Listed below is a pretty powerful All Black side.
It’s talented enough, according to many rugby scribes, to defeat the Pumas, the Boks and the Wallabies in the coming Rugby Championship.
However, this isn’t liable to be the run-on team when the All Blacks play the Boks at the Rugby Championship in four weeks’ time.
The side listed here:
15. Israel Dagg
14. Charles Piutau
13. Ryan Crotty
12. Sonny Bill Williams
11. Colin Slade
10. Daniel Carter
9. Andy Ellis
8. Kieran Read
7. Richie McCaw (c)
6. Jerome Kaino
5. Brodie Retallick
4. Sam Whitelock
3. Owen Franks
2. Keven Mealamu
1. Tony Woodcock –
That is the likely team to play Samoa on July 8th. providing that the Hurricanes and the Highlanders meet in the Super 15 final four days earlier when something like 17 ABs will be tied up.
Can any other country in the world put forward 32 players of comparably quality? In my opinion, the answer is a resounding no.
Which is why I’m backing New Zealand not only to walk away with the Rugby Championship, but to win the silverware at the RWC, too.
Birdy
Guest
Retallick and Read would be in my overall five, CK, but Harry was asking about which absent five from the team in the article would be the biggest miss.
ohtani's jacket
Guest
It's possible that this side could win a Rugby Championship. I wouldn't like to put money on it, but it's a strong B side. The front row is a bit weak but other than that the team is okay. Dagg and Piutau still have injury clouds, however. Injuries may end up making Hansen's job easier when it comes to culling the squad.
ohtani's jacket
Guest
The real issue is scheduling a test on a Wednesday afternoon a few days after the Super Rugby final. Which is, of course, assuming a Kiwi side makes the final, but it is a pretty decent B side. If the Highlanders lose, they might bolster it a bit. Same with the Hurricanes. The one area I think you're overreacting is halfback. Smith and Perenara are potentially out and TKB isn't fit. So it's either a vet or a uncapped player to start given Pulu is gone for the season. You could just as easily argue that throwing a rookie out there is insulting.
Demers
Guest
HARRY - I think Brodie Retallick will be the ABs top forward at the RWC. The engine room battle between your guys and their guys will be immense.
Peter Hughes
Guest
Imo the ABs 1st & 2nd Teams would win everything this yr. Their 3rd team would come close also. That's Rugby Championship & World Cup. And I'm not a Kiwi or AB fan - just a realist :)
canadiankiwi
Guest
Coles, Retallick, Read, A. Smith, and C. Smith.
moaman
Guest
Spot on.
Taylorman
Guest
Really, where I think there's yeas ABs are further ahead of the W's than ever before.
Taylorman
Guest
Don't know why people think that of slade, he's one of the most courageous tacklers in the game. I wouldn't pick many to run through him.
Harry Jones
Expert
I think there are different combinations SA could use to compete well with NZ, but that spine would be best. For instance, Louw or Coetzee or Brussow at openside.
The Twins
Roar Rookie
but Harry that wont be the 'A" AB team...it is a Team to play Tonga...and you saying with B and E and V and DUP et al..could beat them....is that the "A" Bok Team you are thinking of??
The Twins
Roar Rookie
oh get a life...why (in your humble opinion) is it reeking arrogance and disrepect...? Go and watch lawn bowls
Birdy
Guest
Yeah; not a bad shout, Harry. I think certainly Aaron Smith and Dane Coles as there is a big drop off, in my opinion between Smith and Ellis and Coles and the 2015 Mealamu. Ben Smith is one of my favourite players, but the gap between a fully firing Dagg and Smith isn't as big as some of the others. Nonu looks to me like the glue that holds the back line together, and while Conrad Smith is an all time great, they can mix and match a few with Nonu. Slade as wing? You'd have to say Savea would be a huge miss there. I'm also tending towards the belief that Woodcock maybe that little too far over the hill. My five, therefore, would be a different loosehead; Coles; Aaron Smith; Nonu and Savea.
Harry Jones
Expert
Birdy and Demers, the question is which five players would NZ miss the most, if they were fielding that team against the Boks in a Twickenham SF? The three Smiths, and who else? Nonu? Coles?
Birdy
Guest
No idea whether that team would 'run away with the RC this year'. I think the RC is extremely hard to predict this year as it's difficult to know how the Boks, in particular, will play it. I suspect the Wallabies will play near to full strength sides in all the games as Cheika needs the time to work with the players in competitive games. However, if that side met a full strength Bok side in the RWC SF; I'd go for the Boks.
Aidan Loveridge
Roar Pro
Bismarck Etzebeth and Vermuelen 3 of my favourite players alongside Kaino and Kolbe
Aidan Loveridge
Roar Pro
Pulu broke his arm...
Harry Jones
Expert
It's a strong team, for sure. I think we could beat that team with a Bismarck-Etzebeth-Vermeulen-du Preez-Pollard-le Roux spine. But it'd be tough.
Not Bothered
Guest
That hypothetical team wont be playing the Boks or Aus but is capable of beating both. That team will be playing a slapped together Samoan team on the eve of a WC and shortly after Super Rugby. How many times has Samoa used a full strength side recently? About 1 in every 5 games? How disrespectful.
Not Bothered
Guest
Slade surely wont play 11. Imo the team will be... 1) Woody 2) Elliott 3) Faumuina 4) Romano 5) Whitelock 6) Messam 7) Cane 8) Read 9) Pulu 10) Slade 11) Piutau 12) SBW 13) Crotty 14) Jane 15) Dagg 16) Mealamu 17) Crockett 18) O.Franks 19) Rettalick 20) McCaw 21) ??????? 22) Carter 23) ???????