![]() When the blame game begins, the hooker cops it - unfairly, or otherwise. The Blues lost 10 throws that night, as their set-piece fell apart. He, like his jumpers, won't have fond memories of the final against the Crusaders in Auckland. Brodie McAlister, Tyrone Thompson, Andrew Makalio and George Bell (the latter never played due to injury) were the options for the All Blacks XV.Įklund, a regular starter for the Blues in 2022, has scored 13 tries since his Super Rugby debut season in 2020. Picked as the starting No 2 for the Māori All Blacks when they played two games against Ireland in July, the Blues man was later so far off the selectors' radar that he wasn't considered amongst the top eight hookers when the All Blacks and All Blacks XV squads headed north later in the year.Ĭodie Taylor, Samisoni Taukei'aho and Dane Coles were originally listed in the All Blacks squad, with the latter reversing his way out of the group because of a calf strain in Japan.Īsafo Aumua was promoted as a replacement for Coles. If Kurt Eklund somehow manages to get to on the plane France with the All Blacks, he will have negotiated the wild headwinds that blew him off course in 2022. Don't write Harmon off ahead of the World Cup. He’s a long shot to go to France, admittedly.īut if he was deemed good enough to be in the ABs squad, he's got to be in contention. Had there been a slew of injuries, that might have changed. ![]() Harmon, who will lead the Highlanders in 2023, never took the field for the All Blacks on tour. Originally selected in the All Blacks XV squad, Harmon was promoted to join the All Blacks after Sam Cane fractured a cheekbone against Japan and was told to return to New Zealand. That summed-up Harmon, who captained a rejuvenated Canterbury team that hosted - and lost to - Wellington in the NPC final this year. So off down SH1 he went for his next pay cheque, joining the Highlanders in Dunedin for the next two years.ĭependable, solid and a decent bloke. ![]() Versatile loose forward Billy Harmon got the news every player dreads when he sat down to discuss the future with Scott Robertson after the 2020 season.
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