First All Black squad of 2018 is...

[cashead]

Placeholder for the announcement.

Hookers
Liam Coltman (Highlanders/Otago) - Wider squad member
Nathan Harris (Chiefs/Bay of Plenty)
Codie Taylor (Crusaders/Canterbury)

Props
Owen Franks (Crusaders/Canterbury)
Joe Moody (Crusaders/Canterbury)
Tim Perry (Crusaders/Tasman)
Toomaga-Allen (Hurricanes/Wellington)
Ofa Tu'ungafasi (Blues/Auckland)

Locks
Scott Barrett (Crusaders/Taranaki)
Brodie Retallick (Chiefs/Hawke's Bay)
Sam Whitelock (Crusaders/Canterbury - Captain)

Loose Forwards
Sam Cane (Chiefs/Bay of Plenty - Vice-Captain)
Vaea Fifita (Hurricanes/Wellington)
Shannon Frizzell (Highlanders/Tasman)
Akira Ioane (Blues/Auckland) - Wider squad member
Ardie Savea (Hurricanes/Wellington)
Liam Squire (Highlanders/Tasman)
Jordan Taufua (Crusaders/Tasman)
Luke Whitelock (Highlanders/Canterbury)


Halfbacks
Aaron Smith (Highlanders/Manawatu)
TJ Perenara (Hurricanes/Wellington)
Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi (Chiefs/Taranaki)

Five-Eighths
Beauden Barrett (Hurricanes/Taranaki)
Damien McKenzie (Chiefs/Waikato)
Richie Mo'unga (Crusaders/Canterbury)

Midfielders
Ryan Crotty (Crusaders/Canterbury)
Jack Goodhue (Crusaders/Northland)
Ngani Laumape (Hurricanes/Manawatu)
Anton Lienert-Brown (Chiefs/Waikato)
Sonny Bill Williams (Blues/Counties Manukau)

Back Three
Rieko Ioane (Blues/Auckland)
Nehe Milner-Skudder (Hurricanes/Manawatu)
Waisake Naholo (Highlanders/Taranaki)
Ben Smith (Highlanders/Otago - Vice-Captain)

Utility Back
Jordie Barrett (Hurricanes/Taranaki)

[Lizard]

What more does Ben Lam need to do?

[zer0]

He's a strike winger, so he's only able to play one position, and is in competition with R.Ioane and Naholo for two (at most) spots. If either of them are injured, I'd imagine he'd be first cab off the rank, because it sure as hell shouldn't be J.Savea.

On the other selections, I'm glad to see they finally dropped the 'Taufua is too short' rubbish. I'd have liked to have seen A.Ioane and Frizzell's positions swapped, but Ioane is only 22. hopefully Frizzell isn't being selected just to preclude his playing for Tonga. Otherwise much of it is largely as expected, for better (Whitelock as captain) and for worse (no Todd). I'd like to see Mo'unga and Goodhue get plenty of game time. Starts, ideally, but not counting on it. Mo'unga in particular won't get a starting look in unless B.Barrett goes down injured.

Also, given all these camps and mandatory stand-downs they've had throughout SR in preparation for the onerous challenge of France C, these bastards had better come out all guns blazing. None of this slow start rubbish.

[cashead]

What more does Ben Lam need to do?

So who gets left out?

[rowan]

What more does Ben Lam need to do?

Yes, disappointed in that. But who would you leave out??

Oh, I see someone just made that comment...

[rowan]

If they were selecting them purely on current form Naholo was a bit lucky. But perhaps Lam could do a bit more work on his defense and still make the end-of-year tour, when they're inclined to be a little more experimental. They'll surely want to add some depth ahead of next year's World Cup.

[Lizard]

What more does Ben Lam need to do?

So who gets left out?

On form? Naholo. Not saying he isn’t good but if he wasn’t the incumbent then Lam would be in. This tour is a chance to increase depth. Why not give Waisake a break and try Lam out?

If he hadn’t already played NZ 7s, maybe they would have chucked him in to tie him up for us. (I’m assuming he would qualify for them as did his uncle Pat and second-cousin Jack.)

[rowan]

Speaks volumes about Lam's credentials that we can all agree on something for a change!

[morepork]

Bout time Taufua got a look in.

[rowan]

Rugby Highlights web-site's Unlucky XV:

[rowan]

What's happened to Asafo Aumua, by the way? Wasn't he supposed to be the next big thing for Wellington & the Hurricanes??

[morepork]

Been hitting the pies too hard.

[scuzzaman]

Been hitting the pies too hard.

To be fair, they do make good pies in Wellington ...

[rowan]

Oh no, not another Eugene Sharrock!

For those of insufficient vintage to recall that name, he was the Wakato centre who starred for NZ Colts in the late 80s but suddenly ballooned up in his early 20s and somehow ended up playing second division club rugby in Wellington. It wasn't the booze either. Sharrock was a Mormon and didn't drink. Unfortunately a lot of Maori and Pacific Islanders just have this in their DNA. Scientists believe the Polynesians developed a powerful fat hoarding gene during their long voyages across the ocean and settlement of new islands. But now they no longer need it, and its effects are exacerbated by a Western diet.

[morepork]

The fat hoarding gene.....that is just not right. Trust me on this one. There is no such thing. A lot of Poly boys do struggle with conditioning if they are not vigilant though. Sione Lauaki (RIP) was a shocker for it. As is J Savea.

[rowan]

What's happened to Asafo Aumua, by the way? Wasn't he supposed to be the next big thing for Wellington & the Hurricanes??

Just found him! He's alive and well in the Rugby Highlights web site's All Blacks 3rd XV. How would these teams do against international opposition, you think?

[cashead]

What's happened to Asafo Aumua, by the way? Wasn't he supposed to be the next big thing for Wellington & the Hurricanes??

Injury and fitness problems. Turned up to training earlier this year out of shape and got sent home to hit the gym.

[cashead]

Rugby Highlights web-site's Unlucky XV:

Ioane is a "when," not an "if." Sopoaga is about as unlucky as I am, since he's heading overseas, so why bother? Likewise with Elliot Dixon, who will be spending the non-Super Rugby part of the season in Japan with Ricoh in Japan.

Plus Dillon Hunt needs to be in there somewhere. Dude's been dynamite in his first actual season with the Highlanders.

[rowan]

Just for interest, a French-based All Blacks XV, from the All Blacks Supporters' web site:

1. Jamie Mackintosh, 2. Hika Elliot, 3. Charlie Faumuina, 4. Josh Bekhuis 5. Jason Eaton, 6. Tanerau Latimer, 7. Luke Braid, 8. Victor Vito, 9. Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 10. Dan Carter, 11. Joe Rokocoko, 12. Ma'a Nonu, 13. Conrad Smith, 14. Rene Ranger, 15. Isaia Toeava

[rowan]

& from the Zimbo Rugby Forum:

The All Black Squad Breakdown..

Squad breakdown

The makeup of the Steinlager Series squad sees 17 forwards selected (two hookers, five props, three locks and seven loose forwards) and 16 backs (three halfbacks, three first five-eighths, five midfielders and five outside backs) with an average age of 26.

The squad is made up of three Blues players, six Chiefs, eight Hurricanes, 10 Crusaders and six Highlanders, while 12 of New Zealand's provinces are represented with seven Canterbury players, five from Taranaki, four from Wellington and Tasman, three from Manawatu, two each from Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty, and one player from Counties Manukau, Hawke's Bay, Northland and Otago