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New Zealand Rugby Team Watch

waiopehu oldboy

waiopehu oldboy

George Smith (75)
ASmith has re-signed for two more years which gives us a pretty handy group of core players heading into the next RWC cycle:

Contracted through to end of 2022
George Bridge
Dalton Papalii
​Joe Moody
Rieko Ioane

2021
Dane Coles
Codie Taylor
Ofa Tu'ungafasi
Karl Tu'inukuafe
​Sam Cane
Aaron Smith
TJ Perenara
​David Havili
Ardie Savea
Ngani Laumape
​Damian McKenzie
Akira Ioane

2020
Scott Barrett
Nepo Laulala
Patrick Tuipolotu
Sam Whitelock (one-year contract option)
Vaea Fifita
Anton Lienert-Brown
Mitchell Drummond

But still a large & in some cases worrying group coming off-contract post-RWC:

Brodie Retallick
Jack Goodhue
Beauden Barrett
Ryan Crotty
Jordie Barrett
Richie Mo'unga
Sonny Bill Williams
Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi
Liam Coltman
Nathan Harris
Kane Hames
Shannon Frizell
Waisake Naholo
Matt Todd
Israel Dagg
Luke Romano

Many of whom will join the ranks of those who've already confirmed they're leaving:

Kieran Read (Toyota Verblitz, Japan)
Owen Franks (Northampton)
Ben Smith (Pau)
Liam Squire (Red Hurricanes, Japan)
Jordan Taufua (Leicester)
Jackson Hemopo (DynaBoars, Japan)
Luke Whitelock (Pau)
Nehe Milner-Skudder (Toulon)

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...ck-as-battle-for-players-beyond-2019-heats-up

EDIT: Acording to CGW Crotty has just signed for Kubota. I'm mindful of the date so I'll wait until I see something more definitive.

RE-EDIT: this looks fairly definitive:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...ty-to-leave-new-zealand-after-rugby-world-cup
 
Blake

Blake

Ted Fahey (11)
Brodie Retallick Will be an interesting one.

NZRU might be willing to make him the highest player in the country, but it might not be enough.

Confident TTT, Mo’unga,Goodhue, BB and JB will resign. Good chance we’ll lose a lot of the rest.
 
waiopehu oldboy

waiopehu oldboy

George Smith (75)
waiopehu oldboy

waiopehu oldboy

George Smith (75)
Israel Dagg's season-ending knee injury is now a career-ending knee injury:

https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/1...-all-black-israel-dagg-retires-from-all-rugby

Still had much to offer NZ rugby even if no longer a first'pick AB & sad that he doesn't even get a French or Japanese pre-retirement payday.

EDIT: CruSadists are not surprisingly keeping him around for the rest of 2019 (& will probably offer him a long-term off-field role) but I think he'll quickly transition to the media.

https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/1...k-israel-dagg-retires-from-all-rugby#comments

Some good comments in there which goes to show how (almost) universally liked he was.
 
waiopehu oldboy

waiopehu oldboy

George Smith (75)
First AB Foundation Day is in Wellywood on Monday & they've invited 41 players incl Akira Ioane but not Ma'a Nonu:

Forwards: Dane Coles, Liam Coltman, Nathan Harris, Codie Taylor, Owen Franks, Nepo Laulala, Tyrel Lomax, Joe Moody, Angus Ta'avao, Karl Tu'inukuafe, Ofa Tuungafasi, Scott Barrett, Jackson Hemopo, Brodie Retallick, Patrick Tuipulotu, Samuel Whitelock, Sam Cane, Vaea Fifita, Shannon Frizell, Akira Ioane, Kieran Read, Ardie Savea, Liam Squire, Matt Todd, Luke Whitelock.

Backs: TJ Perenara, Aaron Smith, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Beauden Barrett, Damian McKenzie, Richie Mo'unga, Ryan Crotty, Jack Goodhue, Ngani Laumape, Anton Lienert-Brown, Sonny Bill Williams, Jordie Barrett, George Bridge, Rieko Ioane, Waisake Naholo, Ben Smith.

The North Island-based players will attend a second camp in Auckland on 20 May & the Southerners in Christchurch on 3 June.

Last year the Tribe were under strength for a match in SA because of a camp, there's no such clash of dates this year.

https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/a...s-foundation-day-set-for-monday-in-wellington
 
Dan54

Dan54

David Wilson (68)
No surprises with the ones named, didn't really think Nonu was ever a realistic chance of making squad, there is going to be a few pretty good players going to have to be cut from that squad when WC comes around!
 
Derpus

Derpus

Nathan Sharpe (72)
Nonu looked pretty sharp against the Waratahs, better than anything SBW has put in.

Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi - who?
 
zer0

zer0

John Thornett (49)
If he continues his upward trajectory, I definitely think Nonu will have a strong case for RWC selection. I also doubt he'll be too bothered by not being involved in a brief training camp. He's coming in cold off no rugby for months with the aim of peaking much later in the year. Proto-selections in April aren't his aim.

Hansen also likes to go on about the importance of experience, even when I say it's detrimental to overall performance -- see, for instance, J.Savea wobbling out against the Lions while Rieko is stuck in the stands, or Goodhue twiddling his thumbs while Crotty and Williams try and make it to halftime un-injured. Well, Nonu has just about more test experience (104 caps) than the other five options put together (140 caps). Indeed, remove one of Crotty or Williams, and he has more caps than the remaining four. Having a well-performing, 2 x RWC winning, test centurion pesting around a RWC squad could be handy.

Will be interesting to see how things develop.
 
Dan54

Dan54

David Wilson (68)
Kind of agree zer0, can see if Nonu keeps up a lot more games like Saturdays, I think he will come into consideration, just can't see it this early in season. I am also interested to see how the loose forward mix will be going forward, I like the fact that Akira has pulled out digit and in squad, and Fifita and Frizell, so who will miss WC? Akira I believe is starting to look odds on to replace Read next year, but will he go to WC, as a back up player he really only plays one position ,so may count against him, but do they want to go with Squire and Ardie covering 8? Also at 6 will S Barrett go as a lock covering 6 so maybe Frizell and Fifita may both miss? Interesting to see how they try and get the mix!
 
Dismal Pillock

Dismal Pillock

Michael Lynagh (62)
zer0 said:
see, for instance, J.Savea wobbling out against the Lions while Rieko is stuck in the stands,
Click to expand...
GAHHH, youre killing me here​
​
guessing RWC squad will only be 4 midfielders? FFS with Crotty and SBW, four midfielders isnt even enough for one half.WFT this unsettled shit in a RWC year is just bullshit. In 2013 Nonu and Conrad were already etched in stone for RWC2015 2 years out......​
​
my 4 picks:​
​
ALB: first choice as can play both​
Goodhue: starting centre ffs​
Crotty: can also play both but obviously will break so......​
Nonu​
SBW​
​
Laumape unlucky. Nonu's experience and crucially his sensible clearing kick option wins out​
​
 
zer0

zer0

John Thornett (49)
Nonu's stock might've just risen a bit.

All Blacks and Blues midfielder Sonny Bill Williams is heading for knee surgery that must cast a cloud over his World Cup prospects later this year. The Blues revealed after training on Thursday that the 33-year-old second five-eighths, who is bidding to be part of an historic third straight World Cup triumph with the All Blacks, faces at least six weeks on the sideline in the wake of "minor" arthroscopic surgery on his knee scheduled for Friday. The veteran injured the knee while setting up a try for Otere Black against the Stormers on March 30. A six-week recovery period would see him, at best, make it back on the field for the closing stages of the Super Rugby season and severely limit his chances to prove his fitness and form in what is a crowded field of midfield contenders for the World Cup squad.
Click to expand...

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...heading-for-knee-surgery-cloud-over-world-cup

Though Hansen has previously demonstrated injuries don't necessarily preclude you from RWC selection, as we saw in 2015 with Naholo's ridiculous broken leg situation. Still, he's undoubtedly become an injury liability.

EDIT: Just beaten to the punch it seems.....
 
Dismal Pillock

Dismal Pillock

Michael Lynagh (62)
Foundation Day 9 loosies picked. to be pared down to 6 (or 5 if Tuipulotu makes it?)
Scott Barrett covers lock so he's definitely in​

the rest:

Sam Cane, Ardie Savea, Matt Todd
Liam Squire, Shannon Frizell, Vaea Ffsffifita
Kieran Read, Luke Whitelock, Akira Ioane

can see Todd, Fifita and Akira (ffs) missing out. Fuck Luke Shitelock. Hansen, the cup is there to be won not defended.
 
Dan54

Dan54

David Wilson (68)
Dismal Pillock said:
Foundation Day 9 loosies picked. to be pared down to 6 (or 5 if Tuipulotu makes it?)
Scott Barrett covers lock so he's definitely in

the rest:

Sam Cane, Ardie Savea, Matt Todd
Liam Squire, Shannon Frizell, Vaea Ffsffifita
Kieran Read, Luke Whitelock, Akira Ioane

can see Todd, Fifita and Akira (ffs) missing out. Fuck Luke Shitelock. Hansen, the cup is there to be won not defended.
Click to expand...

I can see maybe Luke and Akira both missing DP, maybe because if Squire goes he and Savea can cover 8 and Luke and Akira can't really play elsewhere.
 
waiopehu oldboy

waiopehu oldboy

George Smith (75)
^ last time they didn't have a reserve lock for any of the KO matches, running with two loosie subs instead. I can see them doing that again & if they do then there's value to be had in bringing ASav & Akira on with 25 to go. As I think you meant to say, Barrett covers 6 so you don't really need both Frizell & Fifita as well as Squire.
 
zer0

zer0

John Thornett (49)
McKenzie is out of the RWC.

All Blacks utility Damian McKenzie has been ruled out of the 2019 Rugby World Cup with a knee injury.

Coach Steve Hansen, speaking to media at the All Blacks first "foundation day" in Wellington on Monday, confirmed the 23-year-old ruptured his ACL in his right-knee playing for the Chiefs against the Blues on Saturday night.
Click to expand...

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...ruled-out-of-rugby-world-cup-with-knee-injury

Given his size and the number of hits he absorbs, it seems to be pretty terrible luck that he picked up his first (?) serious injury via the turf.
 
waiopehu oldboy

waiopehu oldboy

George Smith (75)
^ given we don't seem to have any Test-quality 5/8's other than Beaugan & Mo'unga that probably opens up a spot for an uncapped, versatile outside back e.g. Alaimalo or Jordan.
 
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