So, I always said leading into the World Cup, and with our selections going into it. The dropping of Ngani Laumape(Big mistake, massive threat, punches holes in defenses), the inability to ultimately address our midfield after Conrad and Nonu moved on(Not having Rieko Ioane play 13 like it wanted to when he was 19 years old) and never really having that solid starting midfield duo across the 4 years leading into the World Cup. Who we've lost, and who I'm excited to watch and expect to be in a black jersey in the next 4 years.
Who I imagine we will still have come the next World Cup:
I would say we are mostly going to lose all of our props, and our hookers to retirement and overseas exploration. Everyone included, bar Atu Moli, will be over the age of 31 come the next World Cup, and although that is typically around the peak age of world class front row players, I've already got a few in mind to watch anyway, and expect to have a go in the next few years. We still have Karl Tu'inukuafe(30 in 4 years) as well, and cannot forget Nepo Laulala(31 in 4 years).
Alex Fidow
Asafo Aumua
I expect these young guys to start really making names for themselves either this season in Super Rugby, or the season after. Aumua has already been in the wider training squad for the All Blacks, and is really built in that power+exceptional speed combo were I think he will become hard to ignore in the near future.
I wouldn't imagine Sam Whitelock will be here in 4 years time, being 34. However, Brodie Retallick will be 32, Tuipulotu(30) and Scott Barrett(29)
The loose forwards, I'd assume that the Cane(31) and Savea(29 in 4 years) combo will be joined by Akira Ioane, but... I mean, this guy is super talented, but seems to be lazy with his weight and commitment to the game. I guess we will see, I would suggest that he will take things seriously now, now that Read is gone, and try to make that jersey his own. Still have Luke Jacobson(26 in 4 years) too and Vaea Fifita is a forgotten player, but still super talented.
I think out of all the things here for NZ rugby, I think the boys at half-back are really a question mark. TJ will be 31, Aaron Smith will be 34, and Brad Weber will be 32...... Will TJ stay till another World Cup? You'd assume that Aaron will go overseas in the next 2 years tbh. We have Sam Nock, and Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi... Triple T seems like the next one to come in with his involvement at All Blacks camps, but I feel like this is a weak point for us over the next few years, so I'm hoping TJ doesn't sustain any injuries or goes overseas. I don't know if we lose all that I've mentioned, whether we will have a world class half-back at the next World Cup.
10... Well, I would say Mo'unga is almost a certainty, with Beauden Barrett being another big question mark. I'm going to go with my gut and say that Beauden won't be here come the next World Cup, and therefore won't be in the pool of players to be picked. Josh Ioane looks to have the keys at the Highlanders, so has the most upside, and Aaron Cruden's return will probably only be for a few years and not be a feature for the WC. Barrett will stunt whatever it is that Stephen Perofeta has, which so far... Has just been injury prone.
Our wingers... Well, I feel we are safe with Reece and Bridge, however. Caleb Clarke is going to be absolutely trying to smash that door down. With Rieko's shift to a starting centre position, I expect Clarke to be the next star winger of the All Blacks and anyone will do well to hold him out of the black jersey. There is also another, but I guess being at the Chiefs will determine that he plays on the wing. Etene Nanai-Seturo, also another potential star, but... I believe he prefers Fullback, on a team that has Damien McKenzie, and Aaron Cruden.
Centres. This is a very sore point for me. I felt we were unequipped for what we were facing in the World Cup, and being pushed from side-to-side by a clinical England defense only really confirmed my concerns. We had no danger in the midfield, we have very dangerous players at this position here in our Super Rugby teams. What I wanted was Hansen to ignore how fast Rieko Ioane was, and keep him at the position he wanted to play, 13. And not to pick a 34 year old SBW, who quite frankly, has been overrated since we won in 2015. We could have had Rieko Ioane, and Ngani Laumape, are you scared of these two in the midfield? Yes, yes you are.
For centres take your pick:
Jack Goodhue
Anton Lienert-Brown
Rieko Ioane
Ngani Laumape
Vince Aso
TJ Faiane
Braydon Ennor
Jordie Barrett(???)
I mean... Yeah............. Surely we won't get our midfield wrong at the next World Cup, right? With Jordie Barrett, I don't know... The Hurricanes can play him literally wherever he chooses to play tbh. 10, 12, 15... It's an interesting watch because you have talent everywhere I would say, I guess you would just have to beat Damien McKenzie for the position at Fullback.
I'll have a stab at what we could be looking at over the next 4 years, and use this as a time capsule almost. I could be completely wrong:
Ofa
Aumua
Laulala
Retallick
Barrett
Savea
Cane
Akira Ioane
TJ (I hope)
Mo'unga
Reece
Laumape
Rieko Ioane
Caleb Clarke
Jordi.........McKen...Barrett....
Yeah, we're going to be really weak at half-back, but everywhere else I potentially feel like in 4 years, we are going to be stronger. Especially our back-line.
OH, and our coach? Scott Robertson. I legitimately think he's got it. People like to say anyone could win with the current Crusader's team. No, they couldn't. He made the current Crusader's team. I think he was one of the last successful coaches of the U20's NZ program which, the winning personnel of recent years from South Africa and England were on display during that final thing that was on the other day... But I assume that Ian Foster will be picked, but I really think we need Robertson.
Would love to see opinions of others in the know... Who will you be keeping a keen eye on? Who do you think the coach will be? And do you think my roster is all s**t.
Who I imagine we will still have come the next World Cup:
I would say we are mostly going to lose all of our props, and our hookers to retirement and overseas exploration. Everyone included, bar Atu Moli, will be over the age of 31 come the next World Cup, and although that is typically around the peak age of world class front row players, I've already got a few in mind to watch anyway, and expect to have a go in the next few years. We still have Karl Tu'inukuafe(30 in 4 years) as well, and cannot forget Nepo Laulala(31 in 4 years).
Alex Fidow
Asafo Aumua
I expect these young guys to start really making names for themselves either this season in Super Rugby, or the season after. Aumua has already been in the wider training squad for the All Blacks, and is really built in that power+exceptional speed combo were I think he will become hard to ignore in the near future.
I wouldn't imagine Sam Whitelock will be here in 4 years time, being 34. However, Brodie Retallick will be 32, Tuipulotu(30) and Scott Barrett(29)
The loose forwards, I'd assume that the Cane(31) and Savea(29 in 4 years) combo will be joined by Akira Ioane, but... I mean, this guy is super talented, but seems to be lazy with his weight and commitment to the game. I guess we will see, I would suggest that he will take things seriously now, now that Read is gone, and try to make that jersey his own. Still have Luke Jacobson(26 in 4 years) too and Vaea Fifita is a forgotten player, but still super talented.
I think out of all the things here for NZ rugby, I think the boys at half-back are really a question mark. TJ will be 31, Aaron Smith will be 34, and Brad Weber will be 32...... Will TJ stay till another World Cup? You'd assume that Aaron will go overseas in the next 2 years tbh. We have Sam Nock, and Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi... Triple T seems like the next one to come in with his involvement at All Blacks camps, but I feel like this is a weak point for us over the next few years, so I'm hoping TJ doesn't sustain any injuries or goes overseas. I don't know if we lose all that I've mentioned, whether we will have a world class half-back at the next World Cup.
10... Well, I would say Mo'unga is almost a certainty, with Beauden Barrett being another big question mark. I'm going to go with my gut and say that Beauden won't be here come the next World Cup, and therefore won't be in the pool of players to be picked. Josh Ioane looks to have the keys at the Highlanders, so has the most upside, and Aaron Cruden's return will probably only be for a few years and not be a feature for the WC. Barrett will stunt whatever it is that Stephen Perofeta has, which so far... Has just been injury prone.
Our wingers... Well, I feel we are safe with Reece and Bridge, however. Caleb Clarke is going to be absolutely trying to smash that door down. With Rieko's shift to a starting centre position, I expect Clarke to be the next star winger of the All Blacks and anyone will do well to hold him out of the black jersey. There is also another, but I guess being at the Chiefs will determine that he plays on the wing. Etene Nanai-Seturo, also another potential star, but... I believe he prefers Fullback, on a team that has Damien McKenzie, and Aaron Cruden.
Centres. This is a very sore point for me. I felt we were unequipped for what we were facing in the World Cup, and being pushed from side-to-side by a clinical England defense only really confirmed my concerns. We had no danger in the midfield, we have very dangerous players at this position here in our Super Rugby teams. What I wanted was Hansen to ignore how fast Rieko Ioane was, and keep him at the position he wanted to play, 13. And not to pick a 34 year old SBW, who quite frankly, has been overrated since we won in 2015. We could have had Rieko Ioane, and Ngani Laumape, are you scared of these two in the midfield? Yes, yes you are.
For centres take your pick:
Jack Goodhue
Anton Lienert-Brown
Rieko Ioane
Ngani Laumape
Vince Aso
TJ Faiane
Braydon Ennor
Jordie Barrett(???)
I mean... Yeah............. Surely we won't get our midfield wrong at the next World Cup, right? With Jordie Barrett, I don't know... The Hurricanes can play him literally wherever he chooses to play tbh. 10, 12, 15... It's an interesting watch because you have talent everywhere I would say, I guess you would just have to beat Damien McKenzie for the position at Fullback.
I'll have a stab at what we could be looking at over the next 4 years, and use this as a time capsule almost. I could be completely wrong:
Ofa
Aumua
Laulala
Retallick
Barrett
Savea
Cane
Akira Ioane
TJ (I hope)
Mo'unga
Reece
Laumape
Rieko Ioane
Caleb Clarke
Jordi.........McKen...Barrett....
Yeah, we're going to be really weak at half-back, but everywhere else I potentially feel like in 4 years, we are going to be stronger. Especially our back-line.
OH, and our coach? Scott Robertson. I legitimately think he's got it. People like to say anyone could win with the current Crusader's team. No, they couldn't. He made the current Crusader's team. I think he was one of the last successful coaches of the U20's NZ program which, the winning personnel of recent years from South Africa and England were on display during that final thing that was on the other day... But I assume that Ian Foster will be picked, but I really think we need Robertson.
Would love to see opinions of others in the know... Who will you be keeping a keen eye on? Who do you think the coach will be? And do you think my roster is all s**t.
