All Blacks squad for Lions I

[Lizard]

Is it too early for this?

The starting tight 5 pick themselves, I think. In the reserves, back-up hooker is a bit of a lottery. I prefer Taylor purely on experience which will be crucial against a Lions team I expect to be pretty niggly. (Coles will need to be on his best behaviour). I reckon Shag will go with Wyatt “Penalty-machine” Crockett on the bench but I don’t think he’s going to get any better. I would prefer the versatile Tu’ungafasi to cover loosehead. There’s little question that Faumuina should back up on the other side. In the second row, Luke Romano has been going through the motions for a while. I liked the look of Scott Barrett and would give him a crack off the pine, but would be happy with Tuipulotu who I think will be the selectors’ preference.

There’s an embarrassment of talent in the loose forwards. Read, as captain, is the only nailed on starter. You need at least one horrible, hard bastard against the Lions (who will be similarly blessed in this area) so Kaino has to wear 6. Open side is a race between the incumbent Cane and up-and-coming talent Ardie Savea. I think Ardie is the future and deserves a go (but won’t get it). The Lions will find it harder to prepare for him, too. It’s hard luck in my XV for Cane (who Shag will pick) and Todd given the need for versatility in the subs, where I would go for Squire. Luatua would be an option if combined lock/loose cover was wanted but I think we need plenty of fresh legs up front. Dixon could be next cab off the rank.

Halfback is a straight shoot-out between Smith and Perenara. TKB is off the boil a little, I’m biased against players who’ve already given notice, and we need real speed of pass off the floor. TJ outplayed Aaron head-to-head so he gets the nod.

World’s best player Beauden Barrett gets the 10 jumper, but by crikey he needs to be practising his goalkicking. I think McKenzie is the long term replacement but we need more experience in such a crucial position against the Lions. Wiley old Aaron Cruden therefore edges out Sopoaga as a replacement at least until the series is safe. McKenzie would provide a little more versatility, but I think that is covered by the mid-field and outside back selections.

2nd 5/8 and Centre are still the biggest question. Crotty has exceeded the journeyman expectations placed on him, but Lienert-Brown also surprised. Fekitoa can be frustratingly inaccurate and seems to lose confidence in a Black jersey. Reiko Ioane is the hype and I think his future is at 13. Moala and Tamanivalu are perhaps a wash but there’s always room for a bolter given the uncertainly so look out for Ngani Laumape. I think that Shag will stick with Crotty’s relative experience (still only 11 caps) but maybe go for more of a bruiser at 13 in Fekitoa. I really want to see Ioane have a crack outside ALB but the sensible option I reckon is to put him on the bench as an impact player covering wing as well and go with ALB as the incumbent at 13.

In the back three, you have to pick Julian “45 tries in 52 tests” Savea. Bender hasn’t been in superlative form but he’s been in a struggling team so far in Super Rugby and his class is permanent. I’m not sure if Milner-Skudder will be fit in time, but if not Dagg will do. This leaves Naholo out in the cold unfortunately, but I don’t think that will actually happen.

So this is my preferred XXIII, with predicted different actual selections in brackets:

1. Moody
2. Coles
3. Franks
4. Retallick
5. Whitelock
6. Kaino
7. A. Savea (Cane)
8. Read
9. Perenara
10. Barret
11. J. Savea
12. Crotty
13. Lienert-Brown (Fekitoa)
14. NMS if fit and had some game time, if not then Dagg (possibly swapped with B Smith)
15. B. Smith

16. Taylor
17. Tu’ungafasi (Crockett)
18. Faumuina
19. S. Barrett (Tuipulotu)
20. Squire (A. Savea)
21. A Smith
22. Cruden
23. R. Ioane (Naholo)

I’m sure I’ve overlooked some injuries or retirements though…

[WaspInWales]

Looks weak.

We've got Farrell.

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[WaspInWales]

He can play 10, 12 or 13!

You've been warned

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[Lizard]

Well that might have been helpful last time given that in the first test SCW cunningly played his best 10 at 12 and put a turnstile at 10.

[cashead]

If we're looking at raw stats and set-piece success, Hika Elliot and Cody Taylor would be the hookers.

[Lizard]

If we're looking at raw stats and set-piece success, Hika Elliot and Cody Taylor would be the hookers.

Modern hookers are so much more than set piece operators though. Good shout on Hika - I always just sort of assume he is injured given his history. He can definitely be added to the lottery for #16.

[zer0]

He can play 10, 12 or 13!

You've been warned

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Pfft. Come back to us when you have a guy who can play 6, 7, 8, 12, 11 and 14 (probably). Yeah. Ardie also has the Fresh Prince's haircut. Bitch.

[morepork]

Ardie all the way for me. Cane is good, but pretty dull.

[Lizard]

I see that Sonny BIll is apparently nearly fit, so I guess he's in the mix somewhere, but he'll have a bit to prove before getting near the squad.

[morepork]

Has the World Champion Boxer played much at all recently? He is getting on a bit.

[Lizard]

Has the World Champion Boxer played much at all recently? He is getting on a bit.

He blew his Achilles playing 7s in Rio and had been out since. He's supposed to be on the field for the Blues some time next month.

[morepork]

Hmmm.

[Guest]

SBDubs will be 32 this year. He is older than every All Blacks back capped in 2016 (Ben Smith was the oldest, about a year behind SBW). The only current ABs older than him are Kaino and Crockett.

[Lizard]

SBDubs will be 32 this year. He is older than every All Blacks back capped in 2016 (Ben Smith was the oldest, about a year behind SBW). The only current ABs older than him are Kaino and Crockett.

[Lizard]

It has come to my attention that Scott Barrett played 22 minutes at blindside last weekend. If he can cover that position at All Black level then that might alter the balance allow Cane onto the bench covering 7 and 6, with Kaino to go to 8 if necessary. I assume that the All Blacks will be planning on putting the foot down in the final 20 and having specialist 7 cover could help keep the tempo up. In any event, the way he is playing I now think that the Wise Men will see it my way and favour him over Tuipulotu.

Also, on reflection, if Crockett is to be discarded then Manu comes into the frame as well as Tu'ungafasi. I'd still go with Tu'u.

[zer0]

Tu'ungafasi is riding the pine behind Manu at the Blues...

It's also a real shame that they don't like Taufua, even though he's now knocking fools over on attack as well as defence these days. Him and Kaino on the flanks would make for a pretty solid great wall of Samoa.

[cashead]

Tu'ungafasi is being used as a reserve 3, with Sam Prattley as the reserve 1.

[cashead]

Quite a few reserve spots are up for grabs this year. Dark horses in the backline would be:

Gus Pulu v. Brad Weber for 3rd halfback
Richard Buckman as the super-utility
Matt Duffie at 14 as a wing/fullback option

[zer0]

Tu'ungafasi regularly gets shunted around in SR. The top line European front rowers will eat him alive. Pulu is far too inconsistent and prone to making the wrong decision. I'm not much of a fan of him, but I'd rather Kerr-Barlow ahead of him. Jordie Barrett will be ahead of Buckman due to his superior skill-set. he also spent time with the All Blacks on the EOYT.

[Lizard]

Barracuda would be a great buy for a European club. He's sort of a poor man's Aaron Mauger. Never makes a mistake, but hasn't got the x-factor to be an All Black. He would be a folk hero playing in Wales.

Gus Pulu looked good tonight, but Aaron Smith is well off Perenara's pace.

[Len]

He can play 10, 12 or 13!

You've been warned

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Pfft. Come back to us when you have a guy who can play 6, 7, 8, 12, 11 and 14 (probably). Yeah. Ardie also has the Fresh Prince's haircut. Bitch.

Or 2,11,12,13,14

Edit: Silly me he could probably play 6,7,8 too.

[cashead]

Barracuda would be a great buy for a European club. He's sort of a poor man's Aaron Mauger. Never makes a mistake, but hasn't got the x-factor to be an All Black. He would be a folk hero playing in Wales.

The guy's been playing well for years, is more than earning his keep for the Highlanders, never makes a mistake, demonstrates excellent decision-making, has a solid turn of pace, can cover pretty much anywhere in the backline and is a decent defender. What's the problem?

"x-factor" is a bullshit term to defend calling for the selection of players that were all flash and no substance like Lauaki over the reliable workhorses that deliver every fucking week.

[Eugene Wrayburn]

Could McKenzie start on the wing in the absence of NMS?

[cashead]

I'm still not too convinced about McKenzie's defensive work, so I'll need to see if I can dig up some stats on him. Last year, he was one of the defensively weakest fullbacks, but got selected off the back of great attacking work and being a reliable goalkicker.

It's also reasonably likely that Milner-Skudder will be available for the Lions series, although he may be offloaded to the Maori All Blacks first to get him some game time.


Right now, Matt Duffie is probably one of the picks of the uncapped winger/fullback selections.

[canta_brian]

Who will captain the team if read's thumb doesn't recover in time? And with Kaino crocked as well are we likely to be a bit under in the loose forwards