All Blacks 2011 Tri-Nations Squad Predictions: What to Expect This Weekend

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: July 6, 2011

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The much anticipated naming of the 2011 All Blacks team will finally take place on Sunday morning, ahead of the Tri-Nations and a one-off test with Fiji. It is also likely to be a good indicator of who the "Three Wise Men" will take into the Rugby World Cup later this year.

They are a team gifted with so much talent all over the field, which will make for some tough decisions, as some good players will have to be left out.

Whether they pick by form or by past experience will have a big impact on who the players chosen will be. It's unlikely that the selectors will look to change too much at this late stage, but some players have put their hands up by playing out of their skin, while others from last year's team have been awful this year. How much of an influence this will have on the naming of the team is anyone's guess.

Now to the team.

Firstly, we must decide how many players will be chosen in each position. From past teams and from what the selectors have said already, it seems likely there will be four props, three hookers, four locks, five loose forwards, three halfbacks, two fives-eighths, four midfielders and five outside backs. 

The props are likely to consist of the Franks brothers, Owen and Ben. Both have been very good over the past two years and have been large factors in the dominant Crusaders scrum. John Afoa will get the nod after a good Super 15, as well as having the ability to play both sides of the scrum, making him a useful player to have particularly as cover. With Tony Woodcock unlikely to be fit, one spot remains. Wyatt Crockett is undoubtedly the front-runner to fill this spot, on the back of an outstanding Super 15, where he was arguably the most improved player of the competition.



 

Keven Mealamu will be the No. 1 hooker, but the other two spots are largely up for debate. Andrew Hore has all the experience in the world, but his form in 2011 ha...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Rugby Union

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