All Blacks Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

Players named for All Blacks wider training group camps

Blues
Frank Halai, Steven Luatua, Keven Mealamu, Charles Piutau, Rene Ranger, Francis Saili, Piri Weepu and Ali Williams.

Chiefs
Ben Afeaki, Sam Cane, Aaron Cruden, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Liam Messam and Brodie Retallick.

Hurricanes
Beauden Barrett, Dane Coles, Ben Franks, TJ Perenara, Julian Savea, Brad Shields, Conrad Smith, Jeff Toomaga-Allen and Victor Vito.

Crusaders
Dominic Bird, Daniel Carter, Wyatt Crockett, Israel Dagg, Owen Franks, Kieran Read, Luke Romano, Tom Taylor and Samuel Whitelock.

Highlanders
Hosea Gear, Andrew Hore, Ma'a Nonu, Aaron Smith, Ben Smith and Tony Woodcock.


Profiles on the uncapped players here

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10883576


Talking points of the first squad

1) Only 1 specialist openside (Cane). Expect to see 1 of Braid, Todd or Latimer named in the final squad. Braid for my money.

2) Some exciting new faces, anyone with decent SXV form has been rewarded.

3) The out of form vets are still there, fair enough to show they have still got it, but time must be ticking for a few. No pressure, or anything, lads.

4) Apparently Ranger has not definitively confirmed a move to Montpellier yet...


Irish fans can expect to see some new faces in November at the Aviva: the 3 most promising in my opinion

Ben Afeaki is a highly promising tighthead prop, the best potential since Carl Hayman

Stephen Luatua looks like NZ's answer to Ferris, and then some

T J Perenara is a dynamic scrumhalf with a nose for the tryline

durkadurka wrote: »

I'm just going to say something so poor old Swiwi isn't posting to himself !

I could talk to myself all day about ABs rugby. They have "secure facilities" for people like me... (mutters to self)

pajunior wrote: »

At what point do we mention that Heaslip and Kearney are better than Read and Dagg?

When they are.

errlloyd wrote: »

I realise it's off topic. But how do sponsors game naming rights over national teams like the "Quantas Wallabies". Can they only be called those names during exhibition matches (like lions tours)

$ or €, depending on where you live.

thomond2006 wrote: »

The French squad for the series against New Zealand

I'm happy the French appear to have chosen a decent side. Should provide a nice entrée to the main dish in Australia.

I'd be interested Thomond on your thoughts on some of the uncapped French players, as I never watch Top 14, and I know you keep an eye on it.

Ruck Inspector wrote: »

Sam Cane injured?

Also surprised Brad Shields was overlooked.

Minor injury for Cane means he misses the game this weekend, but he'll be right for the French tests. The Canes coach rotates Brad Shields in and out of the starting XV. I'm still not 100% convinced by Shields, although he has definitely been better this season than last. I'd say the AB selectors will go with Messam & Luatua as their 6s.

GiftofGab wrote: »

Don't think the All-Blacks should be as feared as they were a few years ago. My person opinion only! Think they might dip in form this year. Australia would give these guys a great run for the money at the moment.

Some players are way off form / past it. Nonu for example. He shouldn't make any top international side any more. Great in his time. Dagg once set the world alight but hasn't done anything in a while.

They need Ranger at the moment. Can't afford to lose him. He's moved to 13 and has been playing some of the best rugby of his career.

Halai is another wonder. Looking forward to seeing him in an all black shirt.

Would have though Nani-Williams should be in the squad. He should have taken Nonu's spot.

I'm hoping GiftofGab that the Bledisloe series will be more closely fought this year than in recent times, where it has become a bit of a yawn. The Aussie team does potentially look stronger this year, although the Crusaders 8 made mincemeat of the Brumbies pack a couple of weeks ago. However, there are not too many Aussie certs from the Brumbies pack (probably just George Smith), so I'm not reading too much into that.

Both Nonu & Dagg have made an artform of converting lackadaisical SXV form into compelling international displays, so I wouldn't write either of them off. Dagg in particular now has genuine competition for the 15 jersey, so he can't afford to slacken off. Ever since I've watched rugby, depth at 12 has always been an issue for the ABs, we usually have one (maximum 2) good 12 on the books, and have never produced our own Tim Horan.

For me the jury is still out on Ranger & TNW. Ranger has all the skills & ability, but needs to show he can play error-free rugby at the highest levels, while TNW needs to show he can tackle. As it is, TNW is out of rugby for a few weeks with a stomach ulcer, so he wasn't available.

Frank Halai has kind of crept up on NZ rugby, at 25 he's relatively old to be playing his first season of SXV, but he has a good chance of starting the June internationals in the 14 jersey. Looks to have all the requisite skills for an international winger.

PhatPiggins wrote: »

Really like and respect Messam as a player and as someone who stuck it out to become an All Blacks regular.

Could have moved abroad numerous times but is one of those good ol days players you talk about Swiwi.

You can add Hosea Gear to that list. A lot of players seem to throw the toys out of the cot if they don't make the ABs after 1 or 2 seasons but Messam & Gear have stuck with it and like yourself I admire them for it.

AngeGal wrote: »

I guess slightly off topic but would you know much about Jake Heenan Swiwi?

Teferi wrote: »

Was just coming into the thread to ask about him myself.

Very strange. Surely if someone is captaining the U20's they are all but destined for an All Black shirt, at the very least they would have a lot of potential anyway. Seems like a bit of a coup for Connacht tbh, hopefully he does well for them.

About as much as your average Connacht fan! I actually have a bit of a life outside rugby (!), and U20's rugby is something I keep an eye on the results, but would hardly watch any of the games. Last year, NZ actually didn't win the damn thing, so maybe he thought the honourable thing to do was disappear overseas for a while, until the stink died down...

On a more serious note, he's only 20, and realistically McCaw, Cane and your pick of Ardie Savea/Braid/Todd probably have the 7 jersey locked away until post 2015. McCaw will then retire I would imagine, and he might look to return to NZ and try his hand for 2019. Certainly, the Highlanders could do with a decent openside, it's been a long time between Josh Kronfeld drinks.

The other option, of course, is to declare for Ireland at the end of those 3 years. I must say I find the IRB rules weird - 20 seconds of rugby for Fiji rules out Nacewa from an AB jersey for life, while Jake Heenan (who judging by the name almost certainly has Maori blood in him), can become Irish in 3 years.

Anyway, that's beside the point, and in summary I don't really know anything about him, but if he captained the U20s, he must be a handy enough player.

AngeGal wrote: »

Thanks Swiwi. Whilst I'm here, I might aswell ask you about Craig Clarke. I don't follow super 15, obviously he's a good player if he captained the Chiefs to win it. I read also that he was in the wider training squad of the all blacks at one point. How highly would you rate him? Perhaps as a marker, would you expect him to make the Ireland team if he was eligible?

He's a very good player, but I don't think quite international calibre. If I had to find an Irish equivalent, maybe I'd say Leo Cullen in his prime - leads from the front, good work ethic, would figuratively die for the cause. Probably not quite skilled enough to make it as an international lock. I'd rate Paul O'Connell and Donncha Ryan as better locks, but he'd be a solid candidate for a wider Irish squad.

And now Sam Whitelock ruled out with a broken finger, just when he was hitting amazing form. Should continue the meteoric rise for Dominic Bird - surely his nickname is "Big"?!