All Blacks available for ITM Cup

[smartcooky]

[TEXTAREA]from allblacks.com - (26/08/2012)

A number of All Blacks squad have been made available for this week's ITM Cup matches.

The All Blacks squad disassembled in Auckland today following last night's22-0 Bledisloe Cup victory over the Wallabies at Eden Park and will reassemble in Wellington next weekend to prepare for the Investec Rugby Championship Test against Argentina at Westpac Stadium on Saturday 8 September.

Ten All Blacks will be available to play for their respective ITM Cup provincial teams this week, as follows:

Tuesday 28 August
Wellington (Julian Savea and Victor Vito) v Hawke's Bay, Wellington

Wednesday 29 August
Auckland (Charlie Faumuina and Piri Weepu) v Canterbury, Christchurch

Thursday 30 August
Bay of Plenty (Sam Cane and Brodie Retallick) v Otago (Tamati Ellison and Adam Thomson), Rotorua

Saturday 1 September
Canterbury (Wyatt Crockett) v North Harbour, Christchurch
Taranaki (Andrew Hore) v Tasman, New Plymouth[/TEXTAREA]


This is good to see.

The All Blacks coaches get to keep some of the players who haven't had much game time ticking over, and the fans get to see a few more of the top stars of the game

Its a win-win situation

 

[Kiwiwomble]

Ben Smith to be avaliable for us too....if he goes into 15 do you move Ensor to the wing and reward such a good game?

 

[Shaggy]

A shame that Cruden hasn't been released as well ... I'm sure he could use the game time too

 

[Darwin]

Ben Smith to be avaliable for us too....if he goes into 15 do you move Ensor to the wing and reward such a good game?

Yep that is what I would do - I understand Ensor has quite a bit of experience on the wing at club level. I would look at moving Spence from the wing into 12 too - he had a strong game versus Northland, and is actually a midfield back. Dickson was solid against Northland, but I think the main thing he provides for Otago is experience but that isn't really required with Ellison and Mr Smith.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

1. Tama Tuirirangi
2. Sam Anderson-Heather
3. Aki Seiuli
4. Paul Grant (C)
5. Rob Verbarkel
6. Adam Thomson
7. Hugh Blake
8. Gareth Evans
9. Fumiaki Tanaka
10. Hayden Parker
11. Buxton Popoali'i
12. Glenn Dickson
13. Tamati Ellison
14. Jayden Spence
15. Ben Smith
Replacements
16. Liam Coltman
17. Shota Horie
18. Tom Franklin
19. TJ Ioane
20. Brad Weber
21. Peter Breen
22. Tony Ensor



So Ensor gets rewarded with the bench...

 

[Darwin]

1. Tama Tuirirangi
2. Sam Anderson-Heather
3. Aki Seiuli
4. Paul Grant (C)
5. Rob Verbarkel
6. Adam Thomson
7. Hugh Blake
8. Gareth Evans
9. Fumiaki Tanaka
10. Hayden Parker
11. Buxton Popoali'i
12. Glenn Dickson
13. Tamati Ellison
14. Jayden Spence
15. Ben Smith
Replacements
16. Liam Coltman
17. Shota Horie
18. Tom Franklin
19. TJ Ioane
20. Brad Weber
21. Peter Breen
22. Tony Ensor

So Ensor gets rewarded with the bench...

Not too bad I suppose. Our lack of props is a bit of an issue (I assume Manson is now injured) - it looks as though Coltman is covering prop from the bench. I'm not convinced about playing Grant at lock again - the scrum looked so much better last week when we actually had two genuine locks playing in the second half! Great to see Blake starting at 7 (allowing Thomson to play 6), and I quite like Ioane on the bench. Like you I'm slightly disappointed that Ensor has been dropped to the bench (that will teach him for having a strong game!).

 

[Kiwiwomble]

odt just said Mason is being rested

apparently Kenny Lynn is playing fullback for BOP....could be intersting

 

[donmcdazzle]

Man that is so dumb that Cruden hasn't been released. He has hardly played for the AB's and lord knows the turbos need him.