All Blacks XV 2022

@Duluth said in All Blacks XV:

@Crazy-Horse

If it’s the same comment, the commentator was talking about both centres. Then said the ABs were interested in ‘him’ and that he narrowly missed out on the first squad of the year. It was confusing but I think the ‘him’ was Nankivell

I rewatched the game, or at least had it on in the background to listen to the commentary. It didn't take long. Three minutes and 50 seconds in during a stop in play for a scrum Wilson talks about Nankivell "one of those players getting consistent game time in 2022, has managed to stay healthy I touch wood on that because he has suffered a number injuries...this midfield combination of Nankivell and Aumua they can have an impact on the game..." Vision at this moment switches to Aumua. Wilson says "Look at this guy. Super rugby we saw he's some sort of player and there were whispers at the back end of Super Rugby that maybe he was in the All Black picture."

I stand by my interpretation that Wilson was talking about Aumua when it came to AB whispers. But I agree it's ambiguous so I am not insisting I am right. If anyone else can be bothered checking the replay (starts 3 mins 50 secs into the game) I would be interested in their opinion. I would have thought Aumua was miles away from selection, but I never watched him with my selector's hat on.

I think they both lack some of the high end subtleties and skills needed for international level but show bursts of strong play at lower level. TUJ Procter and Sullivan seem to have a higher ceiling.

@ARHS said in All Blacks XV:

I think they both lack some of the high end subtleties and skills needed for international level but show bursts of strong play at lower level. TUJ Procter and Sullivan seem to have a higher ceiling.

Not sure if you been watching NPC, but in the Waikato games I have seen it looks like poor old Sullivan's form has fallen off a cliff. On the weekend it seemed everything the poor bastard touched turn to shit. Hope he turns it around because he looked like he had a touch of class about him during the Super season.

@Crazy-Horse

His form disappeared as soon as SR ended. He struggled a bit for the Maori too. It's the first season he's had with this volume of rugby. He'll probably come right next year

For the midfield I think we should be picking people who fit the same profile as the full AB side. So a 12 with a strong kicking game (like Havili/JB) and a centre with the pace of a winger

Guys like Sullivan and PUJ would've been interesting in the Ioane role.. but injuries and form have changed that

@Duluth said in All Blacks XV:

@Crazy-Horse

His form disappeared as soon as SR ended. He struggled a bit for the Maori too. It's the first season he's had with this volume of rugby. He'll probably come right next year

For the midfield I think we should be picking people who fit the same profile as the full AB side. So a 12 with a strong kicking game (like Havili/JB) and a centre with the pace of a winger

Guys like Sullivan and PUJ would've been interesting in the Ioane role.. but injuries and form have changed that

With Goodhue's injury concerns, I think a player who can play 12/13 relatively well (and cover wing) would be really nice to have in the team.

I would look at PUJ for that role (they may prefer Nankivell), and would want to see Tug in this team as well, if fit. Alongside them, Sullivan looks a good?

One tricky point could be that they may want to use these games to get a lot of games into RTS.

It will be interesting to see how they use the team.

@gt12 said in All Blacks XV:

One tricky point could be that they may want to use these games to get a lot of games into RTS.

I assume that will happen and he'll be under instructions to use a variety of kicks

Sullivan has been hot and cold for Waikato. His hands have let him down too often, but he has also played well in some games. Pacing himself for the playoffs like last year.

I think he should still make the AB XV, as at least he's fit.

@Duluth said in All Blacks XV:

@gt12 said in All Blacks XV:

One tricky point could be that they may want to use these games to get a lot of games into RTS.

I assume that will happen and he'll be under instructions to use a variety of kicks

An RTS /PUJ midfield doesn't look terrible.

@gt12 said in All Blacks XV:

@Duluth said in All Blacks XV:

@gt12 said in All Blacks XV:

One tricky point could be that they may want to use these games to get a lot of games into RTS.

I assume that will happen and he'll be under instructions to use a variety of kicks

An RTS /PUJ midfield doesn't look terrible.

The right place to try it out

@gt12 unless Goodhue can find a yard or 2 of pace, which is unlikely given his injury history, I think International rugby may have passed him by, which is a shame as he has a good rugby brain..

@taniwharugby said in All Blacks XV:

@gt12 unless Goodhue can find a yard or 2 of pace, which is unlikely given his injury history, I think International rugby may have passed him by, which is a shame as he has a good rugby brain..

Unfortunately for Goodhue, injury has wrecked his career. Now with Jordie a legit option at 12 he falls further behind. 12 is probably the most log-jammed of positions - Jordie, Havili, ALB, RTS, Tupaea, Goodhue, PUJ, TUJ, Nankivell in that order if all are injury free.

Goodhue seems to have gone down the size route, weighing in at 105KG at the moment. I don't think we'll see him getting any quicker or more agile given his knee injuries.

@Stargazer said in All Blacks XV:

@Frye Why would NZR want to develop a coach at the highest level, who could then go on and coach for another country?

FIFY as an example of yes they could...

@Crazy-Horse Agreed totally. Looked good in super. Not since

@TheMojoman said in All Blacks XV:

@taniwharugby said in All Blacks XV:

@gt12 unless Goodhue can find a yard or 2 of pace, which is unlikely given his injury history, I think International rugby may have passed him by, which is a shame as he has a good rugby brain..

Unfortunately for Goodhue, injury has wrecked his career. Now with Jordie a legit option at 12 he falls further behind. 12 is probably the most log-jammed of positions - Jordie, Havili, ALB, RTS, Tupaea, Goodhue, PUJ, TUJ, Nankivell in that order if all are injury free.

Goodhue seems to have gone down the size route, weighing in at 105KG at the moment. I don't think we'll see him getting any quicker or more agile given his knee injuries.

You sure not TUJ in front of PUJ unless form fell off? Isn't PUJ more a 13?

@nostrildamus he's playing 2nd 5 for Wellington. And has also for the canes

@Crazy-Horse said in All Blacks XV:

Wilson says "Look at this guy. Super rugby we saw he's some sort of player and there were whispers at the back end of Super Rugby that maybe he was in the All Black picture."

I stand by my interpretation that Wilson was talking about Aumua when it came to AB whispers. But I agree it's ambiguous so I am not insisting I am right.

Sounds like you might be right. In which case, it will be interesting to see what evolves with Levi.

Interestingly, he's eligible for all of NZ, Fiji and Samoa (according to Wiki).

I'd like to see how he would go for the AB XV -- he's something different to anything else we have at present.

@Winger said in All Blacks XV:

@nostrildamus he's playing 2nd 5 for Wellington. And has also for the canes

ta. Just recall PUJ was 13 for ABs (?) and someone said he was better there than 12. I don't recall who said that though.

So when is this and the EOYT squads named?

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks XV:

@Winger said in All Blacks XV:

@nostrildamus he's playing 2nd 5 for Wellington. And has also for the canes

ta. Just recall PUJ was 13 for ABs (?) and someone said he was better there than 12. I don't recall who said that though.

I said it. He’s better in the 13 jersey and he’s played a lot more rugby there than at 12. He’s playing 12 for Wellington because he suits it more than Proctor. Now that Higgins played well at 12 on Saturday hopefully we get to see PUJ shift back out to his more favoured 13 jersey.

The positive with PUJ is that he can slot into both positions quite comfortably. Not every player can do that.

@Chris-B Very surprised he is not being looked at by the Crusaders given that he is playing for Ta$man. He is quite a unit.

@taniwharugby said in All Blacks XV:

So when is this and the EOYT squads named?

In about 2 weeks according to an article on allblacks.com. There is a camp in Nelson before the ABs leave for Japan.

@TheMojoman said in All Blacks XV:

@taniwharugby said in All Blacks XV:

@gt12 unless Goodhue can find a yard or 2 of pace, which is unlikely given his injury history, I think International rugby may have passed him by, which is a shame as he has a good rugby brain..

Unfortunately for Goodhue, injury has wrecked his career. Now with Jordie a legit option at 12 he falls further behind. 12 is probably the most log-jammed of positions - Jordie, Havili, ALB, RTS, Tupaea, Goodhue, PUJ, TUJ, Nankivell in that order if all are injury free.

Goodhue seems to have gone down the size route, weighing in at 105KG at the moment. I don't think we'll see him getting any quicker or more agile given his knee injuries.

Pfffft, Frans Steyn got fatter and fatter and still got picked for the Boks

@ARHS said in All Blacks XV:

Procter

Is there another Procter running around NZ rugby that I haven't seen? Because that guy Billy is basic even at NPC.

Just further on Procter. I was saying pretty much the same thing about his brother at the same stage of his career and he turned out to be excellent, then buggered off, so give it 3 or so years I guess...

@Bones said in All Blacks XV:

Just further on Procter. I was saying pretty much the same thing about his brother at the same stage of his career and he turned out to be excellent, then buggered off, so give it 3 or so years I guess...

Like his brother he offered little on attack. Good defender though. Both were / are good defenders

@Winger his brother eventually turned into basically a Tamati Ellison clone. It took a long time though.

This tour could be great for providing game time for fringe ABs like RTS, Perofeta, Ross, Jacobson, Fakatava, and ALB.

Foster did make this comment:

Because of their schedule and the need for them (All Blacks XV) to develop as a team, there would be minimal crossover between the sides.

Some of the players @Tim mentions would be better to play regularly for this team rather than only play once for the ABs against Japan.

@Bovidae said in All Blacks XV:

Foster did make this comment:

Because of their schedule and the need for them (All Blacks XV) to develop as a team, there would be minimal crossover between the sides.

Some of the players @Tim mentions would be better to play regularly for this team rather than only play once for the ABs against Japan.

I very much agree with that, put them in as leaders of the XV for game time. It's a risk, with injury, for the ABs, but better for player development. Not like this year another loss means anything major

I don't see it happening sadly, I think the best will go with the ABs, rest with XV

So just Canada and BaaBaas locked in so far?

I'm excited to see the talent available get an opportunity. A great reward for those performers from the NPC but also genuine opportunity for those on the bubble of test selection.

I have no idea what the other 2 opponents will be made up from. Surely the Euro clubs would be extremely averse to releasing players at this time of year. A French Barbarian selection would be fantastic though if they could make it happen.

@Frye said in All Blacks XV:

So just Canada and BaaBaas locked in so far?

Ireland have announced this

Ireland ‘A’ will take on an All Blacks XV at the RDS in Dublin on the evening of Friday, November 4.

I understand there is supposed to be one more fixture too.

@Tim said in All Blacks XV:

This tour could be great for providing game time for fringe ABs like RTS, Perofeta, Ross, Jacobson, Fakatava, and ALB.

I see what you did there

@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks XV:

@Tim said in All Blacks XV:

This tour could be great for providing game time for fringe ABs like RTS, Perofeta, Ross, Jacobson, Fakatava, and ALB.

I see what you did there

He did use a comma, so perhaps he meant all of the others were fringe and ALB was not?

@canefan either way it doesn’t matter. ALB is a 50+ test AB and if he can run and play then he should be with the ABs. Other than injury he has been a mainstay in the 23 since 2016.

If R Ioane was coming back from injury I doubt they would be putting him in an B team for a run or to get match fit.

I’d put Fainga’anuku in the AB XV side and ALB straight back into the ABs.

The Japan AB test seems ideal to get ALB some minutes.

Without being nasty about it. he is short of a gallop.

@SBW1 said in All Blacks XV:

@Chris-B Very surprised he is not being looked at by the Crusaders given that he is playing for Ta$man. He is quite a unit.

Seems to have improved significantly over the past year to 18 months. He may well already be locked in with MP - if they're smart he will be.

@Chris-B said in All Blacks XV:

@SBW1 said in All Blacks XV:

@Chris-B Very surprised he is not being looked at by the Crusaders given that he is playing for Ta$man. He is quite a unit.

Seems to have improved significantly over the past year to 18 months. He may well already be locked in with MP - if they're smart he will be.

Yeah resigned with MP for 2023.

Like to see Poihipi get run with XV. Lovely steps for that try vs Auks.

@Chris https://moanapasifika.co.nz/moana-pasifika-retain-strong-talent-for-2023-super-rugby-pacific-season/#:~:text=Moana Pasifika retain strong talent for 2023 Super,Taefu%2C for the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific Season.

Says he is signed for next year and was a vital part of their squad with the most amount of MVPs.