Te Ika-a-Māui vs Te Waipounamu Squads announced

[Banquo]

Quite amusing that the Barrett brothers are on opposite sides in an Origin game, rules notwithstanding. Will try and watch if its televised.

[canta_brian]

Cas, I will happily accept the inbred sheep fuckers line. The racist bit I take issue with.

I still want to see
Possibles v probables matches. Used to be the best match of the year.

[Cameo]

Has Dane Coles picked up an injury or something?

[Banquo]

Has Dane Coles picked up an injury or something?

not cool or superior enough

[morepork]

Americas Cup RAHs Vs. honest working people.

[canta_brian]

Cas, I will happily accept the inbred sheep fuckers line. The racist bit I take issue with.

There. Happy now?

Much better thanks.

[canta_brian]

Americas Cup RAHs Vs. honest working people.

Wannabe Aussies vs Proper Kiwis

[morepork]

Wanna be JAFAs Vs. Noble guardians of the land and all the electricity JAFAs need to exist.

[canta_brian]

Wanna be JAFAs Vs. Noble guardians of the land and all the electricity JAFAs need to exist.

That’s the winner.

Cut the cable

[Lizard]

Fuck it. I had tickets to this with the lad. Should still be a good game though.

[J Dory]

Predictions?

North by 12.

[morepork]

Mo'unga Barrett should be good. ALB feeding of BB could be tasty.

[morepork]

oh, and that Norf loose trio unit.....

[Doorzetbornandbred]

Predictions?

North by 12.

Mainland by 16

[Cameo]

In terms of All Black selection, who would you say has most to play for here?

There are quite a few with something to prove but my top three would be:

- Beauden Barrett
- Reiko Ioane
- Will Jordan

[paddy no 11]

WHy isnt it an actual north v south match based on where you are from???? would be a facile win for the south?

[zer0]

Quite the opposite. NZ's population is about a 75/25% split between the two islands, and the origins of professional rugby players tend to follow that trend; so it would probably end up being a pretty lopsided contest in the Best Island's favour.

Off the top of my head the Shit Island would lose Laulala, Whitelock, Weber, Bridge, Goodhue, Ennor, McNuggets, D.Hunt, Christie, and Ioane. In return they'd get, what, McKenzie and M.Hunt?

[morepork]

I will ban you, you spiteful pig islander.

[zer0]

I will ban you, you spiteful pig islander.

To quote classical RR literature: where's my ban you twat?

[Umaga’s Witness]

Quite the opposite. NZ's population is about a 75/25% split between the two islands, and the origins of professional rugby players tend to follow that trend; so it would probably end up being a pretty lopsided contest in the Best Island's favour.

Off the top of my head the Shit Island would lose Laulala, Whitelock, Weber, Bridge, Goodhue, Ennor, McNuggets, D.Hunt, Christie, and Ioane. In return they'd get, what, McKenzie and M.Hunt?

It’s doubling up as probables vs possibles so they wanted close enough to the top 46 players selected.

Here’s something I prepared earlier, months before they announced the criteria would be based on first province:
Bear in mind I wrote this in may. I’m mainly sharing because i collected a lot of information you could use to see who was born where, etc.

Below is my preferred method, to best meet both the criteria of the selectors - wanting to see the best players - and the criteria of the fans/players - making it a meaningful representation.

First find the top 46 players, see who is eligible for each team based on them needing one of birth place, high school, University, and first provincial team as criteria. I have listed their eligibility according to each of those criteria, in that order, after their names, below.

only when we can’t fit the tip 46 into the two teams, will I look for more players, finding the next best in a given position until an eligible player is found.

LH
Moody. South, South, South, south
Tuinukuafe. North, North, n/a, north
Moli. North, south, north, north
Johnstone. North, North, n/a, north

HK
Coles. North, North, n/a, North
Taylor. North, north, n/a, south
Coltman. North, North, south, south
Aumua. North, North, n/a, north

TH
Laulala. N/a, North, n/a, south
Tuungafasi, n/a, north, n/a, north
Taavao. North, North, n/a, north
tokalahi. N/a, north/south, n/a, south

Lock
Retallick. South, South, n/a, north
Whitelock. North, North, South, south
S barrett. North, North, South, south
Tuipolotu. South, North, n/a, north
Romano. South, South, n/a, south
Fifita. N/a, North, n/a, north

Loose forward
Savea. North, North, n/a, north
Cane. North, North, n/a, north
Jacobson. North, North, n/a, north
Boshier. North, North, n/a, north
Papalii. North, North, n/a, north
Sotutu. North, North, n/a, north
Evans. North, North, South, south
Frizell. N/a, n/a, n/a, south

So the south still needs two more loose forwards, so I'll keep lisitng the top players until we get there.

Du plessis kirifi. North, North, n/a, north
A ione. N/a, North, North, north
Prinsep. South, South, South, south
Christie. South, South, n/a, south.

Got there. Those last two on the list were tough, with Robinson, Grace, karpik, Gibson, hunt, and Douglas all contenders.

Halfback
Smith. North, North, n/a, north
Weber. North, North, South, south
Perenara. North, North, n/a, north
Tahuriorangi. North, North, n/a, North
We still have to keep looking...
Hall. North, North, n/a, north
Drummond. South, south, n/a, south

First five
B Barret. North, North, n/a, north
Mo'unga. South, south, south, south

Midfield
Lienert-Brown. South, south, n/a, south
Goodhue. North, North, south, south
Laumape. North, North, n/a, north
Thompson. North, North, n/a, south

Outside backs
J Barrett. North, North, n/a, south
Mckenzine. South, South, n/a, north
Haveili. South, North/South, n/a, South
Alaimalo. North, south, n/a, North
Reece. N/a, north, n/a, North
Bridge. North, North, n/a, South

Back Reserves
Ennor. North, North, South, south
R ione. North, North, North, north
Milne skudder. North, North, North, north
Aso. North, North, n/a, north
Keeping looking...
J ione. North, North, South, south

The selection method, when there are multiple players with dual eligibility, is to go from left to right on the eligibility criteria to pick the most applicable island, I.e implicitly assuming birth origin is a greater indicator of which island best represents the player, followed by high school, university, then first province they played for.

the teams then:

NORTH
Tuinukuafe. Johnstone
Coles. Aumua
Tuungafasi. Taavao
Whitelock
S barett. fifita
Jacobson
Cane
Savea. Boshier
Smith. Perenara
B barrett
Bridge
Laumape
Thompson. R ione
Reece
J Barrett. Milne skudder

SOUTH
Moody. Moli
Taylor. Coltman
Laulala. Tokalahi
Retallick
tuipolotu. Romano
Frizell
Prinsep
Evans. Christie
Weber. Drummond
Mounga. J ione
Alaimalo. Ennor
Lienert brown
Goodhue
Havili
Mckenzie

[Umaga’s Witness]

Just frizell and Weber in south starting 15 who haven’t played for crusaders or caterbury. Clearly they will be a more cohesive unit, with the north making a comeback towards the end when the benches come on making the south less cohesive and the north will simply have Aaron Smith.

[twitchy]

Are you guys back in lockdown?

[Mr Mwenda]

Victory for the forces of good then. I watched the highlights and it looked like the south had a try from a maul disallowed but the highlights didn't explain why (it was before barrett's try). What was wrong?

[Mr Mwenda]

Tah

[canta_brian]

Pretty unfair making the south team wear an England kit. Did well to overcome that.