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The play that made Israel Dagg profess Emoni Narawa 'has deadset got to be' an All Black
The ever-growing list of outside-backs vying for a spot in the All Blacks‘ World Cup campaign promises to give Ian Foster’s selection panel endless headaches with no respite until the 33-man squad is announced later this year.
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The unfortunate ACL injury to Sevu Reece has opened up the door for one player not previously selected, while Jordie Barrett’s move to the midfield may well provide another roster spot in the outsides.
In the likely case that Beauden Barrett is again selected as a first five-eighth – despite playing primarily at fullback in 2022 – there is an opportunity for two potential World Cup bolters before any of the incumbents are challenged.
Those incumbents are Leicester Fainga’anuku, Caleb Clarke and Will Jordan, although Jordan was sidelined later in 2022 with an inner ear issue that made way for Mark Telea on the End of Year Tour.
Telea will again find himself in the running for a spot, along with the impressive Chiefs fullback Shaun Stevenson and the most recent attention grabber, Emoni Narawa.
Narawa’s form has caught the eye of many Super Rugby Pacific fans, including All Blacks coach Ian Foster, who acknowledged the 23-year-old’s form as well as the opportunity for selection in Reece’s absence, telling SENZ’ The Run Home that “we are putting the spotlight on that space, so it’s a good time to be playing well as an outside back.”
One pundit who has been hesitant to endorse Narawa’s All Blacks contention is 66-cap outside back Israel Dagg, but after yet another dynamic outing for the Chiefs over the weekend, Dagg admitted he’s now aboard the Narawa hype-train.
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“There’s been a lot of hype about this player, and I haven’t bought into the hype yet … I’ve been so set on my certain players in this position,” Dagg told SENZ Breakfast.
“But over the weekend, I could understand why the hype is there, I can understand why he has been touted to be a bolter come the end of the year.
“This guy scored probably one of the most freakish individual tries I have ever seen.
“Emoni Narawa … when DMac passed him the ball and he did an outside step on I think it was Billy Harmon, got on the outside and then he stood Sam Gilbert up and he ran about 50 metres to score that try, that for me painted the picture of why people are taking genuine notice of this kid.
SOLOOOO 🔥
Emoni Narawa puts on the burners for this @ChiefsRugby try!#SuperRugbyPacific #HIGvCHI pic.twitter.com/W5cCITgF7R
— Super Rugby Pacific (@SuperRugby) May 5, 2023
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“He is devastating. He has deadset got to be in the conversation come the All Blacks (selections) later in the year.
“With Sevu Reece out, you’ve got to take Emoni Narawa.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
35 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
35 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
35 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
35 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
35 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
18 Go to comments