Mealamu
Taylor
Elliot's a top lineout thrower but the AB lineout is reigning supreme and he doesn't bring the same energy to his ball-carrying game as he used to. Taylor nabs his spot. Meanwhile Hansen must be over the moon with Coles' development.
O. Franks
B. Franks
Woodcock
Crockett
Laulala
Faumuiana would probably have been in here, not to sleight Laulala but to keep some others honest. The other frontrowers have all been somewhat lazy of late. Too late for a clean out. Unfortunately the recent head knock puts him out til the naming of the squad.
Time to bring it again, Brodie
Whitelock
Retallick
Romano
No 4th lock....Thrush is no more than an honest 2nd rower. Does some hard graft but zero X factor. Broadhurst will have to wait til next season. He slipped up bigtime versus South Africa and now has question marks come the big knock out games. Kaino will have to cover. Confidence in our present lineout allows this.
1st XV?
Read
McCaw
Cane
Kaino
Vito
Messam
Messam will owe his spot to the fact no 4th lock put their hand up. Recently he has muscled up as demanded by our #6s but his error-rate has skyrocketed as well as needless penalties. Vito has been arguably the top performing NZ loosie this Super season (only competition coming from Hurricanes teammates Savea, Blade Thomson and Brad Shields....both the latter should be in ahead of Messam). Though a #8 and having had previous problems stepping into the blindside role, Vito brings greater speed and ball handling. He will have Messam's spot on the bench in big games, maybe even stealing the 6 jersey from Kaino who seems a shadow of his former self.
Smith
Perenara
To accommodate all the below players we're only taking 2 9s to the Cup, taking advanatage of the injury replacement if needed. In the group games any of the below will suffice as back up if one of the former need a week out.
Carter
Barrett
Sopoaga
Slade
Normally I'd have had Slade as the unlucky one but Hansen's decision to rest him from NPC action raises eyebrows. Sopoaga has to be the first back should Carter go down and Hansen will give him a group game starting, come knock out time he won't be used on the bench That spot going to Barrett.
Please don't fall over
Nonu
Williams
Smith
Fekitoa
Nonu is in the form of his life and Williams won't get a look in. On recent form he shouldn't even be in the squad. Fekitoa doesn't deserve his place either. All Blacks just don't have error rates that high. He'll get a run in done and dusted games or, if we're under the pump and need something out of the hat. Hope like hell Nonu and Smith stay fit. Losing Nonu is going to screw us. I'd have gone with George Moala (the closest to a Nonu replica there is) and Charlie Ngatai (though I do like the look of the Blues' Hamish Northcote). At the very least I hope Moala is the new Nonu 2016.
No room for Israel?
B.Smith
Savea
Milner-Skudder
Piutau
Unfortunate for Dagg but he gets squeezed out. I'm sure Hansen and co are pretty desperate to take him but at whose cost? I'd argue that our best performing backline in recent years is with Smith on the wing and Dagg at 15. But Smith is arguably the world's best fullback and Piutau, though not the current favourite son, is the best performing All Black back this year. Can't leave out The Bus or the dazzling feet of the latest whizzkid on the block. Jane is undercooked, him and the outstanding Osbourne will be monitored as backups during the ITM Cup.
