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I've got an exam tomorrow, and because I really don't want to do any studying for it I've taken the liberty of creating a thread to talk a bit about how NZ will go in the next world cup. Specifically, I'd like to have a chat about the squad that we'll see head over to England. Below I've listed a decent list of players who I think are capable of making the squad, position by position. Whilst there may be the odd player selected not from the list, I think it's unlikely someone will burst onto the scene next year and be able to force themselves into the team.
Hookers
- Keven Mealamu
- Dane Coles
- Hika Elliot
- Liam Coltman
- Ben Funnell
- Rhys Marshall
Loosehead Props
- Tony Woodcock
- Wyatt Crockett
- Joe Moody
- Ben Franks
- Jeff Toomaga-Allen
- Ben Tameifuna
- Jamie Mackintosh
Tighthead Props
- Owen Franks
- Charlie Faumuina
- Ben Franks
- Ben Afeaki
- Jeff Toomaga-Allen
- Ben Tameifuna
Locks
- Sam Whitelock
- Brodie Retallick
- Luke Romano
- Dominic Bird
- Jeremy Thrush
Blindside Flankers
- Liam Messam
- Steven Luatua
- Jerome Kaino
- Brad Shields
- Luke Whitelock
- Richie McCaw
Openside Flankers
- Richie McCaw
- Sam Cane
- Matt Todd
- Ardie Savea
Number 8's
- Kieran Read
- Victor Vito
- Jerome Kaino
- Luke Whitelock
Halfbacks
- Aaron Smith
- Tawera Kerr-Barlow
- TJ Perenara
- Augustine Pulu
- Piri Weepu
First Fives
- Dan Carter
- Aaron Cruden
- Beauden Barrett
- Tom Taylor
- Colin Slade
Centres
- Ma'a Nonu
- Francis Saili
- Ryan Crotty
- Dan Carter
- Conrad Smith
- Ben Smith
- Sonny Bill Williams
- Richard Kahui
- Mils Muliaina
Outside Backs
- Julian Savea
- Charles Piutau
- Ben Smith
- Cory Jane
- Frank Halai
- Israel Dagg
- Johnny McNicholl
- Richard Kahui
- Mils Muliana
The squad will be comprised of 30 players, with a 16/14 split (in all likelihood). I think that we'll see a squad resembling:
Hookers - Mealamu, Coles, Coltman
Props - Woodcock, Moody, Franks, Faumuina
Locks - Whitelock, Retallick, Romano, Bird
Loosies - Messam, McCaw, Read (c), Luatua, Cane
Halfbacks - Smith, Kerr-Barlow, Perenara
First Fives - Carter, Cruden, Barrett
Centres - Nonu, Smith, Williams
Outside Backs - Dagg, Smith, Jane, Savea, Piutau
Kahui will likely be injured
Let's get this ball rolling...
Hookers
- Keven Mealamu
- Dane Coles
- Hika Elliot
- Liam Coltman
- Ben Funnell
- Rhys Marshall
Loosehead Props
- Tony Woodcock
- Wyatt Crockett
- Joe Moody
- Ben Franks
- Jeff Toomaga-Allen
- Ben Tameifuna
- Jamie Mackintosh
Tighthead Props
- Owen Franks
- Charlie Faumuina
- Ben Franks
- Ben Afeaki
- Jeff Toomaga-Allen
- Ben Tameifuna
Locks
- Sam Whitelock
- Brodie Retallick
- Luke Romano
- Dominic Bird
- Jeremy Thrush
Blindside Flankers
- Liam Messam
- Steven Luatua
- Jerome Kaino
- Brad Shields
- Luke Whitelock
- Richie McCaw
Openside Flankers
- Richie McCaw
- Sam Cane
- Matt Todd
- Ardie Savea
Number 8's
- Kieran Read
- Victor Vito
- Jerome Kaino
- Luke Whitelock
Halfbacks
- Aaron Smith
- Tawera Kerr-Barlow
- TJ Perenara
- Augustine Pulu
- Piri Weepu
First Fives
- Dan Carter
- Aaron Cruden
- Beauden Barrett
- Tom Taylor
- Colin Slade
Centres
- Ma'a Nonu
- Francis Saili
- Ryan Crotty
- Dan Carter
- Conrad Smith
- Ben Smith
- Sonny Bill Williams
- Richard Kahui
- Mils Muliaina
Outside Backs
- Julian Savea
- Charles Piutau
- Ben Smith
- Cory Jane
- Frank Halai
- Israel Dagg
- Johnny McNicholl
- Richard Kahui
- Mils Muliana
The squad will be comprised of 30 players, with a 16/14 split (in all likelihood). I think that we'll see a squad resembling:
Hookers - Mealamu, Coles, Coltman
Props - Woodcock, Moody, Franks, Faumuina
Locks - Whitelock, Retallick, Romano, Bird
Loosies - Messam, McCaw, Read (c), Luatua, Cane
Halfbacks - Smith, Kerr-Barlow, Perenara
First Fives - Carter, Cruden, Barrett
Centres - Nonu, Smith, Williams
Outside Backs - Dagg, Smith, Jane, Savea, Piutau
Kahui will likely be injured
Let's get this ball rolling...