Planet Rugby Forum

Criteria: NZ born or raised player ineligible for the ABs because they're playing or soon to be playing overseas vs red sock-wearing Loyalists

1 Mako Vunipola* vs Joe Moody
2 Dylan Hartley vs Dane Coles
3 Charlie Faumuina vs Owen Franks
4 Will Skelton vs Brodie Retallick
5 Dominic Bird vs Sam Whitelock
6 Jerome Kaino vs Liam Squire
7 Brendan O'Connor vs Sam Cane
8 Victor Vito vs Kieran Read
9 TKB vs Aaron Smith
10 Aaron Cruden vs Beauden Barrett
11 James Lowe vs Reiko Ioane
12 Bundee Aki vs SBW
13 Malakai Fekitoa vs ALB
14 Seta Tamanivalu vs NMS
15 Charles Piutau vs Ben Smith

Quite a number of options available for the Fleewees, particularly in the backs (Soapywanger, Te'o, Nonu, Parkes, Moala, Ngatai, Maitland) and probably greater depth, but the Homeslices still quite strong for now.

*barely skates in on eligibility as despite being born here he is very much a product of Tonga, Wales and England. Might swap out for that Scot prop Berghan.

naki wrote:Criteria: NZ born or raised player ineligible for the ABs because they're playing or soon to be playing overseas vs red sock-wearing Loyalists

1 Mako Vunipola* vs Joe Moody
2 Dylan Hartley vs Dane Coles
3 Charlie Faumuina vs Owen Franks
4 Will Skelton vs Brodie Retallick
5 Dominic Bird vs Sam Whitelock
6 Jerome Kaino vs Liam Squire
7 Brendan O'Connor vs Sam Cane
8 Victor Vito vs Kieran Read
9 TKB vs Aaron Smith
10 Aaron Cruden vs Beauden Barrett
11 James Lowe vs Reiko Ioane
12 Bundee Aki vs SBW
13 Malakai Fekitoa vs ALB
14 Seta Tamanivalu vs NMS
15 Charles Piutau vs Ben Smith

Quite a number of options available for the Fleewees, particularly in the backs (Soapywanger, Te'o, Nonu, Parkes, Moala, Ngatai, Maitland) and probably greater depth, but the Homeslices still quite strong for now.

*barely skates in on eligibility as despite being born here he is very much a product of Tonga, Wales and England. Might swap out for that Scot prop Berghan.

I'd have old men Nonu and Smith over Bundee and Malakai.