All Blacks Squad for France
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@chris-b said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@pukunui That looks about right.
I think they'll go Laumape and Crotty if Crotty is fit.
Back three - hard to know. I suspect they're strongly tempted to have Jordie play, so I'd be inclined to guess 11. Ioane, 14. Smith, 15. JBarrett.
fuck no. Why play our best 15 at 14 just to fit in JB? He's not so good that he demands that move.
I've got it, lets go back to tradition, and play our 2nd best fullback at fullback, and our best fullback at centre. That's never failed before.
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@machpants said in All Blacks Squad for France:
Matt Todd once again from Left Right Out to starting 7. Two locks so Sam still in doubt, or already out. Good to see Franklin get a call, he's been great recently
Isn't Franklin leaving at the end of this year? I see that as a wasted selection, should have given someone like Lousi or Strange who will be available next year a chance to be exposed to the AB environment. They did the same thing with TKB last year and I thought that was a mistake as well.
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@mariner4life said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@chris-b said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@pukunui That looks about right.
I think they'll go Laumape and Crotty if Crotty is fit.
Back three - hard to know. I suspect they're strongly tempted to have Jordie play, so I'd be inclined to guess 11. Ioane, 14. Smith, 15. JBarrett.
fuck no. Why play our best 15 at 14 just to fit in JB? He's not so good that he demands that move.
I've got it, lets go back to tradition, and play our 2nd best fullback at fullback, and our best fullback at centre. That's never failed before.
The attraction there is the "two fullbacks" in the back three option. With Naholo and Rieko you only have one kicking option in the back three.
I'm happy with either, but lean towards the two fullbacks as it will be cold and wet. On a dry track I'd take Naholo all day, but conditions are unlikely to be in his favour.
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@no-quarter while i understand the thinking, B Smith is our best FB, and should play there. You then find the best winger.
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@akan004 said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@machpants said in All Blacks Squad for France:
Matt Todd once again from Left Right Out to starting 7. Two locks so Sam still in doubt, or already out. Good to see Franklin get a call, he's been great recently
Isn't Franklin leaving at the end of this year? I see that as a wasted selection, should have given someone like Lousi or Strange who will be available next year a chance to be exposed to the AB environment. They did the same thing with TKB last year and I thought that was a mistake as well.
Franklin has signed a two-year contract with Kobelco Steelers, but at the time of the announcement, it was said he hoped to return to SR next season. I haven't seen an announcement of him re-signing with the Highlanders, but that doesn't mean it didn't happen. This is what the Highlanders CEO said at the time:
Highlanders CEO Roger Clark was delighted both Buckman and Franklin could be potentially returning in 2019. “Bucky and Tom have been mainstays of our team over the last few seasons and always give 100%. We are close to signing agreements to secure their return for 2019; in the meantime we wish them well during their time with Kobe.” -
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@machpants said in All Blacks Squad for France:
Mmm grey area, playing for landers and Japanese club, does that make them eligible or not? I guess not because their contract is with Steelers, landers just have an out on that - possibly
Still eligible I think. Nonu did it a wee while ago
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@nzzp Josh Blackie was the first to do it I believe?
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@taniwharugby said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@nzzp Josh Blackie was the first to do it I believe?
God, Josh Blackie. Damn but we had some openside depth in NZ in those days. The lions came in '05 and every week they faced some guy in a 7 jersey who should probably have been a test player (if they weren't already). Guns everywhere. And all parked behind arguably the greatest rugby player of all time
Now we have Ardie fucking Savea on the bench.
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@mariner4life Even in a heavy defeat Josh Bradnock had the better of his opposite for Manawatu.
That tour started with BOP didnt it, and NIli Latu tearing his opposite apart.
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@taniwharugby said in All Blacks Squad for France:
That tour started with BOP didnt it, and NIli Latu tearing his opposite apart.
yep, certainly did. Planet Rugby in their tour review gave him Provincial Player of the tour or something, as his performance set the scene for what they were going to face all month.
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@mariner4life said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@taniwharugby said in All Blacks Squad for France:
That tour started with BOP didnt it, and NIli Latu tearing his opposite apart.
yep, certainly did. Planet Rugby in their tour review gave him Provincial Player of the tour or something, as his performance set the scene for what they were going to face all month.
That Maori outfit that beat the Lions was stacked full of gun players. By comparison, last year's team didn't get anywhere near the heights
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@mariner4life said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@no-quarter while i understand the thinking, B Smith is our best FB, and should play there. You then find the best winger.
Ben Smith's also the best right wing (probably the best wing fullstop, but it's paying Rieko a major compliment that I'm considering him).
I don't mind too much if they play him on the wing - there was a game a couple of years ago vs Wales where he was on the wing and he was sensational.
Overall it's a question of whether the Ben/Jordie combo is better than Waisake/Ben combo. And whether Jordie's Big Mac combo enters the thinking in any way.
In any case, I'm sure we'll see 14. Ben/15. Jordie at some point during this series - question is simply whether they'll start it in the first test.
(I'm somewhat inclined to think they will, because Jordie is a bit of a "favourite son").
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@chris-b said in All Blacks Squad for France:
because Jordie is a bit of a "favourite son"
pffft no. really? i hadn't noticed...
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@chris-b said in All Blacks Squad for France:
Overall it's a question of whether the Ben/Jordie combo is better than Waisake/Ben combo. And whether Jordie's Big Mac combo enters the thinking in any way.
They like two fullbacks, and have for a long time. I can't see The Mac of JB affecting that - no major issues, it's his mate who seems to have led him to the wrong house
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@nzzp said in All Blacks Squad for France:
@chris-b said in All Blacks Squad for France:
Overall it's a question of whether the Ben/Jordie combo is better than Waisake/Ben combo. And whether Jordie's Big Mac combo enters the thinking in any way.
They like two fullbacks, and have for a long time. I can't see The Mac of JB affecting that - no major issues, it's his mate who seems to have led him to the wrong house
Please don't make light of this. The Herald told me it was part of a 'Horror' weekend. Nothing less than a tearful public apology from Jordie then Reiko will suffice.
