All Blacks 2024
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How deep into the barrel must the All Blacks look for their next lock?
The famous black jersey will be missing two of its most renowned servants in 2024, with both Sam Whitelock and Brodie Retallick now aboard.
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@Duluth That's a reasonable assessment.
That must be an old weight for Darry - looks a good 10kgs heavier to me. Assuming so, that's the dimensions I'd be looking for in a lock.
In an interview last week, Scott Barrett said he'd have been 50-50 to play if there had been a game at the weekend, so that's promising for England.
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@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
I read that the squad announcement will be in Chch. Convenience or some other reason?
Short trip for the squad announcement for Grace, Strange, Havili, Blackadder-McCleod-Meldrew, Newell, Williams, and Lio-Willie.
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@Frank said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
I read that the squad announcement will be in Chch. Convenience or some other reason?
Short trip for the squad announcement for Grace, Strange, Havili, McCleod, Newell, Williams, and Lio-Willie.
No Ethan Blackadder? Must be injured again...
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@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Frank said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
I read that the squad announcement will be in Chch. Convenience or some other reason?
Short trip for the squad announcement for Grace, Strange, Havili, McCleod, Newell, Williams, and Lio-Willie.
No Ethan Blackadder? Must be injured again...
Knew I forgot someone - amended above
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@Frank said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
"Blackadder McCleod"
Great name for a love-child....
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@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Frank said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
"Blackadder McCleod"
Great name for a love-child....
Better than Strange Grace or Lio-Willie Williams?
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@Frank said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
I read that the squad announcement will be in Chch. Convenience or some other reason?
Short trip for the squad announcement for Grace, Strange, Havili, Blackadder-McCleod-Meldrew, Newell, Williams, and Lio-Willie.
They’ve already booked an Uber from Christchurch airport to grab George Bridge too
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@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@gt12 said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
NZRU saving money on player travel.
I didn't want to state the obvious.
Honestly, apart from the fact that Strange is now basically a certainty, my feeling is that this likely indicates Barrett or Taylor announced as captain.
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I think this shows that we have a short term experience problem at lock which should be turned into a position of strength and depth within 18 months.
There is plenty of talent
Barrett is a world class lock so big ✅ for one of the 3 locking roles in a match day 23.
Vai’l has been a leader since high school (head boy at school) so Thrusting Vai’i into a senior role could be the making of him. His newfound seniority at the chiefs have seen him go up a level with his lineout work amongst the best in the comp.
Tuipolotu will be a valuable resource for the next 2 seasons. Just a shame he is not fit for the England series but he has a valuable part to play.
Out of the uncapped locks, there is talent but it needs to be tested at the highest level. Out of the 5 or 6 options listed, you would expect a couple of them to really take an opportunity handed to them and grow into international class players.
We need some of these 2.03m/2.04m players to really step up as the lineout is shortish with the above 3 locks being under 2 metres.
The good news is that the pack looks like it will be very good so that will make it easier to support and embed the young inexperienced locks into it.
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@DaGrubster Yeah - I agree.
It's very unfortunate that Barrett, Tuipolotu and Lord are all injured right now - because ideally we'd have those three and Vaa'i in the squad for this year, with several other young and tall guys bubbling under. If all of Lord, Darry and Holland can live up to their promise, we'd have quite an arsenal of 2+ metre locks.
All going well we'll at least have Barrett and Vaa'i available for England.
It will be pretty concerning if we don't have Scott available.
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