All Blacks 2025
-
@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.
-
@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".
-
@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.
-
@DaGrubster Sotutu, Sititi and Lakai would be some trio....
-
@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.
-
@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
-
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.
-
Leicester Fainga'anuku reveals 'preference' for Top 14 over Super Rugby as All Blacks powerhouse opens up on New Zealand return
Leicester Fainga'anuku admits that he will miss Toulon and the Top 14 after stating that he 'prefers' it to rugby back in New Zealand.
-
LF has a real point of difference 188cm 109kg, he'd be great impact in the 23 jersey instead of the average ALB.
a straight swap for Clarke on the left when injured, also J.Barrett, Ioane, Higgins, LF, Proctor is a good midfield mix and means no room in the squad for overrated plodders like ALB, Havili and Ennor.
-
@darylmitchell said in All Blacks 2025:
a straight swap for Clarke on the left when injured, also J.Barrett, Ioane, Higgins, LF, Proctor is a good midfield mix and means no room in the squad for overrated plodders like ALB, Havili and Ennor.
Add Lam
-
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2025:
@SBW1 would be nice to hear a bit more enthusiasm about coming back to NZ rugby
His comments before he left made me question him also... just seems like a bit of a dick for a lack of a better term.
-
@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
I do wonder if Razor thinks there is a "already trained so now fits in" mould to his selections, if there are Cantab options he may not only think they are the best player but the quickest to adapt to his/their AB strategies?
So not nec a Cantab at all costs bias, but a bias (if you like, or a preference) to players he think he/they will find easier to coach a certain way. -
@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.
Yeah I agree.
Maybe I am wrong but a trio of Sititi Lakai and Sotutu with Ardie off the bench (or starting at 7 with Lakai on the bench) would look pretty strong. -
@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.
I'd say Hart was a far riskier coach.
He took big risks as a Blues coach but as a Blues coach he was pretty successful.
Not many seem to be giving him credit for promoting a young Michael Jones, for example. I vaguely recall concern Jones would be too small for the ABs. That concern didn't last long. -
@taniwharugby said in All Blacks 2025:
@DaGrubster Sotutu, Sititi and Lakai would be some trio....
oh missed this, postevent snap!
-
@Dan54 said in All Blacks 2025:
@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.
In that article he said they gave him workons, would be good to know what they were?
Play in Japan? Get injured more often? -
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2025:
@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.
Yeah I agree.
Maybe I am wrong but a trio of Sititi Lakai and Sotutu with Ardie off the bench (or starting at 7 with Lakai on the bench) would look pretty strong.I don't see the value in Sotutu with Lakai and Sititi already there, a better mix would be Sititi, Papali'i, Lakai, better defensively and at the ruck. it has everything you need. Savea on bench.
The Post
