All Blacks squad revealed

First topic message reminder :

Hookers-Hore,Mealamu
Props -Teamuliana,Crockett,Woodcock,Ben Franks,Owen Franks
Locks -Retalick,Romano,Ali Williams,Whitelock
Loose forwards-McCaw,Read,Thomson,Vito,Cane
Scrum Halves Smith,Weepu
Fly Halves Carter,Crudon,Barrett
Mid-field-Ellison,Nonu,Conrad Smith,SonnyBoy Williams.Wing/FB- Dagg,Savea,Guildford,Hosea Gear,Ben Smith
Seven New Boys,Controversy no Hika Elliott,or Andy Ellis
Mealamu predictable but with his injury problems ?
Weepu presumably as a third Goal kicker,maybe Smith starting?

Utility is futility. Well baste my puddings, Alan you are on fire. I wholeheartedly agree. Not convinced about Vito at 6. Jane makes a better case on the wing. Kahui was tolerated out there as well. Backrow is not so interchangeable even though the Irish backrow make a formidable unit based on their homogeneity.

Yeah Henry wanted footballers in the back three. Was very concerned about the high ball. It paid off in the cup but for the balance of the squad I'd have someone like Savea on one and Jane on the other. Jane is both a footballer and someone with the X Factor so we are very lucky to have him-he's sooo underrated.

Agree Thomson's more physical than Vito-may he have started if Ferris was fit? He may well start the second test. I hope the weather is ok as both teams can play good running rugby.

O'Mahony looks promising and I like the balance of the Irish backrow despite Ferris gone (I'd drop Heaslip and play SOB at 8). We'll have to be on the ball and Vito will be under pressure.

Guildford's the perfect player to run off SBW though. To be honest the Irish will be looking for that and since Guildford runs 100mph all day (either to the bar or the tryline) he can be used as decoy a lot to open up space for the other guys. Dagg and Savea interchanging-spells trouble for Ireland.

Sorry Ireland but the more I read fellow kiwis analysis of our side the more I think we habe something of a good side here.

After the third test our club has an irish band playing so id like to be there if the irish win...perhaps after the series is already won?

The largrly undiscussed item here is Hansen. I hope kiwis dont run him down if we do lose because as a whole i think kiwis agree with this side. Although with reluctance re ali and weepu.

My concern is hansens gameplan. Hes selected a fast mobile side which is geared to running the ball. I just hope he doesnt send them out in 100% attack mode as we did in SA last year.

He may want to start with a bang and get the thoight of a first irish loss over with early. Id be annoyed if he sacrificed structure for urgency.

The weather factor will provide the same leveller factor it did the scots and savea in parrtcular will be tested and will be nervous.

But hey...finally thr first big test weekend has arrived! These boards will be humming sunday and after. Particularly if the NH take one or two more scalps... Or three!

Apologies for typos. On smartfone on a bumpy ride into a cold wellington..

Pity the Squad was`nt increased to include an extra Scrum half,Ellis should have been given a run later in the series.Mealamu will presumeably get game time at some point.Expect Back Row to play Right and Left instead of 6 and 7,RM is well used to that as he does it for Crusadersr with George Whitelock from time to time.

Alan wait until you see Smith play. As time goes by Ellis will be forgotten. In his short time Smith has proved all round he's up for it. Sure Ellis got one over him last week but he's been around for years and hasnt delivered more than 'steady' and overall Smith has had the better year, keeping Cowan in the stands all year.

Smith might get the jitters we dont know but his sxv play 'suggests' he will perform at the higher level. Might take a test or three, but he'll get there.

I was`nt saying play him instead of Smith,would like to see him play instead of Weepu.At some point this year the man has never had a chance at AB level and
rather have him stay in NZ than go abroad.One of the few scrum halfs that bring off Drop Goals THAT may come inhandy sometime!!!!.