Bledisloe II - Have a stab at the teams.

westcoastie

Exercising my constitutional right to procrastinate by having a crack at the teams for Bledisloe II.

			<p>All Blacks</p>
		
	
			<p>Crockett</p>
		
	
			<p><strong>Coltman/A.Dixon/Elliot</strong></p>
		
	
			<p>Franks</p>
		
	
			<p>Retallick</p>
		
	
			<p>Whitelock</p>
		
	
			<p>Kaino</p>
		
	
			<p>Cane</p>
		
	
			<p>Read</p>
		
	
			<p>A.Smith</p>
		
	
			<p>Beauden</p>
		
	
			<p>J.Savea</p>
		
	
			<p>Crotty (fingers xâ€™d)</p>
		
	
			<p>Fekitoa</p>
		
	
			<p>Dagg</p>
		
	
			<p>B.Smith (wishful change)</p>
		
	
			<p>Coles</p>
		
	
			<p>Hames</p>
		
	
			<p>Faumuina</p>
		
	
			<p>Squire/E.Dixon</p>
		
	
			<p>A.Savea</p>
		
	
			<p>TJ</p>
		
	
			<p>Cruden</p>
		
	
			<p>Leinert-Brown</p>
		
	<p>&nbsp;</p>

			<p>Wobblies</p>
		
	
			<p>Slipper</p>
		
	
			<p>Moore</p>
		
	
			<p>Kepu</p>
		
	
			<p>Douglas</p>
		
	
			<p>Simmons</p>
		
	
			<p>Fardy</p>
		
	
			<p>Pocock</p>
		
	
			<p>McCalman</p>
		
	
			<p>Genia</p>
		
	
			<p>Foley</p>
		
	
			<p>A.Wing</p>
		
	
			<p>Samu Kerevi</p>
		
	
			<p>Folau</p>
		
	
			<p>Ashley-Cooper</p>
		
	
			<p>Haylett-Petty</p>
		
	
			<p>Polota-Nau</p>
		
	
			<p>Sio</p>
		
	
			<p>Alaalatoa</p>
		
	
			<p>Mumm</p>
		
	
			<p>Hooper</p>
		
	
			<p>Phipps</p>
		
	
			<p>Cooper</p>
		
	
			<p>Kuridrani</p>
		
	<p>&nbsp;</p>

Questions for the AB selectors -
1. originally had Tamanivalu in the #23 jersey, but assuming Crotty is good to go was quite relieved to recall that Lienert-Brown is in the squad, not sold on Seta T.
2. which Hooker to select, part of me thinks Hika, Coltman has been in squad, Ash Dixon - don't know. How about Riccitelli? its not like we're up against the Springboks or Argies...
3. Would like to see BFA at #15 over Dagg.
4. Thinking maybe Eliot Dixon to come in for Squire to mix that up.
 
Honestly don't know about Wallabies - think the backline could just stay as it was, with Kerevi coming in at #12 (I don't even know whos in their squad - just found names from the England series)
Kuridrani was pants though, so lets move Folau in, and Petty to #15, meaning they need a left winger.
I think they'll go back to one #7 - so Pocock it is. Hoopah to bench. Just guessing at #4, #5, #6, #8
 
Good times.
 
AB's in a closer one (12+)

ACT Crusader

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="westcoastie" data-cid="607820" data-time="1471776615">
All Blacks 
Crockett Coltman/A.Dixon/Elliot 
Franks 
Retallick 
Whitelock 
Kaino 
Cane 
Read 
A.Smith 
Beauden 
J.Savea 
Crotty (fingers xâ€™d) 
Fekitoa 
Dagg 
B.Smith (wishful change) </blockquote>
 
Not enough Canes....

NTA

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="westcoastie" data-cid="607820" data-time="1471776615">
<div>
Honestly don't know about Wallabies - think the backline could just stay as it was, with Kerevi coming in at #12 (I don't even know whos in their squad - just found names from the England series)
</div>
</blockquote>
 
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://rugby.com.au/teams/wallabies#players'>http://rugby.com.au/teams/wallabies#players</a>

Cantab79

Okay, assuming that Taylor, Crotty and Naholo are all injured;
 
1. Crockett
2. Coles
3. Franks
4. Retallick
5. Whitelock
6. Kaino
7. Cane
8. Read (capt)
 
9. A. Smith
10. Barrett
11. J. Savea
12. Lienart-Brown
13. Fekitoa
14. B. Smith
15. Dagg
 
16. Coltman
17. Hames
18. Faumuina
19. Squire
20. A. Savea
21. TJ Perenara
22. Cruden
23. Tamanivalu

sparky

As above, but Riccitelli instead of Coltman and as it is in Wellington, Upper Hutt's favourite son, Cory Jane at 23 for an emotional last Test match in front of his home fans.

hydro11

If Crotty and Naholo are both out, it will be interesting to see who gets called up. I think Proctor would be in with a decent chance.

sparky

CJ's already in Japan for the All Blacks so Matt Proctor at 23 it is then.

pakman

Riccitelli playing LH for Bay with Ash Dixon hooking. Seems that Crotty only out for one game, so unlikely to go outside squad.

Gunner

Nanai would be the logical choice to replace Naholo. He was in the training squad the other week wasn't he?

Crucial

Reiko Ioane could be a good Naholo replacement. Plays wing and covers midfield.

dingo

I saw Riccitelli was playing at LH as well. A versatile front rower is very handy in a touring squad, so I'd like to see the ABs have a look at him in the environment. 
I'm not suggesting he covers both in a match day 23 because we seem to replace the entire front row for tactical reasons, but covering a last minute injury. Very handy.

Dan54

Yep I would like to see Riccitelli sneak in, like others have said he seems to have the build etc to be an international hooker. Wouldn't worry about him being a LH on saturday, thats just a coach trying to get all his good players on the field and probably felt Riccitelli could handle the spot better than Dixon.

Gary

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Crucial" data-cid="607844" data-time="1471804148">
<div>
Reiko Ioane could be a good Naholo replacement. Plays wing and covers midfield.
</div>
</blockquote>
he'd have to improve a lot on his Olympic 7's form- not sure we want a winger who targets opposition players to run into.

Stargazer

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Dan54" data-cid="607848" data-time="1471807236">
<div>
Yep I would like to see Riccitelli sneak in, like others have said he seems to have the build etc to be an international hooker. Wouldn't worry about him being a LH on saturday, thats just a coach trying to get all his good players on the field and probably felt Riccitelli could handle the spot better than Dixon.
</div>
</blockquote>
 
Riccitelli played LH in the NZ Under 20's final in 2015. In his NZ U20s profile, he says he also plays prop. So it's nothing new to him to play LH. Handy, very handy.

ACT Crusader

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="sparky" data-cid="607833" data-time="1471786596">CJ's already in Japan for the All Blacks so Matt Proctor at 23 it is then.</blockquote>
 
Any other Canes backs you've missed? 
How about we use the players already in the squad first. 
Back 3 that finished Bledisloe 1 and then have Tamanivalu or ALB start with the other or Sopoaga on the bench.

booboo

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="ACT Crusader" data-cid="607870" data-time="1471815080">
Any other Canes backs you've missed? 
How about we use the players already in the squad first. 
Back 3 that finished Bledisloe 1 and then have Tamanivalu or ALB start with the other or Sopoaga on the bench.</blockquote>
 
You dropping Cruds?

ACT Crusader

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="booboo" data-cid="607874" data-time="1471815439">You dropping Cruds?</blockquote>
 
Not at all. He's a certainty for the 23. 
I guess my take is we have quite a few options within the existing squad. I wouldn't have any issue with both Cruden and Sopoaga on the bench for instance. Sopoaga could cover 2nd 5 or even fullback if necessary. 
It's only Australia.....

NTA

While a lot of people, and Queenslanders, have various ideas about what team is going to be picked, I doubt whether there will be much more than injury changes, with a bit of forward reshuffling
 
1 Slipper - skipper
2 Moore - needs to fall on his sword as far as captaincy goes I think. 
3 Kepu
4 Douglas
5 Simmons
6 Fardy
7 Pocock
8 McCalman/Timani
9 Genia
10 Foley - but would be unsurprised if Cooper comes in
11 Mitchell
12 Kerevi - there is talk of Folau here. The fuck?
13 AAC
14 DHP
15 Folau
 
16 TPN
17 Sio
18 Alalaatoa
19 Coleman
20 Hoopah
21 Phipps
22 Foley/Quade
23 Kuridrani

NTA

Dunno. Its a pretty bare cupboard for wingers at the moment. Morahan maybe?

Chris B.

Cantab79's team looks about right to me - apart from Coltman - I don't see him in the frame.

The Silver Fern

Bledisloe II - Have a stab at the teams.