2025 All Blacks v France series
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@sparky said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
@antipodean Finau will feature in the series for sure, but not necessarily at 6 in Test One.
What position do you think he'd play instead? He's a blindside flanker who would only move to lock in an emergency.
It's unfathomable that a blindside flanker (the only genuine one in the squad) would make way for a player out of position in the first Test if he's fit.
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If they were set on starting a lock at 6 they would have selected more than 4 of them.
Both Barrett and Vaai are proven failures at 6 at test level as well
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@reprobate As Razor himself said, Ethan's likely to be in and around the squad later in the year. I'll be surprised if that's not true.
I'm waiting with interest to see how they deploy their loose forwards and what the results are.
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@Chris-B said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
@reprobate As Razor himself said, Ethan's likely to be in and around the squad later in the year. I'll be surprised if that's not true.
I'm waiting with interest to see how they deploy their loose forwards and what the results are.
Seems unlikely that he will remain fit after his recent injury free streak
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@booboo said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
@gt12 said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
Vaaii getting some time at 6, I feel like they may have missed a trick by skipping over Ah Kuoi, but hard to complain.
All
4of my preferred 6s are Chiefs ...Actually 6 ...
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@ploughboy said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
@brodean said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
It's concerning that the Chiefs have the most forwards with 6 after they failed to do a job against the Blues and Crusaders.
wasn't the starting 8 that was the prob was replacement probs and lock
The Crusaders got the lead early in the 2nd quarter and kept it for the remainder of the game.
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@KiwiMurph said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
@1kiwi said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
@SouthernMann said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
George Bell. Canterbury's third string hooker. Boys needs to go aomewhere that he won't be stuck on the bench.
Bell will be duking it out with Moananu in a couple years time I believe as it wouldn't surprise me if Codie Taylor either hangs up his boots or heads overseas after the next world cup.
Moananu really should leave. He can't even crack the Crusaders 23 where he looks to have an AB level ceiling.
Have posted in another thread. He is in chats with the Blues, not a signed and sealed thing though. One to keep an eye on with how it could unfold. Makes zero sense to stay in red and black if George Bell is sticking around(and also now that the bias seems to be gone)
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Will be interesting to see the match day 23.....
Front row is good - well earned Norris
Locks I am happy - plenty of grunt in there - pleased with Holland selection
I am still mildly concerned about the balance of the loosies, it does depend where they play Ardie I guess--- but very happy Du’Plessis is in there.Halfbacks I am happy with those 3
10s no surprises but an injury could open up the door for opportunities for some of the young fellas on the edge of the squad.
Midfield looks good, Rieko is surely a wing now.
Outsides - happy enough, CC pretty lucky I feel. And nice to see Love in there
anyway bring on the first test - lets see how they go.
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Rieko Ioane.
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@nostrildamus said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
Rieko Ioane.
first AND second name spelt correctly. Well done.
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@Chris-B said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
@reprobate As Razor himself said, Ethan's likely to be in and around the squad later in the year. I'll be surprised if that's not true.
I'm waiting with interest to see how they deploy their loose forwards and what the results are.
Ethan will have a fair bit of competition
CLW has been chosen as injury cover - Lakai and Parker will return from injury later this year....
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I like the squad selection, mostly because it seems like a turn away from ‘how do we not lose games?’ to ‘how can we actually win them?’. When you want to play a high-speed, movement-based game, you need to have the ball, and having Savea, Kirifi and Tavatavanawai in your squad (top 3 breakdown steals in Super Rugby) at least gives you an opportunity at consistently playing that game.
If I were to hazard a guess on how this will impact the game plan, I suspect they’ll want to start with a possession game, using big carriers through the middle. That means starting Taukei’aho, Williams, Sititi and Savea. I wouldn’t at all be surprised to see Vaa’i in the 6-jersey and Finau wearing 20. I would also guess they want to control possession by having experienced kickers at 10 and 15, which would mean Barrett and McKenzie both starting with Jordan on the right wing. (FYI, I am not saying good kickers, the emphasis is on experienced)
A bench of Taylor, Norris, Tosi, Tuipulotu, Finau, Kirifi, Ratima and Tavatavanawai/Tupaea would mean mobility, breakdown prowess and counter-attacking ability in the final 30 minutes. McKenzie thrives directing attack in broken play so he could shift to 10 while Jordan would move to 15.
Again, not saying that this is how they’ll play or line up, of course, but at least there’s some clear outlines of how they could attack the game, rather than just pick players who’ll work hard and hope that they produce some magic somehow.
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@MN5 said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
@nostrildamus said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
Rieko Ioane.
first AND second name spelt correctly. Well done.
Baby steps. Baby steps.
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@cgrant said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
Blues best player (AJ Lam) is the most unlucky. With LF probably coming in for the RC, I guess he won't be selected this year.
Isn't AJ more a 12 and LF more a 13?
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Are these stats correct? If so as big as Sititi, and CLW can play 6?
I mean, he hits hard and gets around a bit. Auckland, Otago, Canterbury... -
Lam is probably a better 13 than 12.
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@nostrildamus said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
Are these stats correct? If so as big as Sititi, and CLW can play 6?
I mean, he hits hard and gets around a bit. Auckland, Otago, Canterbury...They should do weigh ins before each game like combat sports. Some of them sound extremely made up.
