AB team announced today

...Some difficult calls for Hansen as we can't take everybody. 

And who will be the unlucky ones that miss out...?

Now Crotty is supposedly fit will Laumape be cut... 

Will Hansen choose Jordie Barret over Ben Smith...

Will the ABs go with three halfbacks or will Brad Weber miss out...

Will Reiko Iaone be replaced by Bridge or Reece

Who will prop... will Franks miss out

Liam Squire is tipped to pip Jacobson and Fifita in the loosies

There's some question marks over players who have been battling for form and fitness

 so a cruel cut coming for some... although still the chance of a call up later should injuries eventuate

Brycy, do you know what time today they will announce the team?

 ... hey JW,  happening 12.00 lunchtime apparently

Thanks Brycy.

And the Boks are the orchestra.

All Blacks 2019 RWC squad

Hookers

Dane Coles, Liam Coltman, Codie Taylor

Props

Nepo Laulala, Joe Moody, Atu Moli, Angus Ta'avao, Ofa Tuungafasi

Locks

Scott Barrett, Brodie Retallick, Patrick Tuipulotu, Samuel Whitelock

Loose forwards

Sam Cane, Luke Jacobson, Kieran Read, Ardie Savea, Matt Todd

Halfbacks

TJ Perenara, Aaron Smith, Brad Weber

First five-eighths

Beauden Barrett, Richie Mo'unga

Midfielders

Ryan Crotty, Jack Goodhue, Anton Lienert-Brown, Sonny Bill Williams

Outside backs

Jordie Barrett, George Bridge, Rieko Ioane, Sevu Reece, Ben Smith

Notable omissions: Owen Franks, Liam Squire, Ngani Laumape

Wow, so Squire didn't get selected after-all . Franks non-selection is a shock but maybe he didn't get his form back after the operation. Plus, Hansen wanted more mobility.

Jordie, Crotty and Sonny...

Apparently Hansen plans to move Scot Barret t to blindside when we need a big pack, e.g. against Boks or England.

True dat JW, although he was once described here (I won't mention name) as being rather ornery.

Cloudy, howzit  ....... heard a scribe onna radio claim that SonnyBill never missed a tackle in any of his RWC games (to date) ....... hopefully I can jinx him & he will miss some vital ones next month.

Btw. have you got your RWC tv coverage sorted?

So if we lose to ABs, beat Irish in qtrs, who do we play in semis before meeting ABs in final ?

Thanks & I saamstem, let the Poms & ABs bliksem each other.

Looking at that squad I am afraid that Jordie Barrett, SBW, Scott Barrett and Read are the bad apples that could sink the AB ship.

As a SA supporter I am glad Laumape is not in the squad.  That to my mind is a mistake on the part of Hansen.

As to Retallick - he is good - but his injury record is reaching some reasons for worrying about him.  Did Hansen not mak e the same mistake as Meyer made in 2015 when he emptied out the hospital wards to get his squad selected? 

Just one little change to my knockout predictions . . . again assuming England top Pool A then they'll play Wales or Australia in the quarterfinals. If that's Australia then I definitely make England the favourites to go on to the semis but if it's Wales then there could be an upset as Wales have a habit of turning England over when least expected.

My guess  is as follows:-

Pool  A

1   Ireland

2   Scotland

Pool B

1  South Africa

2  New Zealand

Pool C

1   England

2   France

Pool D

1   Wales

2   Australia

That being the case the Quarterfinals will be as follows:-

*    Ireland to play New Zealand

*    Scotland to play South Africa

Winner game 1  -  New Zealand

Winner game 2  -  South Africa

*    England to play Australia

*    Wales to play France

Winner game 3  -  England

Winner game 4  -  Wales     

That will mean that in the semi-finals the teams will be the following:-

1   England to play South Africa

2   Wales to play NZ.

That could end up as a New Zealand - South Africa final  

Duplicate

Laumape is a powerful runner but obviously Hansen and Co don't think he's the complete package. He can go missing in games and his defence is questionable too. Can't afford to miss tackles in the midfield in crucial RWC games.

ALB and Crotty are sound as bells and can be relied upon not to do anything stupid to put the team under pressure. Lots of Saffas also criticised the "aging" ABs in 2015 but you can't beat experience can you Moz?

Watch this space boys.....the question being, can the Boks find a way through the AB defence in the first game?? Not easy.

...Short odds on Laumape getting called up given there will always be injuries...good to know we have quality players like him to call on in that advent - being a specialist 12 probably counted against his selection and Hansen opting for the familiarity Mo'unga has with the Crusader centres Crotty and Goodhue

.... can only guess that injuries have curtailed Frizzel's selection.... Squire has been a machine for Tasman of late and will be the next cab off the rank if there is need of another loosie....

 and reassuring also to hear that Jordie is our backup 10 that hopefully we will never need..

Duplicate

Cloudy

With due respect - I think Jordie and Scot Barrett from  a rugby perspective is B-Le ague compared to their top class brother,  

Duplicate

Duplica te

Duplicate

I did hit the button once - but we constantly in the area have connect problems with the internet and that produces multiple entries I believe.  

Hi Cloudy, nice to see you on the board. Can't you  stream the games via internet? 

I live in VA, a few miles from DC. Lovin' life at the moment, hope all is well with you.

Interesting that Hansen has gone with solid mid-field (nothing flashy there) the wings have x-factor. I like the Mo'unga  and Barrett decision. Congrats to Jackobson but Squire power would have been great. Not mentally ready and he was honest enough to say so.

My word some intelligence in the cloudsters family!

The wee abs should make it out of the group stages. After that who knows what will happen. Seems the RWC is more open than in years.

The kiwis will doubtless be filling many refs bank accounts etc as per usual. Please take note all contestants!

Retardlick says he will only play if Eben doesn't, you know what a brute Eben is!!!!!!! The other wee abs nod in acknowledgements. Well said Retardlicks!!!

I'm a bit worried we might thrash this collection of geriatrics and the walking wounded and end up playing England in the semis. That would be concerning

I think you may have been wacking your small one a bit to often 

What a an idiot.........................................

Under estimate NZ at your own loss...........................

We will see won't we.

South Africans as per usual have totally mis red the reality.