New Zealand Rugby Team Watch

[Dismal Pillock]

Super XV Final, Sopoaga and Fekitoa stood up.

Crotty? wft.

Barrett not a 1st 5s arsehole. Stands too far back. Perenara coulnt even find him half the time

Elliot Dixon deserves a look somehwere. Dont even know what his postiion is. Just a rugby player

 

[qwerty51]

Dont even know what his postiion is. Just a rugby player

I love that comment for some reason.

 

[Bairdy]

Read, Kaino, Messam, Vito collectively is a menacing backrow 6/8 unit but what an embarrassment of riches in the Kiwi flanker depth.

Amazing that guys like Luatua, Manu, Dixon, Shields, Taufua, Thomson are surplus to requirements.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Read, Kaino, Messam, Vito collectively is a menacing backrow 6/8 unit but what an embarrassment of riches in the Kiwi flanker depth.

Amazing that guys like Luatua, Manu, Dixon, Shields, Taufua, Thomson are surplus to requirements.

We prefer "waiting in the wings", "surplus to requirements" being tantamount to "about to fuck off to France/ Japan" which is just soooo gauche.

 

[ChargerWA]

I thought Dane Coles played with some impact. Normally I think of him as a lightweight but he carried with some vigour in that final.

 

[CatchnPass]

From a more distant perspective across the ditch, surprised to see 13 Crusaders chosen, ahead of numbers from all other franchises, given Soup results. Must be a few noses out of joint amongst the others, esp (only 6) Highlanders. Has the loyalty card been overplayed?

 

[Bullrush]

From a more distant perspective across the ditch, surprised to see 13 Crusaders chosen, ahead of numbers from all other franchises, given Soup results. Must be a few noses out of joint amongst the others, esp (only 6) Highlanders. Has the loyalty card been overplayed?

The question is would you take out of the current AB squad and who would u replace them with??

 

[qwerty51]

I count only 5 Highlanders but Liam Coltman should've made it over Elliot.

 

[Ruggo]

Codie Taylor - Crusaders / Canterbury *
Ahh not only a Levin boy, but played for Logan City rugby club in Brisbane (ok only when he about 6yo but..), I will have to get behind this boy.

I know what you mean. Kerr-Barlow is from our humble little club in Darwin and we are more than happy to tell the world he is one of us.

 

[Dan54]

Geez Ruggo, you obviously played for same club as good mate of mine when he lived in Darwin!

 

[Ruggo]

Geez Ruggo, you obviously played for same club as good mate of mine when he lived in Darwin!

What's his name? PM me if you want but we have quite a few former players in SE QLD.

 

[Ruggo]

I understand Crotty. He is one of those solid and reliable type players. In that style, I think Buckman is unlucky. I thought he could of been a great bench player as he is apt in many back line positions.

 

[Hawko]

Here's the squad:

Forwards:
Hookers
Dane Coles - Hurricanes / Wellington (27)
Hikawera Elliot - Chiefs / Poverty Bay (3)
Keven Mealamu - Blues / Auckland (123)
Codie Taylor - Crusaders / Canterbury *

Props
Wyatt Crockett - Crusaders / Canterbury (27)
Charlie Faumuina - Blues / Auckland (20)
Ben Franks - Hurricanes / Hawke's Bay (31)
Owen Franks - Crusaders / Canterbury (57)
Joe Moody - Crusaders / Canterbury (8)
Tony Woodcock - Blues /North Harbour (110)

Locks
James Broadhurst - Hurricanes / Taranaki *
Brodie Retallick - Chiefs / Bay of Plenty (36)
Luke Romano - Crusaders / Canterbury (17)
Jeremy Thrush - Hurricanes / Wellington (11)
Samuel Whitelock - Crusaders / Canterbury (62)

Loose forwards
Sam Cane - Chiefs / Bay of Plenty (22)
Jerome Kaino - Blues /Auckland (56)
Richie McCaw (captain) - Crusaders / Canterbury (137)
Liam Messam - Chiefs / Waikato (40)
Kieran Read - Crusaders / Canterbury (72)
Matt Todd - Crusaders / Canterbury (2)
Victor Vito - Hurricanes / Wellington (26)

Backs:
Halfbacks
Tawera Kerr-Barlow - Chiefs / Waikato (15)
TJ Perenara - Hurricanes / Wellington (11)
Aaron Smith - Highlanders / Manawatu (38)

First five-eighths
Beauden Barrett - Hurricanes / Taranaki (28)
Daniel Carter - Crusaders / Canterbury (102)
Colin Slade - Crusaders /Canterbury (17)
Lima Sopoaga - Highlanders / Southland *

Midfielders
Ryan Crotty - Crusaders / Canterbury (13)
Malakai Fekitoa - Highlanders / Auckland (8)
Ma'a Nonu - Hurricanes / Wellington (94)
Conrad Smith - Hurricanes / Wellington (85)
Sonny Bill Williams - Chiefs / Counties Manukau (23)

Outside backs
Israel Dagg - Crusaders /Hawke's Bay (46)
Cory Jane - Hurricanes / Wellington (48)
Nehe Milner-Skudder - Hurricanes / Manawatu *
Waisake Naholo - Highlanders / Taranaki *
Charles Piutau - Blues /Auckland (14)
Julian Savea - Hurricanes / Wellington (33)
Ben Smith - Highlanders / Otago (38)

5 x newbies, marked *
13 x Crusaders
12 x Hurricanes
6 x Chiefs
5 x Highlanders, all of them backs
5 x Blues

A nice neat 1,500 test caps between them.

Nobody but the insane would bet against the All Blacks, but that squad has a lot of people riding on their reputation and a few very undeserving omissions:

1. Thirteen Crusaders after their dog of a season? Lots of them made it on reputation.
2. To my mind, only Coles in the front row is a clear starter. There's either lots of experience but average form or lots of potential with good form, but not both.
3. I'd kill for the quality of the locks.
4. On form, Ardie Savea is the best openside but he couldn't even get a run. McCaw will probably lift, but his Super form was mortal and his RC form will have to improve. If it doesn't, what then???
5. Carter didn't impress me this year, I would start Barrett, I hope Hanson goes all conservative.
6. Crotty the first dropped when the cull happens.
7. Savea, Smith and ?Piutau as the back three but if Savea or Smith get injured then all of a sudden its starting to look shakey as the next best are M-S and Naiholo.

NZ will be very strong but not unbeatable.

Dixon, Buckman, Savea and Coltman at least would consider themselves very unlucky

 

[da_grubster]

I think there is something to be said for a largely unheralded side with a few stars winning in a World Cup year.msame thing happened for the reds in 2011.

Maybe other sides have players subconsciously holding something back or not at their peak because of the rwc?

A World Cup year is not the time to throw out experience for new blood, there will be plenty of that required next year.

Evolution is the theme for such a settled squad and we may see some changes in the back three but hard to see much more.

Yes, some people are there on rep due to form and injury but shag has always backed the ab environment to get people to the right level.

It's a juggling act for sure and you never know when players are finished (woodcock and mealamu look like they could be) but their is a good mix of youth and experience throughout the squad

 

[Dan54]

Grubs, you realise if Kevvy doesn't make it there will be 2 boys from the Nua at hooker. Dane Coles is a Pram boy and of course Cody Taylor a Levin boy!!

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

NZ Maori side to play Fiji on Saturday:

1. Joe Moody, 2. Ash Dixon, 3. Ben May, 4. Jacob Skeen, 5. Hayden Triggs, 6. Akira Ioane, 7. Mitchell Crosswell, 8. Blade Thomson, 9. Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 10. Marty McKenzie, 11. Kurt Baker, 12. Charlie Ngatai, 13. Matt Proctor, 14. Rieko Ioane, 15. Damian McKenzie.

Reserves: 16. Quentin MacDonald, 17. Brendon Edmonds, 18. Josh Hohneck, 19. Heiden Bedwell-Curtis, 20. Elliot Dixon, 21. Jamison Gibson-Park, 22. Otere Black, 23. Jason Emery

http://www.3news.co.nz/sport/maori-...-caps-for-fiji-clash-2015070911#ixzz3fO5Hh7KE

NZ Maori being our de facto 2nd team (Junior All Blacks our official 2nd team but haven't played since ~2009) there's some interesting names in there in terms of RWC backup & future AB selection.

 

[ACT Crusader]

Proctor at 13 is a little bit of a surprise.

Two Dixons, two Ioanes, two McKenzies and three hypens

 

[ACT Crusader]

NZ Maori being our de facto 2nd team (Junior All Blacks our official 2nd team but haven't played since ~2009) there's some interesting names in there in terms of RWC backup & future AB selection.

Although waiopehu, given the gigantic size of the AB squad, those in that squad is more telling for where the backups and future lie.

Moody and TKB are the most likely. Can't see Ngatai being close despite playing Apia.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Two Dixons,

Despite both being born in Christchurch (Ash 1988, Elliott 1989) I can't find any mention of them being related, so just the two sets of brothers. Did any two of the Goings play in the same NZM side as the Dunns? Or the Dunns & Woodmans?

 

[ACT Crusader]

Despite both being born in Christchurch (Ash 1988, Elliott 1989) I can't find any mention of them being related, so just the two sets of brothers. Did any two of the Goings play in the same NZM side as the Dunns? Or the Dunns & Woodmans?

Yeah the Dixons aren't brothers, just share the same surname.