The Silver Fern

Hi Team

A reminder to get your nominations in.

Will look to set up polls on the weekend.

Haven't checked if we have sufficient nominations (i.e., a non-zero number) so please throw in your 2c asap.

Ta

@nonpartizan said in All Blacks 2025:

@Jet said in All Blacks 2025:

@nonpartizan said in All Blacks 2025:

Why did Piutau end up leaving NZ? I seem to recall he was an absolute stud.

Was it just a case of the ABs being stacked with back 3 talent or did he fall out with the coaching staff?

Was basically the highest paid player in the world for a good 5 year period. Ulster, Bristol and Wasps paid him top dollar.

And he also left prematurely, which wasnt the norm.

He had loads of good rugby left in him.

Thats why I was comparing Toeava to him.

Charles eked out a great career, albeit not on these shores.

Toeava was a gun but his body failed him. Could have been an all time great.

Could do it all (and maybe that was part of the problem).

His ommision from the 2015 RWC was contentious wasnt it? Because I think he did not leave for the NH until after the tournament.

Obviously Ben Smith & Savea were nailed down starters but I think Naholo was coming off an injury and NMS was like an up and comer but a bit of an unknown quantity.

I could be wrong on the above but I just remember thinking it was crazy that such a talent could not get into the squad.

Looked up his Wikipedia and the comment is

He was not selected for the 2015 World Cup, a factor in his decision to move to play club rugby in Europe.[8]

If I recall it was the other way around: not selected as had signed offshore. The signing being the deciding factor when picking between talented players.

@nonpartizan said in All Blacks 2025:

Why did Piutau end up leaving NZ? I seem to recall he was an absolute stud.

Was it just a case of the ABs being stacked with back 3 talent or did he fall out with the coaching staff?

Yes.

Also the offer he got off shore was bigger and he didn't give NZR right of reply IIRC.

Also have a feeling he came back from off season somewhat under done and didn't like being told ... but may be conflating with Luatua.

Dunno if this has been posted.

Video of all of Hadlee's wickets is just poetry.

Have to say though the Aussie batters did their best to help him in his 9fer.

And that slow ball down leg wasn't "a fluke" Chappelli.

https://www.theroar.com.au/2025/01/11/ok-bumrah-indian-star-magnificent-against-aussies-but-not-the-greatest-of-all-time-by-a-visiting-bowler/amp/

So ... searching for EP player lists is seemingly impossible ... but I found the following passage in some sort of archive previewing the 1997 BIL v EP tour match confirming Webber made the switch to EP.

In many ways, Richard Hill
the England open-side flanker
who turned 24 yesterday, will
occupy the hottest seat of the
lot this afternoon. To begin
with, he is up against a distinctly
useful opponent in Matthew
Webber, Easterns' new recruit
from the Auckland Blues - the
reigning Super 12 champions
who tend not to produce too
many second-raters. More sig-
nificant still, however, is the fact
that Hill will be at the very epi-
centre of the breakdowns,
where refereeing interpreta-
tions are so critical.

https://archive.org/stream/Independent1997IrelandEnglish/May 24 1997%2C Independent%2C %233305%2C Ireland (en)_djvu.txt

Reckon that means I'm right, but can't find direct reference as yet.

How many of these guys played for other Super teams.

Am next to 100% certain Matthew Webber played for a Seffrican team at some stage. EP I think maybe. PlayedU21s against him so took an interest.

@booboo said in Australia v India:

Outside thr line for me

But can't blame them for referring

Outside thr line for me

@Dan54 said in All Blacks 2025:

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2025:

@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?

Yep mate I not sure what they got against him' I wondering if he upset Jase Ryan or something.

Sotutu? Really?

@KiwiMurph said in 16. 2024 TOTY COACH:

Cotter.

Next.

Who Cotter?

Surely not Vern as he doesn't coach a Test side...

Vics whinging like Cantabs ...

Entire state set to be snubbed completely from World Cup

@Mauss said in 11. 2024 TOTY LEFT WINGER (THE KARL MARX AWARD):

@booboo said in 11. 2024 TOTY LEFT WINGER (THE KARL MARX AWARD):

Please refer rule 6a...

Left wing is an interesting position because I don’t think there has been a very clear stand-out. I’ve tried looking at some of the candidates and pick out some stats.

The World Rugby left wing-selection for their Team of the Year, James Lowe, was good in the Six Nations but had a relatively poor Autumn Nations series (7 turnovers lost and 9 tackles missed across 3 Tests) and a mixed outing against South Africa in July (his touchline blunder in the first Test effectively the difference in that game).

Someone like Louis Bielle-Biarrey, on the other hand, was prominent in the November Internationals but generally lacked impact during the Six Nations (3 starts, 1 appearance from the bench). Against England, for example, he had 1 carry for 7 metres made. Against Scotland, he had 5 carries for 20 metres made, beating just one defender in the process. His only solid attacking contribution came against a very poor Wales side, where he made 9 carries for 84 metres made. Even in the Autumn Nations series, where he was at his best, Bielle-Biarrey still struggled to impose his game against Tier 1 defences. After making 123 metres against another poor defensive side in Japan, Bielle-Biarrey only made 34 and 19 metres in the next two games, against New Zealand and Argentina respectively. While his speed on counter-attack and his defensive nous are genuine weapons at Test level, he hasn’t yet reached the levels on attack of someone like his compatriot, Damian Penaud.

For me, Caleb Clarke has been the most consistent performer this year on the left wing. In 9 Tests (7 wins, 2 losses), Clarke has scored 7 tries, has averaged 9 carries for around 70 metres made, made about 1 line-break per game and beat nearly 4 defenders a game. In a game where defence has been king in recent years, Clarke’s ability to consistently make metres has been an invaluable resource for the ABs’ attacking game, using his power to bend the line or his speed to get behind the defence. One could also argue that some of the poorer NZ offensive performances this season – England 1 & 2, South Africa 2 – coincided with Clarke’s absence, his finishing prowess and ability to beat defenders sorely missed.

Clarke can be perceived as having a less impactful Northern Tour with no tries scored in November, but even then, he still provided plenty of impetus on attack (averaging 9 carries for around 50 metres made, beating more than 3 defenders per game), paired with an added accuracy and involvement on defence (making 16 out of his 18 tackle attempts).

This consistent involvement and ability to make metres against the best defences also makes him stand-out against other big left-wingers, like Scotland’s Duhan van der Merwe, who can make a lot of metres against more chaotic defensive systems (146m against Fiji; 74m against Wales) but struggles much more to impact the game against the top 5 teams in the world. In contrast, Clarke has his averages only drop slightly against top opposition.

Caleb Clarke and Duhan van der Merwe’s attacking averages against France, Ireland and South Africa (3 tests each)

All that being said, Clarke still has plenty of room for further improvement, such as his discipline (0.7 penalties conceded on average and two yellow cards during the season) and his (lack of) variety to his game (an increase in his pass/kick/offload-numbers would make him more difficult to defend against).

But he has shown himself to be an impressively consistent presence on the wing with an ability to beat defenders through power and speed as well as finish attacking opportunities. Add in improved efforts on defence, and one could argue that Clarke was one of the most consistent AB backs of the 2024 Test season. I think he’s more than deserving of a nomination, and would be my personal choice for the left wing.

😲😱

@antipodean said in 8. 2024 TOTY NUMBER 8:

Sititi. Not only had to play blindside flanker, but did the most effective carrying in the All Blacks loose forwards.

Dud he get any time at 8?

@Nepia said in 10. 2024 TOTY FIRST FIVE-EIGHTH:

@booboo said in 10. 2024 TOTY FIRST FIVE-EIGHTH:

@Nepia said in 10. 2024 TOTY FIRST FIVE-EIGHTH:

Richie Mo'unga - didn't even play but was still the best 10 for the ABs all year.

Rule 5 ... but you know that

There's rules?

Laws maybe ...

Please refer explanatory note 6a.

Seriously.

@Nepia said in 10. 2024 TOTY FIRST FIVE-EIGHTH:

Richie Mo'unga - didn't even play but was still the best 10 for the ABs all year.

Rule 5 ... but you know that

@Gunner said in 11. 2024 TOTY LEFT WINGER (THE KARL MARX AWARD):

Caleb Clarke.

Because.

Please refer rule 6a...

16. 2024 TOTY COACH

Please share your thoughts on the 2024 coach of the year.

Rules as stated in Intro thread, but reminder please to.

• Give reasons for nomination
• Argue like squabbling toddlers

15. 2024 TOTY FULL BACK

Never go Full Back. But as some have, who went fullest in 2024?

Rules as stated in Intro thread, but reminder please to.

• Give reasons for nomination
• Argue like squabbling toddlers

14. 2024 TOTY RIGHT WINGER

Unlike the Karl Marx award have always struggled for an appropriate right leaning Nazi to name this award after that isn’t too offensive. Thoughts on best right-hand fast person from 2024.

Rules as stated in Intro thread, but reminder please to.

• Give reasons for nomination
• Argue like squabbling toddlers