All Blacks Tri-nations squad 2011

[Darwin]

The first All Blacks squad of the year is due to be named on Sunday morning (NZT). Initially Henry stated that ideally the 30 players selected for the Tri-nations would be the 30 he took to the RWC, but recently it has been suggested that a slightly expanded squad will be selected to cover for injuries. I'm assuming they will pick 30 players, with injured players like Woodcock, Boric, and Dagg possibly being brought into the squad later in the tournament if/when they recover from their injuries. My predicted 30-man squad (the players that I think Henry and co. will pick, not necessarily the 30 I would pick):

Hookers: Mealamu, Hore, Elliot.
I think it is 50/50 between Elliot and Flynn at this stage: Elliot had a good EOYT tour with the AB's this year and has been solid in the Super 15, but Flynn does have the experience, and he has been very impressive for the Crusaders over the later part of the season.
Props: Crockett, Ben Franks, Owen Franks, Afoa
Easy selection with Woodcock injured. Hopefully Crockett gets plenty of chances to prove himself at test level as he's been outstanding for the Crusaders this season.
Locks: Thorn, Sam Whitelock, Williams, Hoeata
Thorn, Whitelock, and Williams pick themselves, but there is a free spot available which will likely be contested between Hoeata and Donnelly. Donnelly has experience with the AB's, but Hoeata has had a much better season, and the selectors have been looking for a lock/blinsdside flanker.
Loosies: Kaino, Thomson, McCaw, Messem, Read
I'm still not sure about the final makeup of the loose-forwards that the selectors will take. I hope they are considering including a genuine openside flanker at the expense of Thomson (in which case Todd or either Braid could be picked). I wouldn't rule out Victor Vito either, as he's a much better player now than he was when he was originally selected for the AB's.
Halfbacks: Cowan, Weepu, Ellis
Would love them to pick Mathewson, but I don't think he fits into their game plan.
First-fives: Carter, Cruden
Would prefer to see Slade there (though I have been impressed by Cruden over the later half of the season), but the fact they have indicted that Slade will play ITM Cup rugby suggests Cruden will be picked.
Midfield: Bill-Williams, Nonu, Smith, Kahui
Wings/fullbacks: Sivivatu, Gear, Jane, Toeava, Muliaina
Really want to see Ben Smith included, but I suspect Jane will be given a chance to prove himself. Smith could still make it if Toeava is still not fit though. I would like to see Zac Guildford included as well, but I suspect they will only take two genuine wings, with Sivivatu and Gear probably having the inside running for these spots.
Not included due to injury: Woodcock, Boric, Dagg

 

[nik]

I think if they take Hoeata, then may not select either Adam Thompson or Messam and go with one of the specialist opensides, either Todd or the Braid.

 

[Larksea]

I wouldn't change much from your squad, I also would take elliot over Flynn though it is very much 50/50 and flynn has the added advantage of being involved in finals footy. But he is also part of an All All Black forward pack in the crusaders where Elliot Shines in a Chiefs forward pack that only has a couple of All Blacks. Elliots great lineout throwing and impressive EOY tour give him the ende in my book.

Those Props are pretty much set in stone, Woodcock has such a long way to go.

Borric is a must have but as he's 4 weeks away with injury Hoeata will make an interesting Prospect. They may also go for Donnely and I honestly think Tom would do NZ proud if he was given a shot.

I can't Honestly see a spot for Thompson in the loose forwards. he doesn't offer the utility of Messam, even hardended Thompson fans will agree that he doesn't play well at 7 and he also hasn't played well at 8 when he's been put there. Where Messam is equally good in any loose forward position. He was brilliant at 8 for the chiefs early this season and his best game of the year was the one game he played 7. With Messam being the main #8 cover and kaino, Read, McCaw and Messam being able to cover 6 I see no logic in selecting Thompson for that last spot over a specialist 7 like Matt Tod or the Braid Borthers. As great as his start to the season was he lacks presence in the Physical encounters and he is prone to giving away penalties too.

So I'd drop Thompson for Matt Todd, I dont think Dan Braid has had enough rugby. he needs to play 3 games+ a week in the ITM cup and prove he's still got the goods before getting back in the AB's.

At 9 I just have a bad feeling about Elis. It's not the first time he's had an awesome super season behind that Crusaders forward pack and every time he's played for the AB's his delivery is so very slow and it ripples through the whole AB's backline. In 2008 we didn't know how bad Elis was until he got injured and Cowan & Weepu were given their chance - all of a sudden the All Blacks backline came to life as they had quick ball and the time & space to use it.

Though I do think Elis will get selected, I wouldn't select him. I'd take Leonard - he's been the chiefs best and most consistant back this year and his kicking game is 2nd to none. He's experienved and compedative. kicking from 9 is going to be critical this world cup - one of the reasons I dont believe mathewson has much of a chance - His kicking game is much weaker than all other comers Cowan, Weepu, Elis and Leonard.

10 - IF Slade was fully fit and match hardened I would take him over cruden anyday. But that's not the case.

Wingers:

Huge competition and a number of established Al Blacks that are not up to standard.

experienced but not in enough form?
Sivivatu has shown both his best and worst sides this year. Edades tackles like no one else but also slips of when he's making them. You can't deny that he has a particular x-factor that no one else in world rugby can match and for that reason he in my eye's has about a 90% chance of selection.
Rokocoko is running as hard as ever and in great form on defense but the tryline seems to elude him in a big way.
Gear was brilliant on the EoY tour but hasn't captured that form this year and has shown problems with his defense of kicks in behind him. Also hasn't been tested in big games for the All Blacks.
Jane would have been one of the first names down at the start of 2009 and 2010 but he lost his way a bit last year and has not stepped up this super season. his selection would have to be on faith but the tallent of others gunning for his spot may be too much to ignore.

Fringe Players in Great form:
Guildford - huge workrate, great at kick return, awesome defense, very fast. I honestly can't see a downside to picking Guildford...
maitland - Big, very Fast, Genuine try scorer. Brilliant all round skills and a bit of x-factor as well. his only downside is he's untested at international level.
Ben Smith - has had an awesome season where almost everything he touch turned to gold. Deadly runner with an almost non-existant error rate. Seems to be able to pull off pinpoint kicks at will. Didn't have a great finish to the season as the highlanders faided. Can cover every position from 11 - 15 though.
Toeava - was in killer form before injury. The blues were almost unbeatable with him and pretty average without him.

tough call, no one knows who the 5 will be. I would go:

Mills, Guildford, Maitland, Toeava, Sivivatu

But ask me again tomorrow I'll maybe have a different 5. I think the coaches will show more faith - Jane in particular and I think Rokocoko has a greater chance than many believe. But I think Guildford & Maitland are playing too well to leave out and this squad needs some young blood to be complete.

 

[Darwin]

Personally I still not convinced on Maitland. His awareness of team-mates has improved as the season has progressed (his great off-load for SBW's try against the Sharks was evidence of this), but he still tends to forget he has 14 team-mates whenever he gets the ball. It is not a big issue for a wing, but the ability to link up with team-mates after a break can be the difference between scoring a try or not. He generally looks to have lot of skills, but I've seen him make silly errors when he is under pressure, particularly under the high-ball, and collecting the loose-ball. I still think he needs to improve his work-rate a bit, though perhaps I'm being unfair as I'm comparing his work-rate to Guildford's! His defence is generally pretty good, but he was very lucky to get away with running so far out of the line against the Stormers in the weekend. If the Stormers has simply drawn and passed the Crusaders would have been in a lot of trouble.

He's clearly had a strong season with the Crusaders. He is a great finisher, and reputed to be the fastest man in NZ rugby. I can definately see the attraction of having a quality finisher such as him in the AB's - if he gets a half chance you know he will score - but I just don't think he is ready for test rugby... yet. In saying that I wouldn't be too worried if he was selected in the squad.

 

[Muzzy]

no Rene Ranger? i'd pick him over Kahui any day, i know rene ranger plays more on the wing but if they picked kahui they'd probably use him as a winger anyway where he'd do nothing

 

[nickdnz]

I prefer Ranger at centre than on the wing. It's a tough choice, because Ranger has been playing at wing all year, in which there are some more reliable and tested options, but the mid-field are also jam packed with talent.

 

[Darwin]

no Rene Ranger? i'd pick him over Kahui any day, i know rene ranger plays more on the wing but if they picked kahui they'd probably use him as a winger anyway where he'd do nothing

Ranger is an interesting one. I definately don't consider him a centre (where NickdNZ likes him), he's proved throughout the season that his first instinct when he gets the ball is have to go rather than consider setting up him team-mates: this makes him a great wing, but not a very good centre. He blew a number of chances during the season by not simply drawing the man and passing (though he did do this well against the Reds, only for Payne to drop the pass!), but he did score some great tries that few players in the world could have scored.

I certainly wouldn't rule him out of contention, as the AB's selectors do apparently rate him, and he is genuine try scorer. He has a great work-rate too, and his work at the breakdown is probably the best of any outside back in the country, as he's learnt to use his power to good effect here. His big issues are his defence - not his one-on-one tackling but his habit of drifting in-field off his man - and his error-rate, which is very high. I terms of the 5 wings/fullbacks the AB's will take I think there are only really two that are certainties (Muliaina and Toeava) with a huge group of players still genuine contenders for the last 3 spots depending on what Henry and co. want out of their wings/fullbacks (Ben Smith, Maitland, Guildford, Dagg, Gear, Jane, Sivivatu, Ranger, Rokocoko).

 

[Steveskiez7]

I'd imagine Fruean has the front foot in terms of the centre position over Kahui, he's a good runner and already has a partnership with SBW. Kahui has had little rugby over the past 2 years and still hasn't gotten back to anywhere near his best; however with rugby under his belt is a much rounded player than Fruean. The Grand Final reiterated my doubts for Robbie on his overall defense, he makes horrible decisions and was beaten by Tapui's sidestep all night.

I really think Henry should try and test out a combination of 12. Nonu & 13. SBW in the Tri-Nations cos' I think that would be a dynamic and destructive centre partnership.

I'm really not a fan of Messam, he's too erratic and tries to push things a little too much but when he's on he is dangerous. I think it's a crime leaving Victor Vito out of the team, he was pretty much the incumbent 19. backrow for the All Blacks and he pretty much covers all 3 backrow positions and his much more consistent than Messam.
6. Kaino 7. McCaw 8. Read 19. Vito

 

[Shaggy]

Of the fringe players mentioned, I definitely think that Kahui has the inside running for the 4th centre position over Fruean and Ranger, as he covers the wing and has more test experience. This makes him perhaps a safer choice. particularly while Toeava is out .

Maitland is a definite chance for the right wing spot, as he's big and fast, and can also cover full back, which the selectors seem to like in their right wingers ... he may get a chance if Toeava is still injured, as Cory Jane's form hasn't been that good - I guess he would then be competing with Ben Smith or Kahui.

Maybe Messam will start at 8, as graham Henry indicated that some of the players have probably played too much ... perhaps Read fits into this category. Vito's probably a good choice too, but I can't see him getting a place due to the numbers/versatility of the others in the running

 

[nickdnz]

Maitland has really turned me around this season. Last year when I saw him play I was a bit...meh. But this year he has really impressed me. Under the high ball he is fantastic, not so much in just competing up and unders, but more fielding kicks at pace and never looking uneasy under them. His kicking is probably the best of any winger in New Zealand, as he gets huge distance and is very accurate. When he gets the ball and there are not many option on, he doesn't dance around, doing a little side shuffle, and get driven back like Zac Guildford, but rather he hits the line with pace and gets past the advantage line for quick ball. He runs good angles and obviously he is one of the quickest men in Super Rugby as well as being big for a winger.

Last season if he was selected I'd be a bit annoyed but I think he is certainly International standard and I wouldn't be too upset if he made it at the expense of some of the other wingers I like.

 

[Steveskiez7]

Maitland has really turned me around this season. Last year when I saw him play I was a bit...meh. But this year he has really impressed me. Under the high ball he is fantastic, not so much in just competing up and unders, but more fielding kicks at pace and never looking uneasy under them. His kicking is probably the best of any winger in New Zealand, as he gets huge distance and is very accurate. When he gets the ball and there are not many option on, he doesn't dance around, doing a little side shuffle, and get driven back like Zac Guildford, but rather he hits the line with pace and gets past the advantage line for quick ball. He runs good angles and obviously he is one of the quickest men in Super Rugby as well as being big for a winger.

Last season if he was selected I'd be a bit annoyed but I think he is certainly International standard and I wouldn't be too upset if he made it at the expense of some of the other wingers I like.

+1

I think Charlie Faumuina needs to be included solely on this play.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpSNtdTaaIA&feature=feedlik

 

[Ninja]

Here's the official squad:-

BACKS: Mils Muliaina, Hosea Gear, Richard Kahui, Conrad Smith, Sonny Bill Williams, Ma'a Nonu, Dan Carter, Jimmy Cowan, Andy Ellis, Piri Weepu, Israel Dagg, Zac Guildford, Colin Slade.

FORWARDS: Kieran Read, Richie McCaw, Jerome Kaino, Adam Thomson, Liam Messam, Brad Thorn, Ali Williams, Sam Whitelock, Jarrad Hoeata, Ben Franks, Owen Franks, John Afoa, Corey Flynn, Andrew Hore, Keven Mealamu, Tony Woodcock

Injury replacements: Wyatt Crockett, Cory Jane, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Ben Smith.

 

[William18]

Sad to see Rococoko's career end.

 

[nickdnz]

Sh*t squad. Not happy. I'd have left out Guildford, Flynn, Ellis, Dagg and Woodcock easily. Ellis has had a good season but still makes crappy little mistakes, and Fotuali'i has looked better than him when he has come on IMO, Dagg and Woodcock has done **** all, all season because of injury, Zac Guildford and Flynn were the two main reasons why the Crusaders lost to the Reds.

Wyatt Crockett as an injury replacement is a joke, the guy's been fantastic. Guildford in for Jane, Rokocoko, Sivivatu, Smith, Maitland, Jane is robbish. No Aaron Cruden is a big suprise considering Slade has done nothing all season...I mean ffs.

Agree that it is sad to see the end of Rokocoko's All Black career.

 

[ACT1NUP]

**** squad? until they bring home the silverware... looks like a pretty experienced squad. Just be happy Donald isn't there.

 

[Sam Owen]

Zac Guildford and Flynn were the two main reasons why the Crusaders lost to the Reds.

Yeah I thought Zac and Corey had a bad final too, I think they were picked before the final.

The ABs look good to me though, not much rookies. Good on Jarred Hoeata.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

What the f-bomb?
Cory 'one of the best wingesr in the world despite really being a fullback' Jane doesn't make the squad?!

As a Cory Jane fan I'm outraged
as a Rugby fan I'm outraged
as a fan of a team that isn't the All Blacks....

 

[smartcooky]

Happy for Hoeata. He has been immense for the Highlanders this season, and I reckon he will thrive in the AB environment.

Looks an OK team to me, but I am not convinced that Wyatt Crockett should have been left out. He has been the form prop of all the NZ Super Rugby sides this season.

As for Colin Slade, well I think the guy is a class act, and perhaps the selectors recognise that fact.... form is temporary; class is permanent.

Cory 'one of the best wingers in the world despite really being a fullback' Jane doesn't even make the injury replacement list?

But he IS on the injury replacement list!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I should probably learn to read better

In my defence it's like 6.30 in the morning

 

[nickdnz]

I should probably learn to read better

In my defence it's like 6.30 in the morning

Well, it doesn't mean he is likely to be in the World Cup Squad. I think England can breath a sigh of relief as Zac Guildford is certainly not Cory Jane.