All Blacks 2024
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@Chris-B said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@george33 said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Chris-B not sure if Devlin can be trusted in any way, his contact is himself most likely
That wouldn't surprise me in the least!
I think Scott is probably the favourite to get the job so it's probably not a bad call if you want to look "informed".
The meetings could be interesting if someone asks, ‘What do you think, Scott?’!
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@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Lol imagine if this was our forward pack to face England in a few weeks. Full of x-factor, power and speed that lot.
- De Groot
- Taylor
- Newell
- Barrett
- Strange
- Blackadder
- Cane
- Grace
I wouldn’t laugh too much, I reckon about half of them are absolute shoe ins
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@Chris said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@george33 said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Chris So you no the Squad them ?
Nope just rumours you only have to read some of the dribble on this thread to know some people are going to spit their dummies.
Prepared to spit mine if:
- Strange makes the squad
- Havili makes it in front of anyone except Billy Proctor (am lukewarm on him for some reason, yet to drink the Hurricane flavour aid)
- Grace makes it and Finau doesn't
Otherwise, meh
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@booboo said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@george33 said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Chris So you no the Squad them ?
Nope just rumours you only have to read some of the dribble on this thread to know some people are going to spit their dummies.
Prepared to spit mine if:
- Strange makes the squad
- Havili makes it in front of anyone except Billy Proctor (am lukewarm on him for some reason, yet to drink the Hurricane flavour aid)
- Grace makes it and Finau doesn't
Otherwise, meh
Or Love. Have hopes for him but could live without him at this stage of his career/this year
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@booboo said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@booboo said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@george33 said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Chris So you no the Squad them ?
Nope just rumours you only have to read some of the dribble on this thread to know some people are going to spit their dummies.
Prepared to spit mine if:
- Strange makes the squad
- Havili makes it in front of anyone except Billy Proctor (am lukewarm on him for some reason, yet to drink the Hurricane flavour aid)
- Grace makes it and Finau doesn't
Otherwise, meh
Or Love. Gave hopes for him but could live without him at this stage of his career/this year
He's got time on his side. Probably benefits from time in the setup as a fringe player outside the squad, then goes away to heal from his injuries
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Nobody seems to mention lineout and heights, likely smaller 6 (than SF) and locks, I wonder if that will influence selection in the loosies..
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I think Finau is a lock-in. Ryan is a big fan judging by previous comments.
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@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
likely smaller 6 (than SF)
Not if Finau is 6.
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Start by picking first XV:
EDG/Taylor/Lomax/Scooter/Vaa'i/Paps/Finau/RD/Christie/DMac/Jordie/Rieko/Clarke/Reece/Stevenson(or Love)
Then second XV
Ofa/Aumua/Newell/Paddy T/Darry/Lakai/[Akira/Jacobson/Blackadder]/Sotutu/TJP/Beaudy/[Tuapea/Lam/Poihipi]/ALB/Telea/Narawa/Will Jordan
Last step extra LH/TH/Hooker/HB
Tamaiti/Renata (possibly Tosi)/[Ricatelli]/Ratima
That's 34 names.
Take out Jordan is 33.
The key team structure choice is six props versus six loosies.
If the former, Akira, Luke and Blackadder ALL miss out.
Or assume Ofa covers both sides, Renata misses out and one of the above trio selected.
The trickiest pure selection issue is midfield. The easy conclusion is that Proctor gets in as specialist 13 and ALB covers 12 and 13.
For me a big body to run direct at 12 is the preference, in which case Proctor misses out to ALB at 13.
That would leave Tuapea as the obvious option. That said, Lam has filled in well for Heem at Blues, and Poihipi gels very well with DMac, has kept Tuapea on the pine and makes a good fist of running a hard line when required.
For me the final could swing a couple of decisions.
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@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
likely smaller 6 (than SF)
Not if Finau is 6.
True but (if I am reading the mood here) he isn't a certainty, and the locks may well be shorter than recent AB lock height. Not saying shorter locks can't jump but lineout jumpers and height seemed to be a factor in previous coaches' selection strategies..
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@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
likely smaller 6 (than SF)
Not if Finau is 6.
True but (if I am reading the mood here) he isn't a certainty, and the locks may well be shorter than recent AB lock height. Not saying shorter locks can't jump but lineout jumpers and height seemed to be a factor in previous coaches' selection strategies..
Finau's been doing just fine as a lineout option for the Chiefs.
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Lol how is Billy Proctor all of a sudden unfavoured. He was clearly the form centre throughout the majority of Super rugby and has been kicking the door down for a couple years now with his consistency. I'll be very surprised if he wasn't selected, especially because Holland is selecting the centres and he pushed for his case when he was coaching the Canes aswell.
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@Canes4life
There does seem to be a real squeeze on now for squad places. Albeit, if only amongst fan chat.It appears that we may not have many new caps in the ABs even though we have lost 8 players overseas after the RWC.
Is a 32 man squad too small?
The Boks named a lot of new faces (different circumstances I know) but I would be dissapointed if we don’t
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@DaGrubster said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Is a 32 man squad too small?
Not for a 2 test home series.
The RC squad wil be bigger - and I suspect the EOYT squad will be large, with a few travelling apprentices.
all this is based on my extensive knowledge of top level international coaching from my (virtual) armchair
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Thanks virtual Fozzie 😉
Fair point about squad size. It’s a short turn around before 1st test. It has to be focussed on the test series and not as an intro to Razors vision to an overbloated squad with 9 days to prepare for a test match after the squad naming.
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@DaGrubster Proctor is easily pushing Ioane to be the top centre in NZ. If Havili pushes him out that would be bloody disappointing considering he doesn't even play 13. I don't think it will happen though, each specific position selector has been watching each NZ player closely all year and based on that Proctor's consistency should see him through. Conrad Smith came out the other day and to him Proctor was a certainty in this squad, he obviously reminds him of how he played in the Black jersey.
There needs to be a number of fresh faces in this side, if we select largely the same squad as last year we won't be improving much IMO.
