Confirming that Jacomb is in and just three halfbacks have been selected.
@mr-fish said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:
Confirming that Jacomb is in and just three halfbacks have been selected.
I don't mind Jacomb over Harkin. He hasn't played very well this year, but he has played quite a bit more at 10 than Harkin has, and I think that's the position they are selecting, not 15.
Only 3 halfbacks is very interesting, I wouldn't have believed it but maybe they actually are getting some reps into Carter as emergency cover. That's a lot of eggs we are putting in young Pledger's injured and yet-to-debut basket, but he does look the part as much as anyone can at the lower level.
@kirwan said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:
@landers92 said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:
A little bit of information I was passed this morning.
If Richie Mounga and Shannon Frizell signed 2 year deals they would have been selected for this South African tour. They signed 1 year deals so they weren’t.
NZR stood their ground.
Good, neither are needed. You make exceptions for the Carters, McCaws, even the Ardies, not for players that didn't push on in the next level.
I also think picking them would be disruptive to the current squad, smelling of special treatment.
Even if there were gaps these players could fill, which might have been the case at first five before this year. But with Love looking promising and the move away from Barrett, Mo'unga is now nothing more than another squad member. Frizell was never all that good.
@mr-fish said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:
Confirming that Jacomb is in and just three halfbacks have been selected.
Ratima to get three test caps in South Africa with a total of nine minutes on the field.
@upthelanders said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:
@mr-fish The whole squad or just the extra 10?
Haven't heard but would imagine the whole squad.
@shaquilleoatmeal said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:
@mr-fish said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:
Confirming that Jacomb is in and just three halfbacks have been selected.
Ratima to get three test caps in South Africa with a total of nine minutes on the field.
It does make me laugh how many single digit minute caps the guy gets. He'll get to 50 soon without us realising.
@african-monkey said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:
@shaquilleoatmeal said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:
@mr-fish said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:
Confirming that Jacomb is in and just three halfbacks have been selected.
Ratima to get three test caps in South Africa with a total of nine minutes on the field.
It does make me laugh how many single digit minute caps the guy gets. He'll get to 50 soon without us realising.
Only five of his 25 to date, to be fair.
@mr-fish said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:
@upthelanders said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:
@mr-fish The whole squad or just the extra 10?
Haven't heard but would imagine the whole squad.
Lauaki, STT, Jacomb.
@secfid said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:
@kiwimurph Believe Jacomb is in the 44. Suggests RM might not be fit to play as Rennie was hoping for and so he needs 10 cover rather than 15 cover. Love and Jacomb as 10’s and DMac and BB as experienced 15’s
It's been made clear RM is only eligible if injuries hit the initial 44.
@shaquilleoatmeal said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:
@mr-fish said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:
Confirming that Jacomb is in and just three halfbacks have been selected.
Ratima to get three test caps in South Africa with a total of nine minutes on the field.
The Chiefs bias is pretty blatant and disgusting….
@pakman said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:
@mr-fish said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:
@upthelanders said in All Blacks Tour of South Africa 2026:
@mr-fish The whole squad or just the extra 10?
Haven't heard but would imagine the whole squad.
Lauaki, STT, Jacomb.
plus - Ollie Norris, George Bell, Fabian Holland, Ethan Blackadder, Timoci Tavatavanawai, Rieko Ioane and Emoni Narawa.
There's your 10. Peston is the 3rd halfback.
Jacomb makes a great deal of sense, in that 10 remains a problem position, and we have a heap of capped fullback options.
If Love were to break his leg, we are back to Barrett, McKenzie and Mo'unga.
You can debate his form this year, but he is still the best of the rest.
