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:
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.
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@nzzp 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:
@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.
On the other side, three AB coaches didn't want him. So he must have something to do with it. But it is frustrating that a guy with such potential couldn't realise it in the ABs. Same goes for Hoskins
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@Chris-B said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@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.
Razor and Ryan have had no problem being vocal about wanting the likes of Frizell and Leicester back in the fold.
Again - there's no issue if Razor didnt want Akira but Razor got announced coach on 21 March 2023 and officially took over on 1 November 2023.
Akira played 21 tests between 2020 and 2022 so it's not as if he wasnt on the radar as a key player. He also coached Akira for NZU20s so he knew who Akira was.
The notion that Razor simply didnt select Akira because he had signed overseas (with the insinuation being that he otherwise would have) and simply was not consulted prior to Akira going overseas is absolutely laughable.
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@antipodean Those options are possible. I'm saying just two things.
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They were never going to pick him once he signed in Japan.
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There is nothing currently in the public record saying that Razor told Akira he wouldn't be picked.
Maybe the Ioane boys will write a book and all will be revealed - Cully after all wrote a whole book about what a fluffybunny Mitch was.
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@Chris-B said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
Cully after all wrote a whole book about what a fluffybunny Mitch was
actually @Nepia ghost wrote that for him
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@Chris-B said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@antipodean Those options are possible. I'm saying just two things.
- They were never going to pick him once he signed in Japan.
The same coaches busy advocating for NZR to get other players back..?
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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 Those options are possible. I'm saying just two things.
- They were never going to pick him once he signed in Japan.
The same coaches busy advocating for NZR to get other players back..?
Hmmmm awkward
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@Chris-B said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
- They were never going to pick him once he signed in Japan.
Poor Richie. Poor Shannon.
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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 Those options are possible. I'm saying just two things.
- They were never going to pick him once he signed in Japan.
The same coaches busy advocating for NZR to get other players back..?
Clearly what's good for the Frizell is not good for the Ioane....
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All this lamenting over 2 players, when the most obvious issue is our gameplan and tactics, the way we been rolling it wouldn't matter who we picked.
Edit - also ignoring our inability to combat an aerial game.
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@taniwharugby said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
All this lamenting over 2 players, when the most obvious issue is our gameplan and tactics, the way we been rolling it wouldn't matter who we picked.
Good job pulling us out of that rabbit hole mate!
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@Chris-B said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
- They were never going to pick him once he signed in Japan.
They picked Cane and Perenara.
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@frugby said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@canefan McLeod is 26, far from an old-timer (if this is what you are referring to). In theory, he could be the ideal back up to Jordie Barrett, so fair to persist with him.
Based off what? The only similarities they have is they are both tall and white
