The Silver Fern

Chiefs - Crusaders - Brumbies
Chiefs - Crusaders - Hurricanes

Hurricanes will have to face 27 men. I reckon it is too much for them.

Bolters XV

Norris
Moananu
Dyer
Holland
Beehre
Howden
Ķirifi
Parker
Roe
Reihana
Carter
Tavatavanawai
Tele'a
Tangitau
Kneepkens

Schwalger instead of Goodes and Billy Cavubati instead of Tialata. Big Billy Cavubati was fun to watch.

I regret the times when the AB forwards did not have to achieve parity to allow the backs to win the games. With minimal possession, the likes of Carter, Nonu, Conrad and Ben Smith, J. Savea were talented enough to score tries at will. Good times.

Yes, you may be right but instead of Roigard, the All Blacks had F. Christie who is/was not exactly a game changer.

@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2025:

@Chris-B said in All Blacks 2025:

@MN5 said in All Blacks 2025:

@Chris-B said in All Blacks 2025:

@Grooter He's not far away - made the AB's XV last year.

But, it's a tough row to hoe in the loose forwards.

I've picked six - Savea, Sititi, Blackadder, Frizell, Finau, Papalií

But, the you've got, Jacobson, Lakai, Sotutu, Lio-Willie, Haig, Parker, Kirifi, Grace and whomever else you want to throw in that's been mentioned in the thread that I've forgotten. Frizz might not be back.

Since when has he achieved such levels of Richie Mounganess ?

One excellent test against the Boks and some inconsistency apart from that doesn't really justify it.

You're welcome to pick your own team.

I reckon if Frizz is back he'll be close.

@Canes4life said - Most of the ABs atm aren’t automatic selections

I reckon at least 75% are - and Razor said this week that they're about 90% there (or something similar).

So let's mark me when they pick their team.

I think if the ABs were selected tomorrow this would be pretty close to what they select IMO. Note, I’ve picked 34 players.

Props:

• Williams
• Lomax
• Tosi
• Newell
• De Groot
• Bower

Hookers:

• Taylor
• Taukei’aho
• Aumua

Locks:

• Darry/Holland
• Barrett
• Tuipolotu
• Va’ai

Loose forwards:

• Sititi
• Savea
• Finau
• Jacobsen
• Lakai
• Blackadder/Papali’i/Kirifi - take your pick.

Halfbacks:

• Roigard
• Ratima
• Hotham/Preston

First fives:

• Barrett
• McKenzie

Centres:

• Barrett - can cover fullback
• Proctor
• Havili
• Ioane - can cover wing
• Leinert-Brown / Tupaea

Outside backs:

• Clarke
• Jordan
• Love
• Narawa
• Reece

You are very conservative. I think there will be one or two bolters.

Ah Kuoi could be useful. My loose forwards would be :

Ah Kuoi - Savea - Sititi - Lakai - Jacobson - Sotutu.

In my summary, I forgot Simon Parker. He is big and strong, and carries well. But I find him slow for an international loose forward and I don't think he could be a useful complement to Sititi and Savea (two smallish forwards) as he is not a reliable lineout target.

@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:

I like Howden at 6, seems the perfect type of player to complement Savea and Sititi.

I like his athleticism but has he done enough this year to warrant a selection ? I don't think so.

Yes, a loose forward trio composed of Ah Kuoi, Savea and Sititi would be worth a try.

Summary for the future squad :

Hookers :
Codie Taylor is a certainty;
Taukei'aho as well;
Aumua : has not fully recovered from a nasty injury. LO throwing still a work on.
Moananu : he could be a bolter as he is the best LO thrower in the country and has a very good workmate. Small but strong.

Loosehead props :
Tamaiti Williams : probably the best of the bunch. Strong scrummager, powerful in the loose, good hands. Defence not his strength.
Ethan de Groot : despite a poor SR rugby campaign (with the notable exception of the game against the Hurricanes), he should be in. Good scrummager but does not bring very much in the loose. Not many meters gained in regard to his impressive physique.
Olli Norris : he could be a bolter as his scrummaging is far better this year and he is the best ball carrier of them all. Good at shifting bodies in the rucks too.
George Bower : Solid servant with no weaknesses but without notable strength. He is a Crusader but his age could count against him.
Xavier Numia : he has not recovered from his long injury. Actually, he is a shadow of his former self. Not as dynamic as he used to be but scrums adequately. I don't see him join the squad.

Tight head props :
Lomax : best THP in the country. He is a certainty.
Tosi : not his best season that's for sure but he is beginning to regain some form. Won a penalty but conceded one against EdG on Friday. Powerful in the loose. He should be Lomax's understudy.
Fletcher Newell : seems to carry more effectively this year. Still a strong scrummager. He should be the third THP within the squad;
George Dyer : very good workrate and good if not dominant scrummager. He could be a bolter but this would be a big surprise as far as I am concerned.

Locks :
Scott Barrett : he is a certainty despite being rather anonymous this season. Will he retain his captaincy ?
Tupou Vai'i : best lock in the country ... by a country mile. Another certainty for the squad;
Patrick Tuipolutu : not a great SR season for him, hampered by a few niggles. His experience should prevail for a place in the squad.
Holland : he has not progressed as quickly as I expected but maybe it is because he is playing in a very collectively weak team. Very effective in disrupting opposition's throws at the LO, solid work in the rucks and mauls. His weakness is his lack of power in his ball carrying IMO; I think he will be selected thanks to Darry's injury.
Josh Lord : he is made of glass, despite having added a few Kgs to his frame. He is a contender but I don't see him get the nod.
Ah Kuoi : he is having a great SR season. Excellent workrate, uncompromising attitude. He may be a bit too light for an international lock.
Sam Darry : he could have been the squad's fourth lock but his injury will probably keep him out. He has all the qualities to become a world class lock IMO.
Walker-Leawere : his indiscipline should keep him out of contention. It's a shame because his power could be useful against the SA or French packs.
Antonio Shalfoon : he is the Crusaders best lock this year. I thought he was a journeyman but he did far better than I expected. He is a Crusader so he is a possibility for the squad.

Loose forwards :
Ardie Savea : a certainty. Will he become the team's captain ? He probably deserves it.
Wallace Sititi : another certainty despite his recent recovery from injury. He and Savea are both outstanding ball carriers.
Hoskins Sotutu : in terms of technique, he is probably the best Nr.8 in NZ. His lack of versatility might count against him.
Peter Lakai : he was outstanding against France last year and has played better and better after a slow start in the SR. A good player to have on the bench. He should be in.
Dalton Papali'i : very sound player who lacks the X-factor one could expect from such a gifted man. He could be in but he could also but out of the squad. Who knows ?
Jacobson : solid but not brillant. Anonymous in his outings with the ABs but very good with the Chiefs. He and Papali'i are the same type of players.
Finau : the big mystery. Physically imposing but does not impose himself at the upper level. If he plays to his potential, he could be a world beater. I think he will be in because of the lack of other valuable options.
Cullen Grace : solid, excellent at the lineout but physically a bit light for an international blindside flanker.
Ethan Blackadder : great workrate but does not have the expected impact, maybe because of his automatic injuries. One of Robertson's favorites so he might be in.
Du Plessis Kirifi : excellent at the breakdown but his lack of versatility might count against him. If Tavatavanawai is selected, then Kirifi could not be needed as they both play the same "jackaling" role.
Christian Lio-Willie : strong ball carrier but physically too limited for an international Nr.8 IMO. Plays for the Crusaders, though.

Halfbacks :
Cam Roigard : not his best season so far. Good passing, good kicking, but many unusual mistakes in this SR season. However, he is a certainty for the squad.
Cortez Ratima : not his best season as he has been seriously challenged by Roe. He should be in the squad though. I'd like the idea of having two distinct combos : Roigard/Love and Ratima/DMac in the 23.
Finlay Christie : I don't think he will make the squad because he has been rather meh so far.
Noah Hotham : he could be in though he is not the finished article yet. Snipes well but his passing is too slow.
Fakatava : snipes well too but his passing lets him down at times. Tends to make silly errors but he can be brillant.
Funaki : solid but does not play for the good team and is not yet the finished article.
Preston : plays for the Saders. Sharp pass but weak in defence. I don't think he will make it.

1st Five :
DMac : probably the best in the country. The Chiefs are a different team when he is not their playmaker.
Beauden Barrett : I guess he will be selected but more on his reputation than on his recent performances. Questionable goal and tactical kicking. However, he is still capable of showing glimpses of his former brillance.
Ruben Love : like the two above, he can play fullback and 1st Five. Brillant player with a thousand qualities. Questions about his game management as a 1st Five.

2nd Five :
Jordie Barrett : he is a certainty. 2nd Five is probably his best position.
David Havili : one of Robertson's favorites but has not done a lot at the upper level. Will he get selected while there are other younger options ?
Quinn Tupaea : solid and uncompromising but still has to prove his worth on the international scene. If Havili is in, then he would be out of the squad.
Riley Higgins : good passer and offloader but his defence is still a work on. I have doubts about his chances to get picked.
Tavatavanawai : he is a type of player the ABs never had in their ranks. He could bring something different. He is a constant menace at the breakdown and could be useful in a tight game where the ABs have to defend their line. He could be a bolter for the selection.

Centres :
Rieko Ioane : not a good year for him so far. He should be in, though, thanks to his anteriority and lack of experienced alternatives.
Billy Proctor : the best passing centre in NZ. He knows how to put a player into space. Good in defence, too. It would be a very bad surprise if he is not selected.
Tanielu Tele'a : strongest ball carrying centre in NZ. I don't know much about his defensive qualities. His versatility could make him a bolter for the squad.

Back three :
Will Jordan : he is a certainty, probably as a fullback but with three potential fullbacks (DMac, BB and Love), he could be pushed to the right wing.
Caleb Clarke : Not a good season for him but he has plenty of qualities (speed, strength and safety under the high balls) which will probably take him into the squad.
Sevu Reece : great workrate but his lack of speed against the likes of Bielle Biarrey and Kolbe could be a major deficiency. I really don't know whether he will be selected or not.
Mark Tele'a : he certainly knows how the slip through tackles but his lack of speed and the fact that he is heading overseas might count against him.
Emoni Narawa : no known weaknesses. Has been very good so far for the Chiefs.
AJ Lam : can play wing, 2nd Five and centre. Quick and powerful, he has already been in the AB squad and could well retain his place.
Leroy Carter : has entered the conversation lately. His defensive frailties and inexperience at the highest level could count against him.
Caleb Tangitau : a shame that he has been injured as he was the form winger before. His sheer speed is something the ABs did not have in their squad last year. He is not yet the finished article but I'd like to see him taken at least as an apprentice.
Shaun Stevenson : he has been very good for the Chiefs this year. Brillant in attack and big boot. Has not shown the defensive lapses he used to show the years before. Unfortunately he is leaving so he won't get picked.
Bailyn Sullivan : he has been great for the Hurricanes. Excellent tackler and opportunist try scorer. Despite these positive accomplishments, it would be a big surprise to see him getting selected.

@booboo
I don't know. They have so different qualities and styles of play that a comparison would be odd. In this peculiar game, I think Tele'a was the most influential. He is an attacking weapon that the Highlanders have sorely lacked in recent times.

Tele'a was the most impressive Highlander on the paddock. He is so underrated. Based on this SR season, he is a better 13 than Ioane, IMO.

Tavatavanawai and Tele'a did very well against the much vaunted Higgins - Proctor combo. Actually, they played far better, Big Jim in defence and Tele'a in attack where his power was awesome. I wouldn't mind seeing one of those two or the two in the future AB squad.

Who among this squad will play in this year's NPC ? Not a lot IMO.

@Frank said in Hurricanes vs Highlanders:

How did Ruben Love go at 10?

Excellent IMO, despite a question on his game management but his forwards delivered slow ball, which allowed the Highlanders defence to react accordingly. 100% success in his goal kicking and pretty solid in every department. Brillant with ball in hand.

@Bovidae said in U20 Rugby Championship 2025:

Looking ahead to the WC squad, I see that Aisake Vakasiuola is back playing club rugby. Adding him to the forward pack gives you more bulk at lock and another ball-carrier.

Great. Treacy and Tengblad are very skinny locks.

No, they still have Chay Fihaki.

Some of the NZ forwards - though being lean - look like they weight more than 85 kg.

@Tim said in Blues 2025:

Jordan Lay played club rugby for University yesterday, so hopefully we will have a decent reserve loosehead prop soon.

PJ Check also played for Grammar TEC.

Tupaea did surprisingly well in the scrums considering his light frame.