All Blacks 2025
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@Chris-B said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@antipodean said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@Chris-B said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@Nepia Yeah - he preferred Frizell.
But, where was Shannon in 2024? He'd taken the yen and was unavailable for selection.
The blindside position was pretty open for someone to take and it still seems to be.
There's a raft of posts saying the coaches are actively discriminating against Blues players, so I'm perfectly accurate in labeling it a conspiracy theory.
Just to confirm who were the standout loose forwards in SR 2024 and their performances were instrumental in their team's success?
I've got no problem saying Akira had probably his best season in 2024.
But, once he signed in Japan it would've been moronic to pick him. Just about everyone drew a line through his name at that point.
Same reason they're not picking Mark Tele'a this year - even though he might be quite handy.
What you are missing is this
Razor knew he had the AB job before the end of the 2023 Super Rugby season
He had ample time to map out a path with Akira
That didnt happen and Akira left
By all accounts Razor didnt want Akira. Fine. But don't use the signing overseas as an excuse.
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@Nepia said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
It doesn't really matter which franchise a player plays for
I agree.
Isn’t it great to see Havili, Ennor, McLeod, Fihaki proudly representing their
championship winning franchisecountry. -
@taniwharugby said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@African-Monkey who was the last AB picked off an NPC campaign (with no super rugby) was it Joe Rok?
Isaiah Toeava after 1 NPC game?
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@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@Chris-B said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@antipodean said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@Chris-B said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@Nepia Yeah - he preferred Frizell.
But, where was Shannon in 2024? He'd taken the yen and was unavailable for selection.
The blindside position was pretty open for someone to take and it still seems to be.
There's a raft of posts saying the coaches are actively discriminating against Blues players, so I'm perfectly accurate in labeling it a conspiracy theory.
Just to confirm who were the standout loose forwards in SR 2024 and their performances were instrumental in their team's success?
I've got no problem saying Akira had probably his best season in 2024.
But, once he signed in Japan it would've been moronic to pick him. Just about everyone drew a line through his name at that point.
Same reason they're not picking Mark Tele'a this year - even though he might be quite handy.
What you are missing is this
Razor knew he had the AB job before the end of the 2023 Super Rugby season
He had ample time to map out a path with Akira
That didnt happen and Akira left
By all accounts Razor didnt want Akira. Fine. But don't use the signing overseas as an excuse.
How many of these special paths was Razor supposed to map for players?
Can you provide a link to one credible account that says Razor didn't want Akira?
Maybe just something where Rieko or Akira says something along the lines that Razor or Ryan says they're probably looking elsewhere.
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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:
@nzzp Yes - Akira is very much a coulda, woulda, shoulda. But, Hansen was the guy who didn't pick him and took the pretty unusual step of giving him a public serve - "he needs to get thirsty". I don't think he played a test under Hansen.
He did however get called down to Dunedin early on to train with the ABs and something went wrong down there, because he never featured again. Not even vs Japan later that year when every man and his dog got a test cap.
You know, if you really wanted to nip Blues conspiracy theories in the bud, suggesting it goes even deeper to an earlier ex Crusaders assistant coach isn't really going to help!
This stuff isn't half-arsed rumours - it's on the public record.
2017-2019 Hansen's man management compared unfavourably to his early era. He let Piatau and Luatua go, both had played a few tests and showed promise, and couldn't get a tune out of Akira either (some of the fault probably lay with both men)
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@Chris-B said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@antipodean said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@Chris-B said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@Nepia Yeah - he preferred Frizell.
But, where was Shannon in 2024? He'd taken the yen and was unavailable for selection.
The blindside position was pretty open for someone to take and it still seems to be.
There's a raft of posts saying the coaches are actively discriminating against Blues players, so I'm perfectly accurate in labeling it a conspiracy theory.
Just to confirm who were the standout loose forwards in SR 2024 and their performances were instrumental in their team's success?
I've got no problem saying Akira had probably his best season in 2024.
But, once he signed in Japan it would've been moronic to pick him. Just about everyone drew a line through his name at that point.
Same reason they're not picking Mark Tele'a this year - even though he might be quite handy.
In my mind one of the following is most likely true:
- The All Blacks coaches were in conversation with him and told him he wasn't likely to be selected, hence he took the contract.
- They didn't have any communication with him, which makes NZR look even more incompetent.
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@African-Monkey said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@taniwharugby said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@African-Monkey who was the last AB picked off an NPC campaign (with no super rugby) was it Joe Rok?
Isaiah Toeava after 1 NPC game?
How ballsy was that compared to now?
Joe Rokococo would have had to wait until he was 26 now days before being selected when his speed had long since departed.
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@African-Monkey yeah was Ice, he had played 8 games for Auckland (according to Wiki)
Rokocoko debuted at both super and ABs in 2003
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Discarding Akira Ioane and Hoskins Sotutu would have made sense if we had replacements who were better. We didn't. So journeymen like Luke Jacobson, Du'Plesis Kirifi and Christian Lio- Willie got the nod instead, "spiritual leader" Ardie Savea gets 200 tests to swan around on the wing and we have a string of frustrating "not quite what we need" like Finau and Sititi.
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@sparky said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
Discarding Akira Ioane and Hoskins Sotutu would have made sense if we had replacements who were better. We didn't. So journeymen like Luke Jacobson, Du'Plesis Kirifi and Christian Lio- Willie got the nod instead, "spiritual leader" Ardie Savea gets 200 tests to swan around on the wing and we have a string of frustrating "not quite what we need" like Finau and Sititi.
What a waste, and a case of what might have been
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@Chris-B said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
But, the polarization on here between his fans and his detractors meant no-one got a fair hearing at blindside for seven or eight years..
Oh sugar me tulips! The inability to find and stick to a top-quality blindside is totally and solely the responsibility of posters here on the Fern!
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@frugby said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
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
Solid enough best of the rest squad, but it needed another Lock.
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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:
But, the polarization on here between his fans and his detractors meant no-one got a fair hearing at blindside for seven or eight years..
Oh sugar me tulips! The inability to find and stick to a top-quality blindside is totally and solely the responsibility of posters here on the Fern!
The rot started when they didn't give Vaea Fifita more opportunities.
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@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@Nepia said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
It doesn't really matter which franchise a player plays for
I agree.
Isn’t it great to see Havili, Ennor, McLeod, Fihaki proudly representing their
championship winning franchisecountry.So the Crusaders don't really matter? Great argument you've got there, it would be churlish to disagree!
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@MN5 said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
The rot started when they didn't give Vaea Fifita more opportunities.
Is it happy hour over there yet?
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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:
The rot started when they didn't give Vaea Fifita more opportunities.
Is it happy hour over there yet?
Not for a first time on here you've completely and utterly lost me
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@sparky said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
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 WithySolid enough best of the rest squad, but it needed another Lock.
And none of those loosies can sub at lock, right? Oh, maybe Howden?
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@Grooter said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@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
Riley Higgins is ALWAYS in the clear.
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@antipodean said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@Chris-B said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@antipodean said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@Chris-B said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@Nepia Yeah - he preferred Frizell.
But, where was Shannon in 2024? He'd taken the yen and was unavailable for selection.
The blindside position was pretty open for someone to take and it still seems to be.
There's a raft of posts saying the coaches are actively discriminating against Blues players, so I'm perfectly accurate in labeling it a conspiracy theory.
Just to confirm who were the standout loose forwards in SR 2024 and their performances were instrumental in their team's success?
I've got no problem saying Akira had probably his best season in 2024.
But, once he signed in Japan it would've been moronic to pick him. Just about everyone drew a line through his name at that point.
Same reason they're not picking Mark Tele'a this year - even though he might be quite handy.
In my mind one of the following is most likely true:
- The All Blacks coaches were in conversation with him and told him he wasn't likely to be selected, hence he took the contract.
- They didn't have any communication with him, which makes NZR look even more incompetent.
They should have picked Telea over Reece.
But going to your options, given he broke his contract to head overseas and the way he talks in his farewell insta post you have to lean towards Option 1.
Good on him, but gutted we didn't see his best in Black.
