All Blacks 2025
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@booboo to be fair his form is way better than it was last year when he was a surprise selection has shown some really good speed in open space at times and does possess a massive punt and can place kick from distance
I really don’t know end of the day Razor seems to see something in him that many of us can’t see
Anything to add @Chris -
@Steven-Harris said in All Blacks 2025:
@booboo to be fair his form is way better than it was last year when he was a surprise selection has shown some really good speed in open space at times and does possess a massive punt and can place kick from distance
I really don’t know end of the day Razor seems to see something in him that many of us can’t see
Anything to add @ChrisI have noticed he has moved in to the midfield when defending inside the 22 and has pulled off some big direct hits.If you go back and track him in the replays.
He does get lost on defence when he is wide sometimes but it seems that is a defensive pattern Matt Todd is using as Amua does the same thing.
He has pace is a big unit they might see him as a good option under the high ball.big boot which may get us down field.
People have their favourites I am not sure how he would go in test rugby.
I am not convinced he will be selected atm. -
@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:
@African-Monkey said in All Blacks 2025:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:
@frugby said in All Blacks 2025:
I get the vibe there is a whole crew of Aucklanders who are willing him on to fail, which I find really weird
I find it really weird that's the vibe you get.
Lol usually when you have mixed results as ABs coach you get criticized right?
Foster got criticised for
breathingeating by most of the country.Yes
I breathe, therefore I eat?
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@Steven-Harris said in All Blacks 2025:
Was in at the Sport Nation studios on friday , picked up some oil that both Fihaki and Tangitau will be selected in the first All Black squad .
Even if one of them breaks their leg?
Pretty early in the season to be locking in newbies, so I'm a bit sceptical that they are - but, I daresay both are being watched closely.
I'm imagining that for the French tests, Faingaánuku won't be back in the country -but, after that, I'm pretty sure he'll become a part of the equation. When does Jordie become available?
If they're selecting a pretty bloated squad of 36 for France, then the backs will look something like:
Roigard, Ratima, Hotham
BBarrett, McKenzie
JBarrett, Ioane, ALB, Proctor, Havili
Clarke, Reece
Jordan, LoveAnd then a few from Faingaánuku, Tangitau, Narawa, Fihaki, Perofeta, Teleá - and whomever else I've forgotten or has caught their eye.
Not sure there's space for both of Tangitau and Fihaki for a start.
There isn't in my squad - I don't need four wings.
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@Tim Super rugby stats:
Reece is:
3rd= in tries scored
3rd= in clean breaks
4th in defenders beaten
7th in metres gained
1st in offloadsAn incumbent AB winger and one of the other two has signed offshore.
I don't see him missing out to Fihaki!
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@Chris-B Jordie will available after Leinster's season ends on May 17th or May 24th if they make the European Cup final. His playing minutes have been carefully managed by Leinster so fatigue won't be a factor. My guess is that he will play a half of so of a club footy once he's back in New Zealand. He'll be a contender for Player of the Season in the Northern Hemisphere for 2024-5. Bar serious injury, he's a certainty for the All Blacks squad against France.
Leicester F is still contracted with Toulon until the end of July. Under NZR rules he will need to play for Ta$man in the NPC before he's All Blacks eligible. So he might play towards the end of the Rugby Championship if there is an injury. I think he's a near certainty for the end of year tour. He's played well at Toulon and Robertson is a fan.
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@Tim To be fair to Sevu Reece, Louis Bielle-Biarrey has been making lots of other wingers look slow in recent months. 21 years old and probably the best back in the world at the moment. The French are really lucky to have a such an exceptional talent. I wish we had someone like him at the moment. But we don't.
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@Tim said in All Blacks 2025:
@Chris-B He did that at Super Rugby level last year too, and struggled all season for the ABs.
Maybe - but, I'm not sure about the logic that says we should instead pick someone else who doesn't look as good at Super rugby on the off chance they might be better at tests.
Teleá is leaving which opens up a spot for Tangitau, who's looked the best of the rest to me. Big Leicester is in the wings..
I don't think they'll be in any rush to punt Sevu from the start of the year.
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@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:
@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
I wish we had someone like him at the moment. But we don't.
We could well do, but we're not getting the chance to find out with the selection of average carthorses possessing bland all round skills.
the correct term is "vanilla"
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@MN5 said in All Blacks 2025:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:
@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
I wish we had someone like him at the moment. But we don't.
We could well do, but we're not getting the chance to find out with the selection of average carthorses possessing bland all round skills.
the correct term is "vanilla"
I thought we'd established that now means the opposite?
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@Chris-B said in All Blacks 2025:
@Tim said in All Blacks 2025:
@Chris-B He did that at Super Rugby level last year too, and struggled all season for the ABs.
Maybe - but, I'm not sure about the logic that says we should instead pick someone else who doesn't look as good at Super rugby on the off chance they might be better at tests.
Teleá is leaving which opens up a spot for Tangitau, who's looked the best of the rest to me. Big Leicester is in the wings..
I don't think they'll be in any rush to punt Sevu from the start of the year.
Well, they can't have it both ways.
If they are picking on Super form, fine, do that.
But, that means no Fihaki. So, if they want him, they see something that is needed at test rugby that is not shown at Super.
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@taniwharugby said in All Blacks 2025:
I'd say this year will give us a much better picture of whether he is upto the task or not, if we cant start to climb back up after the slide that started around 2016/2017, might be time to start supporting the Warriors....
We started the climb back in 2023 IMHO and are still progressing, though patchily. Expected in his first year
The forwards look good, esp. the tight 5, there's options available at 6/7/8 and we're in a much better position at 9. 11 & 14 are also OK. I think 10 is solid, but concerned about options if DMac is injured, midfield is still a bit of a mess and we're still in a muddle at 15.
This year Robertson needs to get the loosies working as a unit, try some options at 12/13 and give "new" players like Lakai, Perofeta, Proctor, Love etc. way, way more game time than last year.
Sense there's still an issue around on-field leadership. The headless chicken stuff has abated, but we're still not in a good space when under pressure. Again, expected with a new coach and captain but he needs to work on the on-field smarts this year.
Be a bit bolder and confident. Oh, and sort out the bloody exits and re-starts - almost seems like that's an afterthought with this bunch.
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