All Blacks 2025
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@nostrildamus said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@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.
Your 6 was gone before Razor ever named his first squad. He took the yen. And neither he nor his brother - who aren't social media shrinking violets - have ever suggested Razor had any role in this decision. Once he signed in Japan, it would have been moronic to pick him for the All Blacks. If you want to be upset with an AB coach about Akira - blame Hansen.
Plummer - well, there's a theory that we need a solid journeyman at 10. I don't subcribe to it. But, they picked Beauden and Perofeta ahead of him - I'm overwhelmed by the bias!
Now Hoskins was unlucky. But, they were only ever going to pick two number 8s and Ardie was a mortal lock. They went for Sititi and he won World Breakout Player of the year, so it wasn't really a terrible pick. And they were going to call Hoskins up for the EOYT, but he was broken. He was less compelling this year and now he's broken again.
Paps - no more unlucky than Blackadder, who outplayed all comers in the Super play-offs. There's no Crusaders in the loosies either and despite the prognostications of doom, I see Dalton in the AB XV.
I believe we've discussed AJ Lam and Ricky Riccitelli previously. RR is a hard no from me.
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@Landers92 said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
That midfield is so uninspiring. Bailyn Sullivan injured? When will this Havili and McLeod experiment end? Not mad about Rona being a fresh face. Will have been nice to see Taele and Tale’a named. Zarn Sullivan over Fihaki for me
My main man Riley Higgins isn't cleared yet obviously
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@SouthernMann said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@brodean said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@frugby said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
No real ommissions... Fineanganofo is the one who leaps out at me, but outside backs is always a contested spot.
Kaylum Boshier is a head scractcher.
Boshier blows my mind. As if we don't have enough Chiefs loose forwards in the mix already. How did he get selected over Casey?
Statistically very good in the NPC. Just where is he going to get gametime next year.
Casey, Flanders, and Lio Willie are all statistically better than Boshier.
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@frugby said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
Paul Cully has written quite a good article on the Post about selections. We are all quick to ask for new players, but not all the new boys have been raging successes.
19 Debutants in the last two years, and most of those have failed to make an impact.
Debutants like Bell or McAlister? The poor form of Love in all of the opportunities they've given him at 10 or 15? Carrying the injured Tavatavanawai?
Blind Freddy knew Kirifi's form in SR deserved reward but that it wouldn't translate into Test rugby.
I'm on the side of it's not a debutant problem per se, it's a selection and coaching one.
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@frugby said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@brodean Let's see Casey play Super Rugby first. Given he is not huge, he is going to need to develop a threat around the ruck on defence.
Jacobson taught him a lesson in that regard in the QF.
A good potential player, who has had a fantastic campaign, but there is more to the game then scoring tries in the NPC.
Jacobson would teach Boshier a lesson in every game they played as opposition if they came up against each other. Boshier is the 6th ranked Chiefs loose forward and a bonafide journeyman. In no way does he have a test future at 26. Why are we ignoring our most talented players like Lucas Casey over journeyman players with no test future?
The Chiefs have the most players in the AB's and the most players in the AB's XV.
How many titles have the Chiefs won recently?
They're a bunch of chokers and they have by far the most players in both squads.
We're building our test foundation on chokers.
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@Chris-B said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@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.
Your 6 was gone before Razor ever named his first squad. He took the yen. And neither he nor his brother - who aren't social media shrinking violets - have ever suggested Razor had any role in this decision. Once he signed in Japan, it would have been moronic to pick him for the All Blacks. If you want to be upset with an AB coach about Akira - blame Hansen.
Plummer - well, there's a theory that we need a solid journeyman at 10. I don't subcribe to it. But, they picked Beauden and Perofeta ahead of him - I'm overwhelmed by the bias!
Now Hoskins was unlucky. But, they were only ever going to pick two number 8s and Ardie was a mortal lock. They went for Sititi and he won World Breakout Player of the year, so it wasn't really a terrible pick. And they were going to call Hoskins up for the EOYT, but he was broken. He was less compelling this year and now he's broken again.
Paps - no more unlucky than Blackadder, who outplayed all comers in the Super play-offs. There's no Crusaders in the loosies either and despite the prognostications of doom, I see Dalton in the AB XV.
I believe we've discussed AJ Lam and Ricky Riccitelli previously. RR is a hard no from me.
My feeling was Akira knew he was not going to get picked. Could be completely wrong. He said money was part (and could well be the major part) of his decision but he didn't clearly say what the remaining reasons were.
MY real point is not that more Blues need to be in the ABs but the way they were or weren't treated may have been a factor in them leaving or potentially leaving, weakening the Blues.
Lam was my major grump about non-AB selection previously but he has a lot more competition now so I'm not so energetic in my laments. RR, yeah, good Super player, can see why they didn't choose him. I don't really see a Crusaders bias but a loyalty bias favouring oldtimers and Crusaders stalwarts (Ioane has been lucky to be picked, as has Reece and ALB).
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Is it really a big deal that Pledger isn't in the side? I'll side on the selectors on this one, let's see how he and Casey go in Super Rugby first.
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@nostrildamus said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@Chris-B said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@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.
Your 6 was gone before Razor ever named his first squad. He took the yen. And neither he nor his brother - who aren't social media shrinking violets - have ever suggested Razor had any role in this decision. Once he signed in Japan, it would have been moronic to pick him for the All Blacks. If you want to be upset with an AB coach about Akira - blame Hansen.
Plummer - well, there's a theory that we need a solid journeyman at 10. I don't subcribe to it. But, they picked Beauden and Perofeta ahead of him - I'm overwhelmed by the bias!
Now Hoskins was unlucky. But, they were only ever going to pick two number 8s and Ardie was a mortal lock. They went for Sititi and he won World Breakout Player of the year, so it wasn't really a terrible pick. And they were going to call Hoskins up for the EOYT, but he was broken. He was less compelling this year and now he's broken again.
Paps - no more unlucky than Blackadder, who outplayed all comers in the Super play-offs. There's no Crusaders in the loosies either and despite the prognostications of doom, I see Dalton in the AB XV.
I believe we've discussed AJ Lam and Ricky Riccitelli previously. RR is a hard no from me.
My feeling was Akira knew he was not going to get picked. Could be completely wrong. He said money was part (and could well be the major part) of his decision but he didn't clearly say what the remaining reasons were.
@Chris-B 100% knows that Akira wasn't ever going to get a shot in the new Razor regime due to Tubby Ryan.
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@Nepia said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@Chris-B said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@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.
Your 6 was gone before Razor ever named his first squad. He took the yen. And neither he nor his brother - who aren't social media shrinking violets - have ever suggested Razor had any role in this decision. Once he signed in Japan, it would have been moronic to pick him for the All Blacks. If you want to be upset with an AB coach about Akira - blame Hansen.
Plummer - well, there's a theory that we need a solid journeyman at 10. I don't subcribe to it. But, they picked Beauden and Perofeta ahead of him - I'm overwhelmed by the bias!
Now Hoskins was unlucky. But, they were only ever going to pick two number 8s and Ardie was a mortal lock. They went for Sititi and he won World Breakout Player of the year, so it wasn't really a terrible pick. And they were going to call Hoskins up for the EOYT, but he was broken. He was less compelling this year and now he's broken again.
Paps - no more unlucky than Blackadder, who outplayed all comers in the Super play-offs. There's no Crusaders in the loosies either and despite the prognostications of doom, I see Dalton in the AB XV.
I believe we've discussed AJ Lam and Ricky Riccitelli previously. RR is a hard no from me.
My feeling was Akira knew he was not going to get picked. Could be completely wrong. He said money was part (and could well be the major part) of his decision but he didn't clearly say what the remaining reasons were.
@Chris-B 100% knows that Akira wasn't ever going to get a shot in the new Razor regime due to Tubby Ryan.
Or Hoskins. Even after the way they dominated the field in SR last year neither of them got a sniff
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@African-Monkey said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
Is it really a big deal that Pledger isn't in the side? I'll side on the selectors on this one, let's see how he and Casey go in Super Rugby first.
and Pledger is still tiny isn't he? There's a photo of him next to Josh Tengblad and Christian MacEwan (last year) and he didn't exactly fill the camera frame!
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@brodean said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@frugby said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@brodean Let's see Casey play Super Rugby first. Given he is not huge, he is going to need to develop a threat around the ruck on defence.
Jacobson taught him a lesson in that regard in the QF.
A good potential player, who has had a fantastic campaign, but there is more to the game then scoring tries in the NPC.
Jacobson would teach Boshier a lesson in every game they played as opposition if they came up against each other. Boshier is the 6th ranked Chiefs loose forward and a bonafide journeyman. In no way does he have a test future at 26. Why are we ignoring our most talented players like Lucas Casey over journeyman players with no test future?
The Chiefs have the most players in the AB's and the most players in the AB's XV.
How many titles have the Chiefs won recently?
They're a bunch of chokers and they have by far the most players in both squads.
We're building our test foundation on chokers.
no you are completely right, we should be picking more players from Auckland, where their Super side has a dominant record of, what, one title in 22 years. And who's member unions won a grand total of 8 games in the NPC this year (with Northland of all provinces doing the heavy lifting).
Truly overlooked dominance.what these selections say is not "we take too many players from one place" it says we are severely lacking in players that have the essential attributes for test footy. We double that problem with a game plan that doesn't appear to maximise what we do have.
It is all just so very underwhelming. -
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@Chris-B said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@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.
Your 6 was gone before Razor ever named his first squad. He took the yen. And neither he nor his brother - who aren't social media shrinking violets - have ever suggested Razor had any role in this decision. Once he signed in Japan, it would have been moronic to pick him for the All Blacks. If you want to be upset with an AB coach about Akira - blame Hansen.
Plummer - well, there's a theory that we need a solid journeyman at 10. I don't subcribe to it. But, they picked Beauden and Perofeta ahead of him - I'm overwhelmed by the bias!
Now Hoskins was unlucky. But, they were only ever going to pick two number 8s and Ardie was a mortal lock. They went for Sititi and he won World Breakout Player of the year, so it wasn't really a terrible pick. And they were going to call Hoskins up for the EOYT, but he was broken. He was less compelling this year and now he's broken again.
Paps - no more unlucky than Blackadder, who outplayed all comers in the Super play-offs. There's no Crusaders in the loosies either and despite the prognostications of doom, I see Dalton in the AB XV.
I believe we've discussed AJ Lam and Ricky Riccitelli previously. RR is a hard no from me.
My feeling was Akira knew he was not going to get picked. Could be completely wrong. He said money was part (and could well be the major part) of his decision but he didn't clearly say what the remaining reasons were.
MY real point is not that more Blues need to be in the ABs but the way they were or weren't treated may have been a factor in them leaving or potentially leaving, weakening the Blues.
Lam was my major grump about non-AB selection previously but he has a lot more competition now so I'm not so energetic in my laments. RR, yeah, good Super player, can see why they didn't choose him. I don't really see a Crusaders bias but a loyalty bias favouring oldtimers and Crusaders stalwarts (Ioane has been lucky to be picked, as has Reece and ALB).
Riccitelli is better at the Hooker core roles than everyone bar Taylor.
They same capitulation that happened to McAlister in Wellington could happen to Bell.
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@frugby said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
The odd thing about Havili, is they have clearly sign-posted they want a power run at 12, and he clearly is not that.
have they though? JB is locked in to 80 mins at 12 for the ABs. I wouldn't call him a power runner, just a big unit. And in our current pattern, he spends almost the whole game distributing. To me it looks like we want a big unit for defence in that channel and a distributor.
or again, our pattern stinks
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@nostrildamus said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@Chris-B said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@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.
Your 6 was gone before Razor ever named his first squad. He took the yen. And neither he nor his brother - who aren't social media shrinking violets - have ever suggested Razor had any role in this decision. Once he signed in Japan, it would have been moronic to pick him for the All Blacks. If you want to be upset with an AB coach about Akira - blame Hansen.
Plummer - well, there's a theory that we need a solid journeyman at 10. I don't subcribe to it. But, they picked Beauden and Perofeta ahead of him - I'm overwhelmed by the bias!
Now Hoskins was unlucky. But, they were only ever going to pick two number 8s and Ardie was a mortal lock. They went for Sititi and he won World Breakout Player of the year, so it wasn't really a terrible pick. And they were going to call Hoskins up for the EOYT, but he was broken. He was less compelling this year and now he's broken again.
Paps - no more unlucky than Blackadder, who outplayed all comers in the Super play-offs. There's no Crusaders in the loosies either and despite the prognostications of doom, I see Dalton in the AB XV.
I believe we've discussed AJ Lam and Ricky Riccitelli previously. RR is a hard no from me.
My feeling was Akira knew he was not going to get picked. Could be completely wrong. He said money was part (and could well be the major part) of his decision but he didn't clearly say what the remaining reasons were.
MY real point is not that more Blues need to be in the ABs but the way they were or weren't treated may have been a factor in them leaving or potentially leaving, weakening the Blues.
Lam was my major grump about non-AB selection previously but he has a lot more competition now so I'm not so energetic in my laments. RR, yeah, good Super player, can see why they didn't choose him. I don't really see a Crusaders bias but a loyalty bias favouring oldtimers and Crusaders stalwarts (Ioane has been lucky to be picked, as has Reece and ALB).
The thing is none of the midfield selections over Lam havent nailed anything. Even Tupaea who had a great game against Australia had a shocker in the Wellington test.
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@African-Monkey who was the last AB picked off an NPC campaign (with no super rugby) was it Joe Rok?
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@canefan said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@Nepia said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@Chris-B said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@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.
Your 6 was gone before Razor ever named his first squad. He took the yen. And neither he nor his brother - who aren't social media shrinking violets - have ever suggested Razor had any role in this decision. Once he signed in Japan, it would have been moronic to pick him for the All Blacks. If you want to be upset with an AB coach about Akira - blame Hansen.
Plummer - well, there's a theory that we need a solid journeyman at 10. I don't subcribe to it. But, they picked Beauden and Perofeta ahead of him - I'm overwhelmed by the bias!
Now Hoskins was unlucky. But, they were only ever going to pick two number 8s and Ardie was a mortal lock. They went for Sititi and he won World Breakout Player of the year, so it wasn't really a terrible pick. And they were going to call Hoskins up for the EOYT, but he was broken. He was less compelling this year and now he's broken again.
Paps - no more unlucky than Blackadder, who outplayed all comers in the Super play-offs. There's no Crusaders in the loosies either and despite the prognostications of doom, I see Dalton in the AB XV.
I believe we've discussed AJ Lam and Ricky Riccitelli previously. RR is a hard no from me.
My feeling was Akira knew he was not going to get picked. Could be completely wrong. He said money was part (and could well be the major part) of his decision but he didn't clearly say what the remaining reasons were.
@Chris-B 100% knows that Akira wasn't ever going to get a shot in the new Razor regime due to Tubby Ryan.
Or Hoskins. Even after the way they dominated the field in SR last year neither of them got a sniff
Yes in the year the Blues won the title Sotutu was involved in 24.5% of the Blues tries. Basically a quarter of their seasons tries. Meanwhile the attack under Robertson has been a joke for two years.
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@Nepia said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@Chris-B said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@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.
Your 6 was gone before Razor ever named his first squad. He took the yen. And neither he nor his brother - who aren't social media shrinking violets - have ever suggested Razor had any role in this decision. Once he signed in Japan, it would have been moronic to pick him for the All Blacks. If you want to be upset with an AB coach about Akira - blame Hansen.
Plummer - well, there's a theory that we need a solid journeyman at 10. I don't subcribe to it. But, they picked Beauden and Perofeta ahead of him - I'm overwhelmed by the bias!
Now Hoskins was unlucky. But, they were only ever going to pick two number 8s and Ardie was a mortal lock. They went for Sititi and he won World Breakout Player of the year, so it wasn't really a terrible pick. And they were going to call Hoskins up for the EOYT, but he was broken. He was less compelling this year and now he's broken again.
Paps - no more unlucky than Blackadder, who outplayed all comers in the Super play-offs. There's no Crusaders in the loosies either and despite the prognostications of doom, I see Dalton in the AB XV.
I believe we've discussed AJ Lam and Ricky Riccitelli previously. RR is a hard no from me.
My feeling was Akira knew he was not going to get picked. Could be completely wrong. He said money was part (and could well be the major part) of his decision but he didn't clearly say what the remaining reasons were.
@Chris-B 100% knows that Akira wasn't ever going to get a shot in the new Razor regime due to Tubby Ryan.
I actually know no such thing. I just see these statements as conspiracy theories.
Here's a simple question for you.
True or False. Akira was never picked in an All Black squad that Ryan had a hand in selecting?
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@nostrildamus said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@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.
Clarke? R. Ioane?
MT was there last year
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@sparky said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@Bovidae said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
The referees for the tour games:
Wales v New Zealand - Hollie Davidson (SRU)
I hope the Welsh don't try any funny business again if the Scottish referee can't keep up with play after a fast breakaway...
They have form. Bob Deans scored.
Never forget. Never forgive.
