All Blacks 2026
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What I want to see going forward is a bit more bombast from us and a bit more proactivity in squad selection.
And that includes us as a fanbase.....
The "Ruben Love isnt ready", "its too early for Fabian to be thrown in" kind of talk has to stop.
We went from being the great experimenters and innovators to being perpetually trapped in amber.
The youth of today are twerking in front of camera phones as soon as they can walk.
In a similar vein, youth rugby players are getting kissed on the dick as soon as they show any potential.
Long story short, this generation are not shrinking violets.
When you have a Tangitau or Dylan Pledger pulling up trees, harness that energy and throw him in.
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@nonpartizan said in All Blacks 2026:
@mohikamo said in All Blacks 2026:
On the Savea thing; I think his membership of the PI AB group had maybe more influence on the course of events in the last few days, than his membership of the senior player AB group
He would be the unquestioned leader of the PI group.
Some one here posted some inside info here that the PIs as a group were pissed off.
That was a red flag for me.
I'd say Savea and Mealamu had a serious convo this week.When I heard that the PIs as a group were pissed; I considered it all over for Razor.
It's one of the challenges that has been flagged up here - on the pitch Ardie didnt get it done in 2025 but off the pitch he is more powerful than ever heading into 2026.
I don't see how an incoming coach is gonna feel he can drop him if that is what is best for the team because if he loses Ardies support and buy in that is gonna undermine his support from the wider playing group. Ardie is possibly the most powerful AB player ever since he has influence throughout the squad but also Mealamus ear.
It's not something I would personally want to manage.
I thought I heard Kirk being asked about complaints or issues being raised by players directly. He mentioned having conversations with various players at different times, one was Ardie he said before the Scotland Test, didn’t he say Ardie told him he was really tired and had had a big work load? Maybe Ardie didn’t want to be picked every game and play 80mins every Test?
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We need to bring back the start of season turkey shoot against a minnow that we had in years gone by.
A. So we can cap and scrap some players. Your Pita Gus's, your Tuitavake's of the world.
B. So season starts with a win.
C. Selection combos can be trialled.3 test series against Ireland and England did Razor and Fozzie no good so early in their tenures.
Their squads were conservative due to the fear factor and they chased their tails ever since.
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@nonpartizan said in All Blacks 2026:
@kidcalder said in All Blacks 2026:
@Dan54 That will be the most interesting watch when the new coaching team is assembled what they do with those 2..
I think most likely both stay in the squad due to their experience etc but hopefully less game time (bench roles prefer) but put down to better player welfare/management.
Others will be given time in the saddle to develop depth and test match experience and hopefully they thrive and the others then begin to be phased out slowly but surely.
Thats how I see it - injuries always come into selections and if DMac and all the loosies fall over then you may need a safety net for big tests.
I see that more likely than say JJ gets the role and wants to wield his axe dropping what he doesn't want onto the scrap heap..
Its been done before though - Laurie with the Whettons etc but times have changedYeah.
In this era you could not do what Laurie Mains did. Frank Bunce (who considers Laurie his best coach) has said exactly that.
With the younger generations of millennials and Z you got to be a little more cautious in your approach. They don't respond to being dealt with abrasively.
> A part of the problems between the coaches and players seems to me to be a generational divide.
this was a key part of what Straws was helping with when he moved into the his role with AB's - didn't get 'advertised' was all about 'skills' (also surprising his take were the basic skill levels were very average)
I was talking to him once about player management post a bunch of stuff that had gone down with cycling nz and issues with how coaches interact with riders and asked his take - cant remember exactly what the answer was but something like used to be 80% coaching 20% 'man management'.. and that was totally reversed these days - total lack of resilience with younger players.
Guess we've seen that play out across pretty much every sport in nz over the last few years..
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@Dan54 said in All Blacks 2026:
Ok I got question for posters going forward this year. We have opinions on BB , Ardie etc being in team. If they are still picked by new coach, are you still going to get behind them, or are you perhaps going to admit that they should be there? Or are we smarter than even another AB coach? Remembering they pick players for how they want team to play, and with all the info on them, not from watching a bit on tv (with just a few angles) and occasional trip to a game. I will be interested to see responses from whatever players etc are picked.
purely depends on how they play, if they come out and, even with their weakness due to age largely, play more cohesively with the rest of the team then awesome, a coach was finally been able to work out how to use them....if theyre doing the same shit as weve seen under fozzie and razor i'll have to conclude theyre lose units that cant be coached and need to go
I say this because i just can not accept a new coach will want to try the same stuff again...we've seen this chaotic attack from anywhere, structure for only 2 phases then anything goes game plan from hansen when it worked (due to the cattle we had)....and then fozzie when it didnt work because our best cattle started to age ore retired....and now razor
the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result
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@Unite said in All Blacks 2026:
@nonpartizan said in All Blacks 2026:
@mohikamo said in All Blacks 2026:
On the Savea thing; I think his membership of the PI AB group had maybe more influence on the course of events in the last few days, than his membership of the senior player AB group
He would be the unquestioned leader of the PI group.
Some one here posted some inside info here that the PIs as a group were pissed off.
That was a red flag for me.
I'd say Savea and Mealamu had a serious convo this week.When I heard that the PIs as a group were pissed; I considered it all over for Razor.
It's one of the challenges that has been flagged up here - on the pitch Ardie didnt get it done in 2025 but off the pitch he is more powerful than ever heading into 2026.
I don't see how an incoming coach is gonna feel he can drop him if that is what is best for the team because if he loses Ardies support and buy in that is gonna undermine his support from the wider playing group. Ardie is possibly the most powerful AB player ever since he has influence throughout the squad but also Mealamus ear.
It's not something I would personally want to manage.
I thought I heard Kirk being asked about complaints or issues being raised by players directly. He mentioned having conversations with various players at different times, one was Ardie he said before the Scotland Test, didn’t he say Ardie told him he was really tired and had had a big work load? Maybe Ardie didn’t want to be picked every game and play 80mins every Test?
Ardie burnt a lot of matches in Super carrying his team - didn't see that form in the AB's.. passion not the same under razor?
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I actually just remembered something that Goldie Wilson said on Breakdown. He hopes we go back to traditional All Black rugby, as we have drifted away from it.
Anyway, I just waiting to see who get's the gig now. I am a JJ fan, and had wanted him for sometime , just a feeling I have, no great knowledge or anything. And as much as anything , if he gets it who will he get in his group, -
@Dan54 said in All Blacks 2026:
I actually just remembered something that Goldie Wilson said on Breakdown. He hopes we go back to traditional All Black rugby, as we have drifted away from it.
Anyway, I just waiting to see who get's the gig now. I am a JJ fan, and had wanted him for sometime , just a feeling I have, no great knowledge or anything. And as much as anything , if he gets it who will he get in his group,Is it fair to say Jamie Joseph was a bit of a grub as a player?
Remember a bit of biff from him against the English, not that I'll hold that against him.
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@Kiwiwomble said in All Blacks 2026:
@Dan54 said in All Blacks 2026:
Ok I got question for posters going forward this year. We have opinions on BB , Ardie etc being in team. If they are still picked by new coach, are you still going to get behind them, or are you perhaps going to admit that they should be there? Or are we smarter than even another AB coach? Remembering they pick players for how they want team to play, and with all the info on them, not from watching a bit on tv (with just a few angles) and occasional trip to a game. I will be interested to see responses from whatever players etc are picked.
purely depends on how they play, if they come out and, even with their weakness due to age largely, play more cohesively with the rest of the team then awesome, a coach was finally been able to work out how to use them....if theyre doing the same shit as weve seen under fozzie and razor i'll have to conclude theyre lose units that cant be coached and need to go
I say this because i just can not accept a new coach will want to try the same stuff again...we've seen this chaotic attack from anywhere, structure for only 2 phases then anything goes game plan from hansen when it worked (due to the cattle we had)....and then fozzie when it didnt work because our best cattle started to age ore retired....and now razor
the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result
I think they need to ride pine or sit in the stands early on in the next coaches tenure, if only to serve as a line in the sand to them and others.
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@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2026:
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2026:
@reprobate said in All Blacks 2026:
Yep, and you have to wonder whether player loyalty to Foster meant there was a bit of angst at him being treated badly, which easily translates into anti-Robertson feeling when things aren't going well. Combine that with factions within the team and shit can go south quick.
Yep. Foster def. to blame for Robertson's departure.......
Yup that is too long a bow to draw...
I actually thought Vic was being funny....
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@Jet said in All Blacks 2026:
@Dan54 said in All Blacks 2026:
I actually just remembered something that Goldie Wilson said on Breakdown. He hopes we go back to traditional All Black rugby, as we have drifted away from it.
Anyway, I just waiting to see who get's the gig now. I am a JJ fan, and had wanted him for sometime , just a feeling I have, no great knowledge or anything. And as much as anything , if he gets it who will he get in his group,Is it fair to say Jamie Joseph was a bit of a grub as a player?
Remember a bit of biff from him against the English, not that I'll hold that against him.
He was a grub as I recall
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@pakman said in All Blacks 2026:
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2026:
@tubbyj said in All Blacks 2026:
Why wasn't he concerned in 2022 when Foster was dragging the team down to this level?
He was. Difference is Foster listened to his players and engaged with them. BB has spoken openly about it.
I spent the best part of a week in Tokyo RWC at same hotel as ABs. Very clear that Shag and Fossie were pally with vast bulk of players.
this was one of the big issues Razor had with Leon - thought he was too close to the players
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My expectations for the next coaching team are essentially the same as they were for Razor. Usher in a breath of fresh air in terms of selection. Get back to basics. Now the biggest job will be to mend fences and build unity as quickly as possible
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another random thought I just had - Razor decided he didn't need Gilbert Enoka
who was fulfilling that role within the team? Sounds like that would have been useful in this situation with so many player concerns - bit of a buffer between players and coaching staff - help actually articulate the issues etc
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@canefan said in All Blacks 2026:
@Jet said in All Blacks 2026:
@Dan54 said in All Blacks 2026:
I actually just remembered something that Goldie Wilson said on Breakdown. He hopes we go back to traditional All Black rugby, as we have drifted away from it.
Anyway, I just waiting to see who get's the gig now. I am a JJ fan, and had wanted him for sometime , just a feeling I have, no great knowledge or anything. And as much as anything , if he gets it who will he get in his group,Is it fair to say Jamie Joseph was a bit of a grub as a player?
Remember a bit of biff from him against the English, not that I'll hold that against him.
He was a grub as I recall
Thats what we need.
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@canefan said in All Blacks 2026:
My expectations for the next coaching team are essentially the same as they were for Razor. Usher in a breath of fresh air in terms of selection. Get back to basics. Now the biggest job will be to mend fences and build unity as quickly as possible
Some fast fuckers on the wings, a lad with a massive boot at the back.
And a load of jagged elbowed toe rags in jerseys 1-8.
Shaving forbidden and black boots mandatory.
I want some ugly bastards in the team. We are too good looking.
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@Jet said in All Blacks 2026:
@canefan said in All Blacks 2026:
@Jet said in All Blacks 2026:
@Dan54 said in All Blacks 2026:
I actually just remembered something that Goldie Wilson said on Breakdown. He hopes we go back to traditional All Black rugby, as we have drifted away from it.
Anyway, I just waiting to see who get's the gig now. I am a JJ fan, and had wanted him for sometime , just a feeling I have, no great knowledge or anything. And as much as anything , if he gets it who will he get in his group,Is it fair to say Jamie Joseph was a bit of a grub as a player?
Remember a bit of biff from him against the English, not that I'll hold that against him.
He was a grub as I recall
Thats what we need.
not going to condone being a grub in the current age....but it was annoying, when the Bokke get cards its because theyve put the fear of god in someone with a earth shattering tackle and might have been a bit late or slipped up...but the move will have been snubbed out and now everyone is worried theyre next....we have our captain just dropping his shoulder into guy laying prone in a ruck...just pissing everyone off
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@Kiwiwomble said in All Blacks 2026:
@Jet said in All Blacks 2026:
@canefan said in All Blacks 2026:
@Jet said in All Blacks 2026:
@Dan54 said in All Blacks 2026:
I actually just remembered something that Goldie Wilson said on Breakdown. He hopes we go back to traditional All Black rugby, as we have drifted away from it.
Anyway, I just waiting to see who get's the gig now. I am a JJ fan, and had wanted him for sometime , just a feeling I have, no great knowledge or anything. And as much as anything , if he gets it who will he get in his group,Is it fair to say Jamie Joseph was a bit of a grub as a player?
Remember a bit of biff from him against the English, not that I'll hold that against him.
He was a grub as I recall
Thats what we need.
not going to condone being a grub in the current age....but it was annoying, when the Bokke get cards its because theyve put the fear of god in someone with a earth shattering tackle and might have been a bit late or slipped up...but the move will have been snubbed out and now everyone is worried theyre next....we have our captain just dropping his shoulder into guy laying prone in a ruck...just pissing everyone off
We need some lads who relish rib tickling as much if not more than having the pill.
Kaino, Pieter Steph, Jerry Collins esque.
