I’m a minority in that I very much support the selection of Sititi over Sotutu. How many times have we seen x-factor type players selected that just can’t transfer their form to the test arena. Sititi already has the size for an international number 8 and he hasn’t even finished filling out yet. He’s direct, abrasive and a great defender. Hoskins looks great in a dominant pack where he has freedom to use his flair but forward play in the international arena is very rarely about how much flair they have. It’s an arm wrestle and whoever can grind it out the longest usually comes out on top. His flair will be of little use when he has time and space drastically cut and he is up against forward packs who do not take a backward step.

I really like this squad and with Jordan, Taukei’aho and Roigard still to come back, there's good things ahead. The front row stocks are exciting, can't wait to see how our set piece and phase play develops with these guys over the next couple of years. Yeah Sotutu is unlucky but I can see the thinking with the loose forwards they've picked, he'll get his chance I'm sure as injuries are always a factor. Sititi looks like a generational talent though and bringing in young energy like this is important, Razor has always been good at this. Looking forward to a challenging 15 Test year for the ABs, bound to be some bumps along the way but I reckon there could be some sensational rugby to come from this team in 24.

Both Williams and Tosi are 300kg combined. I like Razors intention of size and power to go toe to toe up front. Fozzy and Hansen focused on trim mobile packs to play at speed. The line out is a concern with a shorter lineout. Exciting times though. Sotutu and Riccitelli unlucky uce

Keep in mind, Razor said this is the team to play against England. England are going to try and bully the AB's in the forwards, good luck with that. He also said that selection was determined on how people play on both sides of the ball. That's where Hoskins Sotutu doesn't quite cut it, its on defense and clearing rucks. This squad has a lot of raw power and mongrel attitude. This potential AB's forward pack is going to be brutal and is going to just smash into those England forwards all day! Here's the starting AB's forward pack in my opinion. Ethan de Groot Codie Taylor Tyrell Lomax Scott Barrett Patrick Tuipolutu Samipeni Finau Dalton Papali'i Ardie Savea Asafo Aumua Fletcher Newell Tamaiti Williams Tupou Vaa'i Either Ethan Blackadder, Wallace Sititi or Luke Jacobson (All three of those players can cover, 6, 7 and 8).

Scott ‘red card’ Barrett lol. Facts though.

Hey Wildkard 🎸🎸🖤🖤 give the new look All Blacks a lot of good wishes and luck...they deserve a chance and lets see how they gel as a team... Cheers buddy love your opinions and breakdown of these selections 🍻🍻

So pumped for this series

Brilliant, Brilliant. Keep it up boet. Lekker dag 👍👍

I think Marshall said it on the Breakdown that NZ must figure a way around the Rush defence pioneered by the Springboks ofcource. NZ has tried cross kicks, chip kicks and still has not yet figured a way to unlock that kind of defence.

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Height in the lineouts will be an issue, hopefully they'll be able to mitigate it, there's some great coaches on board, and I'm not overly worried. It's a really strong line up, feel bad for the guys that missed out, but it's just the start of very long year, and I don't doubt there'll be injuries, and cover required. Now the real work can start, it's going to be a great test season, pretty excited to see how Razor gets on, mildly confident tbh, cheers mate, another great analysis

Just a question, who take over captaincy when Scotty is red carded😂

You do realise the reason Barrett was moved to fullback was because his tactical kicking was rubbish otherwise great summary and i would sooner have Sam Darry in there than a extra prop......

The AB's are going to muscle up like the old days 💪🏾🇳🇿

I know there are some selection disappointments? But they all deserve their positions. Just see how Razor gels the team together. Exciting.

How can they miss out Sotutu ffs🤦🏽‍♂️🙄

You know bro, the AB has dominated world Rugby more often than not. You achieve this by dominating your opponent for a long time. Then it becomes Intimidating. Razor's choice of Captain is with this in mind. He chose hard heads with power and skills. It won't make a difference whose standing in front of them. It's about Mana.

The one thing about this squad that is concerning me is the lineout. We have NO height and no obvious defensive lineout players. The hooker will have to be spot on. Don't think we've had 2 sub 200cm locks since Robin Brooke and Ian Jones when Rugger went profeassional

Captain Intimidator Scott Enforcer Barrett 💪🏾🇳🇿.

As a safa, I fear this team and but more so this coach! Is this the return to the top? Just got to beat the new sleeper team, Australia.

Goeie dag Wildkard!! I honestly think they're making too much of this Razor guy. Sometimes new ideas are good but they don't always work out the way you've planned. International rugby and club rugby are completely 2 different levels but i guess we shall see.

Razor did say this AB selection was picked up to play England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 so he's not looking beyond this game. What will be his game plan ? I can only fk'n Guess.

WK how do you think england will do against the abs? Methinks an upset is afoot!

Line outs is the weakness.We don’t have world class line out jumper. All three locks are grunters not jumpers.Wallace Sititi is too short for international number eight. Sotutu is 6ft 4 ins and he is great line out jumper. Sam Darry absolutely hammered Vaai in the line outs.He is 6ft 8 ins and best jumper in NZ. Sotutu won 46 line outs during Super Rugby!! Both Sotutu and Darry absolutely destroyed the Chiefs.

Physical side.

Jacobson is a dying breed in rugby, he is the kind of player who will lose tight games for you due to discipline. Troy Flavell is a similar player. Neither deserved a spot in top tier rugby.

With roigard and will jordan back we will be dynamic enough, but id say weak centers and not much height in the lineout. Otherwise good team.

I don't know Savea was the vice captain he still holding that title is it because of the last name or his color, so so unfair 😢😢

Sotutu is a super rugby player. He occupies the same channels and is the same lanes as Ardie. It's time we build to ardies strengths. We need to compliment the World Rugby Player of the year. Wallace is young but has the size and skill and doesn't shy away from the breakdown. Sotutu isn't a lineout threat. Also Samipeni Finau would slot in a 6. We need a bit of grub in the black jersey

I like and have no problem with all the front row choices and am almost happy injuries give new hookers a go. Only 3 locks when none of them as currently injury reliable i find the most bizarre selections, 100% should be blooding a 4th one. Jacobson can and has played lock but there should be another startable lock for learning all the systems in injury cover. I laugh at you supporting Scott Barret for captain(far and away the most deliberate foul play infringer we've ever had) but criticizing others discipline. Blackadder hugely lucky with a tiny amount of form(it's good to be a crusader). If i was selecting i could easily have sent Finau or Jacobson away this season to work on their discipline, simply because there was so much high performing contest in the positions. Having said that, the semi final the chiefs comprehensively dominated the hurricanes in all 3 loosies making Lakai and Lose look lackluster. The final i could say the same from a selection stand point, head to head the chiefs loosies were better individuals despite the team getting dominated. Sotutu has been selected before and not performed, he's somewhat of a known quantity, unlucky off a great season, i think a poor final perfomance played his selection out. Sititi came in at 8 when Jacobson was injured at start of the season and was consistantly too good to drop so Jacobson just played a different position. How Christie keeps getting selected at halfback baffles me, i guess they want experience at the pivot even if it's consistantly average. I hoped it might be TJ and 2 new blood halfbacks. Ratima, Funaki, Fakatava, even all perform well ahead of Christie. Selection at 10 i find almost as bizarre as only 3 locks. 100% should be a proper 10 as well, not just Barret and Perofeta as cover. It stinks of Mo'unga all over. They love Ioane at centre despite still being a wing out of position and having an average season. Pleased to see Proctor get a go alongside Jordie even if Lienert-Brown is a better individual. Outside backs i find to be poor selections(especially when only have 3 locks). There should not be space for 3 one dimensional wings(Clarke, Reece, Tele'a) at the same time, Perofeta is a worse 10 than Plumber and a worse 15 than Zarn Sulivan(was gutted when he got injured, he would have been one of my breakthrough picks and hope for future 10). I wouldn't pick Perofeta ahead of Ruben Love unless he is your only additional 10 cover. I would have picked Nanai-Seturo as a kicking option ahead of one of the 3 attack only wingers at the least.

We may have another decade of nz powerhouse rugby just decimating everyone else in rugby. Or and this is a big or.... Was nz rugby better off when nz has a strong crusaders team feeding the national side?

It's a good first squad, but I think it will be different by the end of the year and going forward. End of year tour. Blackadder will get injured, Peter Lakai will come in. Will Jordan for Sevu Reece Cam Roigard for TJ Perenara I think they will add a few more players for the tour as well. Ruben Love, Soututu will hopefully be added

good that sotutu didnt make it, but he also should have got rid of woke perenara and perofeta cheese is terribly overrated, seems jk has an influence, he was a decent rugby player but he couldnt coach for shit. and what? sititi? no should have been very fast number 8 IOSE from the horrorchokers in there. since we dont have the best halfback in the world at the moment(Cam Roigard) hes injured maybe go with Christie hes easily the next best. Light on locks? only 3 locks. and va'ai is really a 6 hes not a lock. so really we have 2 and half locks. we need retallick back badly. George Bell I hope he gets heaps of game time hes bit of a dane coles very fast. taylor meh hes ok.crap thrower tho. Ethan de Groot yip pretty good. Ethan Blackadder even better again hes excellent. Samipeni Finau um nope hes another lucky one.

Sotutu drops the ball too much.

England will beat the ABs & the so called saviour coach will be on the chopping block 😂😂😂

Lakais overrated.

Bro stop raging it not healthy

Scott Robertson said it was a squad to beat England so take what you want from that