All Blacks 2025
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@antipodean I am not arguing that Leicester F is one of the great players of all time, but he is playing well enough and has enough talent to a part of the All Blacks squad once eligible.
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@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
@antipodean I am not arguing that Leicester F is one of the great players of all time, but he is playing well enough and has enough talent to a part of the All Blacks squad once eligible.
I'm not saying you're wrong in your judgement of his current form in comparison to the other options - I'm just saying he needs to prove it in the same competition.
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@antipodean Nah, form in the top European club competitions counts for something as the quality of the rugby is vaguely similar to SR these days, but I'm more sceptical about the value of the Japanese domestic competition, as any sort of preparation for playing All Blacks rugby. It seems a lot less intense.
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@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
@antipodean I am not arguing that Leicester F is one of the great players of all time, but he is playing well enough and has enough talent to a part of the All Blacks squad once eligible.
Except you're currently arguing for him to be included in the squad when he's not eligible.
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@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
@DaGrubster He's signed a contract with NZR to play Super Rugby so his situation is different to most "overseas" ex-All Blacks.
He looked in great condition today so I'm not worried about that.
I'd let him train with the squad at the very least so he can get up to speed with the new players and the current coaching set-up. Leicester F and Jordie B after playing the whole northern hemisphere winter will need their minutes managed, but we'd be mad not to consider picking them.
Personally I think we need to be creating more competition for places in the All Blacks backline not less.
Yep Sparky, isn't he only signed for Super from 2026? Think he would have to play NPC before he can play for ABs if that is the case.
I will add haven't seen him play in any games apart from weekends, so don't know how he is going anyway. -
@Nepia He's only not eligible because NZR say so. I'm saying he should at least be allowed to train with the squad next year and maybe be considered for some of the Tests next year (e.g. the EOYT). There are precedents for this happening with returning players.
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@Dan54 He has mostly been doing okay for Toulon in the Top 14, although yesterday was his first game for a couple of months. The part I am unsure about is when his playing responsibilities for Toulon end. Is it July 2025 or December 2025? I've seen his contact with them described as an 18-month deal.
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lol who cares about Lester, we’ve got better centres in NZ that can’t even get a shot.
If anything, Lester would probably suit 12 more where he can use his power but again there’s better players coming through.
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@Canes4life It would be good to have him as injury cover at 11 for Caleb Clarke. He might do a job ahead of ALB as a midfield impact off the bench, but Billy Proctor and Quinn Tupaea are likely to be in the mix too.
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@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
@Nepia He's only not eligible because NZR say so. I'm saying he should at least be allowed to train with the squad next year and maybe be considered for some of the Tests next year (e.g. the EOYT). There are precedents for this happening with returning players.
Yeah, and so what? It's up to NZR to determine who is eligible.
Why should NZR have to pay the costs of having an ineligible player train with the squad? And if he negotiates a deal with NZR to be eligible on the EOYT then good on him, but as it currently stands he isn't eligible because he chose to go to the NH on a permanent contract.
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@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
@antipodean Nah, form in the top European club competitions counts for something as the quality of the rugby is vaguely similar to SR these days, but I'm more sceptical about the value of the Japanese domestic competition, as any sort of preparation for playing All Blacks rugby. It seems a lot less intense.
I agree that Japan is a shit proxy for SR, but you're arguing that overseas players should be able to walk into the All Blacks.
You're Razor and I claim my $10.
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@antipodean said in All Blacks 2025:
@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
@antipodean Nah, form in the top European club competitions counts for something as the quality of the rugby is vaguely similar to SR these days, but I'm more sceptical about the value of the Japanese domestic competition, as any sort of preparation for playing All Blacks rugby. It seems a lot less intense.
I agree that Japan is a shit proxy for SR, but you're arguing that overseas players should be able to walk into the All Blacks.
You're Razor and I claim my $10.
With his flood of posts on multiple threads if he's not Razor I think he's LF's player manager.
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@antipodean Nope. I don't surf and I don't hate Hoskins Sotutu (or Akira Ioane).
I just want to see the All Blacks leave no stone unturned in reclaiming the Number 1 spot and winning back the Webb Ellis trophy.
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@antipodean said in All Blacks 2025:
@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
@antipodean I am not arguing that Leicester F is one of the great players of all time, but he is playing well enough and has enough talent to a part of the All Blacks squad once eligible.
I'm not saying you're wrong in your judgement of his current form in comparison to the other options - I'm just saying he needs to prove it in the same competition.
A bit like how Ardie and Beaudy proved their form in Japan translated into test level oh wait...
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@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
@antipodean Nope. I don't surf and I don't hate Hoskins Sotutu (or Akira Ioane).
I just want to see the All Blacks leave no stone unturned in reclaiming the Number 1 spot and winning back the Webb Ellis trophy.
Quite the contrary
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@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
@antipodean Nope. I don't surf and I don't hate Hoskins Sotutu (or Akira Ioane).
I just want to see the All Blacks leave no stone unturned in reclaiming the Number 1 spot and winning back the Webb Ellis trophy.
I think we're leaving that stone unturned, while turning over pebbles like Blackadder and if we bring back Frizell turning over whatever is worse than a pebble.
I'm with @KiwiMurph in that I'm happy for LF to come back when he's eilgible.
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We could very well have more than one ex NRL player gunning for an All Black spot before the next World Cup.
Dolphins cult hero Valynce Te Whare leaves the NRL for new opportunity
Valynce Te Whare has left the NRL and returned to rugby union after a three-year stay with the Dolphins.
