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Here's the All Blacks 35 man squad for 2012 / 2013
The training group:
Blues: Charlie Faumuina, Ma'a Nonu, Keven Mealamu, Piri Weepu, Ali Williams and Tony Woodcock.
Chiefs: Sam Cane, Aaron Cruden, Richard Kahui, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Brodie Retallick, Ben Tameifuna and Sonny Bill Williams.
Hurricanes: Beauden Barrett, Cory Jane, Julian Savea, Brad Shields, Conrad Smith and Victor Vito.
Crusaders: Daniel Carter, Wyatt Crockett, Israel Dagg, Andy Ellis, Ben Franks, Owen Franks, Richie McCaw, Kieran Read, Luke Romano, Luke Whitelock and Samuel Whitelock.
Highlanders: Tamati Ellison, Andrew Hore, Aaron Smith, Ben Smith and Adam Thomson.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/al...-1226354672116
Now you are probably asking "what drugs is Benny-Boy" on, we dont care about what the S.Shaggers have or dont have, but I'm sending out the 1 way ticket to the likes of
"Fruman from the Saders / Tim Bateman from Canes / Andre Taylor from the Canes / and the likes for our international development player for 2013 and beyond... these 3 haven't played for the all blacks and in my eyes are international standard players, and would help out immensely .
All are contracted next year I think?
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a reasonable start benny, but looking at that training group, and cross referencing it with the Kiwi squads in the areas of our greatest need I come up with the following list
Blues: *Benson Stanley, *Isaia Toeava, Gareth Anscombe, Michael Hobbs, Hadleigh Parkes
Chiefs: *Brendon Leonard, Augustine Pulu, Andrew Horrell, Aseli Tikoirotuma, Jackson Willison
Hurricanes: TJ Perenara, Chris Eaton, Chris Smylie, Tim Bateman, Daniel Kirkpatrick, Tusi Pisiata
Crusaders: Willi Heinz, Robbie Fruean, Tom Taylor, Adam Whitelock, Tyler Bleyendaal, Ryan Crotty
Highlanders: *Jimmy Cowan, *Colin Slade, *Michael Delany, Chris Noakes, Phil Burleigh, Siale Piutau, Lima Sopoaga
(Asterisks indicate National Representation)
I'm sure I've made some mistakes, but looking at it that way, there are some huge prospects who have missed out.
I'd be chasing up the contract and representation status of the following names and looking to sign some (hopefully we can find some Australian grandparents along the way.
In order of priority
TJ Perenara
Tom Taylor
Lima Sopoaga
*Jimmy Cowan
*Colin Slade
*Brendon Leonard
*Michael Delany
Ryan Crotty
Robbie Fruean
and then the others......our real need is to find a 9-10-12 combination to make use of some blokes on the outside...Fruean is a big, hard 13 and, whilst great at what he does, we don't have a hole there since Cummo has stepped up. I'd rather see our money spent on plugging gaps which are killing our team at the moment.
It would be unbelievable if we could get Heinz, Taylor and Whitelock from Canterbury, simply because they'd already have lots of experience playing together and are all there or thereabouts.... they're also young and well ahead of our current crop in development.
C'mon the![]()
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And then get John Kirwan to coach them
We then all then could become "The Black Sea" hehe %)
I think realistic potentials could be Lachie Munroe at flyhalf, Sean treeby 12 and Scott Cowan at halfback. Cant see any of the others mentioned already crossing the ditch.
Ideally we should be raiding the Aus 7's team and Junior wallabies....paid off for the Brumbies and Hurricanes when everyone thought theyd be pants this season.
Bring back Zack Holmes and blood Godwin with him in the backline. Talk Dane Haylett petty into coming back. by all accounts he's come good overseas. A shame we didnt show him the same faith.
Last edited by Hoolly Doolly; 14-05-12 at 17:07.
Good to see Aaron Smith in there - he was a monster for NZ Maori in their centenary series a few years back, and kept the form with the turbos.
I think that with players like Perenara/Fruen you've got Buckleys. I feel the Force have to be realistic and look at someone who is just outside the rep standard - due to age, or "overcrowding" in the position, so there is merit in looking at players like Anscombe, Delany, and possibly a Leonard or Cowan.
Yeah, I really like the sound of Jimmy Cowan for a year or two if we lose Sheehan.....he would be instantly abrasive and competent on the field and seems to be a good clubman as well.
As for the others.....well there's a glut of good, young #10s over there at the moment, and only three of them will have a realistic chance of being the AllBlack 10. The rest will be susceptible to the line...come, play for Australia, show the world why you're better than ----insert the name of the most likely candidate here---
C'mon the![]()
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I think many of us underestimate how desperate these kids want to be an allblack. If theres even the slightest whiff of a chance to don the Jersey, they'll never cross the ditch. Most the kiwi kids I know born or bred here in Oz aspire to be an allblack rather then a Wallaby. Just look at Kerr-Barlow of the Chiefs. We shouldnt hinge the future of the franchise on poaching kiwis from across the ditch.
Which in the vast majority of cases means they will end up being neither.
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.