@KiwiMurph said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:
@DMX said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:
Pretty sure that was his second test , first was against Fiji and he had a great game. If I remember right his brother had one test against Japan.
Nope it was his 3rd start
Billy Proctor started vs Japan last year - a game in which Ruben Love came off the bench at the end to score 2 tries.
Stand corrected,
@African-Monkey said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:
@kiwiinmelb said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:
Was that proctors second test ?
If so , that’s two tests , 2 bad misses on the outside, , he needs to tidy that up or his chances of an international career could derail pretty quickly.
I remember a young nonu had similar issues at 13 but he had time on his side and moved to 12 anyway .
Third, but yes, the 2nd test he played against Japan, the same thing happened as last night.
He had a shocker but I'm also happy to see him get another crack.
Pretty sure that was his second test , first was against Fiji and he had a great game. If I remember right his brother had one test against Japan. I thought he had two bad mistakes , this test, not enough to write him off. I really hope Razor sticks with him for the whole series because there is still plenty of upside while I think Reiko and ALB are at their ceilings.
@brodean said in All Blacks v France I:
How do you know its a backrow that can compete with anyone physically when it's never played together before, 1 player is a debutant, and 1 is starting a test at 6 for the 2nd time?
You are not contradicting anything I said. Physically they match up to Test back rows of our rivals , whether they combine as a unit we will see.
I actually like the size of the scrum, I agree with Mex on this one. I really hope That Tupou Vaii has a blinder, and can be a permanent option there. Funny how we went from looking like a small back row two weeks ago to one that can compete with anyone physically. Happy to see Proctor, hopefully he gets a long run. Weakest point is our wings, I don’t think they will be strong in the air, and not sure if Rieko has retained his pace and from what we have seen at test level Reece is wanting for pace. I expect Tupea and Jordan will finish up on the wings bar injury.
@Victor-Meldrew said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:
@DMX said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:
@Victor-Meldrew said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:
@Bovidae said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
The pressure will be on Robertson and the ABs to win 3-0.
Hopefully people/press see the series as a real opportunity for Robertson to put his stamp on things and chance his arm a bit. Ideal scenario is getting 2-0 up and having the confidence to give people like Proctor & Love plenty of game time.
I would really be hoping that Proctor is in pole position and starts all three tests.
Don't think he will. Probably be Roigard/BB/JB/RI/WJ with Caleb Clarke & Reece on the wings to start Frog 1. Maybe Ratima/DMac will start. Conservative for first Test
Hopefully see Proctor& QT given plenty of game time and start in Frog 3
You may be right but it would be disappointing to me. I think this is the perfect time to give him an extended run.
@Victor-Meldrew said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:
@Bovidae said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
The pressure will be on Robertson and the ABs to win 3-0.
Hopefully people/press see the series as a real opportunity for Robertson to put his stamp on things and chance his arm a bit. Ideal scenario is getting 2-0 up and having the confidence to give people like Proctor & Love plenty of game time.
I would really be hoping that Proctor is in pole position and starts all three tests.
Makes me think he sees Ardie as a 7 and Kirifi as a like for like replacement.
@reprobate said in All Blacks 2025:
@DMX well it's actually got smaller hasn't it?
Yes, I would agree.
Back row still feels undersized for me.
@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks 2025:
@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2025:
@cgrant said in All Blacks 2025:
@canefan said in All Blacks 2025:
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2025:
The irony is - picked as a 10 - what runs on the board does Ruben Love have? Half a dozen Super Rugby starts?
Little more at 10 than Rivez. And no trophy to show either. Unless they pick him as a 10/15
A Roigard - Love combo would be logical ...
Laidlaw was an idiot moving Love back to 15. The Canes were on a role with Love at 10 and that decision ultimately cost us from progressing further.
Next year, the Canes have to stick with that combo. They’ll be much better for it.
They also have to stick with the Higgins / Proctor combo which forces Jordie back to 15.
Agree on the Roigard / Love combo. One of the better and balanced 9-10s in super rugby.
On the Jordie take, I’m not sure about that. The season at Leinster highlighted that Jordie’s play at 12 troubled NH defences. Barring some disaster I think he will be our 12 for the run to 2027. I was impressed.
What was clear for me from last season is that the Jordie / Ioane combo doesn’t get us going the way I think the coaches would want.
In RWC 2023 as individual players I thought both were superb and playing a more conservative and narrow game they were okay-ish. But on the face of it I think we could get a lot more with a Jordie / Proctor combination with a guy like QT being the ALB like bench option.
I am thinking the same way on midfield. Jordie can also move one out if he needs to play with QT. I think they should move on from Reiko as starting center but they can use him as a wing or bench cover. Also like AJ Lam for similar.
@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:
@DMX said in All Blacks 2025:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:
@brodean oh well that's Jordie cleared of brain farts then. That's the only one.
Someone mention goalposts?
Found them!
Jordie has had quiet games, not shockers,
Guess you are you are still picking your way through YouTube.
@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:
@brodean oh well that's Jordie cleared of brain farts then. That's the only one.
Someone mention goalposts?
@brodean said in All Blacks 2025:
Any AB wing who gets smoked by a lock shouldn't play for the ABs again
He just does not have the gas for test level and really limits ABs on attack Out wide and on defense against other flyers. You just have to look at the other test wings out there and it seems obvious to me picking him limits us. Every year he has a good Super season and come test matches so underwhelming. Defo don’t hate him any more than any other underwhelming ABs and there are a lot of them.
@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:
@DMX this literally took seconds to find.
I wonder what Rees looks like in slo motion in his last AB game, don’t even have to go back 4 years for that!!! No issues with red but clear to me Jordie off balance as soon as he caught the ball. What is he 40/50 caps on? Zero relevance to Rees.
@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:
I don't really get the Reece hate. I don't think his shockers have been any worse than the likes of Jordie/Jordan.
Jordie has had quiet games, not shockers, Jordan has had shockers but at least has had a lot more blockbusters. With Rees I don’t believe he is good enough to crack the top 6 or 7 teams in World Rugby. All the other RC teams alone can field multiple better wingers. He offers little threat on the outside and all the crap he does around the rucks does not cut it at test level. When he was embarrassed against France that should have been it.
Surprised at the ones who still want to see Reece at test level. I mean how many times do you have to underwhelm for the ABs to stop getting picked? Feel the same way about Havilli too.
@canefan said in All Blacks 2025:
@DMX said in All Blacks 2025:
Exactly!!! I feel like Rees and Telea just don’t have raw speed and x- factor for test level. I wish selectors would understand when it is time to move on.
At least Telea is still elusive, in a Corey Jane sort of way. His game was never about all out speed
Yes game never about all out speed which is why I don’t want him there! Give me speed merchants!! He works hard but sometimes he is trying too hard to get his hands on the ball, like playing half back then throwing a crap pass!!
Exactly!!! I feel like Rees and Telea just don’t have raw speed and x- factor for test level. I wish selectors would understand when it is time to move on.
Would love to see Caleb Tangitau and Leroy Carter being called up. I think we need more raw speed to match Bok and French wings.
I think I would summarize the season as A for the forwards and F for the backs. We have created genuine depth up front and are capable of matching or exceeding all the top sides in the world. Probably still need a genuine line out option at 6. The backs on the other hand are a shambles : no player depth created, no style of play, no gameplan, no chemistry. The only thing we have is experience and Razor seems to value that above everything. Such a contrast to the other top nations , we have seen their backs improve in front of our eyes and we have seen fantastic new talent being blooded.