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Mix of international experience and uncapped talent included as North vs South squads named

(Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

The squads for the eagerly-awaited North vs South match scheduled for Saturday 29 August have been named.

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The squads have been selected by the All Blacks selectors Ian Foster, Grant Fox and John Plumtree.  The All Blacks assistant coaches will coach the two sides, with Plumtree and Scott McLeod coaching the North and Brad Mooar and Greg Feek coaching the South.

Foster said the selectors were delighted to name the North and South squads today.

“This is a chance for these players to be part of something really special.  It’s a once-in-a-generation match for them and players who have previously taken part in these matches have talked about how unique and memorable it was. Now these two teams get to write their own history and stories around this match.

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“The match will bring out the best in everyone and I’m sure there will be parochial rivalry in spades.  It’s a special game because it celebrates where the players made their provincial debuts and, for some, where they really took those first steps in their professional careers,” Foster said.

“The players have worked really hard and played some outstanding rugby in Investec Super Rugby Aotearoa, and we’re excited at the breadth of talent up and down the country.  There’s a huge amount of talent here and it will be a wonderful celebration of rugby for our fans.”

Sam Whitelock has been named as captain of the South team and Patrick Tuipulotu captain of the North.

“Sam and Patrick are two special players who’ve had outstanding seasons. They will lead their sides with their own flavour as captains and are both proven and experienced leaders,” Foster said.

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The North v South match is steeped in history, with the first match played in 1897 (won by the North 16-3) and was last played in Dunedin in 2012 (won by the South 32-24). The 2020 match will be the 81st match with the Northerners having won 50 matches and the South 27, with three draws.

A number of players were unavailable for selection due to injury, including 2019 All Blacks Dane Coles, Scott Barrett, Sam Cane and Ngani Laumape.

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The two squads will assemble in Wellington on Monday, but with the final venue for the match yet to be confirmed between Auckland’s Eden Park and Wellington’s SKY Stadium, Foster said the coaches and management weren’t worried by the uncertainty.

“One thing about 2020 with Covid-19 is that you have to be nimble and agile and this week and next will be no different. We’re adjusting and adapting, we’ll look forward to getting to Wellington and getting stuck into our preparation,” Foster said.

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A final decision on the venue for the match will be made following the Government’s review of Covid-19 levels on Friday.

The North and South squads (and the player’s first province played for) are as follows:

NORTH SQUAD

Hookers: Asafo Aumua (Wellington), Ash Dixon (Hawke’s Bay) and Kurt Eklund (Auckland).

Props: Alex Fidow (Wellington), Ayden Johnstone (Waikato), Angus Ta’avao (Auckland), Karl Tu’inukuafe (North Harbour) and Ofa Tuungafasi (Auckland).

Locks: Scott Scrafton (Auckland), Patrick Tuipulotu (Auckland and captain) and Tupou Vaa’i (Taranaki).

Loose forwards: Lachlan Boshier (Taranaki), Akira Ioane (Auckland), Dalton Papalii (Auckland), Ardie Savea (Wellington) and Hoskins Sotutu (Auckland).

Halfbacks: TJ Perenara (Wellington), Aaron Smith (Manawatu) and Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi (Taranaki).

First five-eighths: Beauden Barrett (Taranaki).

Midfielders: Rieko Ioane (Auckland), Anton Lienert-Brown (Waikato) and Peter Umaga-Jensen (Wellington).

Outside backs: Caleb Clarke (Auckland), Mitchell Hunt (Auckland), Damian McKenzie (Waikato), Sevu Reece (Waikato) and Mark Telea (North Harbour).

SOUTH SQUAD

Hookers: Liam Coltman (Otago), Andrew Makalio (Tasman) and Codie Taylor (Canterbury).

Props: George Bower (Otago), Alex Hodgman (Canterbury), Nepo Laulala (Canterbury), Tyrel Lomax (Tasman) and Joe Moody (Canterbury).

Locks: Mitchell Dunshea (Canterbury), Manaaki Selby-Rickit (Southland) and Samuel Whitelock (Canterbury and captain).

Loose forwards: Tom Christie (Canterbury), Shannon Frizell (Tasman), Dillon Hunt (Otago), Reed Prinsep (Canterbury) and Tom Sanders (Canterbury).

Halfbacks: Finlay Christie (Tasman), Mitchell Drummond (Canterbury) and Brad Weber (Otago).

First five-eighths: Josh Ioane (Otago) and Richie Mo’unga (Canterbury).

Midfielders: Braydon Ennor (Canterbury), Leicester Faingaanuku (Tasman), Jack Goodhue (Canterbury) and Sio Tomkinson (Otago).

Outside backs: Jordie Barrett (Canterbury), George Bridge (Canterbury) and Will Jordan (Tasman).

– New Zealand Rugby

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J
JW 8 minutes ago
Can Les Bleus avoid a Black-wash in New Zealand?

-last season was a RWC season, which always means more games

I didn’t look at every (in fact I only looked at NZ lol) body but it actually means less games

(especially the Munster ones)

Yes quite noticeable, and that if Leinster and Toulouse are a mirror, didn’t the Toulousian stars still have higher minutes?

Could Doris’ last longer season have an impact on his injury

Good question, he had 1383 from 19 through till that point. No idea what his injury was but that’s a good amount of minutes again, his replacement had 5 more URC matches following the injury, you could predict 5-600 more minutes on top (another full load). I’d say yes it could and no it probably didn’t lol

looked at the ones that had the highest figures. The numbers in the season before and the one after are usually different.

Yes and it would be very easy to check thanks to that great site (just middle mouse every player). Certainly I noted the ones in Lions are less. Maybe that is planned as they have 5 or so more games yet but could indeed be seasonal. It just too hard to know imo and taking a basic average is enough. I suppose they have 10 more Lions games from the point of that data and if you expect them to share minutes thats 5x1200 added, making a season ending 23 likely totalling 42k minutes, much higher than the previous years.

If players are tired with no gas, get injured and miss half of the next season, that’s not a good input for a game

Yeah totally, that is a holistic season to season picture though, we are talking about a single key tour during a 4 WC cycle.

players from the C team were.. or are injured … so that quite conveniently lowers the bar, while still being unrealistic, as they would not tour anyway

Yes I have brought up that point myself too, it could have been much different, as it’s only “Unrealistic” judging by the example Galthie set in his selections. Who numbers, maybe he had some theoretical/imaginary marker where he said “if I can get enough players to cross this point, I’ll risk selecting my best available to try and win” but because too many became unavailable he decided it wasn’t worth it/couldn’t reach the quality he thought needed to win, so decide to go development instead.

347 Go to comments
T
TT 42 minutes ago
Jason Ryan unpacks selection changes and their future impact

AB forward pack solidifying & experimenting nicely. Yes need all combinations, including back ups, tested & solidified asap.


The backline's down the other end of the spectrum, from 9 back ups to wings is all up in the air. Mainly because to many have been given too many chances to prove themselves for too long, ie while NZ other backline riches languish… or move to Japan, eg the 1 thing that has to be stopped, if it can, is NZ's most powerful centre, & exactly what ABs need, move to Japan, ie Peter Umaga-Jensen.


Add backline talent like Fakatava, D.McKenzie (permanently), Josh Jacomb, Tavatavanaw, Q.Tupaea, again Peter Umaga-Jensen, Billy Proctor, AJ Lam, Narawa, Tangitau, Naholo


This is the AB squad & team to win every future test, including the next RWC.


Order in preference /{1st pick}/ [ONJ=Once Not Injured ] / (back up)


1 {De Groot} [ONJ - Williams, Tu’ungafasi] Ollie Norris


2 { Taylor } Taukei’aho [ONJ - Aumua]


3 {Tosi} [ONJ - Lomax ] (Newell )


4,5 Locks {[ONJ - S.Barrett], Holland, Tuipulotu }, ( Vaa’i , Antonio Shalfoon, Isaia Walker-Leawere, [ONJ - Oliver Haig] )


6,7,8 Loose forwards { A.Savea, [ONJ - Lakai, Sititi], Finau, Kirifi } (Christian Lio-Willie, Vaa’i )


9 {Roigard } Ratima (Fakatava)


10 {D.McK} B.Barrett (Josh Jacomb)


12 {Tavatavanawai} Q.Tupaea (Billy Proctor)


13 { Peter Umaga-Jensen} Billy Proctor (AJ Lam)


11, 14 { W.Jordan, Narawa } [ONJ - Tangitau, Naholo] (Reece , C.Clarke)


15 {J.Barrett} B.Barrett (Love)

2 Go to comments
J
JW 1 hour ago
Can Les Bleus avoid a Black-wash in New Zealand?

Common now, I checked, and I have also seen your replies to Graham just now. You know the AB tests rated higher. A ‘Friendly’! You know they go back in history even further, right?


So I can’t believe you are correct when you say it brings in the money. I can understand though playing better nations than those in the 6N but which don’t have a profile (like how Argentina is still a hard rate in NZ even after years of high performance), don’t generate the same interest as Wales etc. You’re also not going to have a SA or a NZ touring every November, and Wallabies are no longer the benchmark.


I mean I wouldn’t doubt that the most obvious revenue factor is a 6N component, not trying to say that it isn’t, just that fans show that it needn’t be. November test should still generate a high amount of revenue. As a topic it is all redundant now as the November tests (and July) are going to have a competitive factor.


Hopefully the quality of nations continue to rise and you can have three blockbuster teams touring every year in the not too distant future. 10 or 11 games might be right around the perfect number for a minimum tier 1 test nation too. I’m sure you’re going to make the rest of your season fit around that (those aren’t 100% things at all).


So although WR have already implemented change, I do still agree with your opinion that things are pretty good as they are. I only see a little improvement needed before France can really step up to All Blacks or Springbok level. You might think that a joke and that you will always look up to these teams but as a nation you really can do/go one better.

347 Go to comments
J
JW 1 hour ago
Can Les Bleus avoid a Black-wash in New Zealand?

It was a reply to both your posts sorry, I mean stuff you replied to NB about only focusing on 6N and hoping that.. narrowness will benefit a WC campaign.


I think WCs are harder to win than that (requires many factors other than being able to play the best winning rugby), and 5 matches that aren’t must win and are broken up is not a good test (especially compared what the All Blacks offered).

I’m fully aware that French International players participation into Top 14, European Cups & 6 Nations will hinder their preparation for a WC.

So I wasn’t saying suggesting that. Your competitions are fine, they just aren’t going to provide everything.


Interesting insight on the last campaign, and again, those components they’re adding are also practical and sensible attempts to improve their chances at a WC. So they question remains, why go to those lengths and throw it all away by not picking a better team to travel to New Zealand?


I’ve suggested in other topics they are really close to making it work, but also the data that’s been presented in this articles shows that even now they could have also made the tour to NZ work.


That is both in the view as presented here by NB and what other players were available, and in the long term planning that you say Galthie has undertaken, in not taking the opportunity to make it work even better (factors like the dates of these tests could have seen finalists available from test 1) for a tour like this.


TBH, I can understand if Galthie made a calculated decision to undervalue the tour. Many have had a bad opinion about the All Blacks ability/level under Foster, and even in test 1 he might have shown such an attitude to be correct still under Razor.

347 Go to comments
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