My NZSS Squad 2017

So this is MY NZSS Team and I went with 32 players cause I thought that is a good number to have as a full squad, get heaps of cover, the boys dont get to bashed around and also because they are going to Australia they cant just easily find cover. I dont know how much the Selectors will take but this is just what I think, also I AM NOT A SELECTOR these are just my thoughts and what I think is the best for NZSS. I think the players selected were the best we have APART from Hayze Perham and also Etene Nanai who I would put in this squad in a heart beat. This talent we have this year I feel like we could get 5 All Blacks out of this lot, you have to also remember the number of players that go to Super Rugby is around 3% and AB’s even less, so 5 AB’s in this group is a lot.

So I have 8 Hastings BHS players in my Squad and I think that is very fare, with 4 from Hamilton BHS. There is a very good mix of players from around the country as well apart from the Hamilton and Hastings connection and that is just the way it worked out. I have 2 Year 12 players that I feel will be the 9 and 10 next year and so I think they will get selected this year in the team to give them experience and also cause they are at that level, so thats why Louie Chapman and Rivez Raihana are in the team. Josiah Tavita and Kianu Kereru-Symes in the front row is to me obvious and Kianu at Hooker is what they have tried in the Hurricanes which I think worked great from them. I put in there George Dyer a Prop that goes through a lot of work through out the game and is very good picking spots in the defence when he runs the ball. His combo with Kianu will be the same as if it was with Sam Cooper who is also one of the top Hookers in the country. Sam and Kianu will almost play the same style and so having one or the other to me wont make a difference. The Props having Josiah , George, Fatongia, Ollie and Finlay from the bench gives the team a wide range of work horse players and guys that have very good offensive games. I would rely a lot on Fatongia and Ollie for their running style because they are very big runners and can fit different Pod’s. Ollie is still working on his scrums but has gotten a lot better since he moved in there, Finlay a very good scrummager I think will be a good guy to come in late in the game and put the pressure on. Kianu and Sam are top picks for Hooker, but I think Shilo has to be mentioned too. Like I said I wasn’t really a fan at first but I am convinced that he belongs in this stage of talent and has worked hard to be there. His game is similar to the other two and so when he gets in there it will be the same effect on the game.

Lock and loose forwards was kind of a combined thing cause I wanted to make sure they there was “Grind” attitude and a “Mongrel” from the 2nd row area. So Tupou and Naitoa I picked as Locks with Cullen Grace on the bench BUT, I selected Charles Alaimalo to also fill the roles of jumper, runner and tackler as his core roles. I want to show different looks and make sure that everyone could jump as well as lift. If you look at my bench Josh Bosker can cover Lock and Blind and is a jumper, Curtis Williams a line out option, Calum a ball carrier, tackler and lifter. So there is a massive mix of guys but they all fit a large amount of things I want accomplished on the field. Tupou’s running game is going to be a point I think the team should stand on because he does make a massive difference with the ball running it into the defence and then being the play maker as well. I think Tupou, Charles and Devan as one set Pod would be great because they could really make for a good running trio. I think that you could also run a mix of Josh, Calum and Curtis with Curtis as a 7 and Calum at No.8 and have them move as one for a quick run set to setup the midfield. Devan will be placed any where you see fit because he is that type of player, this forward pack I think will be one of the strongest I have seen over the last 5 years. My Opensides Jeriah and Glen make for quick, speed worthy and fit players that are hard to move off the ball and they tackle all day. Jeriah takes the starting spot because I think he is just physically stronger and has worked with a better team over the last two years, in saying that if Glen played for Hastings for the last two years I would have him start. The move-able players like Cullen Grace, Curtis Williams and Josh Bosker make this team leveled and pulls it all together.

Folau and Lincoln would be my starting 9 and 10 for this team and I think it works well with all the other Hastings player in the team. That is not the most interesting thing for me though, for me it’s having Lincoln work with real heavy Midfielders like Quinn and Lalomilo. See if you look at Hasting BHS they have flash and quick footed beat you on the outside midfielders but now you have some explosive muscle to work with. I would like to see Lincoln really use the both of them to run dummies and decoys for each other and see how the defence handles it. I really dont think they will be able to handle Lincolns skill set and quickness when they are worried about two massive dudes smashing into them. Quinn is a hard player to read and stop when he’s on the run, Quinn can show many different ways of running his angles and can change it at a drop of a dime and crash into your line and that’s what I hope he does in this team. Lalomilo is also one explosive and powerful runner that smashes guys off and can deliver a long pass to the wings. Also I would like to see the use of the midfielders playing in closer and seeing a halfback to midfield coming in on an angle, Brad at half back would be great at that cause he plays closer to the line and has tight pass that could hit runners on the spot too. Seeing Brad hit Lalomilo with a pass coming into the line and flicking it out to a Lincoln or even Rivez 2nd phase setup would be cool to watch. Brad and Rivez will have a good combo going if they get that chance to play together it would be very good defensively as well cause both handle themselves well. Louie and Rivez are the future and Louie is one of those guys that is ahead of everyone and he’ll get bigger and be one of those Stars I think.

I have Tautau Kapea on the wider bench cause as his combo with Quinn works I also think it could work with Lalomilo, and I think Leicester if needed can make that jump from the wing to Center. Lemeki and Leicester will work well with the midfield and Danny Toala thats why I had them all together in that back trio. I see a lot of shifts in the back line with these players and I think these 3 are smart enough to sit down and come up with their own schemes and moves on counter attack and kicks and shut downs. I think having players like Kaleb coming in Kini and even Johnny they all have that ability to fit into each others roles and smart enough they can figure it out on the run, not saying thats what they should do but I feel they can adapt to it. I think it will be interesting to see Kaleb Talamahina, Johnny Cooper and Kini Naholo all on at the same time and seeing them work with that space, work with the timing and seeing them create on broken turnover ball, that would be fun to watch. Johnny fits the Fullback and wing roles and should be the one that is the Knot for the back 3, I think even if Johnny and Kaleb played in the back 3 and went for a kicking game plan I think they would still make ground because both are very good at seeing down the field and placing the kicks where they want it.

If my team is even close to this then that cool if not oh well, but I think this team is “Mint” and holds on the field in every aspect of the game. Regardless of who is Selected I think they will be great and will beat Australia again.

1. Josiah (Metcalfe) Tavita (Hastings BHS)
2. Kianu Kereru-Symes (Hastings BHS)
3. George Dyer (St Pauls Collegiate)
4. Naitoa Ah Kuoi (Wellington College)
5. Tupou Vaai (Wesley College)
6. Charlie Alaimalo (Hamilton BHS)
7. Jeriah Sai Mua (Hastings BHS)
8. Devan Flanders (Hastings BHS)(VC)
9. Folau Fakatava (Hastings BHS)
10. Lincoln McClutchie (Hastings BHS)
11. Lemeki Namoa (Sacred Heart College)
12. Quinn Tupaea (Hamilton BHS)(C)
13. Lalomilo Lalomilo (De La Salle College)
14. Leicester Faingaanuku (Nelson College)
15. Danny Toala (Hastings BHS)

16. Fatongia Paea (Sacred Heart College)
17. Ollie Norris (St Peters School)
18. Sam Cooper (St Paul’s Collegiate)
19. Cullen Grace (Timaru BHS)
20. Glen Beardsley (Shirley BHS)
21. Brad McNaughten (Hamilton BHS)
22. Rivez Reihana (St Kentigern College)Y12
23. Kaleb Talamahina (Southland BHS)

24. Shilo Klien (St Andrews College)
25. Finlay Brewis (Westlake BHS)
26. Josh Bokser (Napier BHS)
27. Curtis Williams (Southland BHS)
28. Calum McNab (St Peters College)

29. Louie Chapman (Christchurch BHS)Y12
30. Johnny Cooper (Westlake BHS)
31. Kini Naholo (Hastings BHS)
32. Tauterangimarie Kapea (Hamilton BHS)