All Blacks 2025
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@Smuts said in All Blacks 2025:
What those stats don’t show is how big Bobby V, Siya, LJ & DP play. With the right combo DPs pretty good just doesn’t feel as big or long as you’d expect.
Ahem.
yeah I agree. I'm a big fan of one of your smallest loosies, Kwagga Smith.
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@nostrildamus from that link to the larger Springbok squad, over a third of their loose forwards are 6'4" or more in old money. Of their locks only one fails to be two metres tall.
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@antipodean said in All Blacks 2025:
@nostrildamus from that link to the larger Springbok squad, over a third of their loose forwards are 6'4" or more in old money. Of their locks only one fails to be two metres tall.
Yes but
- I wasn't talking about their locks. Who are monsters. And
- Their tall loosies are mostly not that heavy. Some of their loosies would be locks in any other side. Good for their lineout I guess.
Now if you want to make the argument that their tight forwards are so hefty they can get away with some lighter loosies I'm not going to disagree.
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@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2025:
@antipodean said in All Blacks 2025:
@nostrildamus from that link to the larger Springbok squad, over a third of their loose forwards are 6'4" or more in old money. Of their locks only one fails to be two metres tall.
Yes but
- I wasn't talking about their locks. Who are monsters. And
- Their tall loosies are mostly not that heavy. Some of their loosies would be locks in any other side. Good for their lineout I guess.
Now if you want to make the argument that their tight forwards are so hefty they can get away with some lighter loosies I'm not going to disagree.
It's worse than that - they've got genuine height in their loosies which permits them to carry a small forward like Qwagga. It's much easier to carry comparable weight when you're taller which makes you leaner = less aerobic demand.
IMO NZR needs to be selecting some of our locks as loose forwards when it comes to representative duty.
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@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2025:
@Jet said in All Blacks 2025:
@Dan54 said in All Blacks 2025:
Looks like Beaudy is already at the old man's farm and ready for team naming on Monday. Guessing will see him watching Coastal's game on Saturday.
I wish I could afford a house, or even afford the car.......well even afford that coat to be honest.
Well you certainly can't afford the player.
I can if his form continues as is 😂
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@Jet said in All Blacks 2025:
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2025:
@Jet said in All Blacks 2025:
@Dan54 said in All Blacks 2025:
Looks like Beaudy is already at the old man's farm and ready for team naming on Monday. Guessing will see him watching Coastal's game on Saturday.
I wish I could afford a house, or even afford the car.......well even afford that coat to be honest.
Well you certainly can't afford the player.
I can if his form continues as is 😂
Well he's been making 780 K in pounds apparently, so even half of that would not be too shabby
Top 10 highest paid rugby union players as Richie Mo'unga TRIPLES salary in Japan but misses out on number one spot
Check out the current highest paid rugby union players from around the world in this interesting list that also includes plenty of rugby league stars.
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I was just catching up on this, I would never listen to some 3rd rate Journo saying he knows Hoskins said no to the selectors. I hate people spreading these kind of rumors. When things get posted here, then tend to make it into the media and it just spreads.
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@Frank there’s a range of tests that are performed
Aerobic and Anaerobic Endurance:
Tests like the Yo-Yo test or shuttle runs (e.g., Bronco test) high intensity test which is designed to see how fast a player can recover
Speed and agility which consists of short sprint tests with changes of directions over shorter distances
Strength and power (explosive weight tests ,Power squats ,bench press fatigue)
Body composition (fat percentage and lean muscle mass )There’s some several other tests which in rugby specific skills , eg Tackling,passing kicking ,ground skills , footwork ability
Also included Injury fitness assessment and an HIA protocol
That’s just a snap shop of what the players will be put through
I suppose one thing to take into account with Tavatavanawai is Fijian genetics, some of these lads are just freaks of nature -
Is alot to scan through after being away for a couple ofndays, but didn't look like any mention of JRK apparently wanting to play for Fiji?
Highlanders’ outside backs Jona Nareki and Jacob Kneepkens-Ratumaitavuki want to play for the Fiji Water Flying Fijians, but their New Zealand Rugby Union contracts require availability for the All Blacks, preventing them from doing so. Flying Fijians coach Mick Byrne said both players fear losing their Super Rugby contracts if they switch. Byrne explained that New Zealand can select players from Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, and Europe, limiting Fiji's player pool. He hopes NZRU will release players unlikely to make the All Blacks so they can represent Fiji. The Super Rugby Pacific final between Crusaders and Chiefs will be at 7:05 pm Saturday in Christchurch.
From "ON Times" https://www.facebook.com/share/1CWdPhk7tp/
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Me thinks they might have been letting Mick down easy - Nareki I could see playing for them, I think his All Blacks window has closed. JRK still a chance.
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@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2025:
This is what I don't get, Paps has size, and is bigger than LJ according to Blues website:
(https://www.allblacks.com/playerprofiles/dalton-papalii is the same)Dalton Papalii Player Profile — Blues Rugby
Find out more about Dalton Papalii and his history playing for the Blues Super Rugby team.
Born 11/10/97
Height 193cm Weight 113kgLuke Jacobson https://www.allblacks.com/playerprofiles/luke-jacobson (https://chiefs.co.nz/player/luke-jacobson/ 1kg lighter)
Born 20/04/1997
Height 191cm Weight 108kgPaps gives away no height but 4kgs to Valetini https://wallabies.rugby/players/rob-valentini/2064 who certainly has impact and power..
if you look at Bok loosies they have 2 big munters but plenty of smaller ones
[and I'm really surprised if Kolisi is 1.89m tall but he certainly isn't that heavy...]
Papalii looks around the same size as someone like Louis Picamole. He went ok
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@Steven-Harris said in All Blacks 2025:
@Frank there’s a range of tests that are performed
Aerobic and Anaerobic Endurance:
Tests like the Yo-Yo test or shuttle runs (e.g., Bronco test) high intensity test which is designed to see how fast a player can recover
Speed and agility which consists of short sprint tests with changes of directions over shorter distances
Strength and power (explosive weight tests ,Power squats ,bench press fatigue)
Body composition (fat percentage and lean muscle mass )There’s some several other tests which in rugby specific skills , eg Tackling,passing kicking ,ground skills , footwork ability
Also included Injury fitness assessment and an HIA protocol
That’s just a snap shop of what the players will be put through
I suppose one thing to take into account with Tavatavanawai is Fijian genetics, some of these lads are just freaks of natureI guess they might think they're giving away too much information - but, at the start of the Super rugby season - I reckon you could make a very watchable TV programme having each of the franchise "champions" for these events go up against one another.
Sort of like NFL Combine, which you can watch - though admittedly thats potential recruits rather than established stars.
Australia used to have a Top Athletes TV programme - I think Billy Slater won at least once.
People tune in to see Sir Ted's Match Fit programme.
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@Chris-B clash of the codes (think thats what it was called?) was good to watch back in the day
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@Tim said in All Blacks 2025:
@Nogusta A million time more reliable than some blow hard moron on NZ radio. Thank you
I find it pretty amazing that the guy would say it on 'national' radio, you would think that you would have your sources correct? That's pretty scandalous to spread that rumor if it isn't true.
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@gt12 said in All Blacks 2025:
@Tim said in All Blacks 2025:
@Nogusta A million time more reliable than some blow hard moron on NZ radio. Thank you
I find it pretty amazing that the guy would say it on 'national' radio, you would think that you would have your sources correct? That's pretty scandalous to spread that rumor if it isn't true.
With so many today trying to out hot take the next show/podcast, I’m not surprised by anything these days, especially when it involves a player that hits a certain nerve or will get an immediate reaction.
The thing is there’s no real consequences for coming out and saying whatever when it comes to this stuff.
The Fern is fortunate to have a few close to players, coaches, administrators that get oil or some are just lucky enough to sit at the cafe table next to some ABs for breakfast - it’s all part of the drama and buildup.
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@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks 2025:
@gt12 said in All Blacks 2025:
@Tim said in All Blacks 2025:
@Nogusta A million time more reliable than some blow hard moron on NZ radio. Thank you
I find it pretty amazing that the guy would say it on 'national' radio, you would think that you would have your sources correct? That's pretty scandalous to spread that rumor if it isn't true.
With so many today trying to out hot take the next show/podcast, I’m not surprised by anything these days, especially when it involves a player that hits a certain nerve or will get an immediate reaction.
The thing is there’s no real consequences for coming out and saying whatever when it comes to this stuff.
The Fern is fortunate to have a few close to players, coaches, administrators that get oil or some are just lucky enough to sit at the cafe table next to some ABs for breakfast - it’s all part of the drama and buildup.
Damien McKenzie is the only one left of the @jegga breakfast club. I bet Joe Moody, Liam Squire and Jerome Kaino think about it a lot though
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@Lancaster-Park Yeah - if you look at the heights in our 2015 RWC winning lineout:
Retallick 2.04m
Whitelock 2.03m
Kaino 1.96m
McCaw 1.87m
Read 1.93mWe're a bit small throughout the pack (last year's No. 1 lineup)....
Barrett 1.97m
Vaa'i 1.98m
Sititi 1.87m
Cane 1.89 m
Savea 1.85mIf Sititi and Savea both are going to start, I really want them at 8 and 7 to allow us to play a tall 6.
There's hope on the horizon.
Holland 2.04m
Darry 2.03m
Lord 2.02mFinau 1.96m
Parker 1.97mA bit further behind and not as tall, but eye-catching Malachi Wrampling 1.92.
Challenge for these big guys is to be athletic and mobile enough to get around the park - and not to be forever injured - leverage on their big legs when things get bent and twisted wrong is a killer.
n.b. internet heights so they're probably slightly dodgy, but not so highly unreliable as internet weights.
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New ABs or bolters? Now that Razor and Lashes have selected their team and started the rumours on who is in, who would be a bolter?
I expect several new ABs from this group:
Norris or Fusitua or Numia
Holland
Lio Willie or Kirifi or Parker
Roe
Tavatavanawai or Lam
Carter
So I think up to 6 spots with some in the air until the final is over. Maybe 4 or 5 including injury cover.
What would be a bolter? Reihana, Ah Kuoi, Howden, Dyer, Beehre, Jack Taylor? -
@taniwharugby said in All Blacks 2025:
@Chris-B clash of the codes (think thats what it was called?) was good to watch back in the day
The rowers and canoeists generally won IIRC
Springboks
