All Blacks' (likely) Squad Fitness (form?) Updates

First topic message reminder :

In response to LondonTiger's Lions' fitness thread, here's my crack at the NZ squad prospects. Any updates appreciated


Updated June 16th

Player	Position	Notes
Dane Coles	Hooker	Concussion. Looking unlikely for the Lions now
Codie Taylor	Hooker	Misfired in the lineouts for the Crusaders vs Lions. Excellent game vs Samoa
Liam Coltman	Hooker	Injury cover for Coles. Good for the Highlanders vs the Lions. Not selected vs Samoa
Nathan Harris	Hooker
Joe Moody	Prop	Scrum & defence good vs Samoa
Wyatt Crockett	Prop
Kane Hames	Prop	Maori Squad
Owen Franks	Prop
Charlie Faumuina	Prop
Jeffrey Toomaga-Allen	Prop	Not selected
Ofa Tu'ungafasi	Prop	Backup prop as he can play both sides of the scrum at a pinch
Brodie Retallick	Second row
Sam Whitelock	Second row	In good form prior to sitting out a 2 week ban for striking the (Golden) Lions player who took him out in the air
Scott Barrett	Second row	Back from injury for a good 30 mins off the bench vs Samoa
Luke Romano	Second row	Has slipped behind Barrett, but playing fairly well
Patrick Tuipolotu	Second row	Not selected
Jerome Kaino	Back row	Back from knee surgery & played well vs Samoa
Liam Squire	Back row	Broken thumb. Due back mid June
Stephen Luatua	Back row	Not selected
Sam Cane	Back row
Ardie Savea	Back row	Returning to the 'Canes' bench after concussion June3. Has been In imperious form at both 7 & 8
Kieran Read	Back row	Broken thumb. Due back early June - not expected to play before the 1st test
Luke Whitelock	Back row	Not selected
Elliot Dixon	Back row	Released to play for the Maori
Matt Todd	Back row	Injury cover selection
Akira Ioane	Back row	Injury cover for Abs, released to play for the Maori
Vaea Fifita	Back row	Injury cover for Abs. Good off the bench vs Samoa
Aaron Smith	Scrum half
TJ Perenara	Scrum half
Tawera Kerr-Barlow	Scrum half
Augustine Pulu	Scrum half	Not selected
Beauden Barrett	Outside half
Aaron Cruden	Outside half	Missed Samoa test due to leg injury for Chiefs vs Canes
Lima Sopoaga	Outside half	Hamstring kept him out until mid-May. Average for the Highlanders vs Lions, good off the bench vs Samao
Ryan Crotty	Centre	Rib cartilage injury. May be back for the 1st test
Anton Lienart-Brown	Centre
Sonny Bill Williams	Centre
Ngani Laumape	Centre	Bolter - playing like a young Nonu for the Canes this season
Jack Goodhue	Centre	Injury Cover for Crotty. Excellent Super Rugby season, had some good moments for the Crusaders vs the Lions
Malikai Fekitoa	Centre	Not selected
Charlie Ngatai	Centre	Missed a year of rugby due to concussion. In the Maori squad
George Moala	Centre	Not selected
Julian Savea	Wing	Not at his best yet. Normally peaks around August so WIP
Waisake Naholo	Wing	Excellent for the Highlanders vs the Lions
Nehe Milner-Skudder	Wing	In the Maori squad
Rieko Ioane	Wing	Excellent for the Blues vs the Lions
Seta Taminavalu	Wing	Not selected
James Lowe	Wing	In the Maori squad
Ben Smith	Full back
Israel Dagg	Full back
Damien McKenzie	Full back	In the Maori squad
Jordie Barrett	Utility	Decent on debut off the bench vs Samoa

ebop wrote:Guns, unfortunately you can't have your favourite referee in charge because I think our record with him isn't so great. He's really really good at levelling the playing field.

Angus Gardener would have been a good choice for one of the tests. I think he only got the BaBas game though.

There for the taking

Synonyms: at hand, attainable, no problem, no sweat, on offer, on tap, piece of cake, pushover

Don't get me wrong, I think the ABs will clean sweep the Lions but I'll never describe them as 'there for the taking'

Attainable. You answered your own question.

And the rest? Think we use the phrase in different ways. It's good to know that now. I'll probably start using it a bit more. The Lions are there for the taking. Got a ring to it

There is no reason why you shouldnt feel confident given the last tour. However, I dont think there is any sense in showing if you dont think you can win. That goes for the Lions too.

Winners like Farrell and Sexton will be frothing at the mouth to secure their place in history foolish as that may be.

I may be showing my ignorance here, but regarding the OP, is Joe Romano a different player, or should it be Luke?

Must be Luke Id say. I wonder how many ABs there have been over the years of Italian descent?

cascough wrote:I may be showing my ignorance here, but regarding the OP, is Joe Romano a different player, or should it be Luke?

I've done that before. Think I conflate him with Joe Wheeler from the Highlanders - they played lock together for Tasman a few years back.

I've fixed my spreadsheet, so it'll be right next update ...

Guns, it's not about not thinking you'll win it's about not over cooking it. Do you know how many times we've heard 'the ABs are there for the taking'? A lot. It's inflammatory and it's fantastic when players, coaches and fans say it because you get a game like the recent ABs v Ireland game in Dublin where the ABs physically and figuratively pummelled beat the Irish. After Chicago we heard all about how the ABs were there for the taking. I'd like Gatland to come out and say it but he knows better than that unfortunately. And it's the same reason you'll never hear the ABs utter the phrase even with their record.

You'd like gatland to say they're unbeatable? Not going to happen.

Didn't say that

All you have to do is look at an AB for them to think you are being inflammatory.

In the game in Dublin the ABs didn't physically pummel the Irish. Ireland clearly won the forward battle. The ABs were very ill disciplined and therefore fortunate Ireland weren't able to convert all their possession, penalties and territory into scores. The ABs were also fortunate not to get penalised more. I think the Lions are better equipped to do this.

That's what the phrase means: attainable, doable. You'll hear plenty that it's a challenge to do as well but certainly not impossible.

Tell a team they're pushovers and see what happens

I doubt anyone would say that in public. Probably not in private about nz either!

We use the phrase in the below context

Synonyms: no problem, no sweat, piece of cake, pushover

Guns, Ireland got hammered beaten at home by the ABs

Wake up fella

Even by your own list ebop attainable is much higher. Not sure what dictionary you use down there but if there's understanding of the term it isn't inflammatory etc.

On the side note of the ireland d game in Dublin I think it'll help nz loads. They'll know they were rattled and played to close and over the line at times so they'll have a better idea of far they can go.

Go look it up yourself 7.5 and you'll get the drift

ebop wrote:Guns, Ireland got hammered at home by the ABs

Wake up fella

Hammered? Haha you are deluded Ebop. Since when is a 12 point win a hammering especially when Barrett pulled off a try saving tackle on the line. It is also a lower margin of victory of all NZ games in 2016 prior to that. Deluded much?

You reckon that the ABs won the forward battle and yet Ireland had 63% posession, 70% territorial advantage and won a higher percentage of rucks and mauls.

New Zealand conceded 14 penalties to 4 and gave away 2 yellow cards and copped one ban. All the stats show that NZ lost the physical battle and were significantly more indisciplined.

New Zealand won because their backs were far better at converting their chances than Irelands and NZ took out a few of Ireland's players. However, Ireland bullied NZ in the forwards again.

In the last three Ireland v NZ games NZ have conceded 36 penalties, three yellow cards and one ban to Irelands 12 penalties and no cards and no bans. All evidence suggests Ireland are physically superior to NZ particularly in the forwards but in general NZs discipline is quite poor.

What did Ireland do with all that possession?

SFA

You can quote all the stats you like but I watched with my own eyes and Ireland were clueless and got hammered beaten

Yes looked it up ebop. As did you and you helpfully copied some of the synonyms. As I said not inflammatory unless you you class nz as unbeatable.

ebop wrote:What did Ireland do with all that possession?

SFA

You can quote all the stats you like but I watched with my own eyes and Ireland were clueless and got hammered

By the sounds of it you were hammered yourself. Its hard having a sensible conversation about rugby with a Kiwi. Do you hate logic and facts?

Did you know the ABs arent perfect deities?

Of course I don't think the ABs are perfect. We lost to Ireland last year for example. Ireland were the better team that day. You maintain Ireland were the better team in Dublin but lost. So you don't reckon a 3 tries to 0 tries victory is a hammering convincing win?  Ireland had a fair bit of possession but did nothing with it. Side to side and kick or getting hammered in the tackle. Watch the ABs backline with backs and forwards and look at the inroads they made. It's on YouTube. Watch it again.

ebop wrote:Of course I don't think the ABs are perfect. We lost to Ireland last year for example. Ireland were the better team that day. You maintain Ireland were the better team in Dublin but lost. So you don't reckon a 3 tries to 0 tries victory is a hammering?  Ireland had a fair bit of possession but did nothing with it. Side to side and kick or getting hammered in the tackle. Watch the ABs backline with backs and forwards and look at the inroads they made. It's on YouTube. Watch it again.

Where did I say Ireland were a better side that day? I said Ireland's forwards were better.

No I dont think it was a hammering at all. It was a very competitive game. You watch it again.

No 7&1/2 wrote:Yes looked it up ebop. As did you and you helpfully copied some of the synonyms.  As I said not inflammatory unless you you class nz as unbeatable.

Ok no problem 7.5

I think we've rinsed this one out to its logical conclusion

Disagreement

I'm not sure you can logically disagree with a definition that even you yourself posted but fair enough!

Yeah you can

Because you saw the list of synonyms right?

Yes guns it was a competitive game

I'm going to move on as you know you posted attainable the same as myself but want to see it as a slap in the face for some reason.

You think that nz could get rattled again as they were following the 1st ireland test? It's an area of possibility for me especially with read carrying an injury currently.

ebop wrote:Yes guns it was a competitive game

Do you know what the ABs lowest winning margin in 2016 was prior to that game and what their average winning margin was?

Their lowest was 19 points and most other wins were well above that. Those games were hammerings.

Nah, not off the top of my head

Do you know?

ebop wrote:Nah, not off the top of my head

Do you know?

Yes see above.

Ok, I feel bad

I'll redact hammering and pummelled from my posts above out of respect to the game because I thought it was a good tough game

Haha success! Although I dont want you to feel bad. Now I feel bad.

Lol, think I got em

ebop wrote:Lol, think I got em

typical sneeky Kiwi tactics.

No 7&1/2 wrote:You think that nz could get rattled again as they were following the 1st ireland test? It's an area of possibility for me especially with read carrying an injury currently.

What situations are you referring to 7.5?

The physicality decision making around that etc. Seemed to miss some of those older heads that had retired.

NZ team of the week
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=11856868

1. Joe Moody (Crusaders)
2. Codie Taylor (Crusaders)
3. Owen Franks (Crusaders)
4. Luke Romano (Crusaders)
5. Tom Franklin (Highlanders)
6. Like Pete Samu (Crusaders)
7. Matt Todd (Crusaders) - Forward of the Week. Honourable Mention Ardie Savea (Hurricanes)
8. Jordan Taufau's (Crusaders) Honourable Mention Akira Ioane (Blues)

9. TJ Perenara (Hurricanes)
10. Richie Mo'unga (Crusaders) - Back of the Week.
11. Reiko Ioane (Blues)
12. Ngani Laumape (Hurricanes) Honourable Mention Ryan Crotty (Crusaders)
13. Jack Goodhue (Crusaders) Honourable Mention Malakai Fekitoa (Highlanders)
14. Seta Tamanivalu (Crusaders)
15. David Havili's (Crusaders) Honourable Mention Jordie Barrett (Hurricanes)

No 7&1/2 wrote:The physicality decision making around that etc. Seemed to miss some of those older heads that had retired.

Sorry still don't get what you mean

Are you talking about the game in Dublin?

Yeah.

You reckon the ABs were rattled in Dublin. Because they tackled their hearts out and defended their line and didn't allow any tries in? Or are you referring to something else?

No more the massive up in their physicality which was boiling over at times. As per my 1st post sometimes right up to the line sometimes over. Going/having to go that close could cost teams depending the ref and what they/assistants and tmo see. Just wondered your view on it.

Ah ok fair enough

Yeah it was a tough test and losing to Ireland for the first time ever stung them no doubt. Some of the things said about the team after the loss weren't very complimentary. So yeah, they came out pretty hot. They played like a team that didn't want to be the first and second team to ever lose to Ireland. I don't reckon they were rattled though. But I doubt that test signifies how they'll play every game. They generally play with a bit of spice but aim for accuracy first and foremost. If players are liabilities and costing the team they won't be around for long.

If the Lions won the first test you may see a similar response in test 2 but it'd probably depend on the game, how it was played, if they let themselves down and how the public, ex-coaches and ex-players responded. Probably no different from any team in a similar situation really. Our players won't back down if the Lions bring the heat. And if the Lions do, they'll need to be careful themselves.

Yup. A lot as ever rests on that 1st test.

Would love to go to this series. New Zealand seems like a great place altogether. Why have I never been there?

Aaron Cruden named to start for the Chiefs in Suva after recovering from concussion.

Sadly Charlie Ngatai (who made his return for the Chiefs' last match after a year out due to concussion) has been rested this weekend as a precaution after developing a headache post-training yesterday

GunsGermsV2 wrote:Would love to go to this series. New Zealand seems like a great place altogether. Why have I never been there?

 Very high standards at the border, general riff raff are turned away.

Ngati,Scott Barrett,Matt Todd,injured Cruden,Dagg,Sopanga,SBW fit.
Ireland achieved a great victory by scoring a lot of tries early,out
playing the selected AB side.BUT despite being thoroughly on top
the result was in doubt till late in the game.
The second game was never going to be an Ireland win,AB`s lose
certainly but learn from their errors and correct them.The stats
are meaning less possession etc usually only 40 per cent.
BUT that is enough to win most games given there firepower behind.
Dictionaries don`t win matches teams do,despite injuries you only
have to look at theNZ Super sides and ITM to see depth is still there.
NZ are the most penalised/yellow carded of all tier 1 sides it doesn't
stop them winning though.
Vulnerable in the First Test always but they seldom lose it at home
only in goal kicking are they inferior,forwards at least equal,backs
superior if only used to home conditions.
There for the taking if had a pound for every time that's been said
I`d be a rich man