The AB's Selection
Some surprises in the AB Quarterfinal selections...
Backs
Leon MacDonald
Joe Rokocoko
Mils Muliaina
Luke McAlister
Sitiveni Sivivatu
Daniel Carter
Byron Kelleher
Forwards
Rodney So'oialo
Richie McCaw (c)
Jerry Collins
Ali Williams
Keith Robinson
Carl Hayman
Anton Oliver
Tony Woodcock
Reserves
Keven Mealamu
Neemia Tialata
Chris Jack
Chris Masoe
Brendon Leonard
Nick Evans
Isaia Toeava
The big talking points are Muliaina at centre, no Doug Howlett, Oliver edging ahead of Mealamu and Robinson in at lock.
It would be easy to ask why in the world we'd head into our third world cup with a fullback at centre...but then Mils is widely regarded as the best centre in NZ - he's just also the best fullback in the world. The selectors do make sense on this one though - are Smith and Toeava at centre the equivalent of MacDonald at fullback? Answer: on current form , no. If MacDonald wasn't playing so well, this would be a risky selection. As it is, its probably for the best.
The absence of Doug Howlett is sad. This may be a horses for courses selection against a French side that is not exactly strong at wing. So the defensive qualities of Howlett are less needed. All 3 of the NZ wingers are in form, so its not something you can argue too strongly against. But my wingers would have been Joe and Dougie.
Oliver is clearly a horses for courses selection against a traditionally powerful French front row. I'd pick Mealmu to start against Aussie if we get that far (indeed if they get that far!)
Robinson makes sense. He needs the game time. He won't let anyone down. Jack is on the bench as cover. If they were all fully fit this would be my selection - I think Jack is below his best - still worthy of a spot, but it would have been interesting for him if Eaton and Ryan had been competing for world cup berths.
Overall a strong team and one that should deal to the French. The big question: will French desperation drive them to an above-expectation performance? Fortunately the game is in Cardiff, so the AB's might even go in as crowd favourites. Unthinkable that we lose this one - we have Argentina to thank for the opportunity! The French have not beaten the AB's in 7 years. While the '99 loss still hurts, it must be now true that the AB's are the French bogey team, rather than the other way round?
One can but hope.
6 comments:
Anton/Kevin is much of a muchness. Perhaps the deciding point is that Mealamu is more of an impact player off the bench.
Shocking for Howltt to be left out, but I can see that Henry is going for attacking flair out wide. I'm worried about Mils at centre. That seems a really risky move, given that Henry claimef the last world cup was lost because we didn't have a quality centre.
My Team...
Backs
Mils Muliaina
Joe Rokocoko
Conrad Smith
Luke McAlister
Doug Howlett
Daniel Carter
Byron Kelleher
Forwards
Rodney So'oialo
Richie McCaw (c)
Jerry Collins
Ali Williams
Keith Robinson
Carl Hayman
Anton Oliver
Tony Woodcock
Reserves
Keven Mealamu
Neemia Tialata
Chris Jack
Chris Masoe
Brendon Leonard
Nick Evans
Isaia Toeava
I agree on Howlett. I would have picked Smith myself - but I can see the selector's logic - Muliaina is a safer bet than an underdone Smith and an inexperienced Toeava. But you couldn't do it if McDonald wasn't playing so well.
Yeah I may warm to it. I reckon you could do it even if McDonald was injured... just slot Nick Evans at Fullback. I'd almost be tempted to start Evans ahead of McDonald at Fullback!
True that.
I heard a comment that this may be a straight trial between Joe and Siti for the semis and finals ie Doug will play these games if we get through
On the other side of the selection fence, the French have picked a centre at fullback so that kind of balances the fact that we have a fullback at centre...
All our inside backs are good kickers of the ball if that helps...
If only Lauaki had been there...
Psh.
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