All Blacks 2025
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@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
@gt12 It's was interesting hearing Grant Fox on the Good, the Bad and the Rugby this week (link below) talking about his time All Blacks selector working under Steve Hansen's leadership.
Every year they'd be an established All Black or two who would be playing below expectation in Super Rugby and Shag would use his network as a ex-cop to find out what was going on off the field around the player (there was always something).
Hansen would visit the player and ask "Is there something we (the All Blacks coaches) can help with?"
> I suspect Reiko Ioane and Caleb Clarke have already had the "Is there something we can help with" conversation this year.
Yep. The solutions are ‘switch back to the wing’ and ‘don’t have high speed chases with police in your spare time’ respectively.
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@Chris said in All Blacks 2025:
@Landers92 said in All Blacks 2025:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2025:
@Landers92 said in All Blacks 2025:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2025:
All speculation its not what I hear, very destructive talk.
The Captain will be Scott Barrett 100%.It most probably will be because at the end of the day Razor gets to make the decision. Doesn’t mean the players don’t gravitate and look to someone else though… and that’s a fact. Nothing destructive at all.
The captain is also supported by the leadership group who endorse that selection and they have including Ardie so no issue.
You can defend your boys as much as you want mate and that’s totally fine. I’m just stating that it doesn’t mean the players don’t gravitate and look to someone else and that is a fact. Nothing else to be said.
We all know who Razor is picking mate. It is what it is. Just hope Barrett can pick his game up because as of right now based off form there’s an argument he shouldn’t even be in the starting XV.
Sure you are entitled to your opinion as I am.
Yeah it’s done deal Scooter will be Captain.
A couple of current ABs are on thin ice and maybe dropped.Facts are opinions now? Yes I along with the rest of the country outside of Canterbury have no doubt he’s still the captain. I’m not going to be a broken record just so you can get my point though.
Be interesting to know who are on thin ice. You have any names?
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@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:
@Darren I would wager he's quicker than Telea and Reece, at the very least.
You may be right, but I have been a little disappointed with Love's pace this year (and towards the end of last year I think). For some reason I thought he was faster.
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Would have thought a lot of scrutiny around the form and consistency of Rieko, Clarke, Blackadder, Ofa, Christie and Aumua. So I would be hoping there would be conversations around how well each can perform for All Blacks v France. So the playoffs will be critical for these guys in my view and for the contenders for their spots.
I can see spots for a new prop, lock, loosie and wing at least. So 4 to 6 newbies in the squad of 35.
I hope the various posts about who is in and out are truly just speculation at the moment. It is the next 3 or 4 weeks that count for the most. Any of the 6 I named can secure a spot with playoffs form. Just Holland Big Jim Ardie and De Groot unlikely not to have chance. -
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@ARHS to be fair to Ofa he only played 4 rounds before a season ending neck injury took him out Clark imo has a test ceiling i do believe the Blues game plan does not do him any favours
Amua has played himself out of contention and i agree Christie should not even be in the picture -
@Frank said in All Blacks 2025:
@ARHS said in All Blacks 2025:
Would have thought a lot of scrutiny around the form and consistency of Rieko, Clarke, Blackadder, Ofa, Christie and Aumua.
I'd be highly surprised if he is even be considered anymore
Crumbs, I hope they've moved well on from him.
I should be the first to shout from the rooftops that a Scotland born ranga is in the team but he is as vanilla as they get.
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@Steven-Harris said in All Blacks 2025:
Amua has played himself out of contention and i agree Christie should not even be in the picture
The good thing for Aumua is that the next one in line is not obvious. The selectors might also see him as a bit of a 'project'. He's still young enough.
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@Crazy-Horse said in All Blacks 2025:
@Steven-Harris said in All Blacks 2025:
Amua has played himself out of contention and i agree Christie should not even be in the picture
The good thing for Aumua is that the next one in line is not obvious. The selectors might also see him as a bit of a 'project'. He's still young enough.
He was a beast on the end of year tour. He's just out of form
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@Landers92 said in All Blacks 2025:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2025:
@Landers92 said in All Blacks 2025:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2025:
@Landers92 said in All Blacks 2025:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2025:
All speculation its not what I hear, very destructive talk.
The Captain will be Scott Barrett 100%.It most probably will be because at the end of the day Razor gets to make the decision. Doesn’t mean the players don’t gravitate and look to someone else though… and that’s a fact. Nothing destructive at all.
The captain is also supported by the leadership group who endorse that selection and they have including Ardie so no issue.
You can defend your boys as much as you want mate and that’s totally fine. I’m just stating that it doesn’t mean the players don’t gravitate and look to someone else and that is a fact. Nothing else to be said.
We all know who Razor is picking mate. It is what it is. Just hope Barrett can pick his game up because as of right now based off form there’s an argument he shouldn’t even be in the starting XV.
Sure you are entitled to your opinion as I am.
Yeah it’s done deal Scooter will be Captain.
A couple of current ABs are on thin ice and maybe dropped.Facts are opinions now? Yes I along with the rest of the country outside of Canterbury have no doubt he’s still the captain. I’m not going to be a broken record just so you can get my point though.
Be interesting to know who are on thin ice. You have any names?
Amua form, De groot other things off the field.
I hear patience is wearing thin. -
@Chris said in All Blacks 2025:
@Landers92 said in All Blacks 2025:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2025:
@Landers92 said in All Blacks 2025:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2025:
@Landers92 said in All Blacks 2025:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2025:
All speculation its not what I hear, very destructive talk.
The Captain will be Scott Barrett 100%.It most probably will be because at the end of the day Razor gets to make the decision. Doesn’t mean the players don’t gravitate and look to someone else though… and that’s a fact. Nothing destructive at all.
The captain is also supported by the leadership group who endorse that selection and they have including Ardie so no issue.
You can defend your boys as much as you want mate and that’s totally fine. I’m just stating that it doesn’t mean the players don’t gravitate and look to someone else and that is a fact. Nothing else to be said.
We all know who Razor is picking mate. It is what it is. Just hope Barrett can pick his game up because as of right now based off form there’s an argument he shouldn’t even be in the starting XV.
Sure you are entitled to your opinion as I am.
Yeah it’s done deal Scooter will be Captain.
A couple of current ABs are on thin ice and maybe dropped.Facts are opinions now? Yes I along with the rest of the country outside of Canterbury have no doubt he’s still the captain. I’m not going to be a broken record just so you can get my point though.
Be interesting to know who are on thin ice. You have any names?
Amua form, De groot other things off the field.
I hear patience is wearing thin.Both will be in the squad.
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@Landers92 said in All Blacks 2025:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2025:
@Landers92 said in All Blacks 2025:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2025:
@Landers92 said in All Blacks 2025:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2025:
@Landers92 said in All Blacks 2025:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2025:
All speculation its not what I hear, very destructive talk.
The Captain will be Scott Barrett 100%.It most probably will be because at the end of the day Razor gets to make the decision. Doesn’t mean the players don’t gravitate and look to someone else though… and that’s a fact. Nothing destructive at all.
The captain is also supported by the leadership group who endorse that selection and they have including Ardie so no issue.
You can defend your boys as much as you want mate and that’s totally fine. I’m just stating that it doesn’t mean the players don’t gravitate and look to someone else and that is a fact. Nothing else to be said.
We all know who Razor is picking mate. It is what it is. Just hope Barrett can pick his game up because as of right now based off form there’s an argument he shouldn’t even be in the starting XV.
Sure you are entitled to your opinion as I am.
Yeah it’s done deal Scooter will be Captain.
A couple of current ABs are on thin ice and maybe dropped.Facts are opinions now? Yes I along with the rest of the country outside of Canterbury have no doubt he’s still the captain. I’m not going to be a broken record just so you can get my point though.
Be interesting to know who are on thin ice. You have any names?
Amua form, De groot other things off the field.
I hear patience is wearing thin.Both will be in the squad.
not so sure
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@ARHS said in All Blacks 2025:
Would have thought a lot of scrutiny around the form and consistency of Rieko, Clarke, Blackadder, Ofa, Christie and Aumua. So I would be hoping there would be conversations around how well each can perform for All Blacks v France. So the playoffs will be critical for these guys in my view and for the contenders for their spots.
I can see spots for a new prop, lock, loosie and wing at least. So 4 to 6 newbies in the squad of 35.
I hope the various posts about who is in and out are truly just speculation at the moment. It is the next 3 or 4 weeks that count for the most. Any of the 6 I named can secure a spot with playoffs form. Just Holland Big Jim Ardie and De Groot unlikely not to have chance.Not sure what you've been watching but Ofa was well regarded by the AB's coaching team on the EOYT for his professionalism and ability. He was selected for all 5 EOYT tests while De Groot got 1.
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@ARHS said in All Blacks 2025:
It is his fitness and form in super this year. With such a serious injury he will need to prove himself fully fit. Same for ALB
Was going to add De Groot to my list. On field form is ok, but something seems to be amiss as intimated in this thread.He won't be fit however to your other point, early season SR form of established ABs is irrelevant.
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We still have big problems with our loosies, and most of our issues last year centered around our loosies being outplayed consistently, affecting the quality of ball we got.
We have two blokes who are supremely talented - Ardie and Sititi - but can you afford to play both? We don't have a Kaino to pair them with, and outside of Finau or a complete rookie, we end up with an undersized trio. After snubbing Akira, all our eggs were in the Finau basket but he needs more time (as expected).
I actually think the best use of Ardie and Sititi is probably a one-two punch at 8, Ardie for the first 50 Sititi for the last 30. I have pretty big concerns with playing Ardie at 7, defensively I think we will lose too much compared to the likes of Cane and this year Dalton who smack blokes around the entire 80 minutes. Can include Blackadder in that as well, who has a similar workrate though with less impact.
I actually don't know who I would pick. On paper Finau-Dalton-Savea with Sititi on the bench looks the most balanced. But then we are limiting Sititi's minutes who seems made for test rugby, and once again hoping Finau can make the step up.
I think this is our biggest problem to solve this year.
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@No-Quarter said in All Blacks 2025:
We still have big problems with our loosies, and most of our issues last year centered around our loosies being outplayed consistently, affecting the quality of ball we got.
We have two blokes who are supremely talented - Ardie and Sititi - but can you afford to play both? We don't have a Kaino to pair them with, and outside of Finau or a complete rookie, we end up with an undersized trio. After snubbing Akira, all our eggs were in the Finau basket but he needs more time (as expected).
I actually think the best use of Ardie and Sititi is probably a one-two punch at 8, Ardie for the first 50 Sititi for the last 30. I have pretty big concerns with playing Ardie at 7, defensively I think we will lose too much compared to the likes of Cane and this year Dalton who smack blokes around the entire 80 minutes. Can include Blackadder in that as well, who has a similar workrate though with less impact.
I actually don't know who I would pick. On paper Finau-Dalton-Savea with Sititi on the bench looks the most balanced. But then we are limiting Sititi's minutes who seems made for test rugby, and once again hoping Finau can make the step up.
I think this is our biggest problem to solve this year.
I'm a big fan of Dalton but he seemed to fall out of favour a bit last year and I wonder if he will even make the squad? The AB's coaching panel didn't like Vernball and its been less successful this year.
That will make it difficult for Blues forwards. Tuipolotu will probably be there but he hasn't been close to his form last year and not close to the Blues best forward.
I think Papali'i has been the Blues best forward followed by Sotutu. I mean Fusitu'a has had a big workrate but he doesn't have the same impact on games.
I think these guys will be certainties in the loose forwards:
- Savea
- Sititi
- Finau
- Lakai
- Jacobson
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@Chris said in All Blacks 2025:
@Landers92 said in All Blacks 2025:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2025:
@Landers92 said in All Blacks 2025:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2025:
@Landers92 said in All Blacks 2025:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2025:
@Landers92 said in All Blacks 2025:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2025:
All speculation its not what I hear, very destructive talk.
The Captain will be Scott Barrett 100%.It most probably will be because at the end of the day Razor gets to make the decision. Doesn’t mean the players don’t gravitate and look to someone else though… and that’s a fact. Nothing destructive at all.
The captain is also supported by the leadership group who endorse that selection and they have including Ardie so no issue.
You can defend your boys as much as you want mate and that’s totally fine. I’m just stating that it doesn’t mean the players don’t gravitate and look to someone else and that is a fact. Nothing else to be said.
We all know who Razor is picking mate. It is what it is. Just hope Barrett can pick his game up because as of right now based off form there’s an argument he shouldn’t even be in the starting XV.
Sure you are entitled to your opinion as I am.
Yeah it’s done deal Scooter will be Captain.
A couple of current ABs are on thin ice and maybe dropped.Facts are opinions now? Yes I along with the rest of the country outside of Canterbury have no doubt he’s still the captain. I’m not going to be a broken record just so you can get my point though.
Be interesting to know who are on thin ice. You have any names?
Amua form, De groot other things off the field.
I hear patience is wearing thin.Both will be in the squad.
not so sure
While they are at it, drop Blackadder then. We are all wearing thin at the fact he keeps getting selected. Let me guess Razor will pick Bell over Aumua?
