All Blacks 2025
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@African-Monkey said in All Blacks 2025:
@nonpartizan said in All Blacks 2025:
In fact, maybe the best example of the strangeness of Razors selections is to look at how he uses Blues players.
The Blues players he does play get picked based on reputation (Rieko starts five matches at left wing despite not having played there for years, BB is an automatic selection at 10 even though he is playing poorly) whereas the likes of Papalii and Sotutu don't even get a chance.
Yeah those are the ones he has to pick due to their contract situaton. If he could isolate all of them, he would.
Well I don't think Christie, Tuipulotu, Clarke, or Tu'ungafasi have special contracts.
Let's explore the potential reasons why Blue's players miss out.
- Robertson wants to play an expansive game which involves attacking down the openside side line and the Blues players have shown that they thrive in the narrow Cotter ball game plan, and to a lessor extent Schmidt who was also narrow but not as narrow. They therefore think the Blues players are not suited to the expansive game plan.
- They lost a lot of respect for Blue's players due to the nature of the 2023 Super Rugby semi final and have doubts about the players (while ignoring the hiding that Chiefs players got in the 2024 final and also ignoring the improvements the Blues made in defense and set piece subsequent to that 2023 semi)
- There is some kind of bad blood between some of the Blue's loosies and Razor and his cronies. Papali'i escaped this largely while Foster and Schmidt were in control.
- They don't like Aucklanders/Blues people and want players that think more like the Canterbury/Crusaders players etc. Chippy bias etc
- Blue's players aren't actually that good and their title and finals success over the last five years is because they've played together well as a team - MacDonald and Cotter are better coaches than the other Super Rugby coaches. Maybe this is what they think because they've ignored some Crusaders players now as well like Havili and Blackadder. Maybe they think the Blues are like the Crusaders. Champion team rather than Champion players.
Speculation of course.
Potentially part of the problem is that Razor has always picked certain types of players for Canterbury and Crusaders and they have to fit within that clique.
I think Razor and his team are struggling to get players from different teams, game plan approaches, and team cultures to thrive together. They're not used to working with players who don't get the Crusaders way.
This is part of the benefit of having international coaching experience. You have to pick the best players but also get them to work together at their best.
I don't see this happening at the moment.
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Blues fans just need to let it go. There was a time he should have been picked 18 months ago, but since his form has gone backwards at a rate of knots.
Papalii is still a good player, but he is not the foil for this loose forward trio. He's a worse version of Sam Cane, the modern game requires energy from the openside flanker. DP has very little on attack. More of a chance at blindside.
Tuipulotu has found his niche as the impact lock, and has largely been used there through Razor's tenure.
I could go on. There is no witch hunt here.
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@frugby said in All Blacks 2025:
Papalii is still a good player, but he is not the foil for this loose forward trio. He's a worse version of Sam Cane, the modern game requires energy from the openside flanker. DP has very little on attack. More of a chance at blindside.
Well if you look at the actual results of the All Blacks this year - you are wrong. We should not let it go because we had our worst ever defeat last week - so things are not working.
I think we would do better if we actually had a Papali'i or a Blackadder in the pack that is focused on hitting rucks and defending. Maybe you didn't notice but our defence was pitiful in the last quarter of the last game and the loose forwards simply did not turn up to make tackles and neither did they influence the breakdown.
None of Savea, Kirifi, Vaa'i or Parker came in and made a bunch of tackles when it was needed. Instead they left it to guys like William's to try.
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@george33 im glad you were wrong about Ioane
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@upthelanders let down there must admit at least the Clarke left wing turned out.
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@zedsdeadbaby he's not that's what I've been told and if he was were is he .
NZR said no
Razor wanted him obviously.
This is the shit going on. -
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@upthelanders said in All Blacks 2025:
@george33 Darry is great, but instead of who?
Not getting past Fabian, Tupou or Patty for meDarry is a better player than Holland, and I’m a die hard highlanders supporter. He’s far more abrasive. Offers exactly the same on defence and is significantly better with ball in hand
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@upthelanders said in All Blacks 2025:
@george33 Darry is great, but instead of who?
Not getting past Fabian, Tupou or Patty for meLonger term I would prefer to have two 2+m locks like we had with Retallick and Whitelock. Patty has been great these last couple of years but he is in the twilight of his career while Sam Darry is only 25 and just about to come into his prime.
I'm not convinced Tupou's long term upside is higher than Darry's against the Boks and France. I suspect Darry has more potential against those kind of teams.
The reality is our locks get injuries and Darry is bound to get some chances.
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@brodean I think we're in a good spot at lock - or maybe we will be shortly.
Scooter, Vaa'i, Tuipolotou, Holland, Darry, Lord - likes of Beehre and Shalfoon behind them.
The younger three guys all Retallick, Whitlock dimensions, which I agree - I want locks who are plus two metres - and come with the mobility of BR and SW, who I think are our best ever.
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@jimmyb said in All Blacks 2025:
@upthelanders said in All Blacks 2025:
@george33 Darry is great, but instead of who?
Not getting past Fabian, Tupou or Patty for meDarry is a better player than Holland, and I’m a die hard highlanders supporter. He’s far more abrasive. Offers exactly the same on defence and is significantly better with ball in hand
People forget how good he was on debut. Holland before Holland
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@Chris-B said in All Blacks 2025:
@brodean I think we're in a good spot at lock - or maybe we will be shortly.
Scooter, Vaa'i, Tuipolotou, Holland, Darry, Lord - likes of Beehre and Shalfoon behind them.
The younger three guys all Retallick, Whitlock dimensions, which I agree - I want locks who are plus two metres - and come with the mobility of BR and SW, who I think are our best ever.
Yup I would agree that its a good spot with lock. Also with props. The issue is we don't have strong options/depth in any of the positions. We have Roigard at halfback but then its daylight. Jordan can be world class but he can be flakey too - especially against South Africa.
JB came from Leinster and was in career best form but he's gone off the boil.
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@brodean Without re-typing my depth charts, there's not many positions we're struggling in.
Despite what happened vs the Jaapies, we''re good at prop.
With Taylor, Sami and Aumua, we're good at hooker and a shoutout to Razor (and a needle to you and others)
we have George Bell in the wings! Maybe McAllister, but he had a shocker last test.Lock is promising and close to good.
Loose forwards still requires a bit of patience, but we've taken 10 years to replace Kaino and they seem to be on the right paths - even in Parker and Vaa'i haven't nailed things yet. I'm looking forward to seeing more of Lakai - he's got a bit of the young Michael Jones about him.
Halfback - maybe it's going to be Roigard and Hotham. Ratima and Preston. Louie Chapman can play, but sadly he's pretty small.
First five is a bit limited until Jesus comes.
Midfield - lots of options - only Jordie delivering at present.
Ditto wings - bizarre we're struggling there.
Fullback - just stick with Will!
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