Can New Zealand be a serious challenge to resurgent England? : Wed Dec 06, 2017 1:56 pm  

I say yes.

First two of New Zealand's top players missing from the World Cup, Jesse Bromwich and Kevin Proctor, will be back from suspension next year. Jesse Bromwich is regarded as the world's best prop, and Kevin Proctor and Tahu Harris make a formidable back row.

Second, any team that contains Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Shaun Johnson has the potential to be brilliant in attack.

Third, the untried novice David Kidwell may not be the NZ coach following the team's defeat by Tonga and Fiji, and hence exit after the quarter finals.

Re: Can New Zealand be a serious challenge to resurgent Engl : Wed Dec 06, 2017 2:03 pm  

Bromwich best prop??? what about Taumalolo?

think they will have a new coach in place next year

will the players that played for Tonga come back and represent nz or have they burnt their bridges now

Re: Can New Zealand be a serious challenge to resurgent Engl : Wed Dec 06, 2017 2:10 pm  

brearley84 wrote:

Bromwich best prop??? what about Taumalolo?

think they will have a new coach in place next year

will the players that played for Tonga come back and represent nz or have they burnt their bridges now

Taumololo plays lock/loose forward, not prop.

Players who played for Tonga may not be allowed to change allegiance till the next World Cup, but I am not sure. However Tonga will be playing internationals next year and so Taumololo and others may want to stay playing for Tonga. In any case I think that Taumololo is the only Tongan player who would have definitely been selected for NZ.

Re: Can New Zealand be a serious challenge to resurgent Engl : Wed Dec 06, 2017 2:12 pm  

brearley84 wrote:

Bromwich best prop??? what about Taumalolo?

think they will have a new coach in place next year

will the players that played for Tonga come back and represent nz or have they burnt their bridges now

If they do it just shows what a farce International RL is. I’ve no problem with players choosing to represent a country through heritage but imo they should make their decision and stick to it.

Re: Can New Zealand be a serious challenge to resurgent Engl : Wed Dec 06, 2017 2:44 pm  

It's hard to judge where we're at in regards to us vs the Kiwis with us having not faced each other in the World Cup. You sense we'd have beaten them but it seems to have been that we've had too much for them over here and they've had too much for us over there for a little while now.

I hope the likes of Taumalolo and Fusitua stick to Tonga but even if they do the Kiwis should be able to put together a pretty formidable looking team.

It's just a shame it's not for a year. I'm missing the World Cup already.

Re: Can New Zealand be a serious challenge to resurgent Engl : Wed Dec 06, 2017 4:59 pm  

Sorry, did you say 'resurgent' England?

Re: Can New Zealand be a serious challenge to resurgent Engl : Wed Dec 06, 2017 5:08 pm  

Too early right now with regards of the post mortum that NZ have to go through after their WC.

Also doubtful Bennett will stay on I think so have to wait and see what England look like in 12 months.

Re: Can New Zealand be a serious challenge to resurgent Engl : Wed Dec 06, 2017 5:21 pm  

JEAN CAPDOUZE wrote:

Taumololo plays lock/loose forward, not prop.

Players who played for Tonga may not be allowed to change allegiance till the next World Cup, but I am not sure. However Tonga will be playing internationals next year and so Taumololo and others may want to stay playing for Tonga. In any case I think that Taumololo is the only Tongan player who would have definitely been selected for NZ.

i don't think he meant can they 'legally' come back, more a case of whether their teammates thought they had been betrayed by any of the defectors at short notice before the WC

Re: Can New Zealand be a serious challenge to resurgent Engl : Wed Dec 06, 2017 8:56 pm  

Trainman wrote:

If they do it just shows what a farce International RL is. I’ve no problem with players choosing to represent a country through heritage but imo they should make their decision and stick to it.

2013 Taumalolo played for Tonga v Samoa and then in 2 RLWC 13 Matches....he then from 2014 to 2017 represented New Zealand ten times, before deciding to return and play for Tonga later in 2017 in 4 more games.

Please explain how International RL isn't a farce already....let alone if Taumalolo decides that he want's to represent his country of birth again rather than just "dummy spit" because his mates were (in his opinion) hard done by......

Re: Can New Zealand be a serious challenge to resurgent Engl : Wed Dec 06, 2017 9:10 pm  

Trainman wrote:

If they do it just shows what a farce International RL is. I’ve no problem with players choosing to represent a country through heritage but imo they should make their decision and stick to it.

No it doesn’t. If however Tonga have no fixtures to play at the end of the 2018 season, all those in a position of power within our game should hang their heads in shame.