Friday XV

[Puja]

OK, here's a 1st XV and a 2nd XV. Both teams have the same selection criteria. What are they?

1st XV
1. Mako Vunipola (Eng)
2. Motu Matu'u (Sam)
3. Ben Tameifuna (Ton)
4. Filo Paulo (Sam)
5. Luke Thompson (Jpn)
6. Blade Thomson (Sco)
7. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto (Aus),
8. Michael Leitch (Jpn)
9. Willie Heinz (Eng)
10. Christian Leali'ifano (Aus)
11. Sean Maitland (Sco)
12. Hadleigh Parkes (Wal)
13. Bundee Aki (Ire)
14. Cooper Vuna (Ton)
15: Tim Nanai-Williams (Sam)

2nd XV
1. Simon Berghan (Sco)
2. Jordan Uelese (Aus)
3: Paul Alo-Emile (Sam)
4. Kane Leaupepe (Sam)
5. Josh Tyrell (Sam),
6: Chris Vui (Sam)
7. Zane Kapeli (Ton)
8. Jack Lam (Sam)
9. Leon Fukofuka (Ton)
10. Joey Carbery (Ire)
11. Lemano Lemeki (Jpn)
12. Will Tupoe (Jpn)
13. Kieran Fonotia (Sam)
14. Belgium Tuatagaloa (Sam)
15. Jayden Hayward (Ita)

Clue - These are the only other eligible players:
Hookers: Seilala Lam (Sam), Raymond Niuia (Sam), Paul Ngauamo (Ton)
Locks: Dean Budd (Ita), Leva Fifita (Ton), Sam Lousi (Ton)
Flankers: Daniel Faleafa (Ton), Tony Lamborn, (USA) Piula Faʻasalele (Sam)
No. 8s: Hendrik Tui (Jpn), Maama Vaipulu (Ton), Nasi manu Ton)
Fly half: Kurt Morath (Ton)
Centres: Siale Piutau (Ton), Nafi Tuitavake (Ton), Paul Lasike (USA)
Wing: Viliami Lolohea (Ton)
FB: Telusa Vaipulu (Ton)

New Zealand born players in non-NZ RWC squads.

Puja

[Lizard]

Got it in one. Nice.

I was trying to do a full RWC squad of 31 but ran out of props.

[Galfon]

All eligible for selection are named - ( only 8 in their usual postions due to this )
What is the shared accomplishment ?
(note -captain chosen due to his unique record in this area).

1. Philip John
2. Sean Brian
3. Daniel
4. Martin Osborne
5. John
6. Jacobus Francois
7. Richard Hugh (c)
8. Stephen Thomas
9. Nicholas Campbell
10. David Edward
11. Thierry
12. William David
13.  Raphael
14. John William
15. George Musarwurwa

[Lizard]

There’s a lot of first names as surnames going on there...

EDIT: wait - maybe this is a list of first/middle names hence some single ones...

[Lizard]

First/middle names of captains in a RWC final, RH McCaw has done it twice.

[Galfon]

First/middle names of captains in a RWC final, RH McCaw has done it twice.

Correct - this includes 5 hookers. ( maybe EJ should have got Hartley there somehow...)

[Lizard]

As usual - guess the selection criteria:

1. Tom (Scotland/Lions)
2. Greg (Fiji)
3. Nicky (Wales)
4. Hayden (USA)
5. Reg (Australia)
6. George (Australia)
7. Juan (South Africa)
8. Nick (Brazil)
9. Aaron (New Zealand)
10. Wayne (New Zealand)
11. Arthur (Scotland/Lions)
12. Ryan (Canada)
13. Conrad (New Zealand)
14. Ben (New Zealand)
15. Ian (Scotland/Hong Kong)

[Galfon]

not quite...

Most capped Smiths?

It's like a light that never goes out..

[Lizard]

Yep. Ben should actually be at full-back and on the wing, but that would be silly.

[Galfon]

an england xv :

1. p.vickery (was.)
2. j.pullen (bri.)
3. w.stuart (bat.)
4. l.deacon (lei.)
5. s.borthwick (sar.)
6. r.hill (sar.)
7. e.hill (wor.)
8. j.haskell (was.)
9. h.ellis (lei.)
10. g.ford (lei.)
11. h.slade (exe.)
12. c.kent (ros)
13. e.beswick (swi)
14. e.mobbs (nor.)
15. a.wood (glo.)

what distinguishes these players, and the team ?

[Banquo]

dunno, but sort of sad to find out that Charlie Kent died relatively young 15 years ago

[Galfon]

CK - was not aware; sudden event for an active fellow after a ride out, that would have been a shock.
3 Moseley lads in the team v Sco for his debut, incl. Cooper & Corless inside him..concentrating on his career was certainly Eng's loss..

[Banquo]

CK - was not aware; sudden event for an active fellow after a ride out, that would have been a shock.
3 Moseley lads in the team v Sco for his debut, incl. Cooper & Corless inside him..concentrating on his career was certainly Eng's loss..

I always liked him, but he was a tad one dimensional

[Lizard]

1. Pauliasi Manu (New Zealand)
2. Andy Dalton (New Zealand)
3. Julian White (England)
4. Simon Shaw (England)
5. Tom Bowman (Australia)
6. Liam Messam (New Zealand)
7. Brendon Nasser (Australia)
8. Zinzan Brooke (New Zealand)
9. Bruce Deans (New Zealand)
10. David Knox (Australia)
11. Hosea Gear (New Zealand)
12. Wayne Julies (South Africa)
13. Richard Tombs (Australia)
14. Zac Guildford (New Zealand)
15. Kieran Crowley (New Zealand)

Give us a clue

[Puja]

Yeah, I'm absolutely struggling. Best guess I've got is something to do with international bans or disciplinary proceedings?

Puja

[Which Tyler]

Yeah, I'm absolutely struggling. Best guess I've got is something to do with international bans or disciplinary proceedings?

Puja

Same, I'm thinking card : cap ratio.
Amostly influenced by Julian White's inclusion

[switchskier]

1. Pauliasi Manu (New Zealand)
2. Andy Dalton (New Zealand)
3. Julian White (England)
4. Simon Shaw (England)
5. Tom Bowman (Australia)
6. Liam Messam (New Zealand)
7. Brendon Nasser (Australia)
8. Zinzan Brooke (New Zealand)
9. Bruce Deans (New Zealand)
10. David Knox (Australia)
11. Hosea Gear (New Zealand)
12. Wayne Julies (South Africa)
13. Richard Tombs (Australia)
14. Zac Guildford (New Zealand)
15. Kieran Crowley (New Zealand)

Knox famously had huge gaps between his caps and I seem to remember Shaw getting England caps when his career was commonly thought to be over. But that doesn't make sense with Guildford so assume I'm in the wrong area?

[Lizard]

Manu isn't capped at all, which has got me a bit stumped.

[Which Tyler]

It's players based on minimum work to reward ratio at a Rugby World Cup by position.

For example, Manu, Dalton, Shaw, Deans, Knox and Tombs are all World Cup winners without having actually played at the World Cup they "won."

The rest only played 1, maybe 2 games. When there were multiple options, I went with either "more notable career outside of World Cups" (like Shaw, who was a prominent player for England for quite some time, and has a handful of Lions appearances as well) or how much they maximised their sole appearance at a World Cup (like Guildford, who got 1 cap at the 2011 RWC, and scored 4 tries).

I call it the Hey, I was there too XV.

Then surely it needs Danny Grewcock

[Lizard]

It's players based on minimum work to reward ratio at a Rugby World Cup by position.

For example, Manu, Dalton, Shaw, Deans, Knox and Tombs are all World Cup winners without having actually played at the World Cup they "won."

The rest only played 1, maybe 2 games. When there were multiple options, I went with either "more notable career outside of World Cups" (like Shaw, who was a prominent player for England for quite some time, and has a handful of Lions appearances as well) or how much they maximised their sole appearance at a World Cup (like Guildford, who got 1 cap at the 2011 RWC, and scored 4 tries).

I call it the Hey, I was there too XV.

Nice work.

[Lizard]

As usual, name the selection criteria:

1. Oli Kebble
2. Rob Herring
3. Simon Berghan
4. Paul Willemse
5. Quinn Roux
6. Blade Thomson
7. Bernard Le Roux
8. Taulupe Faletau
9. Jamison Gibson-Park
10. Jaco van der Walt
11. James Lowe
12. Bundee Aki
13. Ignacio Brex
14. Monty Ioane
15. Sean Maitland

[Puja]

As usual, name the selection criteria:

1. Oli Kebble
2. Rob Herring
3. Simon Berghan
4. Paul Willemse
5. Quinn Roux
6. Blade Thomson
7. Bernard Le Roux
8. Taulupe Faletau
9. Jamison Gibson-Park
10. Jaco van der Walt
11. James Lowe
12. Bundee Aki
13. Ignacio Brex
14. Monty Ioane
15. Sean Maitland

Project players?

Puja

[Stom]

As usual, name the selection criteria:

1. Oli Kebble
2. Rob Herring
3. Simon Berghan
4. Paul Willemse
5. Quinn Roux
6. Blade Thomson
7. Bernard Le Roux
8. Taulupe Faletau
9. Jamison Gibson-Park
10. Jaco van der Walt
11. James Lowe
12. Bundee Aki
13. Ignacio Brex
14. Monty Ioane
15. Sean Maitland

Project players?

Puja

Surely there's more to it than that?

I was thinking maybe they made their debut against the nation of their birth but Lowe puts paid to that (and surely many more of them).

Also means it can't be how they debuted and they're not all project players, either: Maitland has a granny and Kebble has one, too?

[Puja]

As usual, name the selection criteria:

1. Oli Kebble
2. Rob Herring
3. Simon Berghan
4. Paul Willemse
5. Quinn Roux
6. Blade Thomson
7. Bernard Le Roux
8. Taulupe Faletau
9. Jamison Gibson-Park
10. Jaco van der Walt
11. James Lowe
12. Bundee Aki
13. Ignacio Brex
14. Monty Ioane
15. Sean Maitland

Project players?

Puja

Surely there's more to it than that?

I was thinking maybe they made their debut against the nation of their birth but Lowe puts paid to that (and surely many more of them).

Also means it can't be how they debuted and they're not all project players, either: Maitland has a granny and Kebble has one, too?

As does Blade. You're right though that it's not project players, as Faletau definitely doesn't fall into that category.

Puja

[Stom]

Project players?

Puja

Surely there's more to it than that?

I was thinking maybe they made their debut against the nation of their birth but Lowe puts paid to that (and surely many more of them).

Also means it can't be how they debuted and they're not all project players, either: Maitland has a granny and Kebble has one, too?

As does Blade. You're right though that it's not project players, as Faletau definitely doesn't fall into that category.

Puja

Could it really be as simple as: born in the SH, plays for a 6N country? Where was Faletau born? Tonga or NZ? If it's NZ then it's all RC nations, right?