Blacks cut senior boys
10 Jul 2011
The All Blacks have named a Tri-Nations squad featuring some notable absentees.
The inclusion of Highlanders lock Jarrad Hoeata is dominating the back pages in New Zealand, but the players not in the mix are more interesting. Among those are men previously favoured by Henry – Joe Rokocoko, Neemia Tialata and Luke McAlister.
Furthermore, the duo of Cory Jane and Sitiveni Sivivatu only make the squad as cover for Isaia Toeava (hip), Hosea Gear (hamstring) and Israel Dagg (thigh muscle). The five have, however, done little to aid their cause this season.
With Tony Woodcock still injured, the Crusaders’ impressive prop Wyatt Crockett is included in the group. Corey Flynn, Richard Kahui and Piri Weepu also return after injury ruled them out of contention for last year’s Grand Slam tour to the northern hemisphere. Crusaders wing Zac Guildford receives a recall on the back of a good Super Rugby campaign.
Henry has backed Colin Slade as his deputy to flyhalf Dan Carter, despite two broken jaws forcing him to miss the bulk of the season. This is the most worrying position for the All Blacks, with a massive gulf in quality between the incumbent and his replacements.
Henry said he placed a high premium on winning the Tri-Nations, even though the World Cup is a primary focus.
‘The Tri Nations also remains an important competition for the team this year. We are proud of the record we have achieved over the years and the fact that we have held the Bledisloe Cup since 2003 and it is crucial as we look to build towards the Rugby World Cup,’ he said.
All Black Tri-Nations squad -
Backs: Mils Muliaina, Israel Dagg, Isaia Toeava, Hosea Gear, Zac Guildford, Richard Kahui, Conrad Smith, Sonny Bill Williams, Ma’a Nonu, Dan Carter, Colin Slade, Jimmy Cowan, Andy Ellis, Piri Weepu
Forwards: Kieran Read, Richie McCaw (c), Jerome Kaino, Adam Thomson, Liam Messam, Brad Thorn, Ali Williams, Sam Whitelock, Jarrad Hoeata, Ben Franks, Owen Franks, John Afoa, Tony Woodcock, Keven Mealamu, Corey Flynn, Andrew Hore
Injury replacements: Wyatt Crockett, Cory Jane, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Ben Smith.
243 Comments
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10 Jul 2011, 10:44 am
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-40:
Ogh weeeell.
We seem to manage at test level. At the Bulls we have/had Matfield, Bakkies, Danie, Flip, Kruger, Berend, and some good youngsters coming though. So I think we can say that South Africa is a flank- and lock “manufacturer”
10 Jul 2011, 10:44 am
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-45: Adi does break the line, but why not pick Sadie or Ebersohn and see how good they are
10 Jul 2011, 10:44 am
@Michael(mikeybrass)-49: He is talking about the 2nd/3rd choice Springbok team that is being sent over the NZ and Aus. Who would you select ahead of Olivier? Considering all the knee, groin and hamstring “injuries”.
10 Jul 2011, 10:45 am
Even try Lambie at 12
10 Jul 2011, 10:45 am
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-51: Who is Berend?
Never heard of him.
10 Jul 2011, 10:46 am
@Michael(mikeybrass)-46:
“WE”?
Oh, I only realized now that you are a South African.
@JL1(JL1)-47:
Olivier of course.
10 Jul 2011, 10:47 am
@WOLFMAN21(WOLFMAN21)-53: And I am talking about Olivier being a liability at international level regardless. Try out a youngster. You know what you’re getting in Olivier – a 1 try wonder in almost 50 tests who is shut down more easily than Ford Estate in a drag race.
10 Jul 2011, 10:47 am
@WOLFMAN21(WOLFMAN21)-55:
Berend Botha.
Ferreira coming though perhaps. Saddled with Fudge Mabeta for a while. Cornell Hess also seems to not be going places.
10 Jul 2011, 10:48 am
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-56: Speed up man. I know some northerners are slow but that takes the cake
10 Jul 2011, 10:49 am
@Michael(mikeybrass)-57: Give a name.
10 Jul 2011, 10:51 am
i don’t care what the stats say, wynand is useless @ TEST level, period!
Geez, the guy was sooo scared of sbw he was literally chucking the ball @ the sight of sonny. +/- 36 Tests and zilch to show for it but a solitary try, nobody in the world rates this guy.
10 Jul 2011, 10:51 am
@Michael(mikeybrass)-59:
Just being sarcastic-pointing out that you seem kinda hostile toward our boys.
Honestly, there is nobody else available right now. No better player.
You don’t have to worry, WO will hardly miss a tackle.
10 Jul 2011, 10:52 am
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-58:
The seniors are gone… Juandre was average in the NH… have not heard of Botha… hopefully he’s great…
Sharks have zero locks, Cheetahs have zero locks, WP have Bekker (and Eldstadt is more a 7 than a test lock), Lions have fokal… so who else is there?
Aussies have several already as do the Kiwi’s…
10 Jul 2011, 10:53 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-61:
So big cheese WHO WOULD YOU CHOOSE?
10 Jul 2011, 10:53 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-61: Yes, his stats at S15 may be good but his test stats do not stack up
He is my least favourite player because of that
He is only a super rugby player, nothing more and nothing less
10 Jul 2011, 10:54 am
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-63: Juandre was voted as the top lock when he played in the Premiership in England. Voted in the team of the year.
10 Jul 2011, 10:54 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-61:
Have to remember that most of his tests were from the bench.
Also please bare in mind that in the PdV era Habana hasn’t scored a whole lot either, our back line is not doing so well.
….Isn’t the backline **** Muir’s job………Hmmmmmmmm
10 Jul 2011, 10:55 am
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-63: Who are they in Oz
10 Jul 2011, 10:55 am
Seriously this filter needs a tweak.
10 Jul 2011, 10:56 am
@WOLFMAN21(WOLFMAN21)-66: That is hardly the bench to measure top rugby players by
10 Jul 2011, 10:58 am
@JL1(JL1)-70: He said Kruger was average in Europe, I was merely indicating that that was not the case.
10 Jul 2011, 10:59 am
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-63:
Well, Flip came from the Cheetahs bench to the Bulsl and was a Springbok a year later. So let’s see what we can do for Juandre Kruger, hey?
And also you menton the Wallabies. They are playing with a SA lock- Vickerman.
And Van der Walt is coming through for the Cheetahs. Uys is a good lock too. the Sharks (had) Mostert. The WP (had) Van Zyl.
These are good locks.
SA IS a lock factory. Even you Aussies are using our locks.
10 Jul 2011, 10:59 am
Transy doesn’t care what the stats say… ROTFLMAO… he doesn’t care who the best defender out of the S15 RSA centres was, he doesn’t care who made the most line-breaks as a centre, he doesn’t care who made the most run metres, he doesn’t care who made the most line-break assists, he doesn’t care who was the most solid defender… he doesn’t even care who even scored the most tries as a centre…
I have to ask… WTF criteria are you using for selection… Xhosa moo-tee and Sangoma nouse?
10 Jul 2011, 10:59 am
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-62: I don’t hear you saying similar when someone criticises Smittie.
Why, am I not permitted by you to have an opinion on the applicability of a player for international level.
10 Jul 2011, 11:00 am
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-73:
That’s rhetorical of course!
10 Jul 2011, 11:01 am
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-63:
Anyway, we will have to wait and see next year how it goes. Nobody at this point doubts that SA has the best locks in the world. So I’m just disagreeing that we are not a lock factory.
10 Jul 2011, 11:02 am
@WOLFMAN21(WOLFMAN21)-71: Agreed very hard for a SH player to be average I’m the NH premiership
10 Jul 2011, 11:02 am
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-62: Sorry. Ignore my previous post. I shouldn’t have got wound-up.
I don’t rate Olivier and think it is a poor reflection on us that he is rated as the third/fourth best inside centre behind JDV, JDJ and Steyn (if PDV rates Steyn as an inside centre).
We are the country who has produced the likes of Michael du Plessis etc at inside centre. We need to develop someone else.
10 Jul 2011, 11:04 am
@Michael(mikeybrass)-74:
I’m not some mod, go ahead and lambast our boys.
10 Jul 2011, 11:04 am
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-72:
I like Uys… but he’s a blind-sider or 8 IMO… the Tahs with Brussouw, Smith and him were MASSIVE…
10 Jul 2011, 11:05 am
Nothing to see here. Think I’ll pop in again tomorrow.
10 Jul 2011, 11:05 am
@Michael(mikeybrass)-78:
Well, I have high hopes for Francois Venter. Unfortunately he is at the Bulls, so I don’t know what that will do for his reputation around here…….
10 Jul 2011, 11:06 am
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-80:
Smith was injured already by that game…..
10 Jul 2011, 11:07 am
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-81:
disappointed.
10 Jul 2011, 11:08 am
@WOLFMAN21(WOLFMAN21)-60: No. I am not falling for that guessing game. It is the job of the provincial coaches to develop quality 12s.
10 Jul 2011, 11:09 am
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-82: I think the Bulls should play someone like him and Sadie as their centres next year. Start afresh.
10 Jul 2011, 11:11 am
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-12:
Holy crudd, I left out 11 Sivivatu and 10 M Steyn on my teams.
How’d that happen?
10 Jul 2011, 11:13 am
@Michael(mikeybrass)-86:
Start without experience? No guidance? Olivier is signed till 2013. Aint gonna happen.
10 Jul 2011, 11:20 am
agile is nothing but an afrikaner p ussy who believes that the sun shines out of his arse when it comes rugby,the nazi-loving p ussy probably still believes that god gave this country to him and his swine race.
10 Jul 2011, 11:23 am
@gunther is nazi-loving german rent-boy(Valkyrie)-89:
You forgot to add “…and to his children….”
10 Jul 2011, 11:25 am
@gunther is nazi-loving german rent-boy(Valkyrie)-89:
Well, I do love to listen to Karajan, if that qualifies me as a “nazi-lover”
Calm down….take it easy mate. Why so serious? What did I do now?
10 Jul 2011, 11:28 am
@gunther is nazi-loving german rent-boy(Valkyrie)-89:
Well his rugby acumen certainly makes you look like a Cape Crusader!
10 Jul 2011, 11:31 am
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-72:
Vickerman is as much a Wallabie as Beast Mtawarira is a Japie…
10 Jul 2011, 11:33 am
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-93:
I’m just sayin’: he is South African….
A son of the soil, an African brother, right Val?
10 Jul 2011, 11:37 am
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-94:
Stoked to see he is back playing rugby after his ‘enlightening’ period at Cambridge… no other lock has won as many accolades in Super Rugby… he’s a Bakkies and Matfield rolled into one… no other great since John Eales has come close…
10 Jul 2011, 11:44 am
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-95:
Anton van Zyl is an Oxford alumni too. We don’t only breed em locks tough here in SA, but smart too.
Have you ever heard Bakkies conduct himself in English? Voice and eloquence of an angel.
Can’t wait to see Vickerman in action myself, I thought he was done a fews years back. IMO, I can see Juandre Kruger become such a player.
10 Jul 2011, 12:00 pm
good to see the ABs and Wallabies have the honour to name their best sides…
as for the exclusions, finally Tialata is no longer wanted, never thought he added value to the side… McAllister is another whose form doesnt warrant selection, has proven this super season that hes not the answer at 1st 5/8. and Rokocoko is not the player he once was…
knew Henry would stay loyal to the majority from last year…
10 Jul 2011, 12:10 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-97:
That All Black squad is a nice tall order.
Do you think maybe Div has planned on sending our dirt trackers to maliciously brutalize the ABs and incur injuries with the hostile intent to cause bodily harm adversely in a negative manner of unsportsmanlike behaviour?
Don’t even need a drawing board. By the time the RWC Showpiece rolls around, it will be South Africa’s A-team vs New Zealands B-team.
10 Jul 2011, 12:11 pm
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-96:
Same as Spies… even Adriaan Strauss the form hooker of the season products himself in perfect Engels… not that it matters all the same…
Kruger just does not come close to Vickers in the physical stakes being 6 cm shorter and almost 10kgs lighter… not too mention the mental stakes… not that any rugby player needs to be as smart as Schalk ( with straight A’s on higher grade and a Viticulture degree) as the Nonu’s of the world prove every year…
The new breed of locks are the James Horwill’s… and Aus has shed-loads of them… RSA… not so much.
10 Jul 2011, 12:26 pm
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-99:
Was being facetious .
And we certainly will see about the lock situation soon. South Africa has been dominating lineouts for over a decade in the pro age. I don’t expect that influence to be reduced to nought so soon.
Dewald Potgiet is another takhaar flank with straight A’s. 8 Distinctions in Matric I think it was.
Ja, we’ll see. I would love to see what happens next. Importantly, I wonder whether Div’s contract will be renewed.
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