KEY POINTS:
Here is an earlier selection of Your Views:
Marboy01
Well done to the payers who have made the squad. I feel sorry the guys who did all they could to make the squad but didn't make it, I guess the coaches are the ones putting their necks on the edge and they have confidence in who they have chosen I only have two players of that squad who should not have made it but they did and they are Reuben Thorne and Andy Ellis. I feel that Troy Flavell and Piri Weepu should have made the squad I guess they say (coaches) it is form but that's just garbage considering there are players who have not all played that well this year i.e Chris Masoe, Reuben Thorne, Aaron Mauger, Byron Kelleher, Leon Mcdonald etc. Oh well, the team has been chosen and being a All Black fan and a Kiwi I really want them to be successful. Go the All Blacks.
David Brown
How did Rueben Thorne make it into the squad? Man that is just downright silly to bring that man back into the fold. He panics and goes into his shell in front of big crowds.
Hamersgirl
Well, couldn't have picked better! Only sorry I couldn't be chosen as a long standing All Black fan to be taken over there to cheer for the team. I have great faith in the ABs.
Welsh
It's amazing how many people know more that Henry, Hansen and Smith. The fact Thorne has survived 3 world cups in the face of such negative public opinions for so long is a testament to the man - I hope he scores the winning try and then retires in Hero Status - he deserves it.
TK Kiwi (Brisbane)
I fully agree with the team that you guys have picked. Well done! Everyone is bagging us for losing against Australia but they only got on top when we were down to 14 players. Sorry to the boys that missed out especially Rico and Piri. Rico would make a good centre as Tana did when he was transferred to centre. Go you All Blacks. Kia Kaha and god bless.
Bob (Cambridge)
It is interesting that the AB team named is actually a national team coming from a spread of provincial sources, rather than a "mainly" Canterbury or Auckland team with a few extra fill-ins. My count has the following counts from each of the provinces:
Waikato 6, Canterbury 6, Wellington 5, Auckland 5, Otago 3, North Harbour 2, Taranaki 1 and Tasman 1. Maybe this team, representing the broad spread of New Zealand talent, will fare better in France than the recent World Cup teams dominated by a single province.
Anaru (The Mount)
I don't think Piri played bad enough to be dropped. No stand out performance either, however thought his performance in South Africa was solid. All of the ABs had below standard performances over the Tri-Nations and French tests and I don't think Piri's performance was exceptionally bad. Possibly the coaching staff thought it was his performance off the field and/or his style being so similar to Byron's. That said, I still back the ABs 100 per cent for the RWC. Kia kaha boys! Also, I think Richie should lead the haka, he's our leader on the field, there's a support network for him, being Maori shouldn't be a pre-requisite.)
Ahonie
Ellis is a good player but they should have added Weepu, he has more experience and has had game time with the All Blacks rather then Junior All Blacks. It's a bit sad having him in the team for Tri-Nations and then saying it's by form? You can't pick form from two different teams. Also Troy should have been picked instead of Reuben. But I guess the selectors know what they are doing.
DC
How long has Anton Oliver had to learn how to throw the ball into the lineout - and still he gets it wrong. He must have friends in high places methinks.
JA
To the Aussie who thinks there's "no Maoris left in the All Blacks". Who lead the Haka on Saturday? Yes Carl Hayman is part Maori, along with Luke McCallister, Arron Mauger & Leon MacDonald. Go the All Blacks!
Rud
Balanced new with old. Good tight stuff high impact run-ons. Ali Williams more height. All in all very hard to combat.
Paul W
It will be very interesting to see if all those who are currently so confident that the ABs will choke in the semis change their tune once the ABs win the World Cup. My bet is that they will become the people who prance around saying they never doubted it. Typical. G Henry and the selectors select players on form and team dynamics, they do not make selections on personal issues as some people tend to believe.
Weepu is out of form, that's a fact. Unfortunately for him there are other half backs who currently are in great form. Selections have to be made without hoping people will return to form while leaving those who are in form back in NZ. Go All Blacks!
The Oracle
The ABs will take out the World Cup. Dan Carter will be Player of the Tournament. McCaw will prove again why he is the best No.7 on earth. Lauaki and Collins will prove to be the most destructive rugby players offensively and defensively in France. The ABs will score the most tries in the tournament The ABs will have the best defensive record at the World Cup South Africa will be the only team to be within 15 points.
Masher (Canterbury)
Juzzy, perhaps you should stay in Melbourne if you are going to support the Wallabies. Graham Henry is charged with picking the best team, and he is the one who is being held accountable. The team that either you or I would pick will never play or be tested. I would have thought the game on Saturday evening against the Wallabies should have silenced all critics.
DCoppersmith
It appears to me that the majority of people posting things on this are insane. Some are saying Gear should be in at the expense of Masoe. Hmmmm... Nonu instead of McAlister? The negativity towards Reuben Thorne is crazy. He's a going to his third world cup. Invaluable experience. We can't have all guys running around not thinking and throwing passes without looking. We need a guy capable of coming on remaining clearheaded and knuckling down to some solid, apparently invisible, work. It's also funny to hear you people slamming Kelleher. He's too old, too indecisive and his pass is too slow. Hmmmm, again weren't they saying exactly the same things about one J.Marshall a few years ago. As soon as our players get to the top we lose our fascination with them and then spend our time trying to cut them done. Let's support these guys and then if they lose we'll tear them down to size.
Hurricanes supporter
How did Piri Weepu get left out is somewhat a mystery, as for Byron Kellaher I would have picked Weepu over him any day, look at the high error rate Byron has had. He stresses under pressure, even cries when the National Anthem plays, we don't want girls playing. If you are going on experience because the guy has played before at a World Cup, he looses the ball.
Graham Henry mentioned on the news on 22.7.07 that they picked Andrew Ellis because he played well for the Junior All Blacks and that Weepu was not up to form. I bet if you put Weepu into the Junior All Blacks he would look really good. As far as I am concerned you have not given him a chance. Weepu, I would suggest, go to Aussie and play rugby, obviously your future is not here in rugby and good luck to you. It will be New Zealand's loss. Flavell should have been picked over Thorne, Thorne can come across as a nice guy, what does Thorne do, sometimes you don't see him, seems to be sleeping, another player who does not feature.
Bryan
The selectors have chosen who they think are the best. We saw a little of an expanded game plan on Saturday, and the Australian forwards certainly felt it. Time to stop picking the team apart, put our energy behind the team with 100 per cent support and help the boys bring home the cup.
Dazza
I believe Piri Weepu should be in team. He must have done something wrong off field. After watching him play five eight in super 14 and kicking long range penalties he could have been a good back up to Carter in my opinion as well as halfback.
Concerned
I think the experience of Weepu will be sorely missed at the world cup. While Piri's form hasn't been setting the world on fire, if anything was to happen to Byron, I would hate to be approaching the world cup semi or final with the Leonard starting and Ellis as back up.
Steve (Auckland)
Juzzy Melbourne writes that Graham Henry doesn't know what he is doing! Maybe he should look at the performance of the team under Henrys tutorage! It speaks for itself! Another Aussie with to much to say! Credit where credit is due.
ChrisC (North Shore)
Graham Henry is crazy! Bring back Buck, and Goldie, and Michael Jones. Drop Carter. He missed a goal. Drop Thorne. You never see him. So what if he's "doing the hard yards". Drop Toeava. I can't say his name or spell it. Aussie really should have won. The only thing that stopped them was not looking like they would. It's crazy how the All Blacks don't play that well, yet we still win comfortably. Something should be done about it.
Joern (Hamburg, Germany)
I think besides including Ellis and to a lesser extend Lauaki this is not a really surprising squad for the world cup. To me, Thorne was the second best blindside behind Collins last year, very reliable, doing all the dirty stuff that you don't see on TV, but this year I think he played pretty average rugby and what he really lacks is fire and aggression. The selectors keep him in high regard for whatever reason, but I just hope they know something we don't know (and don't see of course!), cause otherwise it could backfire big time. I don't wanna see him playing lock against a good opponent, absolutely not! Flavell didn't play particularly well the last couple of games, but he is still the much better cover at lock. In general I don't understand why they didn't pick another true openside flanker to cover McCaw. I'm praying that we won't need one cause Richie is playing every game, but if so, there is no cover whatsoever. Masoe can play all three lose forward positions but unfortunately neither of them really well. :-( From my point of view Marty Holah or Daniel Braid should have been on the plane to France. I really like the inclusion of Lauaki. Really do. When he's healthy he is a devastating ballrunner and when you bring such a player on against a tired defence after 60 minutes, watch out. Intimidating guy, I like this pick! Regarding the situation at halfback, I agree with most of the guys here. Don't think that Weepu did enough to secure his place this season, but if you look at the form of Kelleher right now I guess I missed the moment or the games when he secured his spot and outplayed Weepu. I think he is badly out of form and his passing was never the best, but right now even his running is questionable at least. Halfback scares me. Besides Leonard it wasn't really a bright spot in the last couple of games. I trust the selectors quite a lot actually and so I think it's pretty important to support the team and the 30 guys who are going to France now! Stand in black!
Rambo (Auckland)
Lauki, not much game time, but Isee a lot of potential in him. Go back to the fend he did on McCaw - "nasty". Ellis?? Don't know much of him, but still prefer Weepu. So Weepu, come to League we need a playmaker.
Leaky (Palmerston North)
Good squad - would not take Tovea as he is well below par. Pleased Flavell is not there also.
Tiigr
Just one more message for the selection panel don't forget about that number 13 and have a second look at Casey Laulala, he's better than Conrad Smith. And please for the backs if you guys play Australia at the World Cup I hate watching Mortlock breaking tackles. Please please pass this on to Sitiveni from me TIIGR (he knows me) to tackle Mortlock and let him feel it man, give him an island hit. It's better to give than to receive. Good luck and bring the Cup back to where it belongs! Kia kaha.
Anton Vernall (Seattle)
Henry has clearly made a mistake. I agree that Weepu has had his chances, but Flavell and Thorne should never have been fighting it out for 1 spot, because they clearly play different positions. Flavell is a lock. Thorne is a 6. The fact that Lauaki has been included (which I agree with) resulting in the dropping of Flavell doesn't make sense. Don't believe Thorne is an international lock for a min. Lauaki should have been chosen at the expense of Thorne with the fact that Lauaki can play 6 and 8 off the bench. Neither Thorne or Masoe were used off the bench against Aus because they are there for replacement only not impact. The bench will most likely decide the WC with an up-step of intensity, which leads us to the huge debate of a back up no7, we all know that if McCaw pulled out of WC with injury, Holah will be needed. Every other position has a number of replacement options but somehow no 7 has been overlooked. We all know they plan on using McCaw for a full 80 being captain. But they have no backup plan if he is injured during the game. Imagine. Who's captain? Thorne off the bench? Masoe at 7? Hahahaha! Yeah right Tui. It kind of reminds me of the Titanic. First the owners claimed that even God couldn't sink this ship and then to make it worse, out of arrogance they began there voyage without enough life boats. Good luck Henry but your prayers won't protect McCaw from being a target. Holah is the answer.
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