Worst All Blacks XV

[Spy]

Lee Stensness gets a tough rap IMO. He added huge creativity in the deciding test against the Lions in 1993, after they shut us down totally (IIRC) in the second test. Not one of the greats, sure, but he had his moments.

Mark Mayerhofler was in my class at Bruce McLaren Intermediate for 2 years. He was a good dude. Even at intermediate age he wasn't the most the most startling player at the school, but he was a smart player and had good commitment. Probably wouldn't have picked him to be an All Black at age 13, but it's a testimony to his ability and work ethic that he got there.

I dunno about these threads. I'd wager any of these maligned players had more rugby talent than all of us keyboard warriors combined. It's no disgrace to be a mediocre All Black. Caleb Ralph always f*cked me off, I suppose.

[rowan]

But Stenseness was the worst tackler since Hewson. I distinctly recall him jumping out of Tana Umaga's way on one occasion - literally. Of course, that was in Super Rugby, not while playing for the ABs. He probably got a tough rap because Harty was doing TV commentaries at the time and kept praising the guy, even lambasted Mains for not picking him one time. Same thing as Mark Carter. Harty's arrogant defense of the player just added fuel to the fire . . .

[Spy]

IMO he made the difference in winning a Lions series. I'd take that as a pretty reasonable achievement.

[rowan]

A lot of players looked entirely different in the national colors. Some exceeded expectations, others flopped, and I guess many an attacking player, such as Stensness, enjoyed the comfortable ride he got behind the All Blacks pack, where as some of the other guys thrown into the engine room weren't quite up to the task of providing that comfortable ride for backs who couldn't tackle. & then you need to look at the guys who played around Stensness - Bunce, Umaga and Wilson, for example. My grandma would've looked good in the middle of that backline!

[rowan]

From the not the next Jonah Lomu after all files:

[rowan]

Remember him .... ?




Me neither

[rowan]

Master Bates . . .

[rowan]

[rowan]

If I remember rightly, Glenn Taylor was a bit of a legend at provincial level but only got selected for the All Blacks initially when Laurie Mains was quite literally running out of back row forwards on the 92 tour of Australia & SA due to a rash of injuries. Practically every first division back row player in the country came into the reckoning at that point, including lightweight 7s specialists Eric Rush & Dallas Seymour. Anyway, that's pre-95, but 'Towers' Taylor did return to the All Blacks in 96, however briefly.

[rowan]

Just missed the cut. . . mercifully

I think Tito might have been the first player to actually miss selection for the All Blacks on account of downright weirdo looks. But he could always go into an acting career if they decide to make another Batman movie and require a Joker . . .

[rowan]

New nomination for 15:

[rowan]

Possibly being developed as a utility back to cover various positions. It wouldn't be the first time the All Blacks have done this with a seemingly mediocre player in that department. That's the only reason for him being there that I can think of. Let's see how long he holds down a place in the starting XV...

[rowan]

I'm pretty sure that's it. There are plenty of examples of other countries awarding test caps against a non-capped All Blacks touring side or other non-test NZ sides, but that's not a habit we have formed.

I'll do a quick "Stat of the day" on it rather than clog up this thread with my autism.

Zimbabwe, for example, now recognizes Rhodesia's matches as tests, including that famous win over the All Blacks in 49.

NB: I know it's been discussed elsewhere, but I only just stumbled across this post now

[Spiffy]

Possibly being developed as a utility back to cover various positions. It wouldn't be the first time the All Blacks have done this with a seemingly mediocre player in that department. That's the only reason for him being there that I can think of. Let's see how long he holds down a place in the starting XV...

McKenzie is only a kid, still on the base of the learing curve and will only get better. He has done well to get capped already. He is brimming with natural talent and gas, and he's a good place kicker too. The only thing that may stand in his way is his small size. I like his attacking instincts - great to see a kid enjoying rugby like that without inhibitions - and hope he has a long AB career. Cullen was not that big either.

[rowan]

Sure, I met Cullen a few times, and he seemed tiny, but actually a very wiry, senewy sort of fellow with amazing upper body strength. & his defensive positioning was much more instinctive than McKenzie's and if Harty had played him in position, 99 might well have been a very different story. McKenzie may improve in this department, but I don't think he's a permanent solution at 15, and he'll never be the player Cullen was.

[rowan]

Hell, did anybody mention this guy? What a shocker!



Oh, that's right. This is supposed to be post 95.

[Mikey Brown]

What a haircut.

[rowan]

The 70s was a terrible decade for men's hairstyles. Even the balding guys had mullets!