All Blacks 2025
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@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
@Canes4life Fakatava may be the one to benefit.
I see him and Hotham as #3 and 4. Whoever can have the greater impact in the final 25 minutes of a match would get my vote
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@canefan Clearly it helps if your Third Half Back is a genial, clubbable character too. Someone like Andy Ellis was perfect to the role.
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@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2025:
Pleasing to see Ratima finding some form in recent weeks
There's a big gap between the top two 9s and the rest.
Yeah massive gap in my view. Based on last night’s performance from Hotham, I’d have Fakatava as the third halfback but I would only use him as bench impact if required.
Roigard and Ratima definitely certainties in the ABs 23.
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There haven't been too many Highlanders picked in recent years. On paper they seem like they should be a lot better than what they are. I thought JJ made a few selection errors earlier in the season.
But overall they should be doing better. They just don't combine well as a team.
I'd have De Groot, Holland and Ratumaitavuki Kneepkins in my squad but that's it. Tangitau needs to be fit.
Howden is a good player.
The other guys like Haig need to be fit to be considered.
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@brodean said in All Blacks 2025:
In the past I thought ENS would be a contender but he got chased down by the Highlanders openside yesterday.
His first game since Rd 1, so he wouldn't have been match fit. Unless there was an injury I suspect he was on managed minutes too (replaced at HT).
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What’s everyone’s thoughts on the back row. Normally seven are selected.
Savea ,Wallace ,Lakai, Jacobsen are certainties.
Then you have Dalton, Kirifi , Parker ,Blackadder ,Grace ,Lio Willie.
I think Blackadder is done. Would love to see Kirifi in there. Lio Willie has been great for crusaders. But does make a few mistakes.
I’d take Kirirfi , Parker and Lio Willie. -
@chchfanatic said in All Blacks 2025:
What’s everyone’s thoughts on the back row. Normally seven are selected.
Savea ,Wallace ,Lakai, Jacobsen are certainties.
Then you have Dalton, Kirifi , Parker ,Blackadder ,Grace ,Lio Willie.
I think Blackadder is done. Would love to see Kirifi in there. Lio Willie has been great for crusaders. But does make a few mistakes.
I’d take Kirirfi , Parker and Lio Willie.Finau,Sotutu and Papalli out of the picture ?
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If seven are picked, I'd like to see -
Savea (7,8)
Sititi (8,6)
Lakai (7,8)
Parker (6)
Finau (6)
Jacobsen (6,7,8)
and Kirifi (7)I don't know much about Lio-Wilie. Does he have enough size?
I suspect Kirifi's lack of versatility might make him the unlucky one.I think there has to be a real duel for 6.
Finau is playing better with Parker pressuring him and vice versa.Sotutu's play this season sort of vindicates Robertson's earlier prefernece for Sititi.
Sotutu hasn't responded to hs non-selection with venom. Or, shock horror, is only good going forward.
Papalii appeared on the outer toward the end of last season and hasn't shone for the Blue. -
@chchfanatic said in All Blacks 2025:
@Chris I don’t know. Finau has to be close. Between him and Parker.
Hoskins never in the picture and I think Dalton has been poor this year. Would be hard to leave our Kirifi.Papali'i has actually had a strong season behind a poor team.
As for your original assessment I believe Finau is a certainty over Jacobson.
Certainties:
Savea
Sititi
Finau
LakaiLikely:
Jacobson
BlackadderPossibles:
Papali'i
Parker
Kirifi
Lio-WillieNot what I would pick but what I think the selectors will go with.
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@brodean said in All Blacks 2025:
There haven't been too many Highlanders picked in recent years. On paper they seem like they should be a lot better than what they are. I thought JJ made a few selection errors earlier in the season.
But overall they should be doing better. They just don't combine well as a team.
I'd have De Groot, Holland and Ratumaitavuki Kneepkins in my squad but that's it. Tangitau needs to be fit.
Howden is a good player.
The other guys like Haig need to be fit to be considered.
I would have Tavatavanawai as 1 of the midfielders in the squad along with Jordie, Rieko, Proctor and Tupaea.
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@chchfanatic Savea, Sititi, Lakai, Parker, Jacobson Papalii, Blackadder to be selected.
Kirifi just misses out.
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@Frank said in All Blacks 2025:
If seven are picked, I'd like to see -
Savea (7,8)
Sititi (8,6)
Lakai (7,8)
Parker (6)
Finau (6)
Jacobsen (6,7,8)
and Kirifi (7)I don't know much about Lio-Wilie. Does he have enough size?
I suspect Kirifi's lack of versatility might make him the unlucky one.I think there has to be a real duel for 6.
Finau is playing better with Parker pressuring him and vice versa.Sotutu's play this season sort of vindicates Robertson's earlier prefernece for Sititi.
Sotutu hasn't responded to hs non-selection with venom. Or, shock horror, is only good going forward.
Papalii appeared on the outer toward the end of last season and hasn't shone for the Blue.Like that mix Frank
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@sparky Lakai, Sititi, Savea and Finau are certainties for me. In my mind Jacobson, Papalii and Blackadder are fighting it out for one spot. Maybe too if Razor feels sentimental.
In my mind Jacobson makes the cut because of his age and the comments Razor made last season about him having concrete shoulders. Papalii seemed to be on the outer, and Blackadder is a bit of an older much more injury prone player. Pick the younger, pretty experienced guy who's something in the mould of Sam Cane (good leader and folds fluffybunnies). And that's the selection done.
From there it comes down to the mix. Where's you've got three players you could pick for each position.
FInau (6)
Ardie (7,8)
Lakai (7,8)
Sititi (8,6)
Jacobson (6,8,7)Assuming six loose forwards (I reckon with ALB and Will Jordan injured we'll be picking five midfielders with an eye to Jordie Barrett being backup fullback cover).
Then I think it's down to Kirifi or Parker. With Lio Willie in distant third & either or Oli Haig or TK Howden looming in the background for the development player at six down the road. Given I don't feel Parker's our long term six, and Lio Willie is a bit small, I'd be going for Kirifi.
Though knowing Razoe he'll select Blackadder instead.
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Those plugging for big Jim, do you really think he will suit the way the ABs play? While he would bring some handy skills to the team, I have my doubts as to whether he would fit in. He tends to run sideways a fair bit, and with Dmac still prone to doing that from time to time, will we end up with a sideways problem? Ball playing is not his strength, as in putting others in space with his passing, so if he is paired with RI our midfield will not exactly be creative. And God help us if he is combined with BB.
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@Crazy-Horse said in All Blacks 2025:
There seems to be an assumption lately that Roigard and Ratima are fighting it out for starter and bench. Hotham will be very much in the mix and it would not surprise me in the slightest if he is the bench half.
Gotta have Ratima in the 23, excellent pass, the best support lines for a halfback in NZ and is Defensively strong as we have seen when stopping Tele'a in February and Lennox last night.
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@Grooter The top two half backs are clearly Ratima and Roigard. Both good passers and runners and decent kickers.
Ratima edges it for me at the minute because of his strengths in terms of decision-making and defence. Ratima's combination with Sititi and DMac is also why I'd start him in Test 1 against the French.
Roigard's confidence and acceleration will help him get a lot of AB game time in 2025 though. Even though he makes the odd mistake, I love his enthusiasm and positivity.
In terms of the third half back slot, there's not much between Fakatava, Funaki and Hotham. Fakatava would be my pick because I see him as the most consistent and reliable of the three, as well as the one who will challenge defences the most.
But I think the selectors will go with Noah Hotham as they seem to see him as a long-term project.
