All Blacks 2024
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@antipodean Not that I agree with it of course.
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@gt12 said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Duluth said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
It's worth noting there's under 2 weeks from Razor's first squad naming until the first test
That may hint towards a more conservative squad selection initially.
It could also be an excuse to pick players he's familiar with
It looks like Grace, Drummond, Havili etc will be well rested, so there's that as well.
…..Grace often rests during games as well to be fair
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You'll need someone in the loose forward mix who offers some versatility to cover multiple positions in a match-day 23. If Savea is the starting no.8 then Sotutu would only be involved if Ardie was also the 7 cover. And then we're back to needing someone else to cover 6 if required.
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@KiwiMurph if you're looking at a 6 then I would personally select Shields, pretty sure he's available and he's been much better than Ioane overall this season, he also provides much needed experience. If you want to select an out and out 8 then Brayden Iose is probably the next man up on form. If you're selecting a 7 to replace Blackadder then I would go Billy Harmon.
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England capped dick fingers Brad Shields?
the bots are getting so bad
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@mariner4life has he not been one of the form 6's in the comp? He's definitely an improved version of the 2016 Shields who dropped everything that came his way. Infact he's hardly put a foot wrong since coming back. Shields is probably the only other 6 in the comp that provides the physicality required for test match footy. Ioane is too inconsistent and Grace can't even dominate at Super level.
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Is Shields even eligible after being capped for England?
On another note, Shields is 33, he won’t get selected so I personally think that idea can be squashed pretty quickly.
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@Landers92 said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Is Shields even eligible after being capped for England?
On another note, Shields is 33, he won’t get selected so I personally think that idea can be squashed pretty quickly.
yeah, but all realities aside, he's a starter in the greatest super rugby team of all time, so he deserves a spot
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@Landers92 yeah he's eligible I'm pretty sure. Who do we select then if Finau and Blackadder aren't available? Razor isn't going to select Ioane, he's crumbled under pressure so many times and is far too inconsistent. Razor may go with Grace but the ABs won't dominate physically with him there. Who else is there? I mean if we're still picking Cane then why wouldn't Shields be in the mix? He's one of the form blindsides in Super this year.
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@mariner4life you're flogging a dead horse with that statement. I'm intrigued as to who you would select at 6 for the ABs if Finau and Blackadder weren't available?
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there has to be a middle ground between picking purely on form and ignoring things like the RWC cycle/planning for the future (ie picking someone like shields).....and ignoring form and just picking the same people over and over (the last few years under fozzie)
33 year old shields....if he not going to be around for the next RWC i dont want him...and if we're in a position where we're picking 37 loosies that only broke into the AB so late in their career...then we're fucked
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@Kiwiwomble fair call, I'm in the same boat with Sam Cane. Why pick him if he's not committed to the next World Cup. Let's blood fresh talent like Lakai or give a man like Billy Harmon a run at international footy. He'd go well.
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@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Landers92 yeah he's eligible I'm pretty sure. Who do we select then if Finau and Blackadder aren't available? Razor isn't going to select Ioane, he's crumbled under pressure so many times and is far too inconsistent. Razor may go with Grace but the ABs won't dominate physically with him there. Who else is there? I mean if we're still picking Cane then why wouldn't Shields be in the mix? He's one of the form blindsides in Super this year.
It might just have to be Ioane. I have no doubt Razor can get the best out of Grace but that boy hasn’t been the same since his run of injuries.
Knowing Razor he will still pick Blackadder and it’ll be Finaus jersey to start with. You could be looking at the bolter/apprentice selection for the 6 jersey. It’s definitely a position that we need to do something like that for. Keep in mind Harmon can cover all 3 loose forward positions so could work in his favor here.
There is no benefit of selecting a 33 year old Brad Shields to play a mid year series.
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@Canes4life at least Harmon COULD be around for the next world cup, might not be a long long term option but this cycle...and he's earn't consideration
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@Landers92 I get it, Shields is aging but he's still one of the form 6s in the comp and he offers the physicality required to step in if injuries strike. He's also playing the best footy of his career. Razor won't want to start his reign in a losing manner so surely you pick the best players available right now to get results.
It's a definite area of weakness for the ABs at the moment.
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@Kiwiwomble in saying that I would have Lakai infront of Harmon, so for Harmon to get a chance all of Papali'i, Savea and Lakai would need to be injured.
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@Canes4life fair...so can we at least stop talking about shields
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@Kiwiwomble yeah fair.
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Why the fuck would they pick Cane. His form has been a roller coaster over the last four years - especially when coming back from injury. He was immense in the quarter final - ok in the semi and then a pile of shit in the final. Cost us the game. If he was covering a position that had no depth I'd understand. But that isn't the case. There should still be a good core of experienced players in the team so his leadership isn't needed.
Also hope they don't pick Shields. If he wanted the jersey he should've stayed to battle it out. Just can't see how he's playing good enough to have this conversation.
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@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
he's crumbled under pressure so many times and is far too inconsisten
Multiple MOTM efforts for the ABs. Didn't step up against the more physical sides. I'm not sure I'd pick him, but he is far from a failure in Black
