AB "What could have been" XV
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@nepia said in AB "What could have been" XV:
@kiwimurph I still find it weird how people get hung up on that - considering Kefu was one of the hardest to stop at full flight and a bunch of errors and poor play from other ABs led to it.
I was never really sold on him before that tbh , him Flavell and Matua Parkinson would be one of the most penalty prone loose trios I’ve ever seen when they were together at North Harbour
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@jegga said in AB "What could have been" XV:
@nepia said in AB "What could have been" XV:
@kiwimurph I still find it weird how people get hung up on that - considering Kefu was one of the hardest to stop at full flight and a bunch of errors and poor play from other ABs led to it.
I was never really sold on him before that tbh , him Flavell and Matua Parkinson would be one of the most penalty prone loose trios I’ve ever seen when they were together at North Harbour
Bunch a flash Harry’s
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@act-crusader said in AB "What could have been" XV:
@jegga said in AB "What could have been" XV:
@nepia said in AB "What could have been" XV:
@kiwimurph I still find it weird how people get hung up on that - considering Kefu was one of the hardest to stop at full flight and a bunch of errors and poor play from other ABs led to it.
I was never really sold on him before that tbh , him Flavell and Matua Parkinson would be one of the most penalty prone loose trios I’ve ever seen when they were together at North Harbour
Bunch a flash Harry’s
Without Cribb being a flash harry you lot would have went down to, I guess, your other lot in the 2000 final.
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@mn5 said in AB "What could have been" XV:
@pukunui said in AB "What could have been" XV:
I would put Guildford in the "dud" or "how the hell did he get capped" XV
Absolutely. Very fast and ran like a spastic. That's about the extent of his abilities.
That was about the extent of Doug Howlett's abilities too, and he (still?) has the AB try scoring record...
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@gt12 said in AB "What could have been" XV:
I personally think Leonard went as far as would have, so I'm struggling to think of a better HB for the bench than Duggan?
In an Evans/Toeavaesque way Byron Kelleher is worth a shot. He got 64 caps so on first glance hard to include him, but for a 1999 debut he only started 10 games (over 25 total tests) in his five first season through 2003. Chopped, changed, dropped for the Cantablacks with three coaches over four years. This after being Super 12 player of the year and starting the semi-final (not well) in 1999.
In an alternate reality it's easy to see him picking up two dozen caps at the start of his career with more consistent coaching/selection and another two dozen at the end had he stayed through 2008-09. Another handful he missed out under Henry just through rotation.
In pure minutes on the field very few in this list potentially could have played more for the ABs than they did if we are playing "what-ifs".
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@rotated said in AB "What could have been" XV:
@gt12 said in AB "What could have been" XV:
I personally think Leonard went as far as would have, so I'm struggling to think of a better HB for the bench than Duggan?
In an Evans/Toeavaesque way Byron Kelleher is worth a shot. He got 64 caps so on first glance hard to include him, but for a 1999 debut he only started 10 games (over 25 total tests) in his five first season through 2003. Chopped, changed, dropped for the Cantablacks with three coaches over four years. This after being Super 12 player of the year and starting the semi-final (not well) in 1999.
In an alternate reality it's easy to see him picking up two dozen caps at the start of his career with more consistent coaching/selection and another two dozen at the end had he stayed through 2008-09. Another handful he missed out under Henry just through rotation.
In pure minutes on the field very few in this list potentially could have played more for the ABs than they did if we are playing "what-ifs".
He always struck me as being almost a functioning retard , the part in Mils book where decided to tell the team at halftime in the 2007 rwc quarter final that it felt like 1999 all over again confirmed it for me.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/opinion/2586739/Muliaina-helps-restore-faith
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@jegga think it was @WillieTheWaiter who got talking to some of the ABs when they were in London in 2001? and he was saying a few of the ABs, inc Kelleher were sitting in a bar and a dude came up to them and said hey, I heard the ABs are coming in here today, and Kelleher was like, 'nah bro, why would they come in here'
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@siam said in AB "What could have been" XV:
@cgrant Shem Tatupou?
Probably not but cool name
Played for Samoa
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@act-crusader said in AB "What could have been" XV:
@bovidae said in AB "What could have been" XV:
You could include one of the Gear brothers on the other wing. Neither fulfilled their potential in the black jersey.
I reckon Rico carved out a damn good test career with three other quality wingers around the same time.
Hosea on the hand probably fits the bill. He didn’t translate that Super form to the test level. A bit like a few other players mentioned in this thread, had all the physical attributes but didn’t quite kick on.
From what I remember , at one stage Rico and Howlett were neck and neck for that right wing spot , there was nothing between them . And Joe was automatic selection for the left ( before Sivivatu emerged )
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@pukunui when he signed to go overseas he still had Ellison and Kahui ahead of him, then had that huge super season and he and his manager siad he hadn't signed yet and he got picked for the French series.
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@taniwharugby said in AB "What could have been" XV:
@pukunui when he signed to go overseas he still had Ellison and Kahui ahead of him, then had that huge super season and he and his manager siad he hadn't signed yet and he got picked for the French series.
It was an interesting period. We had a midfield that were 80 minute players and two of our top performers. There were opportunities for others albeit very limited. I recall Kahui getting a shot at centre for a couple of consecutive tests with mixed reaction.
Basically the coaches needed a backup back three player but equally profiecient in the midfield. Ellison was definitely that guy whereas the AB coaches only played Ranger as a winger.
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@kiwiinmelb said in AB "What could have been" XV:
@act-crusader said in AB "What could have been" XV:
@bovidae said in AB "What could have been" XV:
You could include one of the Gear brothers on the other wing. Neither fulfilled their potential in the black jersey.
I reckon Rico carved out a damn good test career with three other quality wingers around the same time.
Hosea on the hand probably fits the bill. He didn’t translate that Super form to the test level. A bit like a few other players mentioned in this thread, had all the physical attributes but didn’t quite kick on.
From what I remember , at one stage Rico and Howlett were neck and neck for that right wing spot , there was nothing between them . And Joe was automatic selection for the left ( before Sivivatu emerged )
I remember when Rico got his first shot in that PI series. Henry rotated his players quite a bit in his first few tests.
But Howlett and Rok were the preferred duo throughout the Tri-Nations and Rico got another chance on the EOYT in the lesser matches.
2005 was when there was a heap of rotation with all four of them.
Gear - 8 caps
Rok - 7 caps
Howlett - 5 caps
Sivi - 6 caps
