All Blacks 2025
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@dogmeat said in All Blacks 2025:
I fear Robertson is John Hart 2.0. Except Hart inherited a great side and therefore enjoyed two illustrious years despite himself.
I hope NZR don't indulge Razor to the extent Eddie Tonks did Hart or we will see Mounga steering a sinking ship.
Hart did drop an excellent Glen Osborne for Christian Cullen though.
Razor would have waited for an injury before taking a punt like that
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To reinforce my point. Mains wanted to choose Cully for his last NH tour but Tonks restricted him to 26 players so Cullen should have had a cap before Hart took over.
Then Hart chose Adrian Cashmore ahead of Oz and doubled down by ignoring the evidence that Osborne was the best option at 13 with his Goldie at 15 miracle call. Harts far from the worst AB coach but he'd have to be in the running for most poisonous and over-rated.
Anyway I really hope Robertson comes good next year. We've had seven successive seasons of pretty inconsistent AB performances. More than time to start producing the goods
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@dogmeat said in All Blacks 2025:
To reinforce my point. Mains wanted to choose Cully for his last NH tour but Tonks restricted him to 26 players so Cullen should have had a cap before Hart took over.
Then Hart chose Adrian Cashmore ahead of Oz and doubled down by ignoring the evidence that Osborne was the best option at 13 with his Goldie at 15 miracle call. Harts far from the worst AB coach but he'd have to be in the running for most poisonous and over-rated.
Anyway I really hope Robertson comes good next year. We've had seven successive seasons of pretty inconsistent AB performances. More than time to start producing the goods
I never knew that, I always remember Cullen emerging in Super Rugby. Would Mains have really picked him based on a season of second division Rugby ?
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@MN5 said in All Blacks 2025:
@dogmeat said in All Blacks 2025:
To reinforce my point. Mains wanted to choose Cully for his last NH tour but Tonks restricted him to 26 players so Cullen should have had a cap before Hart took over.
Then Hart chose Adrian Cashmore ahead of Oz and doubled down by ignoring the evidence that Osborne was the best option at 13 with his Goldie at 15 miracle call. Harts far from the worst AB coach but he'd have to be in the running for most poisonous and over-rated.
Anyway I really hope Robertson comes good next year. We've had seven successive seasons of pretty inconsistent AB performances. More than time to start producing the goods
I never knew that, I always remember Cullen emerging in Super Rugby. Would Mains have really picked him based on a season of second division Rugby ?
That was before his amazing Hong Kong sevens too
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@MN5 said in All Blacks 2025:
@dogmeat said in All Blacks 2025:
To reinforce my point. Mains wanted to choose Cully for his last NH tour but Tonks restricted him to 26 players so Cullen should have had a cap before Hart took over.
Then Hart chose Adrian Cashmore ahead of Oz and doubled down by ignoring the evidence that Osborne was the best option at 13 with his Goldie at 15 miracle call. Harts far from the worst AB coach but he'd have to be in the running for most poisonous and over-rated.
Anyway I really hope Robertson comes good next year. We've had seven successive seasons of pretty inconsistent AB performances. More than time to start producing the goods
I never knew that, I always remember Cullen emerging in Super Rugby. Would Mains have really picked him based on a season of second division Rugby ?
He exploded onto the HK 7s stage first didn't he? Along with another guy who was okay, Jonah someone...
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@dogmeat said in All Blacks 2025:
To reinforce my point. Mains wanted to choose Cully for his last NH tour but Tonks restricted him to 26 players so Cullen should have had a cap before Hart took over.
Then Hart chose Adrian Cashmore ahead of Oz and doubled down by ignoring the evidence that Osborne was the best option at 13 with his Goldie at 15 miracle call. Harts far from the worst AB coach but he'd have to be in the running for most poisonous and over-rated.
Anyway I really hope Robertson comes good next year. We've had seven successive seasons of pretty inconsistent AB performances. More than time to start producing the goods
We weren't inconsistent in 2023, we played well when it mattered, ABs whitewashed the Rugby Championship racking up huge margins. We were also the better side in the RWC final., the France loss can be excused as illness sweep through camp that week yet amazingly were still close in the end.
The qatar cup was a meaningless friendly after the RC finished which no one gave a stuff about and that was the only truly average performance.
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@MN5 said in All Blacks 2025:
@dogmeat said in All Blacks 2025:
To reinforce my point. Mains wanted to choose Cully for his last NH tour but Tonks restricted him to 26 players so Cullen should have had a cap before Hart took over.
Then Hart chose Adrian Cashmore ahead of Oz and doubled down by ignoring the evidence that Osborne was the best option at 13 with his Goldie at 15 miracle call. Harts far from the worst AB coach but he'd have to be in the running for most poisonous and over-rated.
Anyway I really hope Robertson comes good next year. We've had seven successive seasons of pretty inconsistent AB performances. More than time to start producing the goods
I never knew that, I always remember Cullen emerging in Super Rugby. Would Mains have really picked him based on a season of second division Rugby ?
I'm pretty sure we (the Fern, not necessarily you and I) discussed this pretty recently and I pointed out Osborne wasn't in great early season form. He came right by the EOTY to SA though.
Hmm, think I must have had this discussion on PR.
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@canefan said in All Blacks 2025:
@Dan54 said in All Blacks 2025:
@DaGrubster , mate I was just saying the idea that anyone doesn't select on merit is wrong. Not sure what they use , or saying they should or shouldn't use Super form.
I don't believe players are knowingly selected for sentimental reasons. I looked at people who rubbished why TJP and Cane were selected this season and said it was sentimental etc. I personally would of picked them both as I thought they were within the best for their positions when they picked. .I perhaps am not right, but I say that from what I think. I didn't agree with all AB selections, but tend to get proved wrong by players I not sure about anyway.I know what you are saying mate, and there is some truth in it. But two pieces of evidence suggest Razor is also a homer who doesn't pick players deserving based on SR form, those are Hoskins Sotutu (voted SR player of the year) and Fihaki, who could barely make the Crusaders squad. Not to mention his incessant fapping over the idea of being able to select Moounga now
Yep well Sotutu surprised me not making it (assumed that was something historical in ABs with Jase Ryan?) and Fihaki just s=gobsmacked us all.
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@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:
@Dan54 said in All Blacks 2025:
something historical
So....not on merit?
No exactly what I saying they pick on merit (or what they think is merit) not on anything historical.
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@SBW1 said in All Blacks 2025:
@Bones Can these three and others from the Saders have breakout seasons and force their way into the Abs next year?
With Razor as coach, easily. As long as we agree on a new definition of "force".
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@Tim said in All Blacks 2025:
As a bulked-up Sotutu works through the recovery process from knee surgery on November 1 (with a 12-week return to play, he’s expected back around season kickoff in ‘25), you ask if he’s been soured by his treatment from the national selectors.
Pretty good interview with him. open and honest.
I hope he plays the house down in super so he has to be picked.
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@DaGrubster Sotutu, Sititi and Lakai would be some trio....
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@DaGrubster said in All Blacks 2025:
@Tim said in All Blacks 2025:
As a bulked-up Sotutu works through the recovery process from knee surgery on November 1 (with a 12-week return to play, he’s expected back around season kickoff in ‘25), you ask if he’s been soured by his treatment from the national selectors.
Pretty good interview with him. open and honest.
I hope he plays the house down in super so he has to be picked.
He did that
thislast year and didn't. -
@DaGrubster said in All Blacks 2025:
@Tim said in All Blacks 2025:
As a bulked-up Sotutu works through the recovery process from knee surgery on November 1 (with a 12-week return to play, he’s expected back around season kickoff in ‘25), you ask if he’s been soured by his treatment from the national selectors.
Pretty good interview with him. open and honest.
I hope he plays the house down in super so he has to be picked.
They don't like him. He isn't getting picked.
I wouldn't mind so much if we had a stocked loose forward group but we don't.
The term cutting your nose off to spite your face comes to mind.
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@SBW1 said in All Blacks 2025:
Can’t believe you made me watch that. Will Jordan back of the year and Ardie forward of the year and overall player of the year, what the fuck??!!!
How the fuck couldn’t anyone with a sliver of a brain cell give that award to Ardie?? Complete joke.
Can’t comment on what he said after that, I turned it off immediately
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This guy is an actor in the States, his content is pretty good. He doesn't think Richie Mounga will feature in the All Blacks in 2025. He does however think LF could be one of the answers at centre as he is a pretty powerful unit and has pace. He also predicts that Razor will up his win rate percentage into the 80% mark or thereabouts.
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