All Blacks 2024
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@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
likely smaller 6 (than SF)
Not if Finau is 6.
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Start by picking first XV:
EDG/Taylor/Lomax/Scooter/Vaa'i/Paps/Finau/RD/Christie/DMac/Jordie/Rieko/Clarke/Reece/Stevenson(or Love)
Then second XV
Ofa/Aumua/Newell/Paddy T/Darry/Lakai/[Akira/Jacobson/Blackadder]/Sotutu/TJP/Beaudy/[Tuapea/Lam/Poihipi]/ALB/Telea/Narawa/Will Jordan
Last step extra LH/TH/Hooker/HB
Tamaiti/Renata (possibly Tosi)/[Ricatelli]/Ratima
That's 34 names.
Take out Jordan is 33.
The key team structure choice is six props versus six loosies.
If the former, Akira, Luke and Blackadder ALL miss out.
Or assume Ofa covers both sides, Renata misses out and one of the above trio selected.
The trickiest pure selection issue is midfield. The easy conclusion is that Proctor gets in as specialist 13 and ALB covers 12 and 13.
For me a big body to run direct at 12 is the preference, in which case Proctor misses out to ALB at 13.
That would leave Tuapea as the obvious option. That said, Lam has filled in well for Heem at Blues, and Poihipi gels very well with DMac, has kept Tuapea on the pine and makes a good fist of running a hard line when required.
For me the final could swing a couple of decisions.
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@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
likely smaller 6 (than SF)
Not if Finau is 6.
True but (if I am reading the mood here) he isn't a certainty, and the locks may well be shorter than recent AB lock height. Not saying shorter locks can't jump but lineout jumpers and height seemed to be a factor in previous coaches' selection strategies..
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@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
likely smaller 6 (than SF)
Not if Finau is 6.
True but (if I am reading the mood here) he isn't a certainty, and the locks may well be shorter than recent AB lock height. Not saying shorter locks can't jump but lineout jumpers and height seemed to be a factor in previous coaches' selection strategies..
Finau's been doing just fine as a lineout option for the Chiefs.
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Lol how is Billy Proctor all of a sudden unfavoured. He was clearly the form centre throughout the majority of Super rugby and has been kicking the door down for a couple years now with his consistency. I'll be very surprised if he wasn't selected, especially because Holland is selecting the centres and he pushed for his case when he was coaching the Canes aswell.
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@Canes4life
There does seem to be a real squeeze on now for squad places. Albeit, if only amongst fan chat.It appears that we may not have many new caps in the ABs even though we have lost 8 players overseas after the RWC.
Is a 32 man squad too small?
The Boks named a lot of new faces (different circumstances I know) but I would be dissapointed if we don’t
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@DaGrubster said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Is a 32 man squad too small?
Not for a 2 test home series.
The RC squad wil be bigger - and I suspect the EOYT squad will be large, with a few travelling apprentices.
all this is based on my extensive knowledge of top level international coaching from my (virtual) armchair
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Thanks virtual Fozzie 😉
Fair point about squad size. It’s a short turn around before 1st test. It has to be focussed on the test series and not as an intro to Razors vision to an overbloated squad with 9 days to prepare for a test match after the squad naming.
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@DaGrubster Proctor is easily pushing Ioane to be the top centre in NZ. If Havili pushes him out that would be bloody disappointing considering he doesn't even play 13. I don't think it will happen though, each specific position selector has been watching each NZ player closely all year and based on that Proctor's consistency should see him through. Conrad Smith came out the other day and to him Proctor was a certainty in this squad, he obviously reminds him of how he played in the Black jersey.
There needs to be a number of fresh faces in this side, if we select largely the same squad as last year we won't be improving much IMO.
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@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@DaGrubster Proctor is easily pushing Ioane to be the top centre in NZ. If Havili pushes him out that would be bloody disappointing considering he doesn't even play 13. I don't think it will happen though, each specific position selector has been watching each NZ player closely all year and based on that Proctor's consistency should see him through. Conrad Smith came out the other day and to him Proctor was a certainty in this squad, he obviously reminds him of how he played in the Black jersey.
There needs to be a number of fresh faces in this side, if we select largely the same squad as last year we won't be improving much IMO.
A former Hurricanes player campaigning for a current Hurricanes player, well I never….
Proctor has been excellent this season. The only question I think they’ll be asking is in a small squad of 32 and with Ioane, Jordie and ALB certainties, does the other back we pick need to more of a midfield/wing specialist option? And before anyone says it, Ioane is not that guy any more IMO.
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@ACT-Crusader AJ Lam 12,13,14 problem solved
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@george33 yep or McLeod.
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@Machpants said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@nzzp said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Not for a 2 test home series.
technically true, but san diego?
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@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@DaGrubster Proctor is easily pushing Ioane to be the top centre in NZ. If Havili pushes him out that would be bloody disappointing considering he doesn't even play 13. I don't think it will happen though, each specific position selector has been watching each NZ player closely all year and based on that Proctor's consistency should see him through. Conrad Smith came out the other day and to him Proctor was a certainty in this squad, he obviously reminds him of how he played in the Black jersey.
There needs to be a number of fresh faces in this side, if we select largely the same squad as last year we won't be improving much IMO.
A former Hurricanes player campaigning for a current Hurricanes player, well I never….
Proctor has been excellent this season. The only question I think they’ll be asking is in a small squad of 32 and with Ioane, Jordie and ALB certainties, does the other back we pick need to more of a midfield/wing specialist option? And before anyone says it, Ioane is not that guy any more IMO.
I just the judgment of our greatest test centre over Holland any day.
Nah Ioane can cover wing IMO. We need specialist players in this squad. I'm sick of shitter players getting in just because there's a chance they may be needed on the wing. If Ioane has to move out to the wing for 15 mins of a test then so be it.
