Sevu Reece one of five debutants in All Blacks side for Rugby Championship opener

Gotta admit Jordie has been given far more chances than most, only to return average performances. He does a mixture of good and bad and for me that means he lack maturity in decision making. Maybe he thinks he needs to be beaudy immediately when beaudy of all players had a long apprentice off the bench. Jordie just seems to get starts where theyre not deserved. Sure he can play several positions but for once can he at least master one. I think the selectors need to work on getting more consistency from him rather than flexibility. He’ll get there but hes currently one of those that tries to do something every time hes on the ball where the best players time and pick their moments better. And thats only gained through hard repitition, not babysitting several positions cos it suits the side. Hes in development, not mr fixit mode.

Do you keep Laumape at 12 for Westpac? Back at home in Welly and his straight running allows for tries from nowhere as happened in Argie. I think youve gotta have on of Laumape, Nonu or even SBW as your punch man at close range because they can give you something all the planning in the world cant...easy points. I think Laumapes cold, hard straight at em approach is growing on the selectors. And Crotty out makes the door that much more ajar. Id just hate to see the day we have Crotty and ALB trying to flip and jink their way to the line from five out only to get held up two or three times.

You mean Barrett was being positive about the guy who plays outside him at the Hurricanes in a media quote? Amazing. I guess that must be 100% accurate then.

Hi Fionn - Here's a quote yesterday from Beauden Barrett at All Blacks training in Buenos Aires - "Laumape is almost impossible to stop with ball in hand but he has developed into a player with multiple dimensions and Barrett attributed that progress to Laumape's hunger for self-improvement ". Having played all SR inside him if anyone knows how influential and multiple dimensional he is its BB. Cheers - go Laumape

Hmm who would you say are these players that are the best in their position since the game went pro? And are we talking 'World XV' calibre since 1996, or were you meaning NZ only?

Beating up a woman clearly doesn’t clash with the sponsors’ values. A drunk Reece pushed over his equally drunk girlfriend in front of a policeman. She ended up with a few minor grazes. The young couple are now teetotal and doing very well in Christchurch. But don't let the facts get in the way of your vivid imagination.

2nd priority is the Bledisloe. Don't worry the gun sites will swing round soon.

that the test against the Puma's was more of a World Cup Trial

What's Pauline Hanson been saying this time?

I agree. Barrett is a superb player, perhaps the best player on earth when he is in form. But I am not convinced he is a better 10 than Mounga. But then again, what do I know? Hansen is a better rugby tactician and strategist than I. However, I just feel that Barrett looks more comfortable and dangerous at 15, while Mounga looks more capable of unleashing the backline outside him.

Fionn, IMO part of the problem is the elephant in the room that is B Barrett @ 10. "The Shoveller" really doesn't operate or ignite a backline half as well when he has a relatively slight (albeit excellent) Crotty-type outside him. The Shoveller needs a 'smash-it-up' strongman like SBW to become the fulcrum for the switches and loop-arounds..... Note how good Goodhue and ALB look when playing outside different 1st fives for their franchises..... We haven't had a 1st 5 who could take it to the line whilst keeping all options open since Cruden. Mo'unga could be that man but will he get the gig?

Hi Fionn - Yr right - unfortunately Hansen cant seem to see past SWB who is seemingly always injured but will still prob keep Laumaups ( thats what we call him in Canes territory ) out of the RWC Team. For our mind Goodhue and ALB are 13's and its Crotty and either or SBW or Laumaps for the inside centre ( as u call it ) position - You know who we in Canes territory wld rather pick in our squad :)

Yeah but using that logic he should have been the incumbent since 2017, when he was super rugby top try scorer. Lam was the top try scorer last year and couldn’t even get a run on the wing. The All Blacks don’t seem to choose their centres, or their wings, purely on try scoring.

Agree he just leaves them spreadeagled all over the ground trying to stop him . I know who I would rather be facing on D. His tries scored and metres gained in Super R speak for themselves. I seem to remember him making a huge mess of a certain Brumbies D in Palmerston Nrth earlier this year. The Hurricanes came second overall on the Points Table in SR 2019 prob scored more tries in the backs than anyone else and won more games than the Saders - impossible to achieve if yr 12 is hogging the ball all the time -

I like ALB. He’s smart. Takes a lot of pressure off his 10, and makes good decisions. Laumape to come on late and destroy tired oppositions?

Yes ALB has been the standout 12 this season and he has often had the 13 on his back but plays 12 anyway.....Crotty is like SBW and has had a lot of injuries....I think Hansen preferred SBW Crotty as his centres but with Crotty injured I would say Goodhue has cemented the 13.....Now what does Hansen want from his 12...Thats the question that dictates whether its ALB or Laumape if the other 2 arnt available...ALB reminds me of B Smith in the way he breaks tackles when it looks like he is tackled but Laumape brings the 12 we have seen the ABs play for a fair while now...

Yes agree. Probably looking at 4 guys in the team who would be the best in their position since the game turned pro. Plus the incumbent fly half and #7. Hardly a 2nd XV. Plus as settled as the Pumas are, they are about to drop a new fly half into the team.

Muzzo, I think that Jackson Hemopo cut himself from the RWC squad a couple of months ago when he signed a two year contract to play in Japan. Hemopo has not put in the years with NZ Rugby that the veterans who are leaving post-RWC have such as Crotty, Todd, Read, Franks, SBW, or Ben Smith (all of whom are also over age 30). Hemopo will be in the squad only until Scott Barrett returns, barring an injury to another lock.

Also, TJ is a known and proven quantity for the coaches. We need to know if Webers form carries up to this level.

Yeah, no doubt. But the fact is that for a long time he tried Crotty or ALB at 13, before acknowledging that Crotty was really a 12, Goodhue was the best 13 and ALB, while capable of playing both positions well, is probably better at 12.