All Blacks 2025
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@nostrildamus so no change from the years since Conrad?
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@reprobate said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
that part is essential
And yet Bell got picked
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@ShaquilleOatmeal said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@brodean said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
Zarn Sullivan is the most similar to JB and hes been showing strong form over the last few weeks.
Is the Jordie Barrett style of player optimal? Just because that’s what’s there now doesn’t make it ideal and doesn’t mean the backups need to be as similar as possible.
Attack wise it's debatable. But it's defensively that his contribution will be hardest to replicate. He is key to being able to defuse the contestable kicks. I just doubt that he will be able to play four times in consecutive weekends effectively without a reprieve, although maybe he could?
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I don’t think Zarn Sullivan’s style would translate particularly well to the All Blacks.
He thrives with time and space to use his boot, and you don’t get that at the international level… and for all his good kicks, he has still put a fair few out on the full.
Equally, could absolutely see him thriving up North.
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@nonpartizan Plays the first three and then it probably doesn’t matter against Wales.
I think if Tavatavanawai is available he shapes as the likely backup
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@nostrildamus said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@brodean said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
Zarn Sullivan is the most similar to JB and hes been showing strong form over the last few weeks.
In his (Zarn's) customary fullback role? Or has he changed positions?
A couple of years ago fullback was JB's customary role too.
Sullivan is probably a better crash ball runner, offloader, and exit kicker than JB too.
Sullivan has always been a freakish talent. Just as talented as JB. It's interesting that JB was brought in as a 20 year old and persevered with until he came right despite some brain explosions and crappy kicks. Sullivan hasn't been afforded the same special treatment as a kind of project player. I guess Sititi is the project player we have at the moment.
JB is a very good player but for the red carpet that was rolled out to him he's been a bit of a disappointment for me. He should be close to the best player in the world based on his talent and nurturing but he isn't. He hasn't been pushing for world player of the year and he's not even definitively the best 12 in the world.
Probably difficult to achieve when you have coaches like Foster and Robertson.
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@frugby said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
I don’t think Zarn Sullivan’s style would translate particularly well to the All Blacks.
He thrives with time and space to use his boot, and you don’t get that at the international level… and for all his good kicks, he has still put a fair few out on the full.
Equally, could absolutely see him thriving up North.
Hard disagree. JB has also put random dodgy kicks up all throughout his career. If anything I would say Sullivan's kicking is currently more accurate and reliable than JB who often kicks surprisingly short for what he should be doing.
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@nonpartizan said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
who they play at 12 if Jordie doesn't
One of the reasons I was a fan of Jim being selected was I see some similarities physically.
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@booboo said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@nonpartizan said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
who they play at 12 if Jordie doesn't
One of the reasons I was a fan of Jim being selected was I see some similarities physically.
To Jordie ?
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@MN5 said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@booboo said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@nonpartizan said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
who they play at 12 if Jordie doesn't
One of the reasons I was a fan of Jim being selected was I see some similarities physically.
To Jordie ?
Yes.
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@booboo said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@MN5 said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@booboo said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@nonpartizan said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
who they play at 12 if Jordie doesn't
One of the reasons I was a fan of Jim being selected was I see some similarities physically.
To Jordie ?
Yes.
Similar weights perhaps but one of them is considerably more stretched out than the other.
Body shapes couldn't be more different.
Jordie is still a light loose forward looking guy to me.
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@brodean said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@brodean said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
Zarn Sullivan is the most similar to JB and hes been showing strong form over the last few weeks.
In his (Zarn's) customary fullback role? Or has he changed positions?
A couple of years ago fullback was JB's customary role too.
Sullivan is probably a better crash ball runner, offloader, and exit kicker than JB too.
Sullivan has always been a freakish talent. Just as talented as JB. It's interesting that JB was brought in as a 20 year old and persevered with until he came right despite some brain explosions and crappy kicks. Sullivan hasn't been afforded the same special treatment as a kind of project player. I guess Sititi is the project player we have at the moment.
JB is a very good player but for the red carpet that was rolled out to him he's been a bit of a disappointment for me. He should be close to the best player in the world based on his talent and nurturing but he isn't. He hasn't been pushing for world player of the year and he's not even definitively the best 12 in the world.
Probably difficult to achieve when you have coaches like Foster and Robertson.
Or maybe De Allende, Esterhuizen, Aki etc are just better players ?
I'm not sure the narrative around 'such and such a player being world class if it weren't for those darn coaches' is accurate in a lot of cases.
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@taniwharugby said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@nostrildamus so no change from the years since Conrad?
?
If you are suggesting 13 is a problem area of course I agree. -
@MN5 said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@brodean said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@brodean said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
Zarn Sullivan is the most similar to JB and hes been showing strong form over the last few weeks.
In his (Zarn's) customary fullback role? Or has he changed positions?
A couple of years ago fullback was JB's customary role too.
Sullivan is probably a better crash ball runner, offloader, and exit kicker than JB too.
Sullivan has always been a freakish talent. Just as talented as JB. It's interesting that JB was brought in as a 20 year old and persevered with until he came right despite some brain explosions and crappy kicks. Sullivan hasn't been afforded the same special treatment as a kind of project player. I guess Sititi is the project player we have at the moment.
JB is a very good player but for the red carpet that was rolled out to him he's been a bit of a disappointment for me. He should be close to the best player in the world based on his talent and nurturing but he isn't. He hasn't been pushing for world player of the year and he's not even definitively the best 12 in the world.
Probably difficult to achieve when you have coaches like Foster and Robertson.
Or maybe De Allende, Esterhuizen, Aki etc are just better players ?
I'm not sure the narrative around 'such and such a player being world class if it weren't for those darn coaches' is accurate in a lot of cases.
Aki might not be a good example here because he seems to have thrived with overseas coaches...
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@nostrildamus said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@MN5 said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@brodean said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@brodean said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
Zarn Sullivan is the most similar to JB and hes been showing strong form over the last few weeks.
In his (Zarn's) customary fullback role? Or has he changed positions?
A couple of years ago fullback was JB's customary role too.
Sullivan is probably a better crash ball runner, offloader, and exit kicker than JB too.
Sullivan has always been a freakish talent. Just as talented as JB. It's interesting that JB was brought in as a 20 year old and persevered with until he came right despite some brain explosions and crappy kicks. Sullivan hasn't been afforded the same special treatment as a kind of project player. I guess Sititi is the project player we have at the moment.
JB is a very good player but for the red carpet that was rolled out to him he's been a bit of a disappointment for me. He should be close to the best player in the world based on his talent and nurturing but he isn't. He hasn't been pushing for world player of the year and he's not even definitively the best 12 in the world.
Probably difficult to achieve when you have coaches like Foster and Robertson.
Or maybe De Allende, Esterhuizen, Aki etc are just better players ?
I'm not sure the narrative around 'such and such a player being world class if it weren't for those darn coaches' is accurate in a lot of cases.
Aki might not be a good example here because he seems to have thrived with overseas coaches...
Oh. I just thought he was a powerhouse with underrated subtle skills who improved with age.
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@MN5 said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@brodean said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@brodean said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
Zarn Sullivan is the most similar to JB and hes been showing strong form over the last few weeks.
In his (Zarn's) customary fullback role? Or has he changed positions?
A couple of years ago fullback was JB's customary role too.
Sullivan is probably a better crash ball runner, offloader, and exit kicker than JB too.
Sullivan has always been a freakish talent. Just as talented as JB. It's interesting that JB was brought in as a 20 year old and persevered with until he came right despite some brain explosions and crappy kicks. Sullivan hasn't been afforded the same special treatment as a kind of project player. I guess Sititi is the project player we have at the moment.
JB is a very good player but for the red carpet that was rolled out to him he's been a bit of a disappointment for me. He should be close to the best player in the world based on his talent and nurturing but he isn't. He hasn't been pushing for world player of the year and he's not even definitively the best 12 in the world.
Probably difficult to achieve when you have coaches like Foster and Robertson.
Or maybe De Allende, Esterhuizen, Aki etc are just better players ?
I'm not sure the narrative around 'such and such a player being world class if it weren't for those darn coaches' is accurate in a lot of cases.
They're all/were excellent players and are all more powerful to varying degrees but JB has much better play making rugby skills than any of them.
Its no coincidence that JB and Ioane were functioning best as a midfield when Schmidt was on the scene.
Some how we ended up getting the coaching also rans of NZ coaching talent for the start of two cycles.
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@MN5 said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
Oh. I just thought he was a powerhouse with underrated subtle skills who improved with age.
For all his talents he's no David Havili.
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@nostrildamus said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@MN5 said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@brodean said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@brodean said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
Zarn Sullivan is the most similar to JB and hes been showing strong form over the last few weeks.
In his (Zarn's) customary fullback role? Or has he changed positions?
A couple of years ago fullback was JB's customary role too.
Sullivan is probably a better crash ball runner, offloader, and exit kicker than JB too.
Sullivan has always been a freakish talent. Just as talented as JB. It's interesting that JB was brought in as a 20 year old and persevered with until he came right despite some brain explosions and crappy kicks. Sullivan hasn't been afforded the same special treatment as a kind of project player. I guess Sititi is the project player we have at the moment.
JB is a very good player but for the red carpet that was rolled out to him he's been a bit of a disappointment for me. He should be close to the best player in the world based on his talent and nurturing but he isn't. He hasn't been pushing for world player of the year and he's not even definitively the best 12 in the world.
Probably difficult to achieve when you have coaches like Foster and Robertson.
Or maybe De Allende, Esterhuizen, Aki etc are just better players ?
I'm not sure the narrative around 'such and such a player being world class if it weren't for those darn coaches' is accurate in a lot of cases.
Aki might not be a good example here because he seems to have thrived with overseas coaches...
He was probably thriving with NZ coaches too but he left too early for us to know, he might have fully thrived in NZ eventually, but maybe his ascension relied on him turning into an Orc and in NZ he would have stayed slim? Either way, it wasn't like he was toiling away in NZ before finally leaving, he left early in his pro career for money.
On JB, he's having one of his best seasons in black (although he had a little dip in the middle tests) but man some posters are ascribing things to him that aren't really true. For a guy that big he's not really physical, he's not a stand out ball contester, and as someone mentioned throughout his career he's been inconsistent with accuracy. He's easily the best Barrett running around these days though.
