zer0 wrote: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
