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The All Blacks' best gameday 23 looking ahead to the next Rugby World Cup
At the risk of appearing a buffoon, this is the 23 I think the All Blacks should pick and persevere with.
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As we plot a path towards the 2027 Rugby World Cup, I remain unconvinced New Zealand will veer away from players – and methods – that have been found wanting over the last six or seven years.
On that basis, fans can expect to stay on the same rollercoaster.
The All Blacks will be brilliant on their good days and woeful on the bad. They’ll make mincemeat of mediocre teams and hard work of competing with the good.
No, that’s a bit unfair. Argentina is a mediocre team and New Zealand still capitulated to them.
I tend to waffle on about the blokes I wouldn’t pick, most of the time. Today, I’ll try and justify the selections I would make, should the whole world go mad and my opinion suddenly count for something.
When folk such as myself opine on such things, we tend to go with line-ups we think the selectors would opt for, or at least choose guys that won’t get us laughed at.
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I doubt this is a combination that will ever see the light of day, but I reckon it’s the best we’ve got.
I’m working on the basis of everyone being fit and available selection, instead of simply going for guys who are injury-free at the moment.
Here goes: 15. Will Jordan, 14. Mark Tele’a, 13. Anton Lienert-Brown, 12. David Havili, 11. Rieko Ioane, 10. Harry Plummer, 9. Cam Roigard, 8. Ardie Savea, 7. Ethan Blackadder, 6. Samipeni Finau, 5. Sam Darry, 4. Scott Barrett, 3. Tyrel Lomax, 2. Asafo Aumua, 1. Ethan de Groot. Reserves: 16. Codie Taylor, 17. Tamaiti Williams, 18. Fletcher Newell, 19. Tupou Vaa’i, 20. Wallace Sititi, 21. Cortez Ratima, 22. Jordie Barrett, 23. Beauden Barrett.
I won’t go through everyone individually, because so many pick themselves.
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But let’s take Will Jordan. He’s an out-and-out fullback and, as much as I admire Beauden Barrett, I think Jordan’s better.
Tele’a is a right wing. We don’t see the best of him on the left, which is where I’ve put Rieko Ioane.
Again, Caleb Clarke is capable in the 11 jersey, I just reckon Ioane would be better.
Wing gives Ioane the opportunity to do more of what he’s good at and less of what he’s not.
We need some craft and guile in midfield, which I think Lienert-Brown and Havili provide. The former’s workrate is also without peer in my view.
I’m picking a No.10 that will implement a game plan and not generate errors. I toyed with the idea of Beauden Barrett, but am not sure he fits that bill.
The loose trio lacks a physical threat at the moment so, in the continued absence of Shannon Frizell, Finau has to be the guy.
I don’t reckon Blackadder is big enough or imposing enough for 6, but I’m sure he’d do a job for you on the openside. I’m going back 30 years here but, when I watch Blackadder, I’m often reminded of Paul Henderson.
As a quick aside, part of me hopes we haven’t seen the last of Savea at 7. I worry the balance of the trio isn’t right and, perhaps, Savea on the openside and Sititi at No.8 would rectify that.
Darry is a real find at lock and potentially more durable than others, such as Josh Lord and Patrick Tuipulotu.
I’d like to see the All Blacks spend more time going through the front door. On that basis, Aumua isn’t going to get any better playing token minutes off the bench.
He’s a guy whose ball-carrying can provide a genuine point of difference and potentially stop opposition defensive lines rushing up so hard on the All Blacks. Sititi is similarly valuable in that regard.
There comes a point where picking the same guys – and hoping for different results – starts to become absurd.
The All Blacks aren’t a bad team at the moment, but nor are they a good one. On that basis, I believe loyalty is a luxury.
I’ve always had a high regard for Sam Cane and TJ Perenara, for instance. But given neither will be All Blacks beyond this year, what are we carrying them around for?
Are we in the emotional swansong business now or are we actually trying to win the next Rugby World Cup?
Hopefully Frizell and Richie Mo’unga return to the fray at some point. If not, then it’s about grooming guys to perform the roles they would have, if available.
It was probably appropriate that the new coaching staff wanted to get its feet under the table before making major changes. They’ve largely gone with established players and combinations so far this season, notwithstanding the vacancies created by retirements or Japanese contracts.
It’s just that, given the mixed results, I can’t see what would be lost by trying something else.
Feel free to disagree.
Watch the exclusive reveal-all episode of Walk the Talk with Ardie Savea as he chats to Jim Hamilton about the RWC 2023 experience, life in Japan, playing for the All Blacks and what the future holds. Watch now for free on RugbyPass TV
World Rugby is an embarrassment, full stop, probably pre-dating Brett Gosper but definitely hit new heights under him. I'll google Nkosi now.
What a wank of an article. Dribble dribble dribble. I hope my critisism is what you were hoping for as you write demanding people hate you. We do. It worked.
Nice work Hamish. Some selections in here that are unpopular with the masses but are spot on. Reiko is a great defender in the centres but a road block when it comes to distribution. Havili is our most creative midfielder and according to the AB's website, only 1kg less than Jordie, who is a bean pole. Admittedly, Jordie did finally have a very good game in the second Argentina test but it's been a long time coming. And when you have someone like Schalk Burger talking up Blackadder, who are we to disagree. Keep your kahunas out there Hamish.
Dead right. the Jordie Barrett myth is beyond a joke. Useless against any Tier 1 opposition, but the Grant Nisbett types go crazy when he goes OK in a dead rubber against Arg or Aus or Wales. Pathetic. It bodes poorly for Robertson that he has backed Jordie Barrett for VC. Ludicrous. The guy is a gifted athlete who lacks the top two inches, and for that reason, has put together a huge body of work proving he is a serial loser.
Clickbait.
so are you guys planning to gift the World Cup to Ireland. If they get a favourable draw - this 23 would seal the deal.
I appreciate the balls to look like a buffoon. But a couple of those are headscratchers.
First. Will Jordan is not a Full Back. Everyone says he is. Even Razor. But until he actually plays there and proves it - I simply don’t believe it. You don’t keep playing the potentially best fullback in the world on the wing for no reason. I call BS.
14, 13, and 7 didn’t make me sit up and spill my beer.
10 has got to be Richie Mounga. If he isn’t brought back into the fold - then NZ is sleeping at the wheel.
JB on the bench maybe. BB still being in the mix by 2027 is probably going to tear NZ apart or cause a civil war. It seems half you guys love him and half don’t. Time to explore all the talent we hear about in NZ. Where are they?
so are you guys planning to gift the World Cup to Ireland.
By "you guys" I presume you meant Hamish Bidwell. The most disliked writer in NZ. The guy couldnt pick his nose correctly but would tell you he knows all about nose picking.
Richie mounga has lost us 2 world cups now so no we don't want him back dmac is our guy
Love it, this is what we need from Robertson some tough calls need to be made. Maybe Proctor at 13, how come no one gets dropped from the ABs anymore?
This is the dumbest 23 ive ever seen. That midfield is one that failed in like, 2021. Plummer is a Wales level 10
Hamish Bidwell has the easiest job in the world. Write awful, simply written articles with the worst opinions on rugby.
Shrinking the midfield makes no sense, Dalton is never injured compared to the constantly broken Blackadder, Finau should be at 6 and Dalton at 7. Sititi is smaller than Savea. Jordan goes missing in the big, physical matches. Beauden should be however shifted into 10 with Will trialed at 15. Plummer definitely a very well balanced 10 who needs game time against the Wallabies and end of year. Boks need lots of testing, their steady stream of positive test results and the silence from World rugby a really strange situation.
It's not shrinking the midfield. It's up-skilling. Running straight at people like we've done for the last year hasn't worked. We need creativity and skill.
Peter Lakai will also be in the 2027 team.
He's looked great at Super and NPC. Continue on and he'll definitely be on the Northern tour. The Otago number 8 Stoddart looks interesting as well. Admittedly in NPC. 196cm and 116 kg. That's a proper sized 8.
He's not big enough, we've enough little guys already in the side.
Better bet for smart, hard working midfield, ALB and Proctor
Two things stand out for me:
1. The observation that the All Blacks don't 'go through the front door' often enough. I agree, and part of that is a personnel problem. Ardie can do it in his way, but there is no real powerhouse able to go through the guts at the moment. Perhaps De Groot should be made to work harder in that respect? I don't believe Blackadder or Papali'i are at international standard yet, and part of me believes they won't ever get there.
2. The conundrum at 10. Richie was a marshal, and not just an x-factor athlete. There's a predictability in All Balck play at the moment, and it's not the good kind. The good kind is when you can see the plan being executed, the screw being turned, and you know it will create opportunity for points. I hardly ever see that with the All Blacks nowadays. What I see and expect, is that it goes to a 'playmaker' who doesn't make a play but prods away with personal genius. On a good day, that looks sublime. On every other day it looks stressful for All Black supporters.
Bidwell certainly seems to be a "backdoor" kinda guy. Always whinging about the front door.
If Richie was a Marshal he was a crooked town marshal. 2 lost WCs with Mounga now. Why go for 3 eh.
I bet I can guess exactely which part of you doesnt believe Blackadder isnt international standard. Just leave that part alone for ten mins.😁😁
There's no way Blackadder will make it to the next RWC aged 33 at the rate he gets injured. He'll be old before he's a seasoned test player.
Interested to know how a guy who hasn't made the current squad this year in Havili will usurp one of Razor's current Vice Captains.
Yes, no chance of that happening. Havili is significantly smaller than Jordie and shouldn't be in the squad at all. We are probably stuck with him due to the rugby union players union in NZ getting contracts that make it difficult to swap younger players in to replace the clearly obvious journeymen that aren't bad players but have known calibre and should be left at home. Now is the time for the Allblacks to cap lots of new talent not just the initial bunch that have been called up this year.
Great selection. Robertson is proving the hype was misplaced. Any head coach that is building his backline around MacKenzie, J Barrett and Reiko is clueless. All three must go for the ABs to have a chance of rebuilding.
It's unlikely Telea or Clarke will be picked come 2027, history has shown that wings have a very short shelf life in the black jersey.Someone faster or better usually comes along. I like them both,but that's happens unless they switch positions like Ioane.
Ok now for something really controversial. I'm starting to think that Beauden Barrett is symptomatic of ABs woes since 2015. The guy is a genuine athlete with running and ball skills that are amazing, but he is not a test match 10, he doesn't run a team or a game like a Carter, Fox, Lynagh, Wilkinson etc. There is plenty of razzle dazzle, we have been hypnotised. Two world player awards meant he then became essential to pick, but does he really make the ABs a better test match team? Maybe BB should have spent the last 10 years being world class at 7's? DMac is V2. I'm starting to think that we need a 10 who will implement a strategy and run the game plan. Maybe Razor is thinking something similar and this is why Harry Plummer has been drafted in?
You seem dumb af lol