AB Positions up for grabs

Chris B.

@stargazer I've got no real idea about loosheads. DLB was my next pick just based on attrition. But I went with Eves for two reasons:

Jeff Wilson picked Eves for the AB team on "The Breakdown"; and
According to stats Eves is significantly bigger than DLB - who seems very small for an international loosehead.

Crazy Horse

@stargazer thanks. I wonder who I was thinking of?

Stargazer

West?

Stargazer

About the likely number of players for the squad for the Steinlager Series. These are the numbers for the last two Series.

Total number of players (excluding injury replacements & apprentices):
2014 - 17 forwards and 14 backs
2016 - 18 forwards and 14 backs (incl one non-playing back)

Props:
2014 - 5 (Crockett, Faumuina, O. Franks, B. Franks, Woodcock)
2016 - 5 (Crockett, Faumuina, O. Franks, Moody, Ofa Tu’ungafasi)

Hookers:
2014 - 2 (Coles, Mealamu; apprentices: Nathan Harris & Liam Coltman )
2016 - 3 (Coles, Taylor, Harris)

Locks:
2014 - 4 (Bird, Retallick, Tuipulotu, S Whitelock)
2016 - 4 (Retallick, Romano, Tuipulotu, S Whitelock; injury replacement: Tom Franklin for Whitelock)

Loose Forwards:
2014 - 6 (Cane, Kaino, McCaw, Messam, Read, Vito)
2016 - 6 (Cane, E Dixon, Kaino, Read, A Savea, Squire)

Halfbacks:
2014 - 3 (TKB, Perenara, A Smith)
2016 - 2 (TKB, A Smith; injury replacement: Perenara for TKB)

First five-eighths:
2014 - 3 (Barrett, Cruden, Slade)
2016 - 3 (Barrett, Cruden, Sopoaga)

Midfielders:
2014 - 4 (Crotty, Fekitoa, Nonu, C Smith)
2016 - 4 (Crotty, Fekitoa, Ngatai, Tamanivalu; Moala called up later to replace injured Fekitoa)

Outside backs:
2014 - 4 (Dagg, Jane, J Savea, B Smith)
2016 - 5 (Dagg, McKenzie, Naholo, J Savea, B Smith; McKenzie did not play)

2014 unavailable due to injury: Francis Saili (ankle), Charles Piutau (knee), Luke Romano (ankle); Daniel Carter on extended leave.

2014 unavailable due to injury: Nehe Milner-Skudder

Crazy Horse

@stargazer just realised I was thinking of Thompson.

Stargazer

@crazy-horse Ah, yes, of course. Edit: Scarlets.

pukunui

@booboo said in AB Positions up for grabs:

@chris-b said in AB Positions up for grabs:

So..as we get closer, I haven't seen any specific "number" the selectors are aiming for, but I'd like to see quite a big squad

Moody, Perry, Crockett, Eves
Taylor, Harris, Coltman
Franks, Tu'ungafasi, Toomuga-Allen
Retallick, Whitelock, Romano, Barrett
Squire, Whitelock, Ioane, Fifita, Cane, Todd

Smith, Perenara, Hall
Barrett, Mo'unga, DMac
Crotty, SBW, Laumape, Goodhue, ALB
Ioane, Naholo, Lam, Dagg
Smith, Barrett

37 - it's probably bigger than what the selectors are thinking, but get those guys in there!

Just a check of who is missing from ... please help ... not sure who is injured ...

Hames
Coles, Aumua
...
Tuipolutu
Read, Savea
...
Aso
NMS

Others?

Duffie, Havili and Seta are three recent guys who aren't on that list. Is Seta confirmed as leaving? All three have been pretty forgettable so far this season.

I would take TTT before Hall and i think the selectors see Drummond as an AB before hall too given they took him on the EOYT. Did he also go to the recent camps too?

Stargazer

@pukunui said in AB Positions up for grabs:

@booboo said in AB Positions up for grabs:

@chris-b said in AB Positions up for grabs:

So..as we get closer, I haven't seen any specific "number" the selectors are aiming for, but I'd like to see quite a big squad

Moody, Perry, Crockett, Eves
Taylor, Harris, Coltman
Franks, Tu'ungafasi, Toomuga-Allen
Retallick, Whitelock, Romano, Barrett
Squire, Whitelock, Ioane, Fifita, Cane, Todd

Smith, Perenara, Hall
Barrett, Mo'unga, DMac
Crotty, SBW, Laumape, Goodhue, ALB
Ioane, Naholo, Lam, Dagg
Smith, Barrett

37 - it's probably bigger than what the selectors are thinking, but get those guys in there!

Just a check of who is missing from ... please help ... not sure who is injured ...

Hames
Coles, Aumua
...
Tuipolutu
Read, Savea
...
Aso
NMS

Others?

Duffie, Havili and Seta are three recent guys who aren't on that list. Is Seta confirmed as leaving? All three have been pretty forgettable so far this season.

I would take TTT before Hall and i think the selectors see Drummond as an AB before hall too given they took him on the EOYT. Did he also go to the recent camps too?

Yes.
Havili has been solid, just no x-factor stuff this season, but great on defence.
Drummond did indeed attend the AB camps.

Tim

@stargazer said in AB Positions up for grabs:

Daniel Lienert-Brown

Both Eves and Lienert-Brown are good around the field but weak in the scrum. I think that Eves is better in both aspects, but not good enough. They won't pick either.

ARHS

@tim

Is Ta'avao a possible contender in front row?

Crucial

@arhs said in AB Positions up for grabs:

@tim

Is Ta'avao a possible contender in front row?

Not out of the reckoning when you take into account that he works well with Harris and BBBR

cgrant

@stargazer said in AB Positions up for grabs:

@chris-b said in AB Positions up for grabs:

So..as we get closer, I haven't seen any specific "number" the selectors are aiming for, but I'd like to see quite a big squad

Moody, Perry, Crockett, Eves
Taylor, Harris, Coltman
Franks, Tu'ungafasi, Toomuga-Allen
Retallick, Whitelock, Romano, Barrett
Squire, Whitelock, Ioane, Fifita, Cane, Todd

Smith, Perenara, Hall
Barrett, Mo'unga, DMac
Crotty, SBW, Laumape, Goodhue, ALB
Ioane, Naholo, Lam, Dagg
Smith, Barrett

37 - it's probably bigger than what the selectors are thinking, but get those guys in there!

Eves? Can't imagine them calling up a 30-year old who has never been in the squad. I was more thinking of Daniel Lienert-Brown. Don't think there's much else separting the two, both not AB level, but at least DLB has time on his side.

How old is Perry ?

Stargazer

@cgrant Okay, you've got a point. He's 29.

Marty

@chris-b said in AB Positions up for grabs:

So..as we get closer, I haven't seen any specific "number" the selectors are aiming for, but I'd like to see quite a big squad

Moody, Perry, Crockett, Eves

Has Crockett confirmed he's prepared to come out of international retirement?

Chris B.

@marty No - and to be honest if they have Moody and Perry fit and firing then I'm not sure they'd send the SOS. Arguably, they'd just pick five props with Ofa covering both sides.

Bovidae

I'm sure I am not the only one who sees Perry and ABs in the same sentence and still thinks WTF?

The French will be a good test in the scrums with the right ref in charge.

nzzp

@bovidae said in AB Positions up for grabs:

The French will be a good test in the scrums with the right ref in charge.

Who are the refs?

OK, i googled,

Eden Park: Luke Pearce (England)
Westpac: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Dunedin: John Lacey (Ireland)

World Rugby Passport - Officiating

New Zealand
v
France
Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand
9 Jun 2018

Referee
Luke Pearce (England)
Assistant 1
Angus Gardner (Australia)
Assistant 2
John Lacey (Ireland)
TMO
George Ayoub (Australia

New Zealand
v
France
Westpac Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand
16 Jun 2018

Referee
Angus Gardner (Australia)
Assistant 1
John Lacey (Ireland)
Assistant 2
Luke Pearce (England)
TMO
George Ayoub (Australia

ew Zealand
v
France
Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin, New Zealand
23 Jun 2018

Referee
John Lacey (Ireland)
Assistant 1
Angus Gardner (Australia)
Assistant 2
Graham Cooper (Australia)
TMO
George Ayoub (Australia)

Chris B.

@bovidae said in AB Positions up for grabs:

I'm sure I am not the only one who sees Perry and ABs in the same sentence and still thinks WTF?

Even though he's a Mako boy, I'm stunned!

Rapido

Being worried about the French scrum might actually be a cliche that hold some truth this time around.

Machpants

Yay we've got Angus for my trip to the cake tin and welly pubs with mates, happy with that.

The Silver Fern

AB Positions up for grabs