Hansen brings in young talent for All Blacks group
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Six players from the Junior World Championship-winning New Zealand Under 20s team have been named in a 35-strong All Black training group ahead of the three-match rugby Test series against Ireland.
Coach Steve Hansen says the two three-day training camps, to be held later this month, will expose the younger players to the All Black environment.
The group, named on Monday, includes Brodie Retallick, Sam Cane, Brad Shields, Ben Tameifuna, Beauden Barrett and Luke Whitelock, who were all in last year’s JWC-winning squad.
Other new faces include Charlie Faumuina, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Julian Savea, Luke Romano, and Aaron Smith.
Highlanders back Tamati Ellison, who last played one Test for the All Blacks against Italy in 2009, is also in the training group.
Twenty-one players from last year’s Rugby World Cup-winning squad are in the group.
Missing from last year are Zac Guildford, Corey Flynn and Hosea Gear.
“In the wider training group we have a balance between proven Test players, in-form Super Rugby players and some talented, young players,” Hansen said.
“We will use the time in the camps to work on some of the protocols, expectations and disciplines that are needed to succeed in the All Blacks, plus it will also give us a little bit of training time to work on some new things which we hope to bring in for the Tests against the Irish.”
The 30-man All Blacks squad for next month’s Irish Tests will be named on June 3.
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.
© AAP 2013
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May 14th 2012 @ 8:14am
Riccardo said | May 14th 2012 @ 8:14am | Report comment
Notable omissions:
Backs. Andre Taylor has been sensational for the Canes and may deserve Ben Smith’s spot on form alone altho Smith too has been pretty impressive this season so far.
Zac Guilford has been in great form too. Perhaps they are relying on the versatility of Kahui to fill wing and centre spots.
Forwards: Liam Messam must be very unlucky not to have a crack at blindside and I’m surprised Hika Elliot is not in the squad as 3rd hooker. The incumbents are injury prone.
Overall a pretty balanced squad though. Nice to some see new faces. Reckon we’ll see more for the Rugby Championship if Piri, Ali, Ma’a don’t lift their game.
In fact, we may see more new faces sooner. Read has a back injury and Kahui has his arm in a sling, suspected dislocation.
May 14th 2012 @ 8:44am
mania said | May 14th 2012 @ 8:44am | Report comment
apparently Tameifuna can play hooker hence why only sticking with hore and mealamu.
messams more than had enough chances . he’s just not test material
May 14th 2012 @ 9:07am
Riccardo said | May 14th 2012 @ 9:07am | Report comment
Morning Mania,
Tameifuna covering at hooker is a mistake IMO. Need an out and out specialist in that role at test level. Reckon Hika just shades Coles for that posi.
Heard the Messam argument before and to be fair I see where you’re coming from. However, I would counter with the fact that the AB’s biggest losses this year are Kaino and Thorn. Reckon Retallick could become the grunt that was Thorn but is Victor up to the job at blindside? As Read is injured this becomes a valid question. Does Victor play 8 and Thompson 6? Has Thompson outplayed Messam?
May 14th 2012 @ 9:26am
Adamjjv said | May 14th 2012 @ 9:26am | Report comment
Riccardo – I think Thomson has outplayed Messam. We saw last night the Chiefs back row completely outplayed by the Reds backrow. Messam was average and so was Latimer. I doubt last nights game had an effect as to who got picked but it showed they arnt quite up to the next level.
May 14th 2012 @ 9:43am
mania said | May 14th 2012 @ 9:43am | Report comment
riccardo – agree tameifuna is a mistake as cover for hooker. yeah rather hika than coles. coles is a gloryboy and doesnt do enough of the tight work
messam’s had his chances and now he’s older and slower. he’s an intelligent player but his brains never materialise in the test environment.
vito is the man abd needs to be in the squad. he can cover 6 and 8 well. we’ll still need an enforcer though.
thompson has outplayed messam but i worry bout thompson vs the SA sides. they always seem to out muscle him.
May 14th 2012 @ 8:23am
Adamjjv said | May 14th 2012 @ 8:23am | Report comment
Good to see Hansen thinking to the future. What better time to get these young guys in there early who will in 4 years time be the core of the AB’s
I think the likes of Ali Williams, Piri Weepu and Keven Mealamu while not in the best of form will be there to tutour the young guys and provide valuble expierence for them.
Andre Taylor is the most unlucky IMO, We could still see him in the Rugby Championship.
Still a very good 1st XV in there that will be good enough to beat Ireland 3 Nill.
May 14th 2012 @ 8:32am
ohtani's jacket said | May 14th 2012 @ 8:32am | Report comment
Ali Williams?
The choice of youngsters was the most interesting thing about the squad, particularly the halfbacks they went with and loose forwards. Good to see them choosing a speclaist winger in Savea. Not so sure about this news about turning Tameifuna into a hooker.
May 14th 2012 @ 8:54am
katzilla said | May 14th 2012 @ 8:54am | Report comment
Afoa V.02
May 14th 2012 @ 9:54am
Team Taniwha said | May 14th 2012 @ 9:54am | Report comment
Hansen said on Radio Sport that Tameifuna not in as hooker, they have selected only two.
Lack of experienced locks in form a concern. Romano gets in on the basis of very average field so far (Retallick who is a rookie excluded). Messam just not big enough for the pack. Hika Elliot a bit unlucky, maybe excluding him is a kick to get him going.
May 14th 2012 @ 12:14pm
Sam Taulelei said | May 14th 2012 @ 12:14pm | Report comment
OJ
Comical Ali must be on his final favours from Hansen. He’s even admitted that his form this year has been rubbish.
But when you look around, we’re looking pretty thin on the ground for quality locks.
It looks like deja vu again circa 2008 when we had to rebuild the forward pack.
How’s the family?
May 14th 2012 @ 6:52pm
ohtani's jacket said | May 14th 2012 @ 6:52pm | Report comment
Family are all good.
I wouldn’t mind so much if Williams was a grafter, but he plays so poorly. The only time I can remember him putting in a good performance last season was when he came in off the bench against Australia. Don’t like the idea of Williams running around with Thorn and Kaino gone.
May 15th 2012 @ 10:16am
BETSIE FROST said | May 15th 2012 @ 10:16am | Report comment
I agree with you whole heartedly, just a pretty boy!!!!
May 14th 2012 @ 8:34am
BETSIE FROST said | May 14th 2012 @ 8:34am | Report comment
WHY OH WHY WASN’T COREY FLYNN PICKED HE HAS BEEN EXCELLING ALL THIS TIME AND NOW HE GETS LEFT OUT I DON’T THINK THAT’S FAIR AT ALL WHEN SOME OTHERS!!!! WHO HAVEN’T BEEN PLAYING GREAT AT ALL AND HAVE BEEN BAGGED OUT FOR WEEKS FOR NOT PLAYING WELL GET PICKED NOT NOT NOT FAIR AT ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 14th 2012 @ 8:46am
mania said | May 14th 2012 @ 8:46am | Report comment
sorry betsie – flynn is old and useless. his useby date was over long before last years WC. i’d have rutledge ahead of flynn
May 14th 2012 @ 8:51am
The Grafter said | May 14th 2012 @ 8:51am | Report comment
And is extremely injury prone, speaking of which, who comes in for Kahui now?
May 15th 2012 @ 10:20am
BETSIE FROST said | May 15th 2012 @ 10:20am | Report comment
hasn’t been injured for a long time now, all under control
May 15th 2012 @ 10:18am
BETSIE FROST said | May 15th 2012 @ 10:18am | Report comment
have a good look at all of the latest games, he’s mentioned all of the time for the good plays that he has been making, that’s got to mean something, at least he has knowledge to teach the younger ones
May 15th 2012 @ 10:23am
mania said | May 15th 2012 @ 10:23am | Report comment
betsie – yup he’d have lots of knowledge but so would hore and maelamu. flynns all right but not stand out on the world stage
May 15th 2012 @ 10:26am
BETSIE FROST said | May 15th 2012 @ 10:26am | Report comment
I disagree with you and he is dedicated 100%
May 15th 2012 @ 10:29am
mania said | May 15th 2012 @ 10:29am | Report comment
not questioning his dedication. i’m questioning his skill level, his throw ins to line outs and his level of contrubution. whats does he offer the AB’s? does he do more than hore or mealamu.
resounding no no no no.
but lets just agree to disagree
May 14th 2012 @ 8:49am
Adamjjv said | May 14th 2012 @ 8:49am | Report comment
This is JUST a training squad remember. Flynn is pretty average. I Rate Hika Elliott and Dane Coles much higher.
May 14th 2012 @ 6:32pm
all7days said | May 14th 2012 @ 6:32pm | Report comment
As is, May Dane Coles never touch A Black Jersey.
May 15th 2012 @ 10:19am
BETSIE FROST said | May 15th 2012 @ 10:19am | Report comment
no he isn’t he’s a great player and has been mentioned numerous times for the get in there and playing great!!!
May 15th 2012 @ 10:21am
BETSIE FROST said | May 15th 2012 @ 10:21am | Report comment
average my butt he is very talented at what he has to do
May 15th 2012 @ 10:24am
BETSIE FROST said | May 15th 2012 @ 10:24am | Report comment
he isn’t average at all, he gets into the game as much and if not more than others, and he plays with complete conviction
May 14th 2012 @ 9:00am
katzilla said | May 14th 2012 @ 9:00am | Report comment
Im surprised about Kerr Barlow over Perenara.
Perenara IMO has the best service of all those up and coming halfbacks.
Happy to see Aaron Smith in there though.
The only possibilities I see for a test debut in the first test are Savea and Retalick/Romano.
Otherwise I’m sure it will be much a muchness.
May 14th 2012 @ 10:05am
ohtani's jacket said | May 14th 2012 @ 10:05am | Report comment
This is a golden opportunity for Savea. Surely they’ll give him a run over a fullback or utility.
May 14th 2012 @ 10:36am
mania said | May 14th 2012 @ 10:36am | Report comment
savea is a new age specialist winger. has the power and nose for tries. has an awesome work rate and has a low error rate. the most telling thing about savea imho is this years shown that he can evolve and get better. he was shocking last year on D and under high ball. his D is much better though still needs a bit of work and havent seen him drop a bomb all season. in particular i like the way he’ll take players on regardless of who they may think they are. he crashed through hoseaGear a couple of times and previously put reneRanger on his azz.
May 14th 2012 @ 11:54am
Adamjjv said | May 14th 2012 @ 11:54am | Report comment
He makes some great spot tackles aswell. 1 on 1 he must be one of the hardest players to bring down.
May 14th 2012 @ 12:11pm
Sam Taulelei said | May 14th 2012 @ 12:11pm | Report comment
Great reward for a talented player. Credit to Alama Ieremia’s coaching of the backs at the Canes this year, he’s really brought Taylor and Savea out of their shells this year.
May 14th 2012 @ 12:46pm
mania said | May 14th 2012 @ 12:46pm | Report comment
apparently and this is only a rumour, savea is doing heaps better without nonu there to influence him. has had to step up and has done so admirably
May 14th 2012 @ 6:59pm
katzilla said | May 14th 2012 @ 6:59pm | Report comment
With Kahui injured there really isn’t any reason to throw in an Utility out of loyalty.
His scenario has a Kurtley Beale feel about it, golden child with much hype crushed by the expectation.
Only a year turn around from fallen to call up, but im sure if he had been an astronomical play maker with the weight of an entire state of underachievers on top of him he would have taken longer like Beale.
Another big shot coming up for Vito also, much the way in which Kaino had to transform himself once Collins left, Vito is going to have to muscle up and start enforcing around the fringes. I will be extremely unsatisfied to just see him running around out wide and making breaks.
May 14th 2012 @ 9:49am
Shungmao said | May 14th 2012 @ 9:49am | Report comment
Surprised Fruen didn’t at least make the training squad.
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May 14th 2012 @ 10:01am
Team Taniwha said | May 14th 2012 @ 10:01am | Report comment
Where was Fruen in games against Stormers, Reds and Rebels? He has been a bit of a flat track bully and still needs to work on his work rate.
May 14th 2012 @ 10:33am
mania said | May 14th 2012 @ 10:33am | Report comment
agree taniwha. dont let KPM hear u or you’ll never hear the end of it.
fruean and is an awesome specimen but lacks brains and work ethic.
May 14th 2012 @ 12:02pm
Bobby_JJV said | May 14th 2012 @ 12:02pm | Report comment
Nice looking squad with heaps of potential. TJ Perenara should feel a bit hard done by as he has had a pretty good season but Hansen has stated that he was not picked as his current workload is already substantial and being only 19 he will be in the mix maybe as early as the end of year tour. Fair enough Fruean was not picked. Such is the depth of NZ rugby awesome players are bound to miss out,even without putting much of a foot wrong, say Taylor for example, they have gone for Ben Smith, both safe choices.
Hope Kahui is all good to play in the Four Nations (which i reckon it should be called instead of Rugby Championship but you can see why they have it) Ireland are going to have their hands full for sure! I would have thought the senior team members would have been enough to help guide the rookies without Ali Williams but he may come in handy as his experience would be valuable for them. Maybe with Gear heading overseas the selectors have had their day with him.
May 14th 2012 @ 12:46pm
Tumble Hill said | May 14th 2012 @ 12:46pm | Report comment
Good call on Perenara by Hansen. Stating that hes had a very busy S15 and a break will do him good rather than in the high pressure camp.
Charlie Faumuina has ruled himself out with injury so I wonder wether they will replace him with someone else?
May 14th 2012 @ 12:38pm
Brett McKay said | May 14th 2012 @ 12:38pm | Report comment
Nice to see Beauden Barrett named, but by the same token, it’s surprising that Tom Taylor wasn’t??
May 14th 2012 @ 12:47pm
Red Kev said | May 14th 2012 @ 12:47pm | Report comment
Taylor may be a metronome with the boot but he doesn’t have the same vision as Cruden or Barrett in attack for mine.
I thought Andre Taylor would have been a shoe-in same with Perenara but I can understand the reasoning. If the experienced All Blacks (Weepu, Nonu, etc) don’t lift their game in the once they don the black jersey Ireland could snag themselves their first victory over the kiwis (the win by Munster doesn’t count).
May 14th 2012 @ 12:48pm
mania said | May 14th 2012 @ 12:48pm | Report comment
take away taylors kicking and what do have in comparison to barrett? barret has a better running game
May 14th 2012 @ 12:49pm
Tumble Hill said | May 14th 2012 @ 12:49pm | Report comment
When you have Aaron Cruden, Dan Carter and now Beauden Barrett, the need for a 4th choice 1st 5 wasnt warrented. Even though Dc’s from has been average you still have 2 quality 1st 5′s there.
May 14th 2012 @ 10:48pm
Dodgy Dave said | May 14th 2012 @ 10:48pm | Report comment
Correct me if I am wrong but didnt we get down to the 4th choice 1st 5 at the last world cup after Carter, Slade and Cruden fell
May 15th 2012 @ 9:21am
Justin2 said | May 15th 2012 @ 9:21am | Report comment
Exception and rule?
May 14th 2012 @ 12:51pm
nickoldschool said | May 14th 2012 @ 12:51pm | Report comment
Has it been confirmed Gear is heading os next season?
Also wondering if SBW has changed his mind. Dont think any player is indispensable to a team but have to say i like the player he has become this year with the Chiefs. I’d rather have him in any SR teams that @ Roosters or elsewhere. Would imagine that he has spoken about his future with Hansen and if it was a definite “am out” he would have been overlooked.just sayin
May 14th 2012 @ 12:52pm
Short-Blind said | May 14th 2012 @ 12:52pm | Report comment
Andre Taylor reminds me of a young C. Cullen – exceptional pace, swerve, timing, support play and hence nose for a try. With development in higher company he could be anything so surprised he wasn’t picked
May 14th 2012 @ 1:21pm
The Grafter said | May 14th 2012 @ 1:21pm | Report comment
I agree Short Blind, even runs similar to CC. If he doesnt get knocked around, and becomes half the player Cully was, hes going to be special.