All Blacks 2025
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I can't remember a more ho hum bunch of selections than what's been discussed on this thread. Razor has really sucked the excitement out of being a NZ rugby fan. Christie, Finau, ALB, Reece and Kirifi (too small) should have all been given the boot from the main squad. He's obviously too afraid of hurting people's feelings.
If excitement machines like Pledger aren't in the AB XV, that also shows Razor's narrow mindedness.
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yeah, as much as i would have rolled the dice i do get it it...for me its not who they havent picked as much as who they keep picking
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@frugby said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
Sounds to me like Jamie has made a captain's call on Pledger - so I think you have to back it from a player welfare point of view.
Why not at least have him travel with the ABs as a non-playing apprentice. He's obviously going to be in the next WC squad, so why not get him accustomed to the environment now rather than next year. They've done it before with Ardie and Aumua.
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@Canes4life Because they want him to have a full Super Rugby pre-season - if he goes on tour, there is a mandated rest period.
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@Canes4life said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@frugby said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
Sounds to me like Jamie has made a captain's call on Pledger - so I think you have to back it from a player welfare point of view.
Why not at least have him travel with the ABs as a non-playing apprentice. He's obviously going to be in the next WC squad, so why not get him accustomed to the environment now rather than next year. They've done it before with Ardie and Aumua.
Probably because touring players have to have a certain number of weeks off before they can return and JJ sees this pre-season as being a priority for him interms of physical development.
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@Chris-B said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
My real point is - many of you Blues guys seem to see a massive conspiracy, where there's really just a few line calls gone against you.
Our best performing 10 is gone. Our 6 (arguably best 6 in the comp) is gone. Our 8 (player of the year) looks like he is going. Our 7, another ex-AB, won't get picked. They talk about getting big men but Peter Dinklage has more hope of being picked as an AB loose forward.
Who does get picked? Christie and BB. Two players I can't remember any Blues supporter on here demanding to get picked. 3, if you add Stephen ('even Ethan Blackadders's tougher than me') Perofeta. Ok, he played ok when picked but I think even ardent Blues fans were surprised.
Darry was a good one but picked out of necessity.
So our loose trio, finally well-balanced and arguably the best combo in the tournament, has been eviscerated, with the top performers packing their bags overseas.
Not a conspiracy, but not a great state of affairs.
I was confident that Razor would be more inventive and innovative than Foster. I'm not saying he's worse, but, without the help of someone like Schmidt, I can't say he's clearly a step forward. His selections are just as conservative, the team has no plan B, the bench is usually a chaotic step down, and they don't seem to learn from match 1 to 2. It's hard to rate their performance against the Wallabies, who looked better coached, because the Wallabies still lack a 'head'. But what is clear to me is that the only silver lining in NOT picking Blues forwards is it might help them keep their edge. Too many players plateau or worsen once they are regularly picked for the ABs. Newell is a noteworthy exception.
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@frugby @SouthernMann, that makes sense and fair call then.
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@Chris said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@Chris said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
Sam Darry in to AB squad, Patrick Tuipulotu out with shoulder injury needing surgery.
Phew! That's an easy solution to keep the Blues quota!
You haven't got many in the AB XV either.
Is this a Chris B/Chris rope a dope fishing expedition? He keeps tell me we are conspiracy theorists, you keep pointing out to me the lineups!
Look, the Blues have fallen away, some of our best have left, I get that. I am however in the unenviable position of wondering if being called into the national team under these coaches is actually good for the players. While being called into the XV-it didn't look to me like playing well there (let alone 'possessed') was an effective way of getting into the ABs!
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I dont see then issues with Ennor, probably playing some of his better rugby, still looked quick in super this year, id have included Lam over Havili or McLeod, so much looking backward, are we developing players or topping up thier retirement funds for a number of them? (harsher than it is meant to be)
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Hookers: Brodie McAlister, Jack Taylor, Bradley Slater
Props: George Dyer, Josh Fusitua, Benet Kumeroa, Siale Lauaki, Xavier Numia
Locks: Naitoa Ah Kuoi, Josh Beehre, Isaia Walker-Leawere
Loose forwards: Kaylum Boshier, Devan Flanders, Te Kamaka Howden, Christian Lio-Willie, Dalton Papali’i, Sean Withy
Halfbacks: Folau Fakatava, Kyle Preston, Xavier Roe.
First five-eighths: Josh Jacomb, Rivez Reihana
Midfielders: Braydon Ennor, David Havili, Dallas McLeod, Daniel Rona
Outside backs: Chay Fihaki, Etene Nanai-Seturo, Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, Caleb Tangitau
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@Wurzel said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
Jamie Joseph exercising self interest to ready Pledger for the Landers.
We've got two years to get Dylan World Cup-ready. He should be playing introductory International rugby this November.
So Joseph does have some selection sway?!
[In reference to other posters] I find it hard to believe he doesn't have influence over selection to some extent. He doesn't strike me as a pushover type of guy! -
Good to see another Chiefs 6/8 make the cut.
