Highlights: Chiefs score nine tries in win over Force

Fifita....not Fafita. No such spelling in Tongan. Anyway my point is Hansen and co will pick on form and fit for the team and not just because they have runs on the board. Cody Taylor over Hikawera Elliott is another eg.

And DH. Check out 2012. In the first test since the WC final there were 6 changes in the 15. In test 3 there were 10 changes to the 23 from the WC final. 6 players debuted in that series for NZ. That would never happen though right? I believe a young S.Cane started a test at 7 when he was Ardie Saveas age but that would never happen. Anyway...

Was close to mentioning Lowe but I don't think he's up as an option as much as putting Ben Smith to wing and going for Mac or even a rejuvenated Dagg( who I don't think will meet his old standard again) at FB yet. There are more gains from that than putting Lowe say on the right wing. He won't replace Savea. Ngatai looks a shoe in,particularly with that boot. Kicking is an art being appreciated more and more these days with the defences these days. Highlanders are winning titles from it.

Well that was a long post for nothing. I said it was NZs fom 23 and then said it wont be the one selected. You could have saved a lot of time by reading the conversation you entered.

Dagg wasnt injured, he was dropped.

Dagg lost out to Ben Smith becoz there were many wings for NZ for rwc. now they dont have any with experience other than Smith and Jane (and Barrett). NMS is out and wont play in june. Naholo is still to play after injury. there is no piutau to slot in and Savea is again slow off the mark. That leaves Lowe as one form wing (who is not a black) and Sith as another with experience on the wing. Jane may still step up - class is permanent - but NZ would want someone younger looking at 2019. Seta Tamanivalu practiced on one wing and Patrick Osborne did on the other when NZ trained for rwc. but neither has really set the park on fire so far (at least imo). if Dagg plays well its an easy call for Hansen , becoz everyone knows what Dagg can do. also Hansen has a history of bringing in injured guys back into the fold rather than discarding them most of the time. I still think DMac will play from the bench , with Dagg at the back and Smith on the wing. also they will want some experience in the line , with a new center combo. defensively it will be decisive if there are too many newbies.

Naholo and NMS were not selected ahead of Dagg, B.Smith was. As for Jane, he was past it and had been an AB for the best part of a decade, he wasnt a prospect showing consistent quality. NMS had performed consistently over an ITM cup season and a Super Rugby season as had Naholo. Seu and Fafita havnt, theyve played well in a couple of games pretty much out of nowhere. Elliott Dixon is not an aging winger, he is at the same age, his prime, as Kaino was when he began to solidify a spot in the ABs. I actually think B.Thompson and Luatua are more likely than Fafita. Its not like Dixon is performing below standard as both Dagg and Jane were, struggling to maintain a spot in their club gameday squads. However its fantastic that we have guys like Thompson, Luatua, Kaino, Fafita, Seu, Sanders, Kaino, Taufua, Squire and Vito all putting their hands up for higher honours.

Are you serious. 100% fit or no entry is the option for Dagg. Maybe Smith to the wing if he did play. McKenzie might replace Barrett but not compliment him. Barrett has never played 13 and Hansen wouldn't have it. Putting Smith in there was bad enough. Also disagree that Tamanivalu Fifita Moala and others are struggling. Things are just fine four games into the season.

Cruden will be the starting fly half. Webber is quite different from Smith in that he is far more likely to threaten the defence with a quick dash. I know that Wayne Smith particularly rates Kerr-Barlow highly from a defensive view point. He of course passed Perenara in the rankings at the World Cup.

Never seen Barrett play centre...when and for whom??

Im not saying Seu or Fifita will be abs this year...not at all..but i think they have more to offer than Dixon.

Not so sure about that. Milner-skudder and naholo spring to mind as guys selected ahead of guys with runs on the board..i.e. Jane or Dagg. Hansens not shy to pick what he sees.

Well you see not bothered ...a little knowledge is dangerous. Laulala is a counties boy and identified at wesley college by the crusadrers academy who invited him down. He played for them for some time before wanting to move back with family. Bird is a hawkes bay boy. Again identified at school by the crusaders and invited down before moving to the chiefs to get more game time. Seu was let go..unwanted from auckland...as were fekitoa and naholo. Why would i have an issue with the blues poor performances? Ive never been a blues supporter...far from it. You know what they say when you assume.

Seu is a late developer compared to edwards. edwards played for nz u20 at world cup (i think 2014) but has not gone up to the next level , yet. seu came from no where - just this itm season . same can be said of vaia fifita. seu has been very good but not sure fifita has brought the sasme form to super. each itm season brings in a few new names aside from the identified junior talent (at u 20 level) for example last season seta tamanivalu was a major breakout player and also nms. one issue , imo, nz super teams has is that they go after the u20 guys first and then look at the others (besides the already established players). that is why seu did not get into blues. on the other hand blues do have a history of making wrong calls - naholo for example did not get many games so he went to nz7s team by early break into his contract and then the rest is history. simillarly benji marshall and dan bowden .... and losing out Hickey the u20 flyhalf.

Taylorman : u shud read that planet rugby article. Hansen mentions that Dagg will be coming back for crusaders. in case u have not seen it Hansen loves Dagg (though he did not taek him to rwc - correctly as he was injured ) if Dagg can play at 50% , imo he will be the mib fullback. but also Dmac will be on the bench with barrett Becoz Barrett can cover wing and center in addition to fly half and Dmac can play at fly hlaf though he plays mostly at 15) however , it is sad to see some of the best in itm not carrying that form into the suoper season - Moala Rob thompson Tamenivalu Vaea fifita Mama Vaipulu.... - to name a few.

Nowhere near enough experience on the field in critical positions. Six and seven, Eleven and fifteen. Way too much change at once. Savea will take years to become test standard. Flash does not cut it there at this level. Experience counts. After the sevens is more his time. Cane, who has been in the leadership group for some time now has done all that and is ready. Savea will be a luxury afforded in the team if Hansen can select a suitable 6/8 as a sub. At the moment it is Kaino/Luatua. They will take some displacing but Hansen is liking Dixon for the future. McKenzie is way early for any start, but to replace Barrett with even more is tempting as a super sub to cover fullback, first five and wing by moving Smith out. Dropping the best for a new sensation. You forget this is test rugby and also that the Smith/Smith combination serve the All Blacks equally well as they do the Highlanders. Ngatai is ready now, but has the benefit of leading the Maori and being around for a few years now at the Chiefs. I do like Webber but Hansen wants a point of difference in the replaceing half, not the same same of Webber Smith. I would actually start Sopoaga and Hansen was looking at this in SA last year. I think Hansens 23 won't resemble this.

Dixon has been the form blindside in NZ for the last 15 months imo. Seu and Fifita have only played a few Super Rugby games between them. Although both have potential, Dixon has the runs on the board imo and knowing that Hansen demands consistent quality before selection I think Dixon may get a look in first.

The Blues have let less talent go than most other franchises in NZ. You only have an issue withthe Blues because of their poor performances. I mean the Saders just lost Laulala, Bird and a few others. Did they fail to see their talent?

I think Paea Fifita and Taleni Seu have more potential on that blindside flank than Dixon. Both also cover lock. Both have that same dynamic athletic ability that Kaino had at the same stage in their careers.

Ngatai's long kicking game is a big plus for him.