@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks XV:
Would the last rugby player in Christchurch please turn be lights when they leave….
We are certainly getting down there in terms of the pecking order of players.
Fixed your spelling mistake.
@Stargazer said in All Blacks XV:
@booboo No. Someone posted here that he was injured and was out of the squad. Obviously, that was incorrect. If he was injured at all, it can't have been bad.
Found the post where it was mentioned, couple of pages back. Talk of ACL ... Glad it's not.
Do think it's worth bringing in a third hooker as I think Aumua has to stay with ABs.
@Bovidae said in All Blacks XV:
It's up to the players to make that personal decision, and you would hope that Aumua is getting the right advice from his agent etc. There are a number of midfielders ahead of him before he would get anywhere near the ABs.
Every single AB midfielder on here has had their doubters or critics. ALB: 'vanilla"; JB: "one game"; RTS: "too old, out of position"; Havili: "too small, out of position"; Rieko: " better as a winger"; Ennor: "Ennor". Have I missed anyone?
@Tim said in All Blacks XV:
Guys, I really think that @ARHS might just have been joking about selecting an ancient and mediocre Canterbury player ...
Piss-taking on the Fern. Ban the fluffybunny!
@booboo said in All Blacks XV:
@Stargazer said in All Blacks XV:
@booboo No. Someone posted here that he was injured and was out of the squad. Obviously, that was incorrect. If he was injured at all, it can't have been bad.
Found the post where it was mentioned, couple of pages back. Talk of ACL ... Glad it's not.
Do think it's worth bringing in a third hooker as I think Aumua has to stay with ABs.
With Aumua staying with ABs, I thought another hooker would be brought in, like halfback you really need 3 in case of late injury etc.
@Dan54 I suspect they'll bring in the ABs hooker/halfback who doesn't play for the ABs in the following test if the injury occurs before game day. In case of injuries occurring on game day/during warm-up, they'll probably expect the remaining hooker/halfback to play the full 80 minutes, with another player as cover - for example - Rakete-Stones as the emergency hooker (he played there at school) or Josh Ioane as the emergency halfback (Love to 10, Stevenson to 15).
Anyway, maybe they have brought in new players, but are just late with the announcement.
Ratima is the third halfback in the squad. Hooker is really the only problem position, but maybe Aumua flies over to Dublin on game day and then returns to Cardiff.
@Canes4life said in All Blacks XV:
@Dan54 said in All Blacks XV:
@Canes4life said in All Blacks XV:
@Crucial said in All Blacks XV:
@Bovidae said in All Blacks XV:
Kirifi should be the player to replace Harmon. Outplayed Christie in the NPC final and finished the season strongly. But Christie plays for Canterbury...
Tuipulotu might end up being back with the ABs once the AB XV tour is finished.
Will be quite the snub if Kirifi isnt called in IMO.
So if RTS and Ennor are joining that that mean they push aside the midfield already there?
100% has to be Kirifi but with Ryan in there as a selector it will end up being Christie.
Don't think it will be Kirifi, I think he may just be considered to small for test rugby?
Harmon and Christie aren’t big either.
Harmon is about Richie McCaw size isn't he?
I am sure I read an ex-AB a year or two ago reckoning Harmon could make a good 6/8 and he had his eye on him. I thought it was an ex AB loosie who would know (e.g. Kaino) but I can't find it anyway.
@nostrildamus more Savea size..
They might want to update their page:
"Ardie Savea continues to be regarded as one of the best openside flankers in world rugby. "
HEIGHT 188
WEIGHT 102
But interestingly he is taller and lighter when he plays for the All Blacks
HEIGHT 190CM
WEIGHT 99KG
@Daffy-Jaffy don’t tell the Hurricanes supporters 
@Daffy-Jaffy Good to see those recruited. Would love to see room made for Ah Kuoi......
This site could come in handy for the selectors - you can go and view results, players, it's got it all.
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks XV:
@Canes4life said in All Blacks XV:
@Dan54 said in All Blacks XV:
@Canes4life said in All Blacks XV:
@Crucial said in All Blacks XV:
@Bovidae said in All Blacks XV:
Kirifi should be the player to replace Harmon. Outplayed Christie in the NPC final and finished the season strongly. But Christie plays for Canterbury...
Tuipulotu might end up being back with the ABs once the AB XV tour is finished.
Will be quite the snub if Kirifi isnt called in IMO.
So if RTS and Ennor are joining that that mean they push aside the midfield already there?
100% has to be Kirifi but with Ryan in there as a selector it will end up being Christie.
Don't think it will be Kirifi, I think he may just be considered to small for test rugby?
Harmon and Christie aren’t big either.
Harmon is about Richie McCaw size isn't he?
I am sure I read an ex-AB a year or two ago reckoning Harmon could make a good 6/8 and he had his eye on him. I thought it was an ex AB loosie who would know (e.g. Kaino) but I can't find it anyway.
He certainly looks about the Richie size nostri, same as Sam Cane, Papalii, seems the feeling 7s really need to be reasnnably solid build at test level. Even someone like Pocock was probably a more pwerful build than many others?
@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks XV:
@Daffy-Jaffy don’t tell the Hurricanes supporters
Or the Blues & BoP supporters.
@Bones said in All Blacks XV:
This site could come in handy for the selectors - you can go and view results, players, it's got it all.
It’s all they need,Perfect
The selections around this team are bizarre in my view. I just wonder who may not have been fully fit or available and who may be wanted by Baabaas. Some odd omissions. Regardless the loosies and midfield selections are odd indeed.
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks XV:
Pretty predictable side.
Stevenson goes from not being in the squad to starting. An example of the muddled selections of this team. You would also think that Sullivan would offer more utility off the bench than Nankivell.
@Jailbreak7 said in All Blacks XV:
@ARHS Although I am easily confused tis true, if they were short of 10s, why not select Aiden Morgan? And the snubbing of Hodgman is just really weird..
They aren’t Cantabs.
The selection of Gardiner is a bit of a shocker. He got bumped off by James Blackwell in the NPC final and was a bit average tbh. There are quite a number of blindside flankers in NZ I would have picked instead of of him but I guess he only gets in because of one-eyed Ryan.
@Daffy-Jaffy I understand the choice. He's very involved defensively with a strong completion rate. There's plenty of flair in the team already.
What he doesn't tend to do is give away dumb penalties as much as Kirifi. Also better decision making.
I feel confident that's what Clayton and Leon would be thinking too.
@Bovidae said in All Blacks XV:
An example of the muddled selections of this team
Maybe the AB selectors picked the squad and then MacDonald and McMillan picked the 23?
The selection logic is not consistent
For those who remember the 70s and can't use Instagram ...
1: Aidan Ross (26, Bay of Plenty / Chiefs)
2: Brodie McAlister (25, Canterbury / Crusaders)
3: Tevita Mafileo (24, Bay of Plenty / Hurricanes)
4: Josh Dickson (27, Otago / Highlanders)
5: Patrick Tuipulotu – Captain (29, Auckland / Blues)
6: Dominic Gardiner (21, Canterbury / Crusaders)
7: Luke Jacobson (25, Waikato / Chiefs)
8: Marino Mikaele-Tu’u (24, Hawke’s Bay / Highlanders)
9: TJ Perenara - Vice-Captain (30, Wellington / Hurricanes)
10: Damian McKenzie (27, Waikato / Chiefs)
11: AJ Lam (24, Auckland / Blues)
12: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (29, Auckland / Blues)
13: Braydon Ennor (25, Canterbury / Crusaders)
14: Shaun Stevenson (25, North Harbour / Chiefs)
15: Ruben Love (21, Wellington / Hurricanes)
16: Tyrone Thompson (22, Hawke’s Bay / Chiefs)
17: Finlay Brewis (22, Canterbury / Crusaders)
18: Tamaiti Williams (22, Canterbury / Crusaders)
19: Zach Gallagher (21, Canterbury / Crusaders)
20: Christian Lio-Willie (24, Otago / Crusaders)
21: Cam Roigard (21, Counties Manukau / Hurricanes)
22: Josh Ioane (27, Otago / Chiefs)
23: Alex Nankivell (26, Ta$man / Chiefs)
@booboo said in All Blacks XV:
For those who remember the 70s and can't use Instagram ...
1: Aidan Ross (26, Bay of Plenty / Chiefs)
2: Brodie McAlister (25, Canterbury / Crusaders)
3: Tevita Mafileo (24, Bay of Plenty / Hurricanes)
4: Josh Dickson (27, Otago / Highlanders)
5: Patrick Tuipulotu – Captain (29, Auckland / Blues)
6: Dominic Gardiner (21, Canterbury / Crusaders)
7: Luke Jacobson (25, Waikato / Chiefs)
8: Marino Mikaele-Tu’u (24, Hawke’s Bay / Highlanders)
9: TJ Perenara - Vice-Captain (30, Wellington / Hurricanes)
10: Damian McKenzie (27, Waikato / Chiefs)
11: AJ Lam (24, Auckland / Blues)
12: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (29, Auckland / Blues)
13: Braydon Ennor (25, Canterbury / Crusaders)
14: Shaun Stevenson (25, North Harbour / Chiefs)
15: Ruben Love (21, Wellington / Hurricanes)16: Tyrone Thompson (22, Hawke’s Bay / Chiefs)
17: Finlay Brewis (22, Canterbury / Crusaders)
18: Tamaiti Williams (22, Canterbury / Crusaders)
19: Zach Gallagher (21, Canterbury / Crusaders)
20: Christian Lio-Willie (24, Otago / Crusaders)
21: Cam Roigard (21, Counties Manukau / Hurricanes)
22: Josh Ioane (27, Otago / Chiefs)
23: Alex Nankivell (26, Ta$man / Chiefs)
LOL. That is fucking me! I couldn't work out how to see the team in the Instagram post and gave up thinking someone will post it properly sooner or later. And yes, I do remember the 70s, but only just.
Aumua Sullivan Heem and Nankivell were all original selections as midfielders. Wonder how many of them will get a start in midfield on this tour.
For all those calling for better all round skills in our front rowers the front row replacement selections are a step the other way. A bit like saying we don't have the skills to improve your scrummaging but we can help you maul better.
The loosies are odd also in who is starting in what position. Thought Gardner is mainly a bench choice and Luke J is a number 8 option foremost and MMT showed promise as a 6.
That all said I do wonder if other options may have ruled themselves out.
@taniwharugby said in All Blacks XV:
@akan004 iIRC he looked handy when he got on for the Crusaders, but wasnt as good in NPC
He was completely outplayed in the NPC final by Delany, Blackwell and Bird at lineout time and he fell off a couple one on one tackles.
NZ Rugby need to stop selecting teams before the final has been played. No better measure of a player than when the heat is on. Gardiner isn't up to International standard. (yet)
Same goes for the non-selection of Cullen Grace in the ABs earlier this year when he was an obvious stand-out in the Super final.
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks XV:
Do we know how to watch this in various countries?
I can't find any other official source than Virgin 2, in Ireland. It's free to air so you may be able to get it to work with a VPN.