All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT 2024
- Thread starter waiopehu oldboy
- Start date
KiwiM
Arch Winning (36)
ABs still have to play Italy after France - at Juventus' home ground which is a bit of a cauldron.
Italy were good value in the Six Nations under their new coach - 2 wins and a draw.
Admittedly Italy almost never match up with the ABs but I'm interested to see how they go
Dismal Pillock
Michael Lynagh (62)
Shipped 96 pts at RWC? Guessing AB's will wheel out the squaddies who will be keen to impress so expect..... keenness. Ruben Love, Billy Proctor etc to run amok. AJ Lam ffs
Italophile
Alfred Walker (16)
Quesada's first job was to banish Crowley's run-it-from-anywhere-regardless approach. It was naive, costing them so many unnecessary points. Quesada's policy is structure, to build platforms. Whether they're up to the ABs is another matter but I'm interested to see how things have developed. Rugby barely exists here in Tuscany so Gli Azzurri will have one supporter. Me.
waiopehu oldboy
George Smith (75)
Sam Darry returning to NZ with a knee injury picked up at training. To be replaced by one of the AB XV locks of which Walker-Leawere would seem the most likely having spent time in AB camp as injury cover.
Meanwhile Sam Cane has a rather sore head...
www.instagram.com
Meanwhile Sam Cane has a rather sore head...
The ACC on Instagram: "Helluva shift today from Sam Cane! ( @beaudenbarrett)"
3,281 likes, 44 comments - theaccnz on November 8, 2024: "Helluva shift today from Sam Cane! ( @beaudenbarrett)".
www.instagram.com
waiopehu oldboy
George Smith (75)
Razor says Beaugan & Taylor are progressing well & he's hopeful they'll be available for France.
Cane, who has eight stitches in his noggin, will do return-to-play protocols during the week, sounds like a final decision on whether he plays or not won't be made until Friday.
No mention of Blackadder and/ or Papali'i joining the squad & really doesn't seem much point this late in the tour: AB XV have played their matches so any of those guys can be called in for training/ injury cover instead.
Cane, who has eight stitches in his noggin, will do return-to-play protocols during the week, sounds like a final decision on whether he plays or not won't be made until Friday.
No mention of Blackadder and/ or Papali'i joining the squad & really doesn't seem much point this late in the tour: AB XV have played their matches so any of those guys can be called in for training/ injury cover instead.
waiopehu oldboy
George Smith (75)
Will Jordan now eighth equal on the AB all-time Test try scorers list but at a rate much faster than anyone else on the list:
Doug Howlett 49 in 62 Tests
Christian Cullen 46
Joe Rokocoko 46
Julian Savea 46
Jeff Wilson 44
Beauden Barrett 44
Ben Smith 39
Jonah Lomu 37 in 63
Rieko Ioane 37 in 79
Will Jordan 37 in 39
At this rate & assuming he stays fit you'd think he'll overtake Howlett either next year or sometime in 2026.
Doug Howlett 49 in 62 Tests
Christian Cullen 46
Joe Rokocoko 46
Julian Savea 46
Jeff Wilson 44
Beauden Barrett 44
Ben Smith 39
Jonah Lomu 37 in 63
Rieko Ioane 37 in 79
Will Jordan 37 in 39
At this rate & assuming he stays fit you'd think he'll overtake Howlett either next year or sometime in 2026.
Last edited:
Dismal Pillock
Michael Lynagh (62)
I hope Beauden doesnt get it. Only needs 5 tries more fffs. Cotton wooling ***** could be #1 Alltime by Xmas.
Could be a BB vs Wee Willie Wonderballz hungusathon vs Italy?
You'd have to think both are poised to supplant Howlett sometime next year.
Could be a BB vs Wee Willie Wonderballz hungusathon vs Italy?
You'd have to think both are poised to supplant Howlett sometime next year.
waiopehu oldboy
George Smith (75)
^ statistically it'll take Beaugan 19 Tests to score the six tries he needs to take top spot vs 14 for WJ to get the 13 he needs. Barring something freakish from BB my money's on Jordan to get there first.
Wilson
Phil Kearns (64)
Not sure you can extrapolate Barrett's stats over his whole ~132 test career like that - he's only scored 2 tries in his last 19 tests. Jordan has been so insanely consistent it does work like that for him.
But even if Barret does somehow beat Jordan to the top, you wouldn't think he'd hold the record for long.
waiopehu oldboy
George Smith (75)
^ I knew BB wasn't dotting down as often as previously but 2/19 is LH prop material.
waiopehu oldboy
George Smith (75)
Cane has now been ruled out along with Tele'a who has a hand injury. Blackadder & Papali'i won't be going over but DuPlesis Kirifi & Chay Fihaki will be staying on as injury cover.
No word yet on a lock & I wonder if they even need one as Lord is still with them? Surely he & Toops can start v Italy with Vaa’i on the bench?
No word yet on a lock & I wonder if they even need one as Lord is still with them? Surely he & Toops can start v Italy with Vaa’i on the bench?
Last edited:
zer0
John Thornett (49)
lol.
11. Clarke
13. Proctor
14. Ioane
Done.
EDIT: I've assumed we're wedded to Jordan at FB.
waiopehu oldboy
George Smith (75)
^ was expecting the Fihaki selection to get more than a lol. That said there's still time for @Dismal Pillock to have his spray I mean say no I think I meant spray 
KiwiM
Arch Winning (36)
Proctor has gone back to NZ for the birth of his kid
Reece will be 14.
Telea and Cane are big losses. Not feeling confident vs France.
KiwiM
Arch Winning (36)
Fabian Holland confirmed as the replacement lock. As you say - he may not even play
zer0
John Thornett (49)
Not sure what the fuss about Lord is tbh. He seems undersized for someone near as tall as the Sky Tower and seemingly vies with Blackadder for most unavailable player. Give Holland a starting run as he has some latter day Retallicka about him. Let him go hard at Italy for one half then bring Tuipulotu on as he's going well from the bench.
EDIT: Quick comparison of some locks height (cm) + weight (kg) from Wikipedia. 115kg looks like the absolute bare minimum for a lock.
Lord: 205 + 106
Darry: 203 + 110
Itoje: 198 + 118
Holland: 204 + 118
Tuipulotu: 198 + 120
Whitelock: 202 + 120
Retallick: 204 + 120
Etzebeth: 204 +126
EDIT: Quick comparison of some locks height (cm) + weight (kg) from Wikipedia. 115kg looks like the absolute bare minimum for a lock.
Lord: 205 + 106
Darry: 203 + 110
Itoje: 198 + 118
Holland: 204 + 118
Tuipulotu: 198 + 120
Whitelock: 202 + 120
Retallick: 204 + 120
Etzebeth: 204 +126
Last edited:
waiopehu oldboy
George Smith (75)
How recent are those numbers? Lord looks like he's filled out/ bulked up in the last 12-18 months.