All Blacks Tri-Nations Squad Features Surprise Omissions

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: June 27, 2010

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Hosea Gear, Luke McAlister, Adam Thomson, Zac Guilford . What do all these names have in common? If you had have asked me this morning, I would have told you that they were rugby players who were all to be named in the 2010 All Blacks Tri -Nations squad. And I'm sure many other people would have done too.

It came as a shock then, to hear not one of these names read out when the All Black selectors named their 28-man squad to contest the Tri -Nations starting on July 10.

While the squad seems an improvement on last year's Tri -Nations team, it still seems clear that there are some deserving of a spot who can't seem to break into the selectors' ranks. 

Rampaging winger Hosea Gear still isn't able to break into the team despite his form over the past two seasons. After scoring a Lomu -like hat-trick against England on Wednesday, many expected to hear his name read this morning. While he may not be the most skillful winger, he is certainly the most dangerous in New Zealand rugby and is a real handful for opposing defences. So why then do you not pick a player of this calibre?

Sure, if you have someone better then that's just bad luck for Gear. But Joe Rokocoko ? It's time we moved on. He was a great winger but these days he just doesn't offer the same threat he has done in years gone by. His skills under the high ball are questionable and heading into a competition where you are playing three tests against the Springboks, that is very worrying.

What Joe does offer is good off ball play. He hits a lot of rucks and goes looking for work. I would have had no problem with his inclusion in the squad if it had not come at the expense of Hosea Gear. 

The All Blacks are supposed to be a team of the best players in New Zealand at the time of selection. The team should be picked on who is playing well, not who has played well in the past and is trying to rediscover some form. This should be done at a ...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Rugby Union

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