2025 The Silver Fern Team of the Year

nostrildamus

@Mr-Fish said in 2025 The Silver Fern Team of the Year:

Can we get a Fernie for best ongoing joke of the year? I want to nominate Michael Manson's guaranteed bench spot.

Quote:

"Together We Walk" is the central theme Scott "Razor" Robertson introduced for the All Blacks team in his first year as head coach, rather than a general personal motto. It is the overarching concept designed to create a sense of identity and unity within the squad and connect with the nation.

Looking at Reece on the wing, "Together We Walk" is my nomination for best ongoing joke of the year.

Mr Fish

'Together We Walk' as a team theme is like having 'Hollywood' as the theme of a ball. About as non-committal as you can get.

cgrant

@booboo said in 2025 The Silver Fern Team of the Year:

Jet has posted some food for thought.

@Jet said in All Blacks 2025:

Damian Willemsee at 2nd Five ? De Allende and Esterhuizen are standing in front of him the Boks selection. Same with Tagh Beirne. He spent most of the season at lock, Ireland's blindside loose forward being Ryan Baird. Kremer or Matera should be in this team. Furlong and Jordan are nowhere near the best in their respective positions IMO. Du Toit and Louw were better than Furlong in 2025. Ramos is the best fullback.

mariner4life

Ikitau is a 12, and the best 12 as well.

Canes4life

@mariner4life said in 2025 The Silver Fern Team of the Year:

Ikitau is a 12, and the best 12 as well.

Ikitau and Hugh Jones in the midfield for me.

canefan

This team might have fewer ABs than any other year I can remember

MN5

@canefan said in 2025 The Silver Fern Team of the Year:

This team might have fewer ABs than any other year I can remember

It will.

Roigard.

Holland probably too.

Taylor an outside chance.

Who else honestly deserves a spot ? ( apart from B Barrett and Savea of course who might just miss out )

sparky

Sparky's team of the year

1 Nché (SA) 2 Codie Taylor (NZ) 3 Thomas Du Toit (SA) 4 Itoje (Eng) 5 Holland (NZ) 6 PSDT (SA) 7 Pollock (Eng) 8 Earl (Eng) 9 Roigard (NZ) 10 Russell (Scot) 11 LBB (France) 12 Jordie Barrett (NZ) 13 Huw Jones (Scotland) 14 Kolbe (SA) 15 Ramos (France)

Maybe not objectively 'the best players' but guys with flair and sharp rugby brains who I loved watching in 2025.

MN5

@sparky said in 2025 The Silver Fern Team of the Year:

Sparky's team of the year

1 Nché (SA) 2 Codie Taylor (NZ) 3 Thomas Du Toit (SA) 4 Itoje (Eng) 5 Holland (NZ) 6 PSDT (SA) 7 Pollock (Eng) 8 Earl (Eng) 9 Roigard (NZ) 10 Russell (Scot) 11 LBB (France) 12 Jordie Barrett (NZ) 13 Huw Jones (Scotland) 14 Kolbe (SA) 15 Ramos (France)

Maybe not objectively 'the best players' but guys with flair and sharp rugby brains who I loved watching in 2025.

How the hell did Jordie make it ?

Rest of the team looks pretty decent but being the fern I have to nitpick the one glaring mistake I think you made.

sparky

@MN5 Because he's a genuine game-breaker. Look at who topped the TSF Man of the Match polls for the ABs this year and by how much.

I also thought it was bloody impressive how well he played in mid 2025 after going up north for the 2024/5 season.

MN5

@sparky said in 2025 The Silver Fern Team of the Year:

@MN5 Because he's a genuine game-breaker. Look at who topped the TSF Man of the Match polls for the ABs this year and by how much.

He's currently the best player in his family I'll give him that but he hasn't had a vintage year.....came back from Ireland and the old habits crept in...then he got injured.

sparky

@MN5 Jordie's big work on is to play more error free, but what he does that's good is amazing IMHO. Rescuing the ABs from the poo a couple of times this year. I'm a big fan.

booboo

@sparky said in 2025 The Silver Fern Team of the Year:

topped the TSF Man of the Match polls for the ABs this year

Kind of a low bar...

Mr Fish

A pretty good team, to be honest. Strongly disagree with Jordan at fullback but otherwise, no obvious issues. Beirne and Kolbe maybe a little controversial.

MiketheSnow

Yeah
No Ramos, Penaud
No Argies

Mr Fish

@MiketheSnow said in 2025 The Silver Fern Team of the Year:

Yeah
No Ramos, Penaud
No Argies

Would have Ramos, Willemse or Carreras at fullback. Carreras suffered a bit from playing between both 10 and 15 - not sure he had as strong a body of work as Ramos.

antipodean

@MN5 said in 2025 The Silver Fern Team of the Year:

@sparky said in 2025 The Silver Fern Team of the Year:

Sparky's team of the year

1 Nché (SA) 2 Codie Taylor (NZ) 3 Thomas Du Toit (SA) 4 Itoje (Eng) 5 Holland (NZ) 6 PSDT (SA) 7 Pollock (Eng) 8 Earl (Eng) 9 Roigard (NZ) 10 Russell (Scot) 11 LBB (France) 12 Jordie Barrett (NZ) 13 Huw Jones (Scotland) 14 Kolbe (SA) 15 Ramos (France)

Maybe not objectively 'the best players' but guys with flair and sharp rugby brains who I loved watching in 2025.

How the hell did Jordie make it ?

The same way Pollock apparently made it despite sitting on the bench for any top team he made.

antipodean

In the spirit of the topic and TSF's motto, some of my suggestions may be shit posting. The challenge is to guess which is which.

Canes4life

My 1st XV for the year:

Ox Niche (South Africa)
Malcolm Marx (South Africa)
Thomas Du Toit (South Africa)
Maro Itoje (England)
RG Snyman (South Africa)
Pieter Steph-Du Toit (South Africa)
Pablo Matera (Argentina)
Harry Wilson (Australia)
Cam Roigard (New Zealand)
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (South Africa)
Louie Bielle-Biarrey (France)
Len Ikitau (Australia)
Huw Jones (Scotland)
Cheslin Kolbe (South Africa)
Damian Willemse (South Africa)

MN5

@Canes4life said in 2025 The Silver Fern Team of the Year:

My 1st XV for the year:

Ox Niche (South Africa)

Malcolm Marx (South Africa)

Thomas Du Toit (South Africa)

Maro Itoje (England)

RG Snyman (South Africa)

Pieter Steph-Du Toit (South Africa)

Pablo Matera (Argentina)

Harry Wilson (Australia)

Cam Roigard (New Zealand)

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (South Africa)

Louie Bielle-Biarrey (France)

Len Ikitau (Australia)

Huw Jones (Scotland)

Cheslin Kolbe (South Africa)

Damian Willemse (South Africa)

No Billy Proctor ?