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FORUM / RUGBY /  ABs squad named

ABs squad named

Started by Brycy13 REPLIES486 VIEWS· 29 May 2016, 03:10
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BR
Brycy
Pro4,671 posts
BR
BrycyPro4,671 posts
29 May 2016, 03:10
#1
29 May 2016, 03:10#1

Interesting new look to squad named to face Wales and take the ABs to the next level...Ofa Tu'ungafasi , Ardie Savea , Dixon , TeManivalu, Squire, DMac the new kids on the block... and Dagg is back in black ...



FORWARDS

Hookers
Dane Coles (Wellington, 36 Tests)
Codie Taylor (Canterbury, four Tests)
Nathan Harris (Bay of Plenty, two Tests)


Props
Wyatt Crockett (Canterbury, 45 Tests)
Charlie Faumuina (Auckland, 33 Tests)
Owen Franks (Canterbury, 78 Tests)
Joe Moody (Canterbury, 11 Tests)
Ofa Tu'ungafasi (Auckland, new cap)


Locks
Brodie Retallick (Hawke's Bay, 47 Tests)
Luke Romano (Canterbury, 22 Tests)
Patrick Tuipulotu (Auckland, seven Tests)
Samuel Whitelock (Canterbury, 73 Tests)


Loose Forwards
Sam Cane (Bay of Plenty, 31 Tests)
Elliot Dixon (Southland, new cap)
Jerome Kaino (Auckland, 67 Tests)
Kieran Read, captain (Canterbury, 84 Tests)
Ardie Savea (Wellington, new cap)
Liam Squire (Tasman, new cap)


BACKS

Halfbacks
Tawera Kerr-Barlow (Waikato, 20 Tests)
Aaron Smith (Manawatu, 47 Tests)


First five-eighths
Beauden Barrett (Taranaki, 36 Tests)
Aaron Cruden (Manawatu, 37 Tests)
Lima Sopoaga (Southland, one Test)


Midfielders
Ryan Crotty (Canterbury, 15 Tests)
Malakai Fekitoa (Auckland, 13 Tests)
Charlie Ngatai (Taranaki, one Test)
Seta Tamanivalu (Taranaki, new cap)


Outside backs
Israel Dagg (Hawke's Bay, 49 Tests)
Damian McKenzie (Waikato, new cap)
Waisake Naholo (Taranaki, three Tests)
Julian Savea (Wellington, 41 Tests)
Ben Smith (Otago, 48 Tests)


As well as the 32-man squad, two players will assemble as injury replacements: Highlanders lock Tom Franklin for Whitelock and Hurricanes halfback TJ Perenara for Kerr-Barlow.


The All Blacks squad assembled in Auckland today to prepare for the first Test against Wales at Eden Park on Saturday 11 June. The second Test is at Westpac Stadium, Wellington, on Saturday 18 June, with the third and final Test at Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin, on Saturday 25 June.  The Wellington Test will be an historic occasion: it will be the first time the All Blacks have played Wales in the capital city.

BR
Brycy
Pro4,671 posts
BR
BrycyPro4,671 posts
29 May 2016, 03:11
#2
29 May 2016, 03:11#2
 ...f or those who didn't see the announcement and follow-up.

 

Hansen and Fox both said Matt Todd is the most unlucky. Hansen said they were comfortable with Ardie playing Sevens and would have been more than happy to have Todd in the squad. But once Ardie was available, it was team ahead of individual (as far as Todd was concerned) and he had to be picked.

 

They like one power lock (Romano/Tuipolotu) and one athletic lock (Whitelock/Franklin/Barrett). Retallick is unusual in that he's both. Barrett was on the radar, but they've gone with the more experienced Franklin as cover for Whitelock.

 

Moala is cover for Ngatai if he doesn't come right.

 

Tu'ungafasi is in the Ben Franks role of being able to play both sides - better at tighthead. They did consider two hookers and a prop who can play a bit of hooker (is that Goodes?). Harris' form got him the nod.

 

They are pretty clear that TKB is their second halfback and TJ knows their systems, so can come in at short notice for a domestic series. A touring squad would need three halfbacks. From Fox's interview I got the impression that maybe Brad Weber wasn't as close as the pundits thought.

 

Dagg was carrying an injury last year and put too much selection pressure on himself. Picking him for this squad was a no-brainer according to Hansen.

 

They will start with a very experienced 23 for the first test and then have plans for the series.

JW
Just_win
Captain18,570 posts
JW
Just_winCaptain18,570 posts
29 May 2016, 07:02
#3
29 May 2016, 07:02#3
 Not a bad squad Brycy Good to see Damien McKenzie make the cut & also a few other new faces. I feel sorry for Todd but loose forward is a very competitive position.  TKB is a lucky bloke as he has been picked for the RWC & in this All Black squad when he was injured on both occasions. 
Ofa Tu'ungafasi is a decent size at 125 kgs & Charlie Faumuina is listed at 128, both have size, mobility & passing skills. It will be exiting to see these boys get a shot even though they won't be starters.
BR
Brycy
Pro4,671 posts
BR
BrycyPro4,671 posts
29 May 2016, 09:24
#4
29 May 2016, 09:24#4

 ...JW, looks like Hansen has just picked the whole Chiefs backline...Hansen obviously a big Chiefs fan by the looks... with great wingers in Savea and Naholo to put on the finishing touches this could make for a great spectacle...


Hansen has shown his hand, that he wants to play the Chiefs expansive attacking style of running rugby by the looks...


Aussies will be hard to beat this year though if they play like they did on Saturday...especially now they've dumped Quadoh the clutz Cooper..

WA
Wardad
Pro6,663 posts
WA
WardadPro6,663 posts
29 May 2016, 12:01
#5
29 May 2016, 12:01#5
 The team looks pretty good ,no real controversial picks there .Pity MS is not fit but these boys should be able to handle the jandal eh ?TKB is the obvious choice when fit [ or not it seems] TJP still seems to be prone to wee brain explosions !
RO
Rooinek
Captain18,117 posts
RO
RooinekCaptain18,117 posts
29 May 2016, 16:08
#6
29 May 2016, 16:08#6
 Very strong squad. Well done to Seta Tamanivalu and the other new caps.
SH
Shezza
Pro2,471 posts
SH
ShezzaPro2,471 posts
29 May 2016, 16:24
#7
29 May 2016, 16:24#7
Be interesting to watch a post-Carter and McCaw All Black team play, I'd pick Sopoaga and Savea as heirs to them both. 
AB
ABasquefan
Pro2,549 posts
AB
ABasquefanPro2,549 posts
30 May 2016, 13:30
#8
30 May 2016, 13:30#8
 the bigg est mistake IMO, Taufua's absence,...... he's the inform blindside of the SR,...... and he should be before Dixon and Squire in the picking order,.....

another mistake IMO (but this one very expected), the selection of Cane before Todd,...... I only hope that Savea will wear the nº7,....... but I don't think it will happen,..... the coachintg staff will stick with Cane,.......

but, on the other hand, this is good for the saders,....... both Taufua and Todd will be training at home and won't risk any injury,....... and ready to win the championship

too soon for Mckenzie,...... IMO he's too green,..... hope he doesn't play nor these series nor the RC,....... may be the EOYT but it's too far from now,...... good to be in the AB environment for the future,...... in case he improves his defense and the holding of the ball

hope Ngatai will be fit and playing,...... Moala is not playing well this season,...... very far from Ngatai at least at this moment
JW
Just_win
Captain18,570 posts
JW
Just_winCaptain18,570 posts
30 May 2016, 13:45
#9
30 May 2016, 13:45#9
ABF, I read an article in which they predicted Taufau would not be picked because a key factor was tackles missed & they want a hard & aggressive players like Squire & Dixon. This is not the article but it covers some of the points.
NZ Herald article

I'm sure Taufau will get his chance but it won't be now. The same logic is used for Cane over Todd. Plus Cane has been groomed for years now & is also part of the leadership group. 
McKenzie is  just being brought into the AB squad to give him coaching so he will develop as they would like.
In any case the ABs are in good shape.
AB
ABasquefan
Pro2,549 posts
AB
ABasquefanPro2,549 posts
30 May 2016, 14:52
#10
30 May 2016, 14:52#10
 JW,

I've been rating Dixon and Squire very high for a long time,...... even when nobody was rating Squire or choosing him for their preferred AB squad, I included him,.....

5. name ur All Black 32 man squad for june test series

one month ago these were my selections for the backrow:

"Matt Todd, Ardie Savea, Jerome Kaino, Kieran Read, Jordan Taufua, Liam Squire"

and still would be my selections,...... I even had Squire in my fantasy team untill he was benched,...... and he gave me a very good amount of points

so, yeah, I agree with the article, both Dixon and Squire are very physical and this is one the main reasons they've been choosen,...... but Taufua is even more physical,..... he's not that big, he's even small for the current standards for a blindside,..... but his 1.85 m. are pure strength,...... when he hits he hits really hard

true his missed-tackles account is too high,....... but if you look carefully to them, almost all, or even all of them, are tackles where the opposite player is taken to the ground but not held,...... so I don't see this as a big failure or handicap for him to be selected,..... but he should correct it,....... IMO these mistakes are mainly caused because he goes with everything he has to the tackle,...... he has to control a little bit more this aspect,.....
JW
Just_win
Captain18,570 posts
JW
Just_winCaptain18,570 posts
30 May 2016, 15:18
#11
30 May 2016, 15:18#11
We haven't seen the last of Taufau that's for sure & they better keep him happy in NZ or we will lose him.
AB
ABasquefan
Pro2,549 posts
AB
ABasquefanPro2,549 posts
30 May 2016, 16:40
#12
30 May 2016, 16:40#12
 don't worry for it,........ gladly for the saders and NZ rugby he signed for 2 more years, untill 2018

Taufua commits to playing Super Rugby for Crusaders


some days ago I read that the fringe AB players, players who haven't yet played for the AB but are close or played some time ago, will be tha biggest beneficiaries of the new collective contract agreement reached according to the new TV deal,........ so it seems they are trying to mantain those players more vulnerable to overseas offers,....... and Taufua could have been one of the firsts benefited with this salary increase

players like him, Todd, Fruean, Drummond, Patrick Osborne, Buckman,Tom Franklin, Reggie Goodes, Toomaga-Allen, Laumape, Proctor, Moala, both Ioane bros.,Nanai, Dominic Bird, P. Manu, Elliot, T. Seu,...... are very important for the NZ rugby and IMO it's a very good thing to try to keep them in NZ dedicating to them a good part of the money from the new tv deal
WA
Wardad
Pro6,663 posts
WA
WardadPro6,663 posts
31 May 2016, 02:19
#13
31 May 2016, 02:19#13
 Those NH mob give me the irrits the way they wait for SH sides to develop players at a great deal of time and money only for some moneybags squeezer to scoop them up.And rarely do players come back from 'oop North' improved in any way .Poor bleedin' saffas seem even more vulnerable to poaching than the other SAANZAR sides and I can well understand them being cheesed off at young talent from SA ending up playing for other countries .Good on the NZRFU for doing all they can to retain the fringe players as well ,picking only NZ based players is still a smart move I reckon .At least the allure of the Black jumper remains strong enough to help keep our boys here .That final paragraph BP would have any NH club owner drooling into his champers at the thought of snapping them up.
DB
DbDraad
Captain26,388 posts
DB
DbDraadCaptain26,388 posts
31 May 2016, 08:57
#14
31 May 2016, 08:57#14
The thing is WD, we SAffas can't actually blame the players leaving our shores to play abroad. For some, the possibility to play test rugby for SA is so slim, it only makes sense to move abroad and the increase in pay isn't actually a deterrent. For a while now, the back tree is almost exclusively reserved for POC players, for the Boks and for our major franchises. And if a POC has proven himself in another position, a white player will only be selected in the case of injury. Beast has been played into the ground because he was good enough AND looked good on the team sheet to keep the politico's happy. Under normal circumstances Kitshof would have a couple of tests under the belt already. I was surprised by Willie being included at 15 and the few tests Hougaart got on the wing....and it's only going to get worse. Wrong topic for this rant, sorry for making a soap box of the AB team thread, I'll take it elsewhere now.
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