weren't the answer 4 years ago.

He doesn't belong in that group.

I hear you, but vanilla won't win this World Cup. We need to put his brain in Ioanes body.

ALB is a decent defender, but Ringrose, Danty, Fickou, Henshaw, Aki etc will eat him without salt on attack.

We need a scalpel or a wrecking ball. He is neither.

We tried all this in 2019. It didn't work.

[Billy Tell]

I would hardly call Stevenson a bolter. More like a player on form over last few months who deserves selection. It’s not like he’s suddenly come from nowhere to appear in a squad where no-one had thought to mention him.

[Steve]

@Billy-Tell said in All Blacks World Cup bolters:

I would hardly call Stevenson a bolter. More like a player on form over last few months who deserves selection. It’s not like he’s suddenly come from nowhere to appear in a squad where no-one had thought to mention him.

Well considering he wasnt initially selected for the dirt trackers 15 in November.

He is a bolter under the current coach.

He can't be ignored.

[Stargazer]

Weird thread. Sowakula also had great form in the first part of the 2022 SRP season, but faded badly in the later rounds. Should never have been picked for the ABs.

Early form means nothing.

[nostrildamus]

@Steve said in All Blacks World Cup bolters:

Stevenson

David Skippers  /  Mar 13, 2023  /  Chiefs

Shaun Stevenson: Clayton McMillan tips Chiefs star for All Blacks call-up

Chiefs boss Clayton McMillan has praised the performances of Shaun Stevenson and is backing the utility back to receive an All Blacks call-up this year.

[Machpants]

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks World Cup bolters:

@Steve said in All Blacks World Cup bolters:

Stevenson

David Skippers  /  Mar 13, 2023  /  Chiefs

Shaun Stevenson: Clayton McMillan tips Chiefs star for All Blacks call-up

Chiefs boss Clayton McMillan has praised the performances of Shaun Stevenson and is backing the utility back to receive an All Blacks call-up this year.

Gotta love the non news articles of coach A think his player B is great. A real article would beat coach saying nah they're not good enough 😂

[cgrant]

@Stargazer
It's not just early form. He was outstanding for the ABs XV last year.

[taniwharugby]

@cgrant was hitting form in super last year too and was outstanding in the NPC too, for all the weight that adds.

[Stargazer]

@cgrant I assume you mean Stevenson? I wasn't. I was talking about Sowakula.

If Stevenson can stay in this form until the final rounds, he's a possible bolter. The main question is who'll they leave out if they pick him. For the RWC, the squad will be reduced, too. So possibly more than one outside back. It won't be an easy call.

[Bovidae]

The RWC squad size will be 33, up from 31 at previous tournaments, so that does help those players who may be on the fringe of selection.

[Crucial]

@Stargazer said in All Blacks World Cup bolters:

@cgrant I assume you mean Stevenson? I wasn't. I was talking about Sowakula.

If Stevenson can stay in this form until the final rounds, he's a possible bolter. The main question is who'll they leave out if they pick him. For the RWC, the squad will be reduced, too. So possibly more than one outside back. It won't be an easy call.

Fitting all of BB, RM, DMac, SP in could happen if one is added to a list of SS, SR, CC, WJ
CC could be swapped out on form with another winger (eg MT)

I think last time it was

3 Halfbacks
3 first fives
3 midfielders
5 outside backs

[Kiwiwomble]

@Billy-Tell said in All Blacks World Cup bolters:

I would hardly call Stevenson a bolter. More like a player on form over last few months who deserves selection. It’s not like he’s suddenly come from nowhere to appear in a squad where no-one had thought to mention him.

hard to have a thread trying to guess bolters if bolters can only be players no one knows about......

[Chris B.]

@Crucial said in All Blacks World Cup bolters:

I think last time it was

3 Halfbacks
3 first fives
3 midfielders
5 outside backs

With 33 slots available, I'd guess we will go:

9 front row
4 locks (including SBarrett floating)
5 loosies
3 halfbacks
3 first fives (including two of BBarrett, DMac and Perofeta)
4 midfielders (including Jordie)
5 outside backs

With Newell's injury it might open a slot at tighthead given how unimpressive Nepo has been in recent times (and Fletch really needed to get this season under his belt). If Ollie Jager gets back to full fitness for some time in Super, he wouldn't be the worst - there's my bolter.

I reckon they'll pick three of Smith, Perenara, Weber and Christie at halfback. They won't want to risk a repeat of 2007 with Leonard and Ellis as rookie options in a knockout match.

Outside backs - well, Jordan, Clarke, Reece, Telea, Perofeta, Faingaanuku, Stevenson - I'd lock in the first three, with a possibility that they take another loose forward and only four of these guys.

[Crucial]

@Chris-B

LF I'm not so sure on and CC needs to shake out the errors or he wont be going.

A back three of WJ, SS and SR has appeal. It means no 'power winger' but finishing ability is probably more important.

[Bovidae]

I'm not sure Reece is a certainty either. He was a peripheral player on the EOYT, but in his favour he offers something different from the other wingers and can play on the left or right.

[nostrildamus]

@Machpants said in All Blacks World Cup bolters:

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks World Cup bolters:

@Steve said in All Blacks World Cup bolters:

Stevenson

David Skippers  /  Mar 13, 2023  /  Chiefs

Shaun Stevenson: Clayton McMillan tips Chiefs star for All Blacks call-up

Chiefs boss Clayton McMillan has praised the performances of Shaun Stevenson and is backing the utility back to receive an All Blacks call-up this year.

Gotta love the non news articles of coach A think his player B is great. A real article would beat coach saying nah they're not good enough 😂

I don't see many of those.

[Crucial]

@Chris-B said in All Blacks World Cup bolters:

3 halfbacks
3 first fives (including two of BBarrett, DMac and Perofeta)
4 midfielders (including Jordie)
5 outside backs

Try this

AS, FC, BW
RM, BB, DMac
JB, RI, ALB, LF
WJ, SS, CC/SP, MT, SR

[Chris B.]

@Crucial I don't expect Big Leicester to be going either, barring injuries - unless he improves significantly this year.

I'll be pretty surprised if they don't take Caleb Clarke given he was their first choice left wing all of last year.

[Chris B.]

@Crucial

AS, TP, FC
RM, BB, Dmac
JB, RI, ALB, DH
WJ, CC, SR, MT, SP/SS