'It's impressive': The player Dave Rennie was stunned the All Blacks didn't want
Wallabies coach Dave Rennie has admitted to some envy over the All Blacks‘ squad depth, as he revealed the squad that is set to take them on in the Bledisloe Cup and Rugby Championship.
Rennie revealed a 44-man squad yesterday as the Wallabies prepare to travel to New Zealand this weekend to play two Bledisloe Cup tests – though they first have to negotiate a stint in quarantine that Rennie has called ‘unacceptable’.
However, when asked about the All Blacks’ squad, Rennie noted the fortune of his counterparts’ strength in depth – pointing to someone who he used to coach at the Chiefs as an example of a player he was surprised the All Blacks selectors didn’t pick – not even for the North v South clash.
“Geez, it’s impressive, isn’t it? If you can leave someone like Lachlan Boshier out, who I thought was incredible during Super Rugby Aotearoa, he didn’t even make the North Island side. That tells you about the depth of New Zealand rugby,” remarked Rennie.
“But in the end they can only put 15 on the field at once, so we’ll be working hard to make sure we’ve got a side that can compete.”
Boshier was the surprise omission from the final 23-man teams for the North v South match, with his snub speaking to New Zealand rugby’s rich loose forward depth and the All Blacks’ desire to harness more physicality from this area of their game.
Boshier, often in tandem with All Blacks captain Sam Cane, was one of New Zealand’s form loose forwards this season. He was a constant menace at the breakdown where he frequently won telling turnovers while his defensive work rate was off the charts.
New All Blacks selector John Plumtree admitted leaving Boshier out of the North v South clash, and with it, ultimately the All Blacks’ squad, was one of his most difficult decisions.
“If you look at the group it’s a tough loose forward trio to break into and that can happen.
“He’s got a couple of things he’s going to work on and he has a bit of direction around that. I’m sure he’s going to get many opportunities above Super level in the future.
“It was a tough call but there were many tough calls there’s many good players not here.”
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Rennie has named 16 uncapped players in his first squad as Wallabies head coach, signalling a generational shift by retaining only 16 of 31 players who took part in last year’s World Cup.
In a clear shift towards youth and regeneration, eight of Rennie’s 16 new caps made their Super Rugby debuts this year and the squad has an average age of 24.
Rennie has yet to name his captain but the incumbent, Michael Hooper, was among the veterans who retained his position.
No overseas-based players were named in the initial squad, though on Thursday Rugby Australia announced an amendment to its rules to allow Rennie to include an additional two overseas-based players who don’t meet the existing 60-cap and seven-year service threshold for selection. The move follows the departure of several senior Wallabies players to Japan and Europe during the coronavirus pandemic.
Backrowers Isi Naisarani and Jack Dempsey and veteran midfielder Tevita Kuridrani are notable omissions from the squad.
Rennie has named four locks, including seasoned Rob Simmons who is the only man in the squad to have played 100 tests. But Rennie may still may look overseas to Rory Arnold, Will Skelton and Izack Rodda for reinforcement.
Uncapped Irae Simone and Len Ikitau from the ACT Brumbies have been named in midfield and Filipo Daugunu and James Ramm among the outside backs.
There are eight props, including the newcomers Angus Bell and Pone Fa’aumasili. New cap Tate McDermott is named at scrumhalf beside Nic White, Joe Powell and Jake Gordon and flyhalves Will Harrison and Noah Lolesio join James O’Connor and Matt To’omua.
Prop Jermaine Ainsley was named in the squad despite potentially being unavailable from next year, as he has signed with the Highlanders.
Wallabies squad: Jermaine Ainsley, Allan Alaalatoa, Tom Banks, Angus Bell, Filipo Daugunu, Pone Fa’amausili, Folau Fainga’a, Jake Gordon, Ned Hanigan, Will Harrison, Dane Haylett-Petty, Reece Hodge, Michael Hooper, Tom Horton, Trevor Hosea, Len Ikitau, Harry Johnson-Holmes, Marika Koroibete, Noah Lolesio, Jack Maddocks, Tate McDermott, Fraser McReight, James O’Connor, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Hunter Paisami, Jordan Petaia, Matt Philip, Joe Powell, James Ramm, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Pete Samu, Rob Simmons, Irae Simone, Scott Sio, James Slipper, Lachie Swinton, Matt To’omua, Taniela Tupou, Jordan Uelese, Rob Valetini, Nic White, Harry Wilson, Liam Wright, Tom Wright.
– With AP
Comments on RugbyPass
Wasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
3 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
30 Go to comments