@mofitzy_ said in TRC: Pumas v All Blacks:

Is Bridge being rested?

I wouldn't read anything into the selections at this stage. They'll give most of the squad a run in the first few games

I remember 1014 mentioning match day 23's in 2015. Basically the selectors tested a few players out early and then dialled their squad in. Each Test got closer and closer to the RWC side.

So for the first Test in 2015 (v Samoa) there were 9 players not named in the RWC squad:
Andy Ellis, Charles Piutau, George Moala, Israel Dagg, Hikawera Elliot, Nepo Laulala, Matt Todd, Brad Webber, Charlie Ngatai

The 2nd Test (v Argentina) there were 5 players not named in the RWC squad:
Charles Piutau, Israel Dagg, Nepo Laulala, Jeremy Thrush, Andy Ellis

I suspect Hansen will follow a similar pattern this year. This 23 seems comparable to that game v Samoa

@jegga

..and if it’s correct, that nutter Laura Loomer deserves credit for digging up the details

@MN5 It's a temporary ban

@Daffy-Jaffy

For a popular vote team that's not bad. Normally voting throws up some weird choices

What was the criteria? Performances for Auckland or overall career?

Rok shouldn't make the team if it was just on Auckland performances. He was an AB before he played NPC and he didn't play that often

@Steven-Harris said in Blues 2020 - Beauden Barrett has signed:

That’s an area of real interest to me..or do we, dare I say say it convert a certain left wing into centre..?

I think it's worth a look (13, not 12!)

He needs to touch the ball more.

If Tele'a has a big NPC it might not be needed though

@Steven-Harris said in Blues 2020 - Beauden Barrett has signed:

Hoping Stephen Perofeta is fit at the top of the season or should I say is still contracted to the Blues..after watching Otere Black run around for the NZ Māori it only confirmed to me what I always thought of Black no more than a top end Mitre 10 Cup player..and I can’t help think he was an understudy to Barrett at the Canes for a reason , hard to believe he was even in the ABs conversation when D-Mac was injured earlier in the super rugby season ..
Personally I would cut him from the Blues.
One thing Perofeta has got going for him, he does play fullback

I agree. I don't think Black will improve much

I think Plummer, Perofeta and Black are all contracted for next year. Black will be useful injury cover in the first half of the season before BB arrives.

Perofeta should be the starting fullback, giving us a kicking option at the back. Something we really missed this year.

Plummer needs a longer apprenticeship. His error rate is too high at the moment. But I would like to see him used a lot from the bench covering 10/12

Hansen’s assessment of the Blues:

"They've got a pretty good roster, two All Blacks front-rowers, an All Blacks lock, an All Blacks loose forward, another young player (Tom Robinson) who would have been close to being in this squad if he hadn't hurt his knee. They've got Akira [Ioane] who's pretty close to being in this squad as well, and Blake Gibson is a fantastic player too.

"Their forward pack has plenty of talent, and you could say the same about their backline. They've got a very good coach in Leon [MacDonald], and I believe, given a bit of time, you'll start to see progress.

"Having a 10 to drive those people around the park is going to make it a little more interesting. They'll make greater progress at a greater rate than they without an experienced 10 who can drive the bus, so to speak."