All Blacks 2024
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@Duluth said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Mo'unga made it clear in interviews his biggest motivation was money (plus some platitudes about 'experiencing different a culture' etc). It's hard to imagine him opting to take a massive pay cut
I think the rumours from last year are more likely to play out - Mo'unga, Frizell & Fainga'anuku all play for Tonga at the 2027 RWC
On this point, I remember this article from the Japan Times last year.
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2023/11/21/more-sports/mounga-all-blacks-japan-switch/
New Zealand playmaker Richie Mo'unga said Tuesday that he can imagine playing in Japan "until I retire" and is not thinking about a future return to the All Blacks.
"I'm focused on the present, I just want to give all I can to Toshiba," the fly half told reporters. "I really can see myself playing here as long as I can until I retire."
In Mo'unga's case, he said that "at this very point, the All Blacks is over there."
"I don't like using the term 'sabbatical,'" he said. "This isn't a rest for me, it's not a one-year thing. I'm fully involved and fully committed."
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@frugby said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Considering Lord is made of glass, lock is shaping as a real problem position. Barrett and Tuipulotu to me lacks a real giant as a pairing, and outside of that the options are grim all-round.
Vaa'i has been tried and failed, so they could stick with him, but still doesn't give you a big 2m+ lock... curious to see what they do.
In time, as long as Lord can shake off the injuries, we'll have Holland and Lord which could well be Barrett and Whitelock mark two...
Whoa, steady the fuck on there pal.
If they end up half as good as Maxwell and Maling that would be a good starting point
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@gt12 said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
I agree with your point. However, Razor should realise that his public comments will drive media coverage.
It was a stupid comment by Robertson. One that should never have been made.
If he had instead strongly supported the current policy and said something like NZ rugby is fortunate to still have world class players to choose from. Instead of putting the focus on players who have left (and indirectly criticising the players who are here) the opposite would have occurred.
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@Bones said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@frugby said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Barrett and Whitelock mark two...
Sweet! That's probably at least our 4th best pairing in the last decade. Hashtag highaspirations
I was so offended and worked up I didn’t even notice he’d written Barrett instead of Retallick
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@Bones said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@frugby said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Barrett and Whitelock mark two...
Sweet! That's probably at least our 4th best pairing in the last decade. Hashtag highaspirations
We can only dream of finding a locking combo that will reach peak Rettalick/Whitelock in the next 10-20 years and probably even longer.
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@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@frugby said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Barrett and Whitelock mark two...
Sweet! That's probably at least our 4th best pairing in the last decade. Hashtag highaspirations
We can only dream of finding a locking combo that will reach peak Rettalick/Whitelock in the next 10-20 years and probably even longer.
Indeed.
Best pair ever ? Quite possibly.
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It’s the same at this stage - a speculative article in a newspaper about an ex - all black
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@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
They can do this whilst also bringing back Mo'unga. It's not mutually exclusive.
Keeping RM in NZ would've made sense, having BB around makes some sense - even trying Havili at 10 has a kinda logic. But the sense in bringing back an 32 year-old 10, two years into a coaching stint eludes me.
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@taniwharugby said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
so is this different to Razor chasing Whitelock a month or so back?
This seems a bit more definite. From the horse's (Lendrum's) mouth: “Plan A is to get him back on a fulltime contract as soon as we can. That involves working with his agent.”
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@Winger said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
This is where NZR needs (much) higher quality people running things in NZ. Robertson should have had a phone call by now to tell him to cut this crap
We don't know if Robertson's driving this. Just as likely NZR are screwing things up and going off-piste. Not as if they don't have form.
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New Zealand Rugby: Early homecoming for Richie Mo'unga still on the cards
The national union's general manager of professional rugby, Chris Lendrum, provided some clarity on where the situation currently sits.
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‘It’s no secret’ – NZ Rugby confirm talks for Richie Mo’unga’s early return to All Blacks jersey
New Zealand Rugby have confirmed that they are in talks to lure All Blacks playmaker Richie Mo'unga back from Japan.
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I read that as a ‘this is what we want in an ideal scenario’ as opposed to we are working with him and his agent on a deal to bring him home.
There was nothing concrete at all in that article
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@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@frugby said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Barrett and Whitelock mark two...
Sweet! That's probably at least our 4th best pairing in the last decade. Hashtag highaspirations
We can only dream of finding a locking combo that will reach peak Rettalick/Whitelock in the next 10-20 years and probably even longer.
I really think Holland and Lord could get close to that level. Fabian Holland is a freak of an athlete. If he was playing for the Blues or Crusaders, the media would be all over it.
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@DaGrubster said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
I read that as a ‘this is what we want in an ideal scenario’ as opposed to we are working with him and his agent on a deal to bring him home.
There was nothing concrete at all in that article
There's even less in the interview.
Do we keep in contact with ex-ABs who could return? Yes
Would we want Mo'unga back? Yes
Does he want to come back? Ask him
None of it about Mo'unga was brought up by him, he spent ages explaining why he thinks the current 'must play in NZ' system suits us.
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@frugby said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@frugby said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Barrett and Whitelock mark two...
Sweet! That's probably at least our 4th best pairing in the last decade. Hashtag highaspirations
We can only dream of finding a locking combo that will reach peak Rettalick/Whitelock in the next 10-20 years and probably even longer.
I really think Holland and Lord could get close to that level. Fabian Holland is a freak of an athlete. If he was playing for the Blues or Crusaders, the media would be all over it.
He might get to Barrett levels yet.
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@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
They can do this whilst also bringing back Mo'unga. It's not mutually exclusive.
Keeping RM in NZ would've made sense, having BB around makes some sense - even trying Havili at 10 has a kinda logic. But the sense in bringing back an 32 year-old 10, two years into a coaching stint eludes me.
the way I see it unfolding, Mo'unga & Dmac to bring down curtains on AB careers at 2027 World Cup featuring as our experienced pivots, post-2027 for likes of Jacomb, Godfrey, Cashmore etc.. to establish in starting role.
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That would be nice, but my feeling is that if Mo'unga returns and gets the no. 1 spot, Dmac will go back overseas and cash in. Maybe we could keep him with a sabbatical.
My point is that I don't think we get to bring back guys like Mo'unga without potentially giving up others in return, and that's fine if Mo'unga is substantially better.
However, I doubt we will get to have our cake and eat it.
