All Golds Tour

[ozbash]

Legendary Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett and his star playmaker Darren Lockyer will be part of the New Zealand Rugby League's All Golds team to play a centenary celebration match in the north of England later this year.


And having secured Lockyer and Bennett for the one-off commemorative side, the league will use the Australians as drawcards to lure more big names for the match against "Northern Union" (England) at Warrington on October 20, the same day as the Rugby World Cup final.
The NZRL want Warriors skipper Steve Price to play for the team and have made a formal approach to former All Blacks star Carlos Spencer. They want at least one more former All Black in the team, the Sunday Star-Times can reveal.

Out of favour All Blacks centre Ma'a Nonu is on the New Zealand Rugby League's hit list to join its historic All Golds tour.


Nonu, 25, has had a rollercoaster year, called in and out of All Blacks squads and, as revealed in Saturday's Dominion Post, he has escaped convictions for alcohol-related incidents for the second time, being granted diversion.
NZRL director of football Graham Lowe said he had spoken to Nonu, who was "very, very keen" on the idea.
Nonu is considered an outside chance of being selected in the All Blacks' World Cup squad and the move would have to come with the blessing of the Wellington Rugby Union.
Wellington Rugby Union chief executive Greg Peters expressed surprise at the developments.
"We have had no approach from the player or his agent regarding his proposed participation in this match, and indeed this is the first we have heard of it," Peters said.
"Any request for a player to be released from his contract would be considered jointly by NZRU and Wellington Rugby."
The All Golds - a one-off commemorative team celebrating 100 years of New Zealand rugby league - will be coached by Brisbane Broncos mentor Wayne Bennett and feature Australian superstar Darren Lockyer. Lowe confirmed that former All Black Carlos Spencer and New Zealand Warriors captain Steve Price had also been approached to play the match against "Northern Union" (England) in Warrington on October 20, the same day as the Rugby World Cup final.

 

[Revelation 3:20]

This All Golds team is going to be mean if they get all the players they are looking at.
Would any other nrl or esl players be in the mix

Lets hear it people......who would be in your team?

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

Kiwi League players not All Blacks and crap ones at that

 

[Fast Eddie]

Yeah, I don't understand why they are trying to get the likes of Carlos Spencer and Ma Nonu to play.

 

[Martli]

Yeah, I don't understand why they are trying to get the likes of Carlos Spencer and Ma Nonu to play.

Because the original team had some all blacks in it. In todays game though getting high profile all blacks to play would be like be like trying to draw blood from a stone...

 

[Iafeta]

I didn't realise there were ABs involved, I know obviously Dally Messenger which is replicated by Lockyer and Bennett... who were the ABs involved?

 

[Sam_the_man]

I didn't realise there were ABs involved, I know obviously Dally Messenger which is replicated by Lockyer and Bennett... who were the ABs involved?

Nearly the entire team from NZ were all blacks. George Smith being the most famous of them. Duncan McGregor being another famous name to take a risk on the tour.
Herbert Baskerville being the former all black that set the tour up from his home in Wellington and the man regarded as the father of NZ RL.
He unfortunately died on that tour in Australia.

 

[Rovelli]

Fixtures

* 13 October 2007: New Zealand versus Australia (Wellington)
* 21 October 2007: New Zealand versus the Northern Union (Warrington) - CENTENARY TEST
* 27 October 2007: New Zealand versus Great Britain (Huddersfield) - 1ST TEST
* 3 November 2007: New Zealand versus Great Britain (Hull) - 2ND TEST
* 10 November 2007: New Zealand versus Great Britain (Wigan) - 3RD TEST
* 17 November 2007: New Zealand versus France (Paris)

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Will be a big tour, especially with this looking like the final time we will ever see Great Britain involved in international footy after the ridiculous decision to split up again, which will basically kill off Wales and Ireland, because who is going to play for them and make themselves ineligable with England playing in the tri nations

 

[ozbash]

Fixtures

* 13 October 2007: New Zealand versus Australia (Wellington)
* 21 October 2007: New Zealand versus the Northern Union (Warrington) - CENTENARY TEST
* 27 October 2007: New Zealand versus Great Britain (Huddersfield) - 1ST TEST
* 3 November 2007: New Zealand versus Great Britain (Hull) - 2ND TEST
* 10 November 2007: New Zealand versus Great Britain (Wigan) - 3RD TEST
* 17 November 2007: New Zealand versus France (Paris)

Greatest tour ever for me, celebrates a hundred years of backs-to-the-wall, being sh*t on from all directions, having to settle for 2nd best, that is rugby league in NZ.

 

[mean_maori_mean]

Targeting All Blacks is a good idea and the said it will comprise players not from the test side so through in some young emergin talent from the NRL ( and perhaps some experienced heads from the ESL (solomona etc.,maybe Jones)

All Blacks I would target(if they dont get picked for the World Cup):

1. Nonu - a gun and potential league convert, plays good and he'll a huge offer from an esl club
2. Rico Gear - Classy All Black, still in danger on missing the tour- due to the fijian flyers and all blacks fascination with Conrad Smith.
3. Jerome Kaino - one of the most athletic forwards in the Super 14, can play 6,7 and 8. Should be cert for All Blacks bench - he would walk in any other international rugby side. Only young still


My (draft )All Golds Tour team:


1. Krisnan Inu
2. Chase Stanley
3. Paul Whatuira
4. Ma'a Nonu
5. Rico Gear
6. Darren Lockyer
7. Benji Marshall
8. Rauhihi
9. Rangi Chase
10. Price
11. Solomona
12. Lautiti
13. Eastwood

14. Jerome Kaino
15. Bronson Harrison
16. Taniela 'TnT' Tuiaki
17. Fuifui Moimoi

A perfect mixture of youth, experience, aussies,all blacks, talent.

Inclusion of Eastwood, Harrison, Stanley, Inu, Whatuira and Chase as squad members who might not start the tour inn the test 17.
With Marshall brought over to play just that one game and send him home for rehab.

Inclusion of Tongan-kiwis Moimoi and Tuiaki, enable them to play for a 'kiwi' team with out jeopardising their ability to represent tonga in the world cup. Would be a positive moves in terms of helping out emerging nation.

People shouldnt get upset, this is a barbarian like match and should enjoy it.

 

[JJ]

No SBW?

 

[Martli]

Wiki has to be there somewhere imo.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Wiki has to be there somewhere imo.

As one of the few genuine Kiwi legends still playing I reckon he should. hopefully he shrugs off the niggly injuries and gets back to form, he looked much better on Saturday than he has all year.

 

[Fast Eddie]

And Stacey Jones.

 

[Revelation 3:20]

My (draft )All Golds Tour team:

1. Brent Webb
2. F Meli
3. Nigel Vagana
4. Ma'a Nonu
5. Hosea Gear
6. Darren Lockyer
7. Stacey Jones
8. Wiki
9. Rangi Chase
10. Price
11. Sonny Bill Williams
12. S lauaki
13. Bronson Harrison

14. Epalahame Lauaki
15. Tonie Carroll
16. Isaac luke
17. Roy Asotasi
18. Carlos Spencer (extra sub)
19. Brad Thorn (extra sub)

i think this is a good mix - there are endless amount combos you could chose. I just depends on who is free to play by clubs and country.

they need a mix of current kiwis, recent retired kiwis, current aussie(locky)
Rugby players just out side the All black mix. and some other fun picks (Lauaki brothers)
Tonnie carrol, Brad Thorn (Aussie/ kiwis)

I agree with M_M_M
"People shouldnt get upset, this is a barbarian like match and should enjoy it."

 

[salivor]

This whole concept has become a joke now with Bennett being brought into coach and the approach to Steve Price, Nonu and Spencer. Just mark it down as yet another thing that the NZRL have managed to ruin.

 

[Revelation 3:20]

Its For fun, celebrate Kiwi league (which in history, includes aussies and All blacks ....and granny gates)

I agree on the Chalmers axing

 

[salivor]

It's supposed to be a celebration of history and Kiwi Rugby League. Darren Lockyer in the role of Dally Messenger yes but inviting another Australian in Price and an Australian coach in Bennett just make a mockery of it.

 

[Martli]

I would say Price has done quite a lot for NZ league over his time at the Warriors. I have no problem with it. Bennet kinda confuses me a bit, but i'm going to roll with it.