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Lets play a name-association game. Sonny Bill Williams: amazing athlete. Sonny Bill Williams: good rugby player. Sonny Bill Williams. Should not be an All Black.
Sonny Bill Williams is only an All Black because he is Sonny Bill Williams. Based on the way he has played coming into this World Cup, he should not have made the squad.
Williams is a phenomenal athlete and at his core, a quality rugby player. But this is New Zealand rugby we are talking about and their depth at the moment is phenomenal. That is why I am so against Sonny’s selection.
He has not played well, others have. That is the bottom line.
In terms of other selections, Lima Sopoaga should have been chosen over Colin Slade, and Charles Piutau should also be in the team.
Slade is obviously far more experienced in the black jersey and is a utility back, however Sopoaga is a better first-five and has shown time and again that he can handle pressure.
In the case of Sopoaga, pressure makes diamonds. In the case of Slade however, pressure tends to create rubble. Sopoaga should have been chosen.
As I have stated before, Brad Weber should have been given the nod over Tawera Kerr-Barlow. I understand that Weber was not really even in the discussion for the World Cup, but based on form and class he is at least the third-best halfback in New Zealand.
Having said that, the team is still an amazing one. The decision to leave Cory Jane and Israel Dagg out was the right one, I love the inclusion of Waisake Naholo, and the inclusion of Nehe Milner-Skudder is a stroke of genius.
Although the best 31 players have not been chosen, the best 15 have.
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