Thank goodness. As much as Lakai deserves an AB cap I'd have been gutted if he was taken out of the Lions. He'll get plenty of caps in future.

Lakai and Lord have been added to the AB squad so will leave tomorrow.

@Bovidae said in All Blacks v Japan:

Lakai and Lord have been added to the AB squad so will leave tomorrow.

Stoked for Lakai, but that will hurt the Lions big time.

Would be cool if he gets the start against Japan.

Damn spoke too soon. Well deserved for Lakai but fuck that sucks for the Lions.

@foobaNZ said in All Blacks v Japan:

Damn spoke too soon. Well deserved for Lakai but fuck that sucks for the Lions.

We will definitely need one of Ropeti or Shields to come back now. I feel like Halalilo is too small to be an 8.

Update: will move this over to the match thread.

Based on recent news of Lakai and Lord joining the squad I've updated the squad that @Mr-Fish posted earlier today.

1 Ofa Tu'ungafasi
2 Asafo Aumua**
3 Pasilio Tosi
4 Patrick Tuipulotu
5 Sam Darry
6 Ethan Blackadder** Samipeni Finau
7 Dalton Papali'i Peter Lakai
8 Luke Jacobson Wallace Sititi
9 Cam Roigard**
10 Damian McKenzie**
11 Mark Tele'a Caleb Clarke
12 Jordie Barrett**
13 Billy Proctor
14 (Emoni Narawa) Mark Telea
15 Ruben Love

16 George Bell
17 (George Bower)
18 Fletcher Newell**
19 Josh Lord
20 Christian Lio-Willie
21 TJ Perenara
22 Stephen Perofeta
23 David Havili

() - ABs XV additions
** - top 23 players

@Canes4life Narawa isn't one of the players called up I don't believe.

I wonder if Caleb Clarke might play.

@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks v Japan:

@Canes4life Narawa isn't one of the players called up I don't believe.

I wonder if Caleb Clarke might play.

Have updated above and shifted Mark Telea to the right wing.

Interesting we don't yet know who's heading straight to England - that will certainly make thins clearer about who's going to play in Japan.

Team v Japan

1. Tu’ungafasi
2. Aumua
3. Tosi
4. Darry
5. Tuipulotu (c)
6. Finau
7. Cane
8. Sititi
9. Roigard
10. Barrett
11. Tele’a
12. Havili
13. Proctor
14. Reece
15. Perofeta
16. Bell
17. de Groot
18. Newell
19. Lord
20. Lakai
21. Perenara
22. Love
23. R Ioane

Off to UK Early I reckon
Taylor
Lomax
Vaa’i
Scooter (May be in Japan but won’t play)
A Savea
Ratima
McKenzie
J Barrett

@frugby said in All Blacks v Japan:

Team v Japan

1. Tu’ungafasi
2. Aumua
3. Tosi
4. Darry
5. Tuipulotu (c)
6. Finau
7. Cane
8. Sititi
9. Roigard
10. Barrett
11. Tele’a
12. Havili
13. Proctor
14. Reece
15. Perofeta
16. Bell
17. de Groot
18. Newell
19. Lord
20. Lakai
21. Perenara
22. Love
23. R Ioane

Off to UK Early I reckon
Taylor
Lomax
Vaa’i
Scooter (May be in Japan but won’t play)
A Savea
Ratima
McKenzie
J Barrett

Is this the actual team of your best guess?

@Bovidae said in All Blacks v Japan:

And the extra seven are:

Bradley Slater (Hooker / 26 / Chiefs / Taranaki)
George Bower (Prop / 32 / Crusaders / Otago)
Fabian Holland (Lock / 21 / Highlanders / Otago)
Christian Lio-Willie (Loose forward / 26 / Crusaders / Otago)
Oliver Haig (Loose forward / 22 / Highlanders / Otago)
Harry Plummer (First five-eighth / 26 / Blues / Auckland)
AJ Lam (Mid-fielder / 26 / Blues / Auckland)

If the Razor Gang had cajones Sotutu would be going.

@pakman he was selected but injured so unable to tour

@chucknz Wow

@Mr-Fish said in All Blacks v Japan:

@frugby said in All Blacks v Japan:

Team v Japan

1. Tu’ungafasi
2. Aumua
3. Tosi
4. Darry
5. Tuipulotu (c)
6. Finau
7. Cane
8. Sititi
9. Roigard
10. Barrett
11. Tele’a
12. Havili
13. Proctor
14. Reece
15. Perofeta
16. Bell
17. de Groot
18. Newell
19. Lord
20. Lakai
21. Perenara
22. Love
23. R Ioane

Off to UK Early I reckon
Taylor
Lomax
Vaa’i
Scooter (May be in Japan but won’t play)
A Savea
Ratima
McKenzie
J Barrett

Is this the actual team of your best guess?

Best guess.

@Number-10 so the team is named at 1pm NZT??????

Nah mate, I reckon 5pm NZ time.

@Number-10 said in All Blacks v Japan:

Nah mate, I reckon 5pm NZ time.

North Island or South Island time?

@nzzp said in All Blacks v Japan:

@Number-10 said in All Blacks v Japan:

Nah mate, I reckon 5pm NZ time.

North Island or South Island time?

Or Chatham Islands time?

The team naming has now changed to;

@Number-10 thank you for front footing the age old question on the Fern

Spoilsport

@Number-10 said in All Blacks v Japan:

The team naming has now changed to;

View image

Ha! I’ll give you the backline at 6.30pm tonight.

Get your guesses in!

@Landers92 reckon Love will make his debut via the bench, Proctor at centre I'm picking, shame you won't be able to get the good oil on the forwards! Interested if Lakai features

Here you go folks. Backline for this weekend.

9. Cam Roigard
10. Dmac
11. Mark Tele’a
12. ALB
13. Billy Proctor
14. Sevu Reece
15. Stephen Perofeta

Bench
21. TJ Perenara
22. David Havili
23. Ruben Love

@Landers92 said in All Blacks v Japan:

Here you go folks. Backline for this weekend.

9. Cam Roigard
10. Dmac
11. Mark Tele’a
12. ALB
13. Billy Proctor
14. Sevu Reece
15. Stephen Perofeta

Bench
21. TJ Perenara
22. David Havili
23. Ruben Love

Proctor and ALB combo good to see

@Landers92 Do you know who is going to London early?

OK so let's guess for England

TJ
BB
Clarke
Jordie
Ioane
Jordan
Perofeta

Roigard?Ratima
DMac
ALB

@Landers92 said in All Blacks v Japan:

Here you go folks. Backline for this weekend.

9. Cam Roigard
10. Dmac
11. Mark Tele’a
12. ALB
13. Billy Proctor
14. Sevu Reece
15. Stephen Perofeta

Bench
21. TJ Perenara
22. David Havili
23. Ruben Love

So all of TJ, Havili, and Love covering ten from the bench, Perofeta from the 15 LOL

@Machpants said in All Blacks v Japan:

@Landers92 said in All Blacks v Japan:

Here you go folks. Backline for this weekend.

9. Cam Roigard
10. Dmac
11. Mark Tele’a
12. ALB
13. Billy Proctor
14. Sevu Reece
15. Stephen Perofeta

Bench
21. TJ Perenara
22. David Havili
23. Ruben Love

So all of TJ, Havili, and Love covering ten from the bench, Perofeta from the 15 LOL

Love will be covering fullback, Havili covering midfield and Perofeta will be covering 10 from 15.

@Landers92 said in All Blacks v Japan:

Here you go folks. Backline for this weekend.

9. Cam Roigard
10. Dmac
11. Mark Tele’a
12. ALB
13. Billy Proctor
14. Sevu Reece
15. Stephen Perofeta

Bench
21. TJ Perenara
22. David Havili
23. Ruben Love

Now that's a man in the know!

@Landers92 said in All Blacks v Japan:

Here you go folks. Backline for this weekend.

9. Cam Roigard
10. Dmac
11. Mark Tele’a
12. ALB
13. Billy Proctor
14. Sevu Reece
15. Stephen Perofeta

Bench
21. TJ Perenara
22. David Havili
23. Ruben Love

We‘re getting to the stage where I’m starting to get a tad worried for the safety of your mole!

Number 22 better prove his impact and utility value. Mutter mutter.

@Canes4life said in All Blacks v Japan:

@Machpants said in All Blacks v Japan:

@Landers92 said in All Blacks v Japan:

Here you go folks. Backline for this weekend.

9. Cam Roigard
10. Dmac
11. Mark Tele’a
12. ALB
13. Billy Proctor
14. Sevu Reece
15. Stephen Perofeta

Bench
21. TJ Perenara
22. David Havili
23. Ruben Love

So all of TJ, Havili, and Love covering ten from the bench, Perofeta from the 15 LOL

Love will be covering fullback, Havili covering midfield and Perofeta will be covering 10 from 15.

First five too

@Machpants said in All Blacks v Japan:

OK so let's guess for England

TJ
BB
Clarke
Jordie
Ioane
Jordan
Perofeta

Roigard?Ratima
DMac
ALB

Jordan's been at 15 for last 3 tests Razor isn't moving him to wing lol.. Reece 14..

@Machpants I expect to see Ratima and McKenzie in the halves still...

Any UK-based Ferners know who will be broadcasting this match?

@1ShadeOfBlack said in All Blacks v Japan:

Any UK-based Ferners know who will be broadcasting this match?

TBC at the moment. Might be unlikely it’s in as it is only 5 days to go

@DaGrubster said in All Blacks v Japan:

@1ShadeOfBlack said in All Blacks v Japan:

Any UK-based Ferners know who will be broadcasting this match?

TBC at the moment. Might be unlikely it’s in as it is only 5 days to go

View embedded content

It might be available on NZr to watch live if it is not being broadcast in the UK