New Zealand Rugby Team Watch

[Rassie]

Naa mate , we decided if we had to kick 6 penalties to win, we would, and then just go crook when anyone does it to us!!

You always score a try. But I never see a try less kiwi team going for a penalty with the score tied. Can't remember who it was but in Auckland they dropped it for 3 and the crowd were booing their own player. Ugly is not the Kiwi way although they had to go ugly to win the WC again. Its a shame it took them 26 years to figure that out.

Look at the WC final of 2007. It was so boring that they changed he rules of it. I mean its a WC final. No one gives a damn what the spectators think how boring it was. Win is more important and minimizing mistakes in a final is one way to do it. Sadly in 2011 we forgot that nobody cares how you got there. But everyone remember how you went out.

 

[Riptide]

Anscombe is an interesting call at 15 given Dagg's awful form. Smith is a fine player but he can be inconsistent under the high ball. Anscombe's kicking game is superb and he has genuine pace even if he is not as naturally fluent a ball runner as either Smith or Dagg. Piutau's error count is still too high and his kicking game needs development but he is some talent.

 

[qwerty51]

Some shit news

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/8633363/Richard-Kahui-shoulder-injury-may-end-career

 

[SaderCheif]

Some shit news

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/8633363/Richard-Kahui-shoulder-injury-may-end-career

Really shit news. Gutted for him. Hope he makes it too Japan

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[SaderCheif]

The All Black training camp.
The 38 players invited to the two camps in Mt Maunganui are:
Blues: Frank Halai, Steven Luatua, Keven Mealamu, Charles Piutau, Rene Ranger, Francis Saili, Piri Weepu and Ali Williams.
Chiefs: Ben Afeaki, Sam Cane, Aaron Cruden, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Liam Messam and Brodie Retallick.
Hurricanes: Beauden Barrett, Dane Coles, Ben Franks, TJ Perenara, Julian Savea, Brad Shields, Conrad Smith, Jeff Toomaga-Allen and Victor Vito.
Crusaders: Dominic Bird, Daniel Carter, Wyatt Crockett, Israel Dagg, Owen Franks, Kieran Read, Luke Romano, Tom Taylor and Samuel Whitelock.

No Highlanders for the 1st camp as they are overseas.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/8669996/Blues-stars-new-faces-in-ABs-training-squad

 

[Braveheart81]

Highlanders: Hosea Gear, Andrew Hore, Ma'a Nonu, Aaron Smith, Ben Smith and Tony Woodcock.

 

[RoffsChoice]

From that group:
1. Ben Franks
2. Andrew Hore
3. Owen Franks
4. Luke Romano
5. Sam Whitelock
6. Steven Luatua
7. Sam Cane
8. Kieran Read
9. Piri Weepu
10. Dan Carter
11. Julian Savea
12. Ma'a Nonu (There are no other 12s in the squad?)
13. Conrad Smith
14. Hosea Gear
15. Ben Smith

Read or Smith as captain?

Edit: Decided on a bench too
16. Dane Coles
17. Tony Woodcock
18. Jeffery Toomaga-Allen
19. Brodie Retallick
20. Liam Messam
21. Aaron Smith
22. Aaron Cruden
23. Rene Ranger

 

[SaderCheif]

I think Read will be captain. Grooming him to take over from the GOAT.

Ali Williams.....FFS....

 

[RoffsChoice]

Ali Williams was okay at the start of the season, but has fallen over lately. I can't see him starting but a bench spot is on the cards.

 

[Dan54]

Ali was always going to be picked for a camp, not sure he will make squad for tests, but from everything I hear he is bloody good at working with young locks. A little surprised no back up for Cane in the 38, but no worries as this not a test squad, Vito or Messam will probably ride the pine, and I suspect that Todd or braid not really seen as long term 7s for ABs(not sure why not) and someone like young Ardie Savea is a year or two away from getting a try out.

 

[en_force_er]

From that group:
12. Ma'a Nonu (There are no other 12s in the squad?)

Of the two 12s named Francis Saili has better form and is in the group.

With Cruden still looking the goods (probably better than DC) you could very easily name DC as a 2nd play maker at 12 and use Piutau at the back (who is very much not the 2nd player maker from fb that Dagg is, but he's a weapon).

However, they'll end up justing using Nonu at 12 I'd imagine.

 

[RoffsChoice]

Typical that I'd read it as Peter Saili.

How long is Cory Jane going to be out?

 

[qwerty51]

Probably the whole year, he did an ACL in preseason.

 

[Bullrush]

I'd go with Rene Ranger at 13. Someone has to take over from Conrad Smith at some stage, may as well start getting him some game time now and keep him from signing overseas. He hasn't signed overseas yet has he?

 

[qwerty51]

Rumours he's signed with Montpellier, same thing with Robert Ebersohn but he's denying that now.

 

[FrankLind]

Ranger confirmed today that he has not signed with Montpellier yet.

We'll see. Personally I think he is using this as a way to "encourage" Hansen to pick him.

 

[Shiggins]

An someone explain to me something?
I want to know how selection works in NZ. If a player from Fiji or Samoa or any island doesn't have a parent from NZ can they be selected to play for New Zealand?

 

[RoffsChoice]

An someone explain to me something?
I want to know how selection works in NZ. If a player from Fiji or Samoa or any island doesn't have a parent from NZ can they be selected to play for New Zealand?

Are any of their grandparents from New Zealand? If so yes, otherwise.........
Have they been a resident for 36 months? If so, yes. Otherwise, no.

 

[Rassie]

Are any of their grandparents from New Zealand? If so yes, otherwise...
Have they been a resident for 36 months? If so, yes. Otherwise, no.

lol you forgot to inform them that the kids who can play rugby from the Islands is going to school in NZ so the time they reach 17 or 18 they will be already resident for a number of years. There is basically no other place other than NZ to send their kids to for a education and a better life. So the Kiwi's don't have to send scouts anywhere. They just sit back and watch them come to you.

 

[hawktrain]

Would like to see a Cruden/Carter 10/12 combination again. Just gives their attack so many more options, especially with bruisers like Savea, Gear and Ranger on the wings being able to come in and run crash balls, rather than picking a line runner in the centres.