AB bolters thread
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<p>I think there were a few bolters who got picked to literally lock them into the ABs. There's a LOT of guys with Tongan / Samoan hereitage who didn't really look like ABs but got 1 or 2 caps then dumped. The cynic in me feels that was less because the selectors thought they might be good right now, more because they thought they might be good in 5 years & didn't want them getting poached by Samoa on the back of a Samoan granny. </p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="mikedogz" data-cid="573874" data-time="1461237955">
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<p>who was that Hawkes Bay and Hurricanes lock selected by henry, I didn't even know who he was. I still wouldn't recognise him if I saw him.</p>
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<p>Bryn Evans?</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MN5" data-cid="573844" data-time="1461228178"><p>
That guy as an AB ? you serious ????/</p></blockquote><br>
Cgrant isn't Robinson Crusoe on Buckman. I reckon he's got something. Just because he looks a little weird shouldn't count him out. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Calf" data-cid="573877" data-time="1461238888">
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<p>Bryn Evans?</p>
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<p>Maybe I wasn't paying enough attention, but the first time I registered Ben Smith and Toeava was during respective EOYT selections.</p>
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<p>Hadn't Toeava won player of the tournament while captaining the U21's to a WC or something?</p>
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<p>So he'd been earmarked right through the youth grades but was very much a bolter as he'd not even played Super. So I'd guess most coaches etc in NZ rugby had him penciled in as a future AB, but not till probably a year or 2 later. In hindsight he could have done with that extra year... </p> -
Yeah Bryn Evans was a bit of a head scratcher. That 2009-10 period had a few where they were perhaps known on fringe super level but not at all discussed before selection.<br><br>
I recall the fern gearing up for Donnelly or Beckhius to get picked in 2009 and then they pulled Hoeata off the Highlander bench.<br><br>
Isaac Ross I don't remember being in the frame before selection either and the strength of conviction they had with him (albeit briefly) was equally baffling. -
<p>Steve Hansen is a waaaay better selector than Henry, who had quite a few hit and misses.</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="rotated" data-cid="573881" data-time="1461243603">
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<p>Yeah Bryn Evans was a bit of a head scratcher. That 2009-10 period had a few where they were perhaps known on fringe super level but not at all discussed before selection.<br><br>
I recall the fern gearing up for Donnelly or Beckhius to get picked in 2009 and then they pulled Hoeata off the Highlander bench.<br><br>
Isaac Ross I don't remember being in the frame before selection either and the strength of conviction they had with him (albeit briefly) was equally baffling.</p>
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<p>Greg Rawllinson, Kevin O'Neil - basically if you were a lock in that era and you didn't get picked you have every right to feel shafted.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Nepia" data-cid="573884" data-time="1461245107">
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<p>Greg Rawllinson, Kevin O'Neil - basically if you were a lock in that era and you didn't get picked you have every right to feel shafted.</p>
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<p>They went thru about 3 years randomly picking locks to try fix our terrible lineout, then in the end just switched the coach responsibilities & stopped that "4 runs to 6, 6 runs to 2, 2 turns and lifts 5, we throw it to 7 who is being lifted by 4 & Matfield catches it at 4 having not moved at all" bullshit we did every lineout & weirdly it all clicked.</p>
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<p>The bolter for me this year will be them having another look at Ben Smith at 13 by the time the EOYT rolls around.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="gollum" data-cid="573886" data-time="1461247972">
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<p>They went thru about 3 years randomly picking locks to try fix our terrible lineout, then in the end just switched the coach responsibilities & stopped that<strong> "4 runs to 6, 6 runs to 2, 2 turns and lifts 5, we throw it to 7 who is being lifted by 4 & Matfield catches it at 4 having not moved at all" </strong>bullshit we did every lineout & weirdly it all clicked.</p>
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<p>The bolter for me this year will be them having another look at Ben Smith at 13 by the time the EOYT rolls around.</p>
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Actually lol'd. God I don't miss those days.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="ACT Crusader" data-cid="573868" data-time="1461236290">
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<p>Agree SM, Moody was a genuine come from nowhere. He was a sometimes bench player not that long ago and then when he started to feature more in the Saders prop rotation all of a sudden he was wearing black.<br><br>
I thought Tuipoluto was a bit of a bolter.</p>
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<p>Not really. He was smashing sides around in 2014. </p> -
<p>Lineout got fixed when Kaino and Read came on the scene an our third and fourth options were no longer guys standing on tiptoe to cast a shadow on Ardie Savea.</p>
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<p>A bolter is likely to come at tighthead prop, because you need two of them for every test and pickings behind Franks and Faumuina are pretty slim. I know or suspect people like Alaalatoa, Halanukunuku and Geldenhuys are ineligible - so, you're probably looking at a very small group from the North Island franchises. Toomaga-Allen might be a reasonable bet. I guess he's had 10 minutes of AB rugby so he's not uncapped, but I'd class him as a bit of a bolter. </p> -
Our lineout at that time played a lot against a couple of fairly decent units as well. Add in some inadequate options, and some ropey throwers and it looked awful. <br><br>
Remember that year they simplified everything, including the throwing mechanics, and it killed?<br><br>
We're blessed at the moment with 2 great jumping locks, and 2 tall loosies. That's really hard to counter -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Nepia" data-cid="573884" data-time="1461245107"><p>
Greg Rawllinson, Kevin O'Neil - basically if you were a lock in that era and you didn't get picked you have every right to feel shafted.</p></blockquote>
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At least Rawlinson was an injury selection. Locks are always injury prone given the body type and position but we had a woeful run with injuries. Just after we found a cornerstone they would get a career threatening multi-year injury like Ryan, Williams, Jack, Robinson to a degree.<br><br>
Thorne and Flavell played lock that year too from memory - hardly ideal RWC preparation. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="African Monkey" data-cid="573889" data-time="1461257966"><p>Not really. He was smashing sides around in 2014.</p></blockquote>
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It was his first super season if I recall and whilst it was a good one, it was still a surprise to many. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Billy Tell" data-cid="573882" data-time="1461244541">
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<p>Steve Hansen is a waaaay better selector than Henry, who had quite a few hit and misses.</p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://stats.allblacks.com/asp/playorder.asp?icount=1100#pagestart'>http://stats.allblacks.com/asp/playorder.asp?icount=1100#pagestart</a></p>
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<p>Hansen's selections start with Brodie Retallick so I think 37 new caps under his regime and probably only 4-5 that are a bit questionable. Mainly guys picked in 2013.</p> -
<p>The other image that comes to mind when talking about the lineout from those days way Kev holding his hand up to his ear with a confused look on his face, crowd getting louder, rushing back and throwing a wonky throw down one side of the lineout. Throwing was definitely Kev's main/only? weakness. On the plus side it we got through 2x world cup finals without it sinking us.</p>
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<p>Parsons getting selected at hooker would have to be the most recent bolter/WTF selection for me. Maybe Manu being called into the RWC squad also but that was injury cover.</p>
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<p>There will be a couple of new selections this year with people leaving but not sure they can all be classified as bolters because they have been playing well and are on the radar. D mac, Elliot Dixon etc.</p>
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<p>Scott Barrett might be a semi bolter if he leapfrogs Romano. And any midfielders outside of Crotty, Fekitoa, Ngatai and possibly Moala would class as a bolter for me.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Billy Tell" data-cid="573882" data-time="1461244541">
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<p>Steve Hansen is a waaaay better selector than Henry, who had quite a few hit and misses.</p>
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<p>Steve Hansen was a selector under Henry. He was primarily a forwards coach under whom too so one would imagine he had a say in at least many of the names being mentioned in this thread.</p>
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<p>Very few backs mentioned through this thread - aside from Toeava who while not the second coming had a respectable AB career. Kudos Smith.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="rotated" data-cid="573998" data-time="1461300538">
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<p>Steve Hansen was a selector under Henry. He was primarily a forwards coach under whom too so one would imagine he had a say in at least many of the names being mentioned in this thread.</p>
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<p>Very few backs mentioned through this thread - aside from Toeava who while not the second coming had a respectable AB career. Kudos Smith.</p>
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<p>The current selection panel are waaaay better selectors than the last selection panel, who had quite a few hit and misses.</p>
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<p>Happy?</p>
