All Blacks EOYT
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The more I think about it, the more I think @chchfanatic will be right and it will just be Roigard in for Hotham. Probably makes some sense for Hotham to play the AB XV matches rather than sit in the stands watching the AB games - and maybe they call him in for Japan or Italy.
Only other changes that seem very possible are at loose forward or wing. Unfortunately for Hoskins, Ardie and Sititi are bolted on to go - and they're the two guys picked initially as specialist No. 8s. Will they drop one of Finau, Jacobson or Blackadder for another 8? I doubt it.
Will they drop Cane or Paps for Lakai? I even more doubt it.
Is there another 6 who has pushed their way in during the NPC? More doubt.
The same at wing. I think Mark Telea is a bit vulnerable, but is there another wing who has done enough? Well, maybe Tavatavanawai if they want a wing/flanker, but he's wearing a leg brace. AJ Lam or Kini Naholo? I think they'll stick with Mark.
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@Frank said in All Blacks EOYT:
@antipodean said in All Blacks EOYT:
@Frank said in All Blacks EOYT:
@Kirwan said in All Blacks EOYT:
If the ABs don't pick the best loose forward in the country, which IMO is Sotutu by some margin, then they prove how crap they really are.
Sititi is better than Sotutu based off recent matches.
Based on the Tests Sotutu hasn't played?
Based off Sititi's efforts against the Wallabies vs Sotutu's efforts in NPC.
Sotutu - if he is so good - should be absolutely dominating this lower tier of rugby. He isn't.
I can see how that's an easy argument to make. Also a specious one. The issue I have is when we had a "level playing field", Sotutu was by all measures better. Now it's true Sititi has had a couple of very good games (caveat Wallabies) but in SR his defensive stats were way worse and that's been the accepted reason Sotutu didn't get into the squad.
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@frugby Hard to see them dropping anyone for Holland, and Lord probably has at least as good of a case. Both for the AB XV, I reckon.
I'd forgotten about Narawa in my wing options to compete with Mark. Probably at the head of the queue, but they presumably had a reason for cutting him earlier.
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In addition to the squad of 36, a small number of players from the All Blacks XV squad will travel to Japan with the All Blacks to help with their preparation and gain additional experience in the All Blacks environment, before joining up with the All Blacks XV squad to play Munster and Georgia in November.
This will also allow a group of players from the All Blacks squad to travel to England two days earlier to focus on preparation for the Northern Tour test matches.
All Blacks squad named for Lipovitan-D Challenge Cup and Northern Tour
All Blacks Head Coach Scott Robertson and his co-selectors have named their All Blacks squad for the 2024 Lipovitan-D Challenge Cup and the Northern Tour.
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No surprises. At least they picked Roigard.
Of all of that, I think Telea is a living a charmed life, he's been terrible and Narawa was I think the player of the year for BOP? There isn't a way into the squad if you can be that bad and stick around with an ex AB from the environment playing that well at the next available level.
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@gt12 said in All Blacks EOYT:
No surprises. At least they picked Roigard.
Of all of that, I think Telea is a living a charmed life, he's been terrible and Narawa was I think the player of the year for BOP? There isn't a way into the squad if you can be that bad and stick around with an ex AB from the environment playing that well at the next available level.
Rightly or wrongly there is a perception that the Allblacks is not a meritocracy anymore.
There doesnt seem to be consequences for playing poorly or fucking off to Japan on a sabbatical.
The jerseys are yours as long as you want them.
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When I first read the squad a few posts above I thought it was a pisstake. Fucking disappointing to see the same old underperforming names.
