All Blacks 2024
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@Windows97 SA definitely need to get younger players in. This group bar one or two players will be too old at the next WC. Will be interesting to see what the first test team post WC looks like
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@W32 said in All Blacks 2024 - no interminable Foster arguments:
@Windows97 SA definitely need to get younger players in. This group bar one or two players will be too old at the next WC. Will be interesting to see what the first test team post WC looks like
Perhaps we'll see a repeat of 2015-19. Boks getting beaten all over the place and then putting the pieces of the jigsaw together near RWC time.
On the AB side of things, there's a pretty strong core team for Robertson to build on and he has the time to get the team where he wants it. I'm more interested in the general direction the team is going in - depth, ability to handle pressure, etc - than in PR fluff or even results in the first season or two.
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@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2024 - no interminable Foster arguments:
@Rancid-Schnitzel I do think there's value in Razor connecting with the media and the public. Rugby really struggles to be fan centric and Razor is a breath of fresh air in that sense.
For sure. PR is a huge part of the job. But as I said, I'll judge based on actions and results not pretty words.
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For a blast from the past, I leave below Rattue's take on the worst XV of the Henry era - just prior to the 2011 RWC.
Aged like milk.
Chris Rattue: The Worst XV of King Henry's reign - NZ Herald
Public opinion has not treated the former All Black Shayne Philpott kindly.
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@nzzp said in All Blacks 2024 - no interminable Foster arguments:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2024 - no interminable Foster arguments:
@nzzp exclude Nonu and I can't see the problem!
pffft, Ben Smith?
@nzzp said in All Blacks 2024 - no interminable Foster arguments:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2024 - no interminable Foster arguments:
@nzzp exclude Nonu and I can't see the problem!
pffft, Ben Smith?
and a certain Stephen Donald cameo.
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@nzzp said in All Blacks 2024 - no interminable Foster arguments:
I mean, it's so spectactularly wrong it's funny.
And it's so spectacularly mean it's funny. I mean, it's saying 'you're the worst elite rugby player I've seen' FFS
Except Highlanders. He could not even be bothered to watch them. Not like he is paid to do so as a professional sports journalist or anything...
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Well the world cup has shown that regarding the AB squad we are there, or there abouts.
Super enthused about the level of interest in rugby at the WC. Great to see the passion from France, Ireland, Portugal ...
Ref support and TMO refinement is a major work-on for 2024.
Excluding this year the last 5 years have been a hard watch supporting the ABs most of the time. The top tiers of NZ rugby lacked clarity and organisation.
Super proud of the WC effort.
Razor not afraid to run his own path.
Next captain firstly has got to be an automatic pick in the team. S Barrett probably.
Massive year End of year tour in UK something I'm looking forward to. -
@booboo said in All Blacks 2024 - no interminable Foster arguments:
@Tim said in All Blacks 2024 - no interminable Foster arguments:
Six potential Test debutants for the All Blacks in 2024
The 2024 season will be the first with new head coach Scott Robertson in charge of the All Blacks and there is bound to be new caps.
Strange is one of two locks with the size for test footy. The other being Parkinson. And the other is Sam Darry ...
Stranger things have happened but I have serious doubts about Darry's selection in the AB squad for 2024. He's not dominant in the NPC so the gap is huge with the international requirements. MSR, McWhannel and Sangster have a higher ceiling IMO.
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@Victor-Meldrew I’m hoping things won’t be as dire as they were post 2015. Think a lot of that had to do with Allister Coetzee's non coaching and very poor team cohesion…. But they did lose a lot of senior players around that time as well. Rassie staying on is a good sign, maybe he has a plan.
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@BerniesCorner I would love Scott Barrett or someone who is an automatic pick rather than Cane. Felt Dalton played well on the end of year tour 22 and did enough to usurp Cane. Had he played perhaps we would of won the final. Would've, could've should've.
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@W32 It's sort of a pattern with the Bok coaches. One Bok coach will cap a lot of players and then the next two Bok coaches will primarily use those players (only adding a handful of squad players) during their tenures. At the end of that 10-year+ period, the cupboard is bare.
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@Punch_up said in All Blacks 2024 - no interminable Foster arguments:
@W32 It's sort of a pattern with the Bok coaches. One Bok coach will cap a lot of players and then the next two Bok coaches will primarily use those players (only adding a handful of squad players) during their tenures. At the end of that 10-year+ period, the cupboard is bare.
SA rugby have dropped the "quota" system apparently. Hopefully that will result in color being a non factor in our rugby going forward....that should result in better outcomes all around. I think Rassie and Nienaber deserve credit for identifying, bringing in and nurturing talented players from disadvantaged situations. Kolisi being the obvious example. Honestly as an expat looking on I felt so excited when players like Kolisi, Mapimpi, Am, etc started taking on leadership roles in the team. A huge previously ignored pool of players showing us the way forward. Hopefully the shortsightedness of the past is behind us......
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@W32 said in All Blacks 2024 - no interminable Foster arguments:
@Windows97 SA definitely need to get younger players in. This group bar one or two players will be too old at the next WC. Will be interesting to see what the first test team post WC looks like
Thanks as I'm not that familiar with the SA players aside form the fact they seem to beat us a lot.
However I would say SA is in the more enviable position of having 4 years to blood new players in preparation for the next RWC (albeit by the sounds of it they'll have to blood quite a few) instead of being forced to blood new players immediately in 2024 as they've had a huge exodus post the RWC.
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Interesting the shift from "don't have the cattle" to great and optimistic starting point. Hopefully Razor can bring out the best in them.
