Watch the link Sam, he spells that out pretty clearly.

If Dan Carter still isn't kicking perhaps they'll try Barrett at fullback at some point

We would have no fullback defence then

No Rutledge? Every other bench players getting a run. A fucking outrage!

While I like Tamaiti Ellison I have concerns about his lack of distribution from center. He almost always runs the ball himself. If Conrad Smith got injured I'd rather see, Nonu, SBW, or Kahui there over Ellison.

Gear had his best game against the Blues when Burleigh played center and Ellison was at fullback. Gear hasn't been too bad actually and according to the stats he has made the most running meters in Super Rugby. He's up their in winger stats. Kade Poki certainly didn't have the same opportunities as last year either.

I'm interested to see how Savea goes. He has improved a lot an obviously has a lot of upside to his game.

I have no idea if it is correct, I just recall him making the comment and thinking at the time how old I was getting.

Im sure with Dagg, Jane and Smith in the squad we wont have to try something quite this drastic, but if push came to shove would rather have cruden back there. Its not like Barretts kicking is good enough to make the team just for that with a 69% strike rate. Weepus is 80% or Crudens 81.6% for comparison this year. Tom Taylor even better at 86.2%

As up and down as he has been he has done a lot more work than Jane, I hardly new he was playing the other night, from my count he touched the ball twice, he spent a lot of time just standing around pointing his finger but did fuck all work on or off the ball, I reckon he was lucky but understand his inclusion.

It's probably great discussing all this, but you just know most of the exciting new faces will be on the outside once Hansen cuts his squad back to 30. Steve-O will go with the guys who won him the World Cup, and I don't expect to see a single debut player in the match-day 22 for the first test against Ireland. Shocked I would be.

I reckon there will be two new faces, Retallic and A Smith.

During the press conference Hansen mentioned that Barrett can cover fullback if needed, so that's where I got the idea from.

If Carter is going to start at 10 they'll need to find someone else to kick goals.

No self respecting Jaffa would want a blues player in the AB's right now..


fuck Steve hanson!

Let's be realistic here. Cruden should be the starting 10 in the first test. SBW at 12, and Carter on the bench wearing 21.

I doubt Aaron Smith will be there. I have a feeling Hansen will start Ellis and have Weepu on the bench as an extra kicking option.

If Hansen selects a revolutionary looking-to-the-future type team for the first test I will be absolutely dumbfounded.

Ali Williams could very well be doing just that...

think hansen says in that vid. that if carter is fit he will be starting at 10, which means if he's fit enough to be in the 22 he will be taking the kicks

Yeah . . . hugely unfair to Cruden of course who's in the form of his life and kicking better than ever. Even with my Canterbury eye-patch on I think it would be great to see Cruden starting the first test at 10.

agree

i would definitely start cruden ahead of carter, but at least cruden will get time off the bench

if it is the case you would think that blackadder may get a word to relieve taylor of his kicking duties at some point over the next few weeks, which i doubt would go down well

Yep, Retallic and Smith is a good shout. Savea is the only out-and-out winger in the squad for the moment at least, so he is a possibility to join Jane and iDagg in the back three.

We're fucked

when was carters last great test performance?

Pool game against France, 2011. He carved them up pretty good from memory.

Yea he did. That was his last game in ABs right? If fit, he deserves to start. Cruden to try and outplay Carter from the bench (which may happen sooner rather than later)

This is a very exciting team. I'm really hoping a few of these newbies make it to the final 30.

Me, too.

I'd like to see up to five of them make the test 22, but doubt very much that Shag would risk that first up. And realistically, there's no hurry.

I was surprised to see him pick players deemed to be future stars, even though not ready now, over players such as Latimer who is a safe bet but will not dominate. Shag's given me some hope here.

So what is the likely test 22 then?

Something like:

15 - Dagg
14 - Jane
13 - C Smith
12 - Nonu
11 - Savea
10 - Carter
9 - Weepu
8 - Read
7 - McCaw (c)
6 - Thomson
5 - Williams
4 - Whitelock
3 - O Franks
2 - Hore
1 - Woodcock

16 - Mealamu
17 - B Franks
18 - Retallick
19 - Vito
20 - A Smith
21 - Cruden
22 - SBW

Edited for stupidity.

Yeah, that was a pleasant surprise, all right. Hopefully it's not just window dressing, and he won't be slow to cut any of the old timers he selected purely on rep if they don't measure up in June.

That's 23.

Actually, seeing it's Weepu it's probably more like 27.

Yeah, I'm aware of that. I'm suggesting that it's either Ellis or Weepu, not both, in fact given Shag's comments you'd think Weepu is the more likely.

AC's ability to come up with ever more lurid descriptions of painful prison-style manlove is going to be severely tested.

Are you resting Sam Whitelock and Kieran Read for the 4N?

SAM - Forgot about Whitelock
Assuming Read is injured.

Yeah that's some pretty interesting selecting from theaxe.

My 22 for the first test against Ireland, assuming Read is fit but Kahui is not.

15. Israel Dagg
14. Cory Jane
13. Conrad Smith
12. Ma'a Nonu
11. Julian Savea
10. Dan Carter
9. Andy Ellis

8. Kieran Read
7. Richie McCaw (c)
6. Adam Thomson
5. Sam Whitelock
4. Ali Williams
3. Owen Franks
2. Andrew Hore
1. Tony Woodcock

16. Keven Mealamu
17. Ben Franks
18. Brodie Rettalick
19. Victor Vito
20. Piri Weepu
21. Aaron Cruden
22. SBW

For me the hard selection calls were no.12, lock and no.6.

I opted for Nonu at 12 because I think Hansen will be hopeful that combining with Smith will help Nonu find top form. I chose Williams to start for the experience factor, and the fact that he isn't an impact player so there's no point in having him in the squad if he isn't starting. Moreover, Rettalick still should be eased into test rugby. He's only a kid and as we have seen before, test rugby is a big step up. I think he'll do the business and be a starting lock by year's end, but for the first test I think he'll play a bench role. And as for blindside flanker, I have been singing the virtues of Vito all season, and the balance he brings to a backrow featuring Read and McCaw. But I think Thomson's form demands selection and I think with Savea and Nonu in the team, Vito's ball running becomes less important to the overall balance of the XV.

Is there any suggestion that Read's injury layoff will be long term? From what I've seen in the media he's a chance of playing next week if not this weekend against the Blues.

Ok, good to hear it isn't long term. Shall go back and re-edit my post.

Cautionary at this stage I think I saw.
Probably could play if he had to, but I think I saw Toddy saying he'll wait and see.

Agree with your 22, except I think Big Charlie might bench ahead of Franks.

That's just going on what I have read on stuff a few hours ago. Hopefully it is not serious. In saying that I think we have the squad to beat Ireland regardless of Read's fitness. IMO much depends on the form and fitness of Carter and McCaw. I'd love for these two legends of the game to regain top form. If they can do this, and take control over this team, then many of these other selections in the 22 become less and less important.

FFS Uncle, wakey wakey.