Super Rugby 2025
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Guys like Ollie Mathis and Taine Kolose could well be locked into long-term deals that see them spend a season or two in a development role before joining the full squad later down the track.
Mathis in particular is certainly not big enough to be a loose forward in Super Rugby yet (he only played what, two or three games at flanker for Waikato this year?). There's a chance he comes into the squad as injury cover anywya (he'd do a fine job over someone like LCF on the wing, to be honest), but there's no need to rush him in when it would mean having to lose another loosie that's already battle-hardened (and not on a longer-term contract).
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@Bovidae said in Super Rugby 2025:
There will be a lot extras involved in pre-Xmas training to make up for the missing ABs/injured players.
Johnstone is only 28 but may look to cash in overseas. I'd rather have him in a squad than DLB, who can't scrum.
I'm shocked that he's still a SR player. Feel like he's been kept on for about 3-4 seasons too long.
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DLB signed that 2 year extension in 2023 along with Hugh Renton if I remember correctly. In hindsight that probably wasn’t the best choice but it was a reflection of the propping situation in the country at the time. 2025 will be his last season but I agree, could have done with moving on at the end of 2023 but circumstances meant otherwise.
A great servant to NZ rugby none the less, still only 31 so could get a few seasons in in Japan from 2025 on you would think. Glad Josh Bartlett has been given a contract
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@Mr-Fish said in Super Rugby 2025:
Guys like Ollie Mathis and Taine Kolose could well be locked into long-term deals that see them spend a season or two in a development role before joining the full squad later down the track.
Agree. Most of these young players will have a career pathway mapped out for them. Mathis isn't even 19 I believe. You would think Kolose is a good chance of being ST's injury replacement, as a third hooker is still required.
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I’m unsure when squads usually announce Wider squads/injury replacements but I’ve just had confirmation from someone within a franchise that we won’t be seeing the wider squads/injury replacements confirmed until early in the new year.
I suppose those who are filling in at training pre Christmas aren’t guaranteed to be added so that makes sense.
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@Landers92 said in Super Rugby 2025:
unsure when squads usually announce Wider squads
Last season the Blues named a group of 5 wtg players Nov 27. A separate group from the younger academy NDC players who were named in December I think.
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@frugby said in Super Rugby 2025:
Best NZ XV of players not signed?
- Ayden Johnstone
- James O’Reilly
- ?
- Hugo Plummer
- James Thompson
- Rob Rush
- Oli Mathis
- Semisi Tupou Taieloa
- Adam Lennox
- Callum Harkin
- ?
- ?
- Jone Rova
- Viliami Fine
- Issac Hutchinson
Probably add Pepesana Patafilo as that left winger, or is he with Moana?
Update: NM, I see he's with Moana.
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@Daffy-Jaffy buggar, as I believe they wouldnt release him to come back and play for Northland.
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I've made a stab at the top 23 for each of the Kiwi sides (below), aside from MP. Will be interesting to see what people's thoughts are on where these teams will end up at the end of the year if they can keep most of these players fit. (Apologies for CAPS LOCK).
Personally, both the Chiefs and Blues look to be the squads to beat on paper. The Landers look to be a fair amount stronger than last year, I think the Crusaders will do much better than this year, and the Canes will be there or there abouts once again. 1 or 2 of these sides will likely miss the playoffs due to the new top 6 format.
BLUES
STARTERS: 1. OFA TU'UNGAFASI 2. RICKY RICCITELLI 3. MARCEL RENATA 4. PATRICK TUIPOLOTU 5. SAM DARRY 6. CAMERON SUAFOA 7. DALTON PAPALI'I 8. HOSKINS SOTUTU 9. FINLAY CHRISTIE 10. HARRY PLUMMER 11. CALEB CLARKE 12. AJ LAM 13. REIKO IOANE 14. MARK TELEA'A 15. STEPHEN PEROFETA
RESERVES: 16. KURT EKLUND 17. JOSH FUSITUA 18. ANGUS TA'AVAO 19. JOSH BEEHRE 20. ANTON SEGNER
21. TAUFA FUNAKI 22. BEAUDEN BARRETT 23. ZARN SULLIVANCHIEFS:
STARTERS: 1. AIDEN ROSS 2. SAMISONI TAUKEI'AHO 3. GEORGE DYER 4. AH KOUI 5. TUPOU VA'AI 6. SAMIPENI FINAU 7. LUKE JACOBSEN 8. WALLACE SITITI 9. CORTEZ RATIMA 10. DAMIAN MCKENZIE 11. ETENI NANAI-SETURO 12. QUINN TUPAEA 13. ANTON LEINERT-BROWN 14. EMONI NARAWA 15. SHAUN STEVENSON
RESERVES: 16. BRODIE MCALISTER 17. OLLIE NORRIS 18. JARED PROFFIT 19. JOSH LORD 20. SIMON PARKER
21. XAVIER ROE 22. JOSH JACOMB 23. LEROY CARTERHURRICANES:
STARTERS: 1. XAVIER NUMIA 2. ASAFO AUMUA 3. TYREL LOMAX 4. CALEB DELANY 5. ISAIA WALKER-LEAWERE 6. DEVAN FLANDERS 7. PETER LAKAI 8. BRAYDEN IOSE 9. CAMERON ROIGARD 10. HARRY GODFREY 11. KINI NAHOLO 12. RILEY HIGGINS 13. BILLY PROCTOR 14. KADE BANKS 15. RUBEN LOVE
RESERVES: 16. RAYMOND TUPUTUPU, 17. TEVITA MAFILEO, 18. PASILIO TOSI, 19. ZACH GALLAGHER, 20. DU PLESSIS KIRIFI 21. JORDI VIJOEN, 22. LUCAS CASHMORE, 23. BAILYN SULLIVAN
CRUSADERS:
STARTERS: 1. TAMAITI WILLIAMS 2. CODIE TAYLOR 3. FLETCHER NEWELL 4. SCOTT BARRETT 5. QUINTEN STRANGE 6. ETHAN BLACKADDER 7. COREY KELLOW 8. CHRISTIAN LIO-WILLIE 9. NOAH HOTHAM 10. RIVEZ REIHANA 11. CHAY FIHAKI 12. DAVID HAVILI 13. BRAYDEN ENNOR 14. SEVU REECE 15. WILL JORDAN
RESERVES: 16. GEORGE BELL 17. FINLAY BREWIS 18. GEORGE BOWER 19. JAMIE HANNAH 20. CULLEN GRACE
21. KYLE PRESTON 22. JAMES O'CONNOR 23. LEVI AUMUAHIGHLANDERS:
STARTERS: 1. ETHAN DE GROOT 2. JACK TAYLOR 3. SAULA MA'U 4. MITCHELL DUNSHEA 5. FABIAN HOLLAND 6. OLIVER HAIG 7. SEAN WITHY 8. HUGH RENTON 9. FOLAU FAKATAVA 10. CAMERON MILLAR 11. JONA NAREKI 12. THOMAS UMAGA-JENSEN 13. TANIELU TELE'A 14. TIMOCI TAVATAVANAWAI 15. TAINE ROBINSON
RESERVES: 16. HENRY BELL 17. JOSH BARTLETT 18. SOSEFO KAUTAI 19. TK HOWDEN 20. NIKORA BROUGHTON 21. JAMES ARSCOTT 22. SAM GILBERT 23. MICHAEL MANSON
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@Canes4life Dallas McLeod & Daniel Rona make Saders/Chiefs best 23 - not Leroy Carter & old man O'Connor FFS.
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The Chiefs could go with a 6:2 bench and use Carter as the backup 9. Rona as the outside back cover otherwise.
I'd start Lord and bring Ah Kuoi off the bench. O'Neill ahead of Proffit as the latter is also a LH. I would not be surprised if Brown is in the no.20 jersey as he provides better cover at 7 than Parker.
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@darylmitchell said in Super Rugby 2025:
@Canes4life Dallas McLeod & Daniel Rona make Saders/Chiefs best 23 - not Leroy Carter & old man O'Connor FFS.
Some of the selections are obviously debatable. Who covers Reihana at the Saders then? Havili? We all saw how that turned out this year.... not good at all.
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@Bovidae said in Super Rugby 2025:
I would not be surprised if Brown is in the no.20 jersey as he provides better cover at 7 than Parker.
nah, McMillan rates Parker and has played him at 7 plenty before, he was also on the AB XV tour - he will be in the 23 for sure.
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