All Blacks Rugby World Cup 2015 squad - who made the clinic?

The All Blacks Rugby World Cup squad will be named shortly and while there is still some water to go under the bridge with some international rugby and Super Rugby matches, it is fun to try to predict the 31 man All Blacks Rugby World Cup squad.

Selectors will get a chance to blood some players against Samoa and even during the condensed Rugby Championship, and it will be interesting to see if some of the elder statesmen are still selected despite mixed Super Rugby campaigns.

This series will go through the squad selections by position to eventually conclude with a squad.
This first post is an introduction, but we will also look at the squad make-up. 

31 players isn't a massive squad for such an arduous campaign, but it does mean that players need more versatility. 

In saying this, it probably won't matter which players the All Blacks selectors choose for half of their games, they will win them easily, but combinations and experience make a huge difference. 

It will also be interesting to see if those players who are leaving straight after the Rugby World Cup get selected or not.

Because the squad has only 31 players, expect to see another handful of players be on standby.

Will it be an 18 forward and 13 back mix or 17-14 or even 16-15? There is something about a 17-14 split, although these days when you need to carry four props in a matchday squad, 18-13 could be an option.

There should be three halfbacks and three hookers.

Plenty of backs in the running can play more than one position, which is great in this tournament, but there will be some really good players not attending the Rugby World Cup for the All Blacks simply because there is too much depth in some positions.

It is hard to know if five or six props will be going or if they will choose four specialist locks or three specialists and a lock/loose forward. Do they need two specialist fullbacks or just one with some first five eighths being able to play at fullback?

Anyway, this series will provide what we think are the percentage probabilities of each candidate making the All Blacks Rugby World Cup squad.

Enjoy the series!  Stay tuned for the next update where we look at All Blacks outside backs.

Who would make your All Blacks Rugby World Cup squad?