All Blacks 2025
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@jimmyb said in All Blacks 2025:
@gt12 said in All Blacks 2025:
Ant Strachan one of the few calling for Barrett to be moved aside. He called for Scott to be removed as captain and Ardie be made captain, Jordie be moved to 15, and a big movement on defense and aerially. Could have gone further as he clearly has some thoughts on change there, but wouldn't elucidate.
In response to questions about the background (i.e., coaches) he questioned the attitude towards defense and how that is coming out as a lack of defensive integrity.
He also questioned the clarity for players of their understanding of the jersey, their role, and commitment to it over the entire course of the game. He was still not prepared to say anything negative about specific coaches or players though.
Interviewer straight out asked him if Razor should go, and he avoided it. He talked about Razor's focus on culture and said that he should get more time in comparison to Foster. He is the second person to respond by saying that Foster got more shit because there was a 'ready to go' replacement in the wings (Jamie Wall was saying the same on another pod).
Putting Savea as captain is literally ignoring the elephant in the room. He is part of the problem.
Smacks of the NZRU commercial department having a say on who should be playing to help with their social media content generation and strategic objective to win hearts and minds
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@stodders said in All Blacks 2025:
@jimmyb said in All Blacks 2025:
@gt12 said in All Blacks 2025:
Ant Strachan one of the few calling for Barrett to be moved aside. He called for Scott to be removed as captain and Ardie be made captain, Jordie be moved to 15, and a big movement on defense and aerially. Could have gone further as he clearly has some thoughts on change there, but wouldn't elucidate.
In response to questions about the background (i.e., coaches) he questioned the attitude towards defense and how that is coming out as a lack of defensive integrity.
He also questioned the clarity for players of their understanding of the jersey, their role, and commitment to it over the entire course of the game. He was still not prepared to say anything negative about specific coaches or players though.
Interviewer straight out asked him if Razor should go, and he avoided it. He talked about Razor's focus on culture and said that he should get more time in comparison to Foster. He is the second person to respond by saying that Foster got more shit because there was a 'ready to go' replacement in the wings (Jamie Wall was saying the same on another pod).
Putting Savea as captain is literally ignoring the elephant in the room. He is part of the problem.
Smacks of the NZRU commercial department having a say on who should be playing to help with their social media content generation and strategic objective to win hearts and minds
Honestly, if I see one more social media video that mentions either Savea prattling on about Jesus, the Barrett’s doing something thick, or someone being Dutch, I’m throwing myself out the window
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Ant explained his reasoning as Ardie plays much better as captain (e.g., at MP) as he seems to want and enjoy the extra responsibility- in contrast to Barrett who seems to carry it as extra weight.
I agree with the comments above that Taylor makes a better option, but this coaching group will not drop Ardie. He’s also an 80 minute player so I can understand the reasoning and I do think they should have gone that way.
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@Kiwiwomble
The replacements would be within the squad and already on the payroll and anyone outside is presumably on a super contract with the NZRU and therefore on the payroll. -
@gt12 said in All Blacks 2025:
Ant explained his reasoning as Ardie plays much better as captain (e.g., at MP) as he seems to want and enjoy the extra responsibility- in contrast to Barrett who seems to carry it as extra weight.
I agree with the comments above that Taylor makes a better option, but this coaching group will not drop Ardie. He’s also an 80 minute player so I can understand the reasoning and I do think they should have gone that way.
But the thing with Ardie is that his captaincy and leadership skills is 100% emotion and passion. Which is incredibly up and down. It doesn’t work long term and doesn’t work when the pressure is on because it’s a fragile way of leading.
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I’m not sure I watched enough MP games to say that his passion as a captain got in the way of his decision making, but I know that I’d like more passion from our captain than we got last weekend.
If captaincy improves his play, all the better as well.
I’d also like to make it clear that I would prefer Taylor.
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@gt12 said in All Blacks 2025:
Ant Strachan one of the few calling for Barrett to be moved aside. He called for Scott to be removed as captain and Ardie be made captain
Ant is an idiot.
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@gt12 said in All Blacks 2025:
Ant explained his reasoning as Ardie plays much better as captain (e.g., at MP) as he seems to want and enjoy the extra responsibility- in contrast to Barrett who seems to carry it as extra weight.
I can't wait for an All Black captain that enjoys the responsibility so much he chip kicks possession away putting us under immediate pressure...
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@Duluth said in All Blacks 2025:
What are the captaincy options?
S Barrett, Ardie, Taylor.
Any other realistic options? I'll create a poll
That's the list. I don't want a back as captain. And no one else commands their place. Richie McCaw had a strong leadership group. What the hell are the current leadership group doing?
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@antipodean said in All Blacks 2025:
@gt12 said in All Blacks 2025:
Ant explained his reasoning as Ardie plays much better as captain (e.g., at MP) as he seems to want and enjoy the extra responsibility- in contrast to Barrett who seems to carry it as extra weight.
I can't wait for an All Black captain that enjoys the responsibility so much he chip kicks possession away putting us under immediate pressure...
Supposedly, his play would improve....
Taylor for me but the truth is the cupboard is pretty bare.
I actually thought about 18 months ago that Papalii was in line to be captain.
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@Duluth said in All Blacks 2025:
What are the captaincy options?
S Barrett, Ardie, Taylor.
Any other realistic options? I'll create a poll
Under the current regime the option needs to not only be in the squad, but a certain starter. To bolster their credentials they'd need to be seen (and accepted) as a leader in SR/ NPC.
So while I'd contemplate Patty or Dalts, neither are realistic options.
On form that leaves Codie.
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@canefan said in All Blacks 2025:
Justin Marshall thinks the loss is a sign we should relax the overseas eligibility rules. What a clown he is
No! A Razor apologist going for this argument, who would have thought!
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@nzzp said in All Blacks 2025:
@Tim 'kakistocracy'. I thought you were making up words. Huh, learned a new thing today
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@canefan said in All Blacks 2025:
Problem is, I can't remember the last time an AB captain was removed from the captaincy and stayed in the team. Has it happened before?
It happened last year with Cane.
Also I don't see Scooter being removed as captain and from the team as an issue. He just isn't producing for the form he did a few years back. He can be a squady.
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@antipodean said in All Blacks 2025:
@Duluth said in All Blacks 2025:
What are the captaincy options?
S Barrett, Ardie, Taylor.
Any other realistic options? I'll create a poll
Under the current regime the option needs to not only be in the squad, but a certain starter. To bolster their credentials they'd need to be seen (and accepted) as a leader in SR/ NPC.
So while I'd contemplate Patty or Dalts, neither are realistic options.
On form that leaves Codie.
If Dalts was captain it would solve a lot of issues. Codie would only be a stop gap at his age.
Anyway won't happen for Patty or Dalts. They will be lucky to get game time.
