All Blacks 2025
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@DaGrubster said in All Blacks 2025:
So what were the positives of 2025?
I posted this a bit early in the thread:
"Holland's taken to Test Rugby like a duck to the wet stuff.
Jordie Barrett came back from Europe with an extra edge to his game.
Cam Roigard is world class.
Our Hookers are excellent.
DMac did well when he had game time. So did Caleb Clarke between injuries. So did Patrick Tuipolutu.
We have the Bledisloe. (Still).
Eden Park is a Fortress. (Still).
Wallace Sititi after being shaky for much of the year finished well.
In ranking terms, we are 2 in the world even if I think the Springboks, England and France are all comfortably better than us." -
@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
"Turned a Corner"?
It was Wales, Scott.
To be fair, he wasn't talking about that game at all, he was talking about the number of players exposed to international rugby and 'turning the corner' in terms of having that number of experienced players.
Which is also largely bullshit, but has nothing to do with Wales.
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@reprobate Robertson's frantically trying to survive a review that rightly is going to be extremely critical. I'm sick of his spin. I want an All Blacks Head Coach who is a Head Coach. He needs to be put on surfing leave. Permanently.
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@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
@DaGrubster said in All Blacks 2025:
So what were the positives of 2025?
I posted this a bit early in the thread:
"Holland's taken to Test Rugby like a duck to the wet stuff.
Jordie Barrett came back from Europe with an extra edge to his game.
Cam Roigard is world class.
Our Hookers are excellent.
DMac did well when he had game time. So did Caleb Clarke between injuries. So did Patrick Tuipolutu.
We have the Bledisloe. (Still).
Eden Park is a Fortress. (Still).
Wallace Sititi after being shaky for much of the year finished well.
In ranking terms, we are 2 in the world even if I think the Springboks, England and France are all comfortably better than us."I don't think the players are the problem - it's a cultural/headspace issue which is.
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@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
@reprobate Robertson's frantically trying to survive a review that rightly is going to be extremely critical
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@DaGrubster said in All Blacks 2025:
Who were the players to emerge who look to be long term all Blacks and will play a key part in 2027?
Fabian Holland was the pick of the new caps by some distance.
Of the recent All Blacks Pasilio Tosi, Josh Lord and Peter Lakai took big strides forward. Cam Roigard is clearly world class.
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@Victor-Meldrew Partially true, but I think we lack the physicality of South Africa, England and even Argentina.
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@DaGrubster said in All Blacks 2025:
So what were the positives of 2025?
Who were the players to emerge who look to be long term all Blacks and will play a key part in 2027?
Holland was great.
Aside from that: Pledger, who didn't even make the AB XV. -
@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
@Victor-Meldrew Partially true, but I think we lack the physicality of South Africa, England and even Argentina.
Kremer and Matera make our loosies look like pussies to be honest.
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@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
@DaGrubster said in All Blacks 2025:
So what were the positives of 2025?
I posted this a bit early in the thread:
"Holland's taken to Test Rugby like a duck to the wet stuff.
Jordie Barrett came back from Europe with an extra edge to his game.
Cam Roigard is world class.
Our Hookers are excellent.
DMac did well when he had game time. So did Caleb Clarke between injuries. So did Patrick Tuipolutu.
We have the Bledisloe. (Still).
Eden Park is a Fortress. (Still).
Wallace Sititi after being shaky for much of the year finished well.
In ranking terms, we are 2 in the world even if I think the Springboks, England and France are all comfortably better than us."All good Sparky.
We started the year with lots of injuries and disruption to our squad and i dont think we ever really got ahead of that and had a settled squad where we were able to build as a team and get some momentum and confidence.
I wouldnt say England are better (i was at Twickenham today and they were decent but nothing really special) but until we get over these mental frailties and start winning must win games its hard to now say we are better than other top sides.
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@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2025:
@DaGrubster said in All Blacks 2025:
I really think we make too much of saying you need international experience.
The current AB head Coach says "Hold my beer"
"Until you have played or coached a test match, you don't know [what is required] until you have done it and so those guys are really valuable," Robertson said."
I think Razors issues and faults are not because he didnt coach Scotland for 20 tests before he became AB coach..
But i get your point!
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@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
@reprobate Robertson's frantically trying to survive a review that rightly is going to be extremely critical. I'm sick of his spin. I want an All Blacks Head Coach who is a Head Coach. He needs to be put on surfing leave. Permanently.
The Breakdown team say the NZRU are in a bit of disarray right now. Kirk is there but there is no CEO, the person who would usually organise the review. Mils suggests that this lack of direction might allow Razor's team to escape(he didn't look happy about it) I certainly hope not, I hope Kirk doesn't let the shit they served up this season slide
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@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2025:
@Jet said in All Blacks 2025:
Jordan the best at 15? No Etzebeth?
He's tall, but a bit slow
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@DaGrubster said in All Blacks 2025:
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2025:
@DaGrubster said in All Blacks 2025:
I really think we make too much of saying you need international experience.
The current AB head Coach says "Hold my beer"
"Until you have played or coached a test match, you don't know [what is required] until you have done it and so those guys are really valuable," Robertson said."
I think Razors issues and faults are not because he didnt coach Scotland for 20 tests before he became AB coach..
But i get your point!
More an over-optimistic view of his own abilities. I'd rather Scotland found that out before we did....
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@Victor-Meldrew Should have sent him to Wales in 2021.
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@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
@Victor-Meldrew Partially true, but I think we lack the physicality of South Africa, England and even Argentina.
We cant dream of doing what South Africa did to Ireland yesterday.
That was a rag dolling, score board aside.
They "old manned" them in boxing parlance.
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Scott Robertson discusses his future leading the All Blacks
Looking at the two seasons as a whole, Robertson explains that when he took the job, he knew there would be lots of challenges in the first couple of years, and that he would need to create exposure for players.
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@pakman said in All Blacks 2025:
Scott Robertson discusses his future leading the All Blacks
Looking at the two seasons as a whole, Robertson explains that when he took the job, he knew there would be lots of challenges in the first couple of years, and that he would need to create exposure for players.
Worst head coach since John Mitchell.
This is as good as it's going to get. He'll continue to "Super-Rugby-ifying" the team will small, ineffective loosies. Get an over the hill RM back at ten, the very average/error prone LF at centre, Jordan at fullback instead of the wing and we'll all have tight schincters worrying about losing the Bledisloe or the Eden Park record with a wildly inconsistent AB team. Slow march towards becoming the Wales of the South Pacific.
Any team that fronts up with a tough forward pack will destory us.
