Dan54
David Wilson (68)
Brodie McAlister ahead of Riccitelli seems a Canterbury pick.
All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT 2024
- Thread starter waiopehu oldboy
- Start date
Wilson
Phil Kearns (64)
A little surprised to see Sotutu there, have NZ got around to officially declaring the All Blacks XV as their second senior team yet? With so much talk of him looking to take up his English or Fijian qualification I'm a bit surprised to see him ready restart his stand down period for anything less than a full All Blacks cap.
zer0
John Thornett (49)
Interested to hear the Olympic gold medal mental gymnastics required to not only not pick Riccitelli but to, instead, select his backups at both the Blues and Taranaki.
Best answer I can think of is that McMillan is packing a sad over his noodly armed Chufs getting bullied into oblivion by the Blues twice at the business end of the season.
EDIT: Actually I'm adopting the new tinfoil theory that the NZ rugby old boys are mad at Cotter. Coattails Hansen and Sleepy Ian parroted the lines that all the Blues forwards were useless, lazy, ill-suited for test rugby, and that no amount of coaching could correct fundamental character flaws so it wasn't worth trying. Enter Cotter who, in one short preseason, transforms those same players into the glorious killdozer that crushes all and sundry beneath it in an apocalyptic blaze of test rugby forward brutality on its way to a record Super Rugby win.
Best answer I can think of is that McMillan is packing a sad over his noodly armed Chufs getting bullied into oblivion by the Blues twice at the business end of the season.
EDIT: Actually I'm adopting the new tinfoil theory that the NZ rugby old boys are mad at Cotter. Coattails Hansen and Sleepy Ian parroted the lines that all the Blues forwards were useless, lazy, ill-suited for test rugby, and that no amount of coaching could correct fundamental character flaws so it wasn't worth trying. Enter Cotter who, in one short preseason, transforms those same players into the glorious killdozer that crushes all and sundry beneath it in an apocalyptic blaze of test rugby forward brutality on its way to a record Super Rugby win.
Dismal Pillock
Michael Lynagh (62)
Goddamnit I want to log out and log in 12 times using my 12 alternate accounts that I use to terrorise the Schoolboy Forum just so I can clcik "like" on this post 12 more goddamn times.
Dan54
David Wilson (68)
I think the ABXV does capture them Dc, I think I read NZR use that as the team that does.
Dan54
David Wilson (68)
I have to say I surprised about Riccitelli missing out, obviously he a top No2, he's a Naki boy who has to go and carry the Blues pack
.Also I would of liked to se Segner in there, I a fan and been on his wagon for about 4 years now.
2 best picks for the XV are Jacomb and Holland, couple of players I been raving about for a while, Holland for about 3-4 years, he looks born to be an international lock, and Jacomb is one of the most balanced 10s we got in country. I quietly hoping that Sotutu uses the chance to kick door down, I reckon he's got the makings of a good one, though I suspect Ryan is just mot a fan.
waiopehu oldboy
George Smith (75)
No. To take the Sotutu example he'd be eligible for England or Fiji from November 2025* but would need to be released from his NZR contract which runs until the end of 2026 & in the case of England sign with a Premiership club per EngRU rules. For Fiji he'd need the NZR release but could in theory stay in Super Rugby if someone signs him up under the right contract.
*assuming of course he doesn't play for AB in the meantime.
waiopehu oldboy
George Smith (75)
^ not saying right now but maybe as soon as next EOYT & looking to next RWC:
6. Sititi
7. Lakai
8. Sotutu
A loose trio to put the shits up everyone except maybe SA.
6. Sititi
7. Lakai
8. Sotutu
A loose trio to put the shits up everyone except maybe SA.
KiwiM
Arch Winning (36)
Savea seems untouchable at 8 unless he gets injured. Until any evidence to the contrary expect him at 8 this entire cycle (except for the odd rotation against lower ranked teams)
waiopehu oldboy
George Smith (75)
^ Ardie turns 31 on Monday & if he's still first pick at 34/ 35 something is seriously wrong.
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KiwiM
Arch Winning (36)
I agree. However Read was first pick at 8 in 2019 RWC at 34 years old.
Bullrush
Geoff Shaw (53)
McCaw and Kaino were both in their mid-30s in 2015 weren't they?
As long as Ardie is still performing, why would anything be wrong?
Dismal Pillock
Michael Lynagh (62)
Bullrush
Geoff Shaw (53)
LOL....the memes are always funny
Ardie is near the top of the lists for tackles made, runs made, post-contact metres....but people don't like that he screams occasionally. To each their own...
waiopehu oldboy
George Smith (75)
^ his extraordinary leg drive gets him a long way, literally & figuratively, but I feel he's a bit of a one-trick pony these days & when the leg drive starts to wane he'll fade rather quickly.
KiwiM
Arch Winning (36)
Amazing what happens when you don't hit rucks
Bullrush
Geoff Shaw (53)
So he should do the most carries AND hit the most rucks...lol
Hitting a heap of rucks is not his role and that's not the ABs need from him.
But sure, take the ball off best ball-carrying forward in the team and get him to hit rucks.... lol
waiopehu oldboy
George Smith (75)
Yeah, it's pretty obvious that Foster didn't & Razor doesn't want Ardie hitting rucks unless absolutely necessary, he's there to hit it up Valetini-style esp on turnover ball.