All Blacks 2024
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@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
I would look at the captaincy this way. Who won't be replaced during a test match? That is most likely to be S Barrett. If the captain is either Savea or Papalii, that will have an impact on the selection of the other two loose forwards to allow sufficient cover across 6, 7 and 8, but particularly no.8. Savea could start at no.8 and move to 7, for example, to bring on a player like Sotutu.
Although I agree that your captain should really be on the field for the full match, that's not been the case for plenty of recent Test captains.
Sam Cane, Siya Kolisi, Johnny Sexton, Tate McDermott, Julian Montoya are all recent examples. If captains have to remain on the field for the full match then you're really restricting your options to locks, loose forwards, midfielders and possibly your No 10 (given outside backs are largely considered too far away from the action).
I think the key thing is that you're confident your vice-captain can step up, even if he's not on the park. That might mean running a guy like Codie Taylor off the pine and handing him VC duties, with Aumua and Taukei'aho sharing the starting duties.
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Really if you were picking captain on who was probably going to be around for next WC wouldn't it be someone like Lomax or De Groot. But I realistically don't see anytjing wrong with picking who they think will do the best job now. Mind you I get pissed with the who will be there in 4 years anyway, we should look at winning tests now, not just in 4 years!
And I recall Brian Lochore saying he thought the biggest risk of a 4 year WC (when it first started) was this very thing.
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The race for All Blacks centre is far from run
The first All Blacks squad of the year is just three weeks away from being named and some names have surpassed potential bolter status.
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@KiwiMurph I wonder if Proctor takes the 13 jersey we can move Rieko back to 11. He still easily has the pace to play there and I don't think the switch back would be difficult for him. I like the idea of Jordie and Proctor in the midfield building that partnership like Ma'a and Conrad did.
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@No-Quarter do we need him back at 11? i thought we were pretty happy with the wing options
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@Kiwiwomble we don't need him there, but he was the best winger in the world when he played there. He's better than any of the other options, despite the talent we have available.
He's very good at centre, but I'm still not convinced it is the best use of his talents at test level.
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@No-Quarter ....i mean....he was, +3 years ago and is now one of the best centres, im more than happy having multiple good people in every position....especially the midfield as we've kind of struggled for a while
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@No-Quarter said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@KiwiMurph I wonder if Proctor takes the 13 jersey we can move Rieko back to 11. He still easily has the pace to play there and I don't think the switch back would be difficult for him. I like the idea of Jordie and Proctor in the midfield building that partnership like Ma'a and Conrad did.
been wondering the same.one of the reasons I'm really looking forward to seeing where Robertson goes with selecting this team.
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@No-Quarter said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
He's very good at centre, but I'm still not convinced it is the best use of his talents at test level.
I think it is now. AB Wingers over 25 have a very short life. Talent just keeps coming onto the scene. He's really developed at centre, to the point he's in the chat for a World XV. There aren't many in the team that you can say that about
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@No-Quarter said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
He's better than any of the other options, despite the talent we have available.
As a wing? Not sure that's true in 2024. 2017-18 is a long time ago.
Rieko's test form last year was terrific but I think there's still room for competition. For a test centre his hands are poor and he has no kicking game whatsoever.
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Do we think he's lost any pace since then? If not then I can't see how he would be a worse player, I'd think the opposite would be true.
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@No-Quarter said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Do we think he's lost any pace since then?
He's at the magical age where wingers are done, so, yes.
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@No-Quarter said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Jordie and Proctor in the midfield building that partnership like Ma'a and Conrad did
Ma'a and Conrad from Wish
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@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Rieko's test form last year was terrific but I think there's still room for competition. For a test centre his hands are poor and he has no kicking game whatsoever.
Reiko is a fucking terrific centre though, and there isn't a team around who wouldn't pick him. So if Proctor is now better than him that is awesome for the ABs. And then you have a guy in the 23 jersey who is an absolute weapon.
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@mariner4life I don't think we'll ever get a centre pairing as good as them again. The benefit of playing Super and AB rugby together helped them though, and now we have another couple of good Canes lads that can do the same.
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@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Rieko's test form last year was terrific but I think there's still room for competition. For a test centre his hands are poor and he has no kicking game whatsoever.
Reiko is a fucking terrific centre though, and there isn't a team around who wouldn't pick him. So if Proctor is now better than him that is awesome for the ABs. And then you have a guy in the 23 jersey who is an absolute weapon.
Rieko has to be in the starting 15 no matter what, that's why I am wondering about a move back to 11 to accommodate Proctor. Like you I am loathe to play players out of position for this reason, but at the same time switching back to 11 where he was the worlds best wouldn't be difficult for him.
I take the point that it's been a long time since he played there though, but I haven't noticed any decrease in his pace or elusiveness which is what has hampered other wingers his age.
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@No-Quarter said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Rieko's test form last year was terrific but I think there's still room for competition. For a test centre his hands are poor and he has no kicking game whatsoever.
Reiko is a fucking terrific centre though, and there isn't a team around who wouldn't pick him. So if Proctor is now better than him that is awesome for the ABs. And then you have a guy in the 23 jersey who is an absolute weapon.
Rieko has to be in the starting 15 no matter what, that's why I am wondering about a move back to 11 to accommodate Proctor. Like you I am loathe to play players out of position for this reason, but at the same time switching back to 11 where he was the worlds best wouldn't be difficult for him.
I take the point that it's been a long time since he played there though, but I haven't noticed any decrease in his pace or elusiveness which is what has hampered other wingers his age.
the point would be, it's a long time since he was a winger.
