All Blacks 2024

[Bones]

@Tim said in All Blacks 2024:

I suspect it would be worth recruiting a specialist scrum coach. What chances that we will have one next year?

Funny you say that....I wonder why he's been focusing on that particular area?

[Landers92]

@Tim said in All Blacks 2024:

I suspect it would be worth recruiting a specialist scrum coach. What chances that we will have one next year?

That is Jason Ryan’s ‘expertise’. Has been scrum coach for multiple previous teams and even had a ‘front row club’ which worked specifically with props and hookers in New Zealand. Hard to imagine they bring a specialist scrum coach in with him already there.

[Tim]

Peering into the crystal ball and trying to make out the shape of next year's squad, although there are red and black barriers that appear intermittently and obscure my vision.

Loose forwards:

Papalii
Lakai
Savea
Sotutu
Sititi
The last one is a bit hard to make out, there's Finau, there's another player in a six jersey, but a really overrated player, who's lying injured on the field, keeps obscuring my view.

[SouthernMann]

If Sititi, Lakai and Savea are two of the three starting loosies. We will probably need a lineout option as the third loosie. The make up and how trios will compliment eachother

[sparky]

@Tim To my eye, Hoskins Sotutu (when fit) has a lot more to offer the All Blacks than Finau both in terms of average performance and top-end potential.

[Tim]

Looking at props now. There are four good options: Williams, Tu'ungufasi, Lomax, Tosi. de Groot has really regressed. Ball carrying was poor, he was unfit, and he got found out in the scrum. Newell is mediocre in the scrum at test level, and offers nothing else.

3rd loosehead and tighthead are wide open.

The Chiefs' young props (Norris and Dyer) were disappointing in 2024, but might bounce back. de Groot still can too. Numia and Fusitua are options at loosehead, Mafileo might be in the mix too. Any tighthead options?

[Tim]

@Canes4life Who is most likely to play 6 for the Canes?

[sparky]

@Tim Ofa T is sadly still a penalty magnet, but I agree with the rest.

[Tim]

@sparky Not against England or Ireland. How many penalties against France? The dodgy neck-roll call?

[sparky]

@Tim said in All Blacks 2024:

@sparky Not against England or Ireland. How many penalties against France? The dodgy neck-roll call?

I agreed with the neck-roll call. Yeah he had great games against England and Ireland. I don't have the figures to hand but I suspect he has been one of the most penalised ABs this year. If he can sort that out, he's world class.

[Bones]

@Tim said in All Blacks 2024:

Newell is mediocre in the scrum at test level

Is he? My impression was he'd been very solid and at least performed the role that the likes of Franks/Laulala were fabled to but never did.

[Bones]

@sparky I suspect you'd be quite wrong.

[Tim]

@Bones Gets pinged a lot coming off the bench. Tosi was a big upgrade.

[Bones]

@Tim said in All Blacks 2024:

@Bones Gets pinged a lot coming off the bench. Tosi was a big upgrade.

Gets pinged a lot in the scrum? Huh, interesting.

[Tim]

The Crusaders still have a shit coach, but at least they have cut Moody and Franks. Who will be the bench props now?

[brodean]

After watching AB XV games I'd be surprised to see any new props making the AB squad next year outside of injury

[Chris]

@Tim said in All Blacks 2024:

The Crusaders still have a shit coach, but at least they have cut Moody and Franks. Who will be the bench props now?

George Bower and Probably Brewis or Calder

[KiwiMurph]

Whilst Newell is a good scrummager - his scrummaging at test level doesn't seem to generate penalties the way it does at Super.

Given Newell is poor around the field I don't think the trade off is worth it at test level.

[Canes4life]

@Tim said in All Blacks 2024:

@Canes4life Who is most likely to play 6 for the Canes?

It depends where they see Delany, they will either play Delany at lock and have Flanders at 6, or they’ll play Delany at 6 and have Gallagher at lock. Flanders and Iose will share duties at 8.

Flanders and Shields will also cover 6 if Delany plays lock.

[Bones]

@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2024:

@Tim said in All Blacks 2024:

@Canes4life Who is most likely to play 6 for the Canes?

It depends where they see Delany, they will either play Delany at lock and have Flanders at 6, or they’ll play Delany at 6 and have Gallagher at lock. Flanders and Iose will share duties at 8.

Flanders and Shields will also cover 6 if Delany plays lock.

Would've liked to see Delaney at 6 more, but just don't think he plays the right mongrel type game and after Flanders' season am leaning more towards him.