AB squad for the Rugby Championship
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Does someone know when the squad is named and how many players will be selected ?
Here are the players likely to be involved :Certainties :
Taylor
ColesMoody
Franks
Tu'ungafasiRetallick
Whitelock
BarrettCane
Savea
ReadA. Smith
PerenaraB. Barrett
Mo'ungaCrotty
GoodhueIoane
B. SmithThat's 19 names.
Probables :
Laulala
Squire
ALB
J. Barrett
TuinukuafePossibles :
Harris
Tuipolutu
Frizell
Fifita
TTT
Laumape
SBW
Naholo
BridgePossible bolters :
Coltman
Moli
Lomax (very low probability)
Jacobson
A. Ioane
Weber
J. Ioane
Ennor
Jordan (if fit)What do you think ?
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@cgrant said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
Does someone know when the squad is named and how many players will be selected ?
All depends on how the finals play out. In 2015 the squad was announced after the first week of the finals, which they added to after the Canes and Highlanders both made the final.
Hansen was on RadioSport on the weekend and said was that almost all players in an NZ team that makes the final will not go to Argentina which is two weeks after the Super Rugby final. So I would expect a similar ~40 man squad named around the first week of the Super Rugby finals.
A Canes vs Crusaders final would be interesting for 10 selection.
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I don't think a Saders/Canes final is possible in the structure is it? If they win their respective quarter finals they play each other in a semi.
Unlikely that Canes will drop below 4th.
The only way two NZ sides can be in the final is for another side to come 7th on the table, beat the second placed team in their quarter then also win their semi. If that is possible for any team it is the Blues that have a shot at it. If they beat the Bulls they could even get within 1 point of them on the table.So to the point....the Argie tour side will likely be missing Crusaders only.
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Off the top of my head I'll throw the following in the mix:
S Barrett shouldn't be a Certainty, but probably is
Tuipolutu should be higher than a Possible, call him Probable
A Ioane should maybe be a Possible rather than Bolter
Add the following for Bolter consideration;
Aumua
Perry
L Whitelock
Makalio
HaviliBooboo's indulgent Outsider:
Nanai -
@booboo said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
Off the top of my head I'll throw the following in the mix:
S Barrett shouldn't be a Certainty, but probably is
Tuipolutu should be higher than a Possible, call him Probable
A Ioane should maybe be a Possible rather than Bolter
Add the following for Bolter consideration;
Aumua
Perry
L Whitelock
Makalio
HaviliBooboo's indulgent Outsider:
NanaiSadly Luke of the Whitelocks is probably higher than a bolter
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@Crucial said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
@booboo said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
Off the top of my head I'll throw the following in the mix:
S Barrett shouldn't be a Certainty, but probably is
Tuipolutu should be higher than a Possible, call him Probable
A Ioane should maybe be a Possible rather than Bolter
Add the following for Bolter consideration;
Aumua
Perry
L Whitelock
Makalio
HaviliBooboo's indulgent Outsider:
NanaiSadly Luke of the Whitelocks is probably higher than a bolter
Yeah ... but I just couldn't
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@booboo said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
@Crucial said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
@booboo said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
Off the top of my head I'll throw the following in the mix:
S Barrett shouldn't be a Certainty, but probably is
Tuipolutu should be higher than a Possible, call him Probable
A Ioane should maybe be a Possible rather than Bolter
Add the following for Bolter consideration;
Aumua
Perry
L Whitelock
Makalio
HaviliBooboo's indulgent Outsider:
NanaiSadly Luke of the Whitelocks is probably higher than a bolter
Yeah ... but I just couldn't
Fair enough. No need to make yourself I’ll.
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@Crucial said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
Unlikely that Canes will drop below 4th.
Fair point, although it is far more likely that the Canes drop out of 4/5 than the Blues making the finals.
Chiefs v Crusaders would also be interesting from a locking/captaincy/third halfback selection perspective.
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Think ALB is a def. certainty bearing in mind the way he's playing for the Chiefs and Crotty's injury-prone-ness
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@Machpants said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
SBW is a certainty if fit too
Fitness a big "if" for me.
He'll be in the RC squad - just think Hansen and co. need to decide on a settled 12/13 which isn't constantly plagued by injuries
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@Crucial said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
An oldie but a goodie
Moody, Taylor, Franks, S. Whitelock, Romano, S. Barrett, Todd, Read, Hall, Mo’unga, T. Blue, Crotty, Goodhue, Bridge, T. Cane
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@ACT-Crusader said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
@Crucial said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
An oldie but a goodie
Moody, Taylor, Franks, S. Whitelock, Romano, S. Barrett, Todd, Read, Hall, Mo’unga, T. Blue, Crotty, Goodhue, Bridge, T. Cane
That’s an oldie but a baddie
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@Crucial said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
@ACT-Crusader said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
@Crucial said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
An oldie but a goodie
Moody, Taylor, Franks, S. Whitelock, Romano, S. Barrett, Todd, Read, Hall, Mo’unga, T. Blue, Crotty, Goodhue, Bridge, T. Cane
That’s an oldie but a baddie
I blame Deans
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@Crucial said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
@ACT-Crusader said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
@Crucial said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
An oldie but a goodie
Moody, Taylor, Franks, S. Whitelock, Romano, S. Barrett, Todd, Read, Hall, Mo’unga, T. Blue, Crotty, Goodhue, Bridge, T. Cane
That’s an oldie but a baddie
You’re right. Time to get rid of T. Blue and T. Cane
Moody, Taylor, Franks, S. Whitelock, Romano, S. Barrett, Todd, Read, Hall, Mo’unga, Ennor, Crotty, Goodhue, Bridge, Havili
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@ACT-Crusader said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
@Crucial said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
@ACT-Crusader said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
@Crucial said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
An oldie but a goodie
Moody, Taylor, Franks, S. Whitelock, Romano, S. Barrett, Todd, Read, Hall, Mo’unga, T. Blue, Crotty, Goodhue, Bridge, T. Cane
That’s an oldie but a baddie
You’re right. Time to get rid of T. Blue and T. Cane
Moody, Taylor, Franks, S. Whitelock, Romano, S. Barrett, Todd, Read, Hall, Mo’unga, Ennor, Crotty, Goodhue, Bridge, Havili
I as really surprised that wasn’t the first post.
#nocantablacks
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@cgrant said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
And what about Sevu Reece among the bolters ?
If he plays for the Crusaders, is he really a bolter?
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@Bones said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
@cgrant said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
And what about Sevu Reece among the bolters ?
Jeez next you'll be suggesting Goodhue plays second five to accommodate Ennor at centre.
With Crotty as a 12.5?
There simply isn't room for all these Cantabs. -
The ABs named a 41 man squad in 2015 and I think will do so again.
4 Hookers
6 Props
5 Locks
7 Loose Forwards
4 Half Backs
3 First Fives
6 Midfielders
6 Outside BacksTaylor, Coles, Coltman, Harris,
Moody, Tu'inukuafe, Franks, Lomax, Tu'ungafasi, Moli
Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Tuipulotu, Scott Barrett, Franklin,
Squire, Frizzell, Ardie Savea, Cane, Read, Todd, Akira Ioane
Aaron Smith, TJP, Weber, TTT
Beauden Barrett, Mo'unga, Josh Ioane,
Crotty, ALB, Goodhue, SBW, Laumape, Ennor,
Reiko Ioane, Bridge, Ben Smith, Jordie Barrett, Naholo, Reece -
@sparky possibly, but this RC is a different kettle of fish - last RC the RWC squads needed to be named before the final RC match and this time players in the SR final unlikely to appear in 1st RC game. So I think it could be very different, and maybe a double naming, initial and then final.
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@sparky said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
The ABs named a 41 man squad in 2015 and I think will do so again.
And Akira will be 42nd?
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@ACT-Crusader said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
@sparky said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
The ABs named a 41 man squad in 2015 and I think will do so again.
And Akira will be 42nd?
You’re optimistic - there’s still at least 4 bench Highlanders vieing for 42nd before he’ll get a look in.
Plus, he’ll be too tired, he doesn’t have the luxury of playing 30-50 minute games like those Crusaders loosies.
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@sparky Yeah - it would probably make most sense for them to name their TRC squad, and then name a few additional players for the first game against Argentina, if required.
I think a squad of 41 is likely, since it allows them to have 10 players additional to what they'll take to Japan - so cover with people up to speed with systems in case of injury.
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@Chris-B said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
@sparky Yeah - it would probably make most sense for them to name their TRC squad, and then name a few additional players for the first game against Argentina, if required.
Hansen said three squad announcements. Arg/SA games, Bledisloe games and then RWC (presumably includes Tonga).
The interview on the weekend with Keyes was pretty decent, Hansen drops a few nuggets: part one & part two
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@rotated said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
@Chris-B said in AB squad for the Rugby Championship:
@sparky Yeah - it would probably make most sense for them to name their TRC squad, and then name a few additional players for the first game against Argentina, if required.
Hansen said three squad announcements. Arg/SA games, Bledisloe games and then RWC (presumably includes Tonga).
The interview on the weekend with Keyes was pretty decent, Hansen drops a few nuggets: part one & part two
Nuggets? Hansen is one of the best fishermen going around....
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Jesus weeps for Blues fans again
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@canefan although
"He came down for university and rugby," Otago general manager Richard Kinley told Stuff.
Did Auckland/Blues really lose him in that case? Similarly Goodhue's name gets thrown about as being lost, but he was always going to Uni down in Crusaders land, I expect there are plenty of other similar cases...that said, I guess when you have these ones with goals outside of rugby, more work should be done to try and retain their services where possible.
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@canefan so how many players have the Blues lost from their region over the last five years?
From the top of my head:
Highlanders - Waisaki Naholo, Malakai Fekitoa, Josh Ioane, Dillon Hunt
Crusaders - Braydon Ennor, Jack Goodhue, Bryn Hall
Hurricanes - Michael Fatialofa, Vince Aso, Willis Halaholo, Loni Uhila, Sam Lousi, Scott Scrafton (next year)
Chiefs - Teleni Seu, Solomon Alaimalo, Tamua Manu, Shaun StevensonThere are probably many more but it just showcases where the Blues need to be better if they want to make the playoffs going forward.
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@Canes4life pretty sure with the articles logic, Solomon was lost to Canterbury/Crusaders having been schooled in Christchurch.
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@taniwharugby I agree. Some guys just want to study for a uni degree. At that stage in your life, you just don't know whether you're going to have a successful rugby career, so you plan for the future. That's what happened with Goodhue, Scott Barrett (and also Jordie, but he left for the Canes), Taufua and several more.
It's also why Gareth Evans went to Dunedin, and - initially - Brad Weber. Evans went back to his home franchise, the Hurricanes; Weber didn't, but both came back to the Bay in Mitre 10 Cup.
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@taniwharugby Depends on what he's studying. If Phys Ed, Health Sciences or Dentistry, then Otago the best. But Auckland has Auckland Uni and AUT which both have top notch programs, plus Unitech, MIT, Massey campus. So leaving in general for study is a bit of a stretch when Auckland has tons of options.
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@Mokey yeah I kinda covered that with Blues (ARU, NRU & NHR) should be all over the exceptional young kids, seeing what thier long term plans are outside rugby and trying to make it work for them.
But by the same token I expect some will have always had a dream of gong to X-Uni (as well as the other dream of being a professional rugby player) so that may still dictate where they go first.
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Many of these guys (eg Malakai) weren't making it in AKLD so went elsewhere. I think the uni angle in the pro era is less significant than in the past. The Blues have to sort out everything from the management at the top down to scouting and talent identification. The other hard thing is talent development. Players stagnating in Auckland only to go elsewhere and then make the ABs is very concerning
