All Blacks 2025
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@Darren said in All Blacks 2025:
After watching the Landers v Canes
I'd say my bolter is Tele'a He was very impressiveI'd be interested to see his defensive stats, but he's certainly not a shirker. If we want a guy to truck it up and actually make ground, he appears to be the best shout.
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@African-Monkey hopefully he gets a chance at 7nfor the ABs...he has been in some form.this year
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@Jet Terrible video.
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"Look here's some bad play by Anton Leinert-Brownwhen Reiko wasn't playing." That's not convincing.
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"Pundits and ex-players like him." Everyone knows the NZ rugby establishment stick together. That's one reason why we haven't won won a World Cup for 10 years and we're only third in the world.
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Then at 1:41 we got the "both sides of the ball" cliche.
I gave up after that.
The Blues have stopped scoring backline tries. They have totally dried up. Drier than the Sahara Desert. You can't pick the Blues Centre for the All Blacks when that happens.
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So is it Savea 7, Sititi 8 now.
I hope they got the courage to free up this year and just go for it
Exciting times so many good young players coming through -
@BerniesCorner said in All Blacks 2025:
So is it Savea 7, Sititi 8 now.
I hope they got the courage to free up this year and just go for it
Exciting times so many good young players coming throughI'm hoping Lakai makes the squad. He's already very good, but he will be twice the player in a couple years and should be a player the ABs have in mind for the WC. I can see him being picked ahead of Kirifi because of his versatility. Could be the perfect bench player for the ABs over the next couple years.
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@BerniesCorner Those two are penned in if fit. Then I'd have Finau at 6 and either Jacobson or Lakai on the bench. Papalii would be my other back row option if there's room in the squad.
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@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
@BerniesCorner Those two are penned in if fit. Then I'd have Finau at 6 and either Jacobson or Lakai on the bench. Papalii would be my other back row option if there's room in the squad.
Yep, that seems about right. Kirifi is probably going to be arguably the unluckiest player in the country, but his lack of versatility probably counts against him.
I'm still not sold on Finau at 6 but there doesn't seem to be too many other options. Flanders has been out all year for the Canes but is due back this week, Howden seems to be going well for the Landers, Grace is too small to be a test 6 IMO, and Blackadder is always broken.
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At times it's been a hard watch over the last 5 years.
No reason now not to make hay. Exciting options across the team. Reward form ffs. -
@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
Cory Jane and Israel Dagg being left out of the 2015 RWC World Cup squad for Nehe Milner-Skudder and Waisake Naholo with a broken leg are the last examples of a ruthless BIG CHOP from the All Blacks I can remember.
That Milner-Skudder come up in 2015 should be studied. From bursting into the Canes starting side out of nowhere to being one of our stars at the WC. Crazy how he had one crazy year and then his career fell off a cliff due to injuries. Real shame.
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@taniwharugby said in Moana Pasifika v Blues:
@African-Monkey hopefully he gets a chance at 7nfor the ABs...he has been in some form.this year
Yeah, like I've been against him playing at 7 over the years and felt that his best asset, the jackle, was best used on defence with him not committing as first tackler and letting Cane make most of the tackles up front, but with no 7s in the country being able to replicate Cane and what he offered, we're almost left with no choice but to play Ardie at 7.
It would also allow Sititi to go to 8 and whoever at 6 (again, whoever plays for whatever team they support will be in favour).
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@African-Monkey I guess the thing is, there was probably a period where he would have been our best 7 and 8, but with lesser options at 8, was forced to stay there rather than 7 where I think he does seem more suited, in a traditional role.
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@BerniesCorner said in All Blacks 2025:
So is it Savea 7, Sititi 8 now.
I hope they got the courage to free up this year and just go for it
Exciting times so many good young players coming throughSteady on. That’s too dynamic.
One or possibly both of them will have to go so they can fit Jacobsen, Papalii and Blackadder there too.
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@Canes4life said in Moana Pasifika v Blues:
Ardie is insane. Fuck you all that ever thought he wasn’t AB level. He’s on another planet.
Who thought anyone holds a grudge for nine years about an opinion about a player not being as good as another player in that moment nine years ago.
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A few random musings...
If Braydon Ennor hasn't signed to play overseas then I could see him quickly coming back into the All Blacks frame. Rieko Ioane's greatest strength is his speed and while Ennor can't match that pace, he's the quickest centre in the country by some margin (or at least he was pre-injury). He's looked good in his few games for the Crusaders so far and Lienert-Brown isn't available for July, Ennor might be the next best option behind Proctor (and can cover wing too).
Rivez Reihana has looked pretty handy at 10 for the Crusaders. He's nowhere near All Blacks level yet but he'll be starting for the Maori All Blacks in their two matches against Japan in July which should give him a good opportunity to continue to push his case for a possible call-up in the future. I don't think Harrison Goddard is a 10 option, I think his future is at fullback (and with Love playing at 10 now, hopefully that means Goddard will stick to 15 upon his return), so it's good that Jacomb has some competition. Reihana just seems more assured at the basics.
I've said it before but I'll repeat it now because my original thoughts have only been reinforced in recent weeks. Xavi Taele could be a very good long-term prospect for NZ, though I'm not yet sure which position suits him best. I wouldn't be shocked to see him selected in July as the 'third' 10 option, even if he's never actually asked to play in that role.
Finlay Christie is well down the halfback pecking order right now but I think it's still wide open who gets the third berth behind Ratima and Roigard. I'm not concerned at all by either players' form at the moment, they've both had good moments throughout the season and were both strong in their most recent outings. I actually think Fakatava is the best option to back them up right now, ahead of both Funaki and Hotham, but I suspect Hotham will make the first squad (though I'd rather Hotham continued to partner Reihana for the MABs).
On the guys that are off form etc, I'm not too concerned when players have one dud season. Caleb Clarke was very good for the All Blacks last year and while he's not necessarily been in superb form for the Blues (although some of that is down to injuries), I'd be happy to see him starting on the left wing for NZ come July. Similarly, there were players who were underwhelming for the All Blacks last season who are very clearly back in form, such as Ardie Savea.
I think players who have two bad 'seasons' in a row should come find their position in the All Blacks under question, however, as well as those who continually fail to step up to Test level. Rieko Ioane is certainly someone who falls in the first category, especially with Billy Proctor currently playing like a young ALB.
The backline largely picks itself at the moment: Roigard, McKenzie, Clarke, Barrett, Proctor, ??, Jordan. In saying that, I wouldn't mind seeing either Love at fullback with Jordan on the wing, or Jordie Barrett at fullback with Jordan on the wing and Quinn Tupaea at 12. Emoni Narawa is an option at 14 (and should be selected ahead of Reece and the departing Tele'a), but I'm sure Reece will hold his spot somehow.
There's plenty of depth in the front row and enough up-and-coming talent in the second row such that the only big concerns should be the make-up of the loose forwards. I wouldn't mind a Jacobson/Savea/Sititi combo with Finau on the bench.
At this stage, I think a 'top' 23 (one that combines experience, form and future potential) would look like:
Williams, Taukei'aho, Lomax, Barrett, Vaa'i, Jacobson, Savea, Sititi, Roigard, McKenzie, Clarke, Barrett, Proctor, Jordan, Love. Reserves: Taylor, Norris, Newell, Holland, Finau, Ratima, Tupaea, Narawa.
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For mine, Savea is at 7, and Sititi is with him. I think to free Sititi up to roam, we probably want a really tight guy, which could be Lio-Willie, or they could take a risk on a bruiser in Parker. I am not convinced Finau compliments those two, as his best attribute is running with it in the wide channels.
With all the talent at lock, I do also expect them to consider Barrett or Vaa'i on the blindside.
