All Blacks 2024

@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2024 - no interminable Foster arguments:

@gt12 Delany will most likely start at lock. I'd say Flanders will be at 8, with Shields at 6. I'm just saying Delany needs to be in the convo because he's play more than half his career at blindside.

I think that depends on whether they want to go with Flanders at 6, Kirifi at 7, then Lakai / Iose at 8.

I'm not sure that they need Shields as a starter unless injuries strike.

@gt12 if they don’t go with Shields (which I think they will because of his experience) I would go Howden, Kirifi and Flanders. The type of game Flander’s plays seems to be much more suited to 8 than 6, plus Howden hada great NPC in a poor Manawatu side. Then I would have Lakai on the bench who can cover all three back row positions. Iose misses out for me because he isn’t as versatile and if you have him in a loose trio partnership with Kirifi, it’s just too small in my view.

@Canes4life

In which case, Delany is miiiiiiiles away from a 6 jersey at the Canes, let alone the ABs.

@gt12 it all depends on what the coaches do. If they start Sangster and Walker-Leawere as a locking duo then Delany definitely starts at 6 for the Canes.

Delany is similar to Gardiner where he switches between playing lock/6 when needed.

The ABs team I’d like to see in 2024 is

1. Pouri Rakete-Stones
2. Tyrone Thompson
3. Joel Hintz
4. Geoff Cridge
5. IWL
6. MMT
7. Josh Kaifa
8. Devan Flanders
9. Folau Fakatava
10. Lincoln McClutchie (captain / coach)
11. Jonah Lowe
12. Chase Tiatia
13. Nick Grigg
14. Ollie Sapsford
15. Harry Goddfrey

@Yeahtheboys said in All Blacks 2024 - no interminable Foster arguments:

The ABs team I’d like to see in 2024 is

1. Pouri Rakete-Stones
2. Tyrone Thompson
3. Joel Hintz
4. Geoff Cridge
5. IWL
6. MMT
7. Josh Kaifa
8. Devan Flanders
9. Folau Fakatava
10. Lincoln McClutchie (captain / coach)
11. Jonah Lowe
12. Chase Tiatia
13. Nick Grigg
14. Ollie Sapsford
15. Harry Goddfrey

Would struggle against the Western Force.

@antipodean not if you found a way to get Blackadder on the bench.

@Bones said in All Blacks 2024 - no interminable Foster arguments:

@antipodean not if you found a way to get Blackadder on the bench.

Before or after he'd broken the bench?

@Yeahtheboys said in All Blacks 2024 - no interminable Foster arguments:

The ABs team I’d like to see in 2024 is

1. Pouri Rakete-Stones
2. Tyrone Thompson
3. Joel Hintz
4. Geoff Cridge
5. IWL
6. MMT
7. Josh Kaifa
8. Devan Flanders
9. Folau Fakatava
10. Lincoln McClutchie (captain / coach)
11. Jonah Lowe
12. Chase Tiatia
13. Nick Grigg
14. Ollie Sapsford
15. Harry Goddfrey

I like it. 15 debutants and no living off past glories ( making a World Cup final isn’t that big a deal, it’s not like they won it )

I’ve read up quite a bit on this McClutchie guy, he sounds like the real deal. Lots of talk on him on some pretty reputable Rugby sites.

Some interesting and thought-provoking insights from Mr Kitshoff on the benefits of allowing overseas players in the Boks. Makes you wonder if it would benefit the AB's

@Victor-Meldrew senior ABs do get a sabbatical. Maybe expand on that to allow them to play overseas for a couple of years and still be available for AB selection, but I wouldn't want to see anything more than that.

@Bones perhaps for known quantities; those who are near certs to start and have 50 caps or something like that...

@antipodean yeah it doesn't set their selection in stone, but say Smith, Whitelock had been playing overseas last couple of years, they'd still be invaluable.

@antipodean I thought you had to have a certain number of caps to get a sabbatical anyway?

@Tim excellent development. Someone at HQ is thinking.

@Bones

It was the idea of grabbing knowledge from overseas which appealed to me. And yeah, don't want us to go down the full Bok route as I think our structure is different and it would be detrimental.

@antipodean said in All Blacks 2024 - no interminable Foster arguments:

@Bones perhaps for known quantities; those who are near certs to start and have 50 caps or something like that...

Some sort of set criteria could be really good. Provide an incentive and ensures the more experienced players get to absorb any knowledge and can share ir

@Bones said in All Blacks 2024 - no interminable Foster arguments:

@antipodean I thought you had to have a certain number of caps to get a sabbatical anyway?

I suspect that you are correct. Since it doesn't seem to happen very often I can't recall a pattern other than NZR believe certain players are worth extending this opportunity to retain them.

@antipodean said in All Blacks 2024 - no interminable Foster arguments:

@Bones said in All Blacks 2024 - no interminable Foster arguments:

@antipodean I thought you had to have a certain number of caps to get a sabbatical anyway?

I suspect that you are correct. Since it doesn't seem to happen very often I can't recall a pattern other than NZR believe certain players are worth extending this opportunity to retain them.

Think it's probably 50/50 as to whether it's been successful at AB level so far too - but probably a lot more valuable lower at lower levels.