All Blacks 2025
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@No-Quarter said in All Blacks 2025:
To my eye Rieko still has (most) of his top end pace, once he's in the clear he is gone and that hasn't changed. His acceleration probably isn't quite what it was 5 years ago, but pace won't be an issue for him overall.
You have a better eye than me. I don't recall seeing Rieko in space for way too long now.
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@No-Quarter said in All Blacks 2025:
To my eye Rieko still has (most) of his top end pace, once he's in the clear he is gone and that hasn't changed. His acceleration probably isn't quite what it was 5 years ago, but pace won't be an issue for him overall.
The problem with that though is that acceleration is actually more important than pace... See number of tries scored by Jordan, Will.
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@reprobate said in All Blacks 2025:
@No-Quarter said in All Blacks 2025:
To my eye Rieko still has (most) of his top end pace, once he's in the clear he is gone and that hasn't changed. His acceleration probably isn't quite what it was 5 years ago, but pace won't be an issue for him overall.
The problem with that though is that acceleration is actually more important than pace... See number of tries scored by Jordan, Will.
There is also a player's ability to manipulate the space they have, work out angles on the fly etc. It's not always straight speed.
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@Crazy-Horse said in All Blacks 2025:
I don't recall seeing Rieko in space for way too long now
that right there is the problem, and isnt a new one. (ie since before Razor and at super)
We have had one of the quickest players about, playing him in the mid-field and trying to use him as a power centre and ignoring his main weapon.
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@reprobate said in All Blacks 2025:
@No-Quarter said in All Blacks 2025:
To my eye Rieko still has (most) of his top end pace, once he's in the clear he is gone and that hasn't changed. His acceleration probably isn't quite what it was 5 years ago, but pace won't be an issue for him overall.
The problem with that though is that acceleration is actually more important than pace... See number of tries scored by Jordan, Will.
Well it's not like he has poor acceleration, and the top end speed is very useful on the wing for scoring long range tries which he's done quite a bit of, whereas a winger like Reece gets run down every time.
I think Jordan's biggest strength lies in the angles he runs and his eye for a mismatch, he's a very smart operator on attack.
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@No-Quarter said in All Blacks 2025:
@reprobate said in All Blacks 2025:
@No-Quarter said in All Blacks 2025:
To my eye Rieko still has (most) of his top end pace, once he's in the clear he is gone and that hasn't changed. His acceleration probably isn't quite what it was 5 years ago, but pace won't be an issue for him overall.
The problem with that though is that acceleration is actually more important than pace... See number of tries scored by Jordan, Will.
Well it's not like he has poor acceleration, and the top end speed is very useful on the wing for scoring long range tries which he's done quite a bit of, whereas a winger like Reece gets run down every time.
I think Jordan's biggest strength lies in the angles he runs and his eye for a mismatch, he's a very smart operator on attack.
Also the calmest looking outside back since Christian Cullen. Seems to have so much time compared to others
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@No-Quarter said in All Blacks 2025:
@reprobate said in All Blacks 2025:
@No-Quarter said in All Blacks 2025:
To my eye Rieko still has (most) of his top end pace, once he's in the clear he is gone and that hasn't changed. His acceleration probably isn't quite what it was 5 years ago, but pace won't be an issue for him overall.
The problem with that though is that acceleration is actually more important than pace... See number of tries scored by Jordan, Will.
Well it's not like he has poor acceleration, and the top end speed is very useful on the wing for scoring long range tries which he's done quite a bit of, whereas a winger like Reece gets run down every time.
I think Jordan's biggest strength lies in the angles he runs and his eye for a mismatch, he's a very smart operator on attack.
Every time? Don’t make me post the YouTube videos, I’ll even slap on some loud rock music to make him look even more devastating….
Ioane is a great winger and whilst I prefer him on the wing and that he shouldn’t have been moved, the only concern now is him getting back to wing play so he can utilise his pace out wider. But I’m more optimistic about that than keeping him at centre right now.
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@ACT-Crusader it's like when you see a plane going past in the sky and it looks like it's hovering - his mahoosive head makes it look like he's going slower than he is.
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@Crazy-Horse said in All Blacks 2025:
@No-Quarter said in All Blacks 2025:
To my eye Rieko still has (most) of his top end pace, once he's in the clear he is gone and that hasn't changed. His acceleration probably isn't quite what it was 5 years ago, but pace won't be an issue for him overall.
You have a better eye than me. I don't recall seeing Rieko in space for way too long now.
Playing outside shit centres who can't distribute has diminished his opportunities.
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@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:
@ACT-Crusader it's like when you see a plane going past in the sky and it looks like it's hovering - his mahoosive head makes it look like he's going slower than he is.
Damien McKenzie has the same problem
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@MN5 said in All Blacks 2025:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:
@ACT-Crusader it's like when you see a plane going past in the sky and it looks like it's hovering - his mahoosive head makes it look like he's going slower than he is.
Damien McKenzie has the same problem
Just when he’s running sideways
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Am I too late for the Love song gags? “It must have been Love but it’s Mo’unga now”
I’ll see myself out
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@1ShadeOfBlack said in All Blacks 2025:
Am I too late for the Love song gags? “It must have been Love but it’s Mo’unga now”
I’ll see myself out
I think we’ve (thankfully) moved on from the song gags and are now back focusing on serious rugby talk, like is Rieko Ioane actually fast.
So, you know. What’s Love got to do with it?
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@Nepia said in All Blacks v Argentina I:
TBF, no matches matter until the return of Atua Mo'unga in late 2026.
And TBF that's exactly how Mo'unga feels, and I'm not having a dig at him there as he's chasing the money like most people do in life. He doesn't value the AB tests between world cups so chooses to go and make as much money as he can in that time. Then in WC year he comes swooning back in to be eligible for that, and then leaves again straight after. It takes us down the path of anything outside of the WC is just a friendly if more and more players start doing the same thing.
And our idiot coach has just indulged this bullshit instead of trying to help protect NZ rugby from overseas clubs taking all of our talent from local competitions.
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@No-Quarter said in All Blacks v Argentina I:
@Nepia said in All Blacks v Argentina I:
TBF, no matches matter until the return of Atua Mo'unga in late 2026.
And TBF that's exactly how Mo'unga feels, and I'm not having a dig at him there as he's chasing the money like most people do in life. He doesn't value the AB tests between world cups so chooses to go and make as much money as he can in that time. Then in WC year he comes swooning back in to be eligible for that, and then leaves again straight after. It takes us down the path of anything outside of the WC is just a friendly if more and more players start doing the same thing.
And our idiot coach has just indulged this bullshit instead of trying to help protect NZ rugby from overseas clubs taking all of our talent from local competitions.
I agree with all of this, except for the 'not having a dig at him' bit, because I think you should. If everyone just goes 'oh good on him' when someone is a greedy fluffybunny, that's when greedy fluffybunny is okay and normal.
That is after all what Robertson has done - so I don't see how you can criticise him for indulging Mo'unga and at the same time say you think what Mo'unga is doing is fine? -
@No-Quarter said in All Blacks v Argentina I:
@Nepia said in All Blacks v Argentina I:
TBF, no matches matter until the return of Atua Mo'unga in late 2026.
And TBF that's exactly how Mo'unga feels, and I'm not having a dig at him there as he's chasing the money like most people do in life. He doesn't value the AB tests between world cups so chooses to go and make as much money as he can in that time. Then in WC year he comes swooning back in to be eligible for that, and then leaves again straight after. It takes us down the path of anything outside of the WC is just a friendly if more and more players start doing the same thing.
And our idiot coach has just indulged this bullshit instead of trying to help protect NZ rugby from overseas clubs taking all of our talent from local competitions.
Maybe this is the way of the future, players coming and going will then morph into open eligibility. I am dead against it and I hope not. But Razor clearly doesn't give a crap about the status quo as a way to protect the jersey, and for what? It's not like he's rolling over for Dan Carter
