Piutau vs Dagg

 they usually bring 4 locks and 5 loosies so very probably Thrush will go instead of Messam.
IMO C. Slade will be the third flyhalf. He's been around for some years now and apart from being an outstanding flyhalf and FB he can cover the wing and scrumhalf. This is very important in a WC.
Having Slade as a posible scrumie back-up enables to bring just 2 scrumhalves which leaves space to bring the 5 outside backs, Savea, Smith, Dagg, Piutau and Milner-Skuder. This gives a lot more options to build line-ups with diferent aproaches.

 Hansen is willing to think differently, we will see if this is a trend & other coaches have the same thing in mind. Of course you have to have the players with the flexibility to do this & that is not often the case.

 ...good thinking AB...also maybe an option just taking three specialist  locks going by Hansen's selections last night...seems to be a high attrition rate in the lock dept in the past though ...not sure why they don't just extend the group by a few more players to cover for injuries..

 yeah, you're right...... they could also bring just 3 locks as Vito or Kaino can cover the lock spot

 ...have to agree Slade given he's so versatile and such a great utility player could like you say still get the nod perhaps at the expense of TKB..as opposed to at the expense of Sopoaga though..

 cannot understand either why they don't just let a more extended group or to change the players of the squad whenever the coach want,...... stupid rules

 I reckon its to level things up for countries with little or no depth ,which considering its supposed to be the best teams playing each other seems a bit crook but I cant think of any other reason .Just take a few tourists to err ..umm.. check out the whitebaiting sich .

wardaddy is spot on, the rest of the world dosent have the depth to sustain a team the way the top teams do.

i have no problems with current squad regulations and while it helps level the playing field, the top teams still have a massive advantage.

IMO hansen is playing with fire with some of the ideas hes floating around, only taking two specialist halfbacks and now three specialist locks???
WTF???
that is seriously just Fd up, we dont need to take sopoaga to the RWC just because hes been kicking a55 in the spXV and had the dream debut, his time will come.
we can afford to not take sopoaga and hansen needs to buck up these stupid notions his playing with.

uzumaki All Blacks RWC squad

props
t woodc0ck, w crockett, b franks, o franks, n laulala,

hookers
d coles, k mealamu, c taylor

locks
s whitelock, b retallick, l romano, j thrush

loosies
j kaino, king richie, s cane, k read, v vito

half backs
a smith, tj perenara, a ellis

flyhalves
d carter, b barret, c slade

center
m nonu, SBW, c smith, m fekitoa

outsidebacks
j savea, n milne skudder, b smith, c piutau

really unlucky that dagg couldnt make my final squad though, but skudders x factor is on fire at the moment, and piutau is just too consistnet to not include.
i wouldn t mind dropping fekitoa for dagg, but fekitoa can play on the wing and play there well, while dagg is unproven at 13.