All Blacks 2025
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DMac has every right to be hard done by at Razor's man-love for Richie. (and to lesser extent BB)
Our best game this year was against Ireland. when DMac controlled the game well.
And then, for some god-forsaken reason, he selects Mr Shovel it on kick and hope Beauden Barret for the French game.Mounga was given the luxury of 4-5 years at AB level 10 to develop his game.
And for most of that, he couldn't fuckin tackle. -
@SBW1 be realistic for goodness sakes. let's see Ruben Love start a test, have a look at the Chiefs midfield together, see if Caleb Tangitau can step up, is Taumoefolau from Moana aspiring to be an AB? Plenty of talent on these shores but next thing you will be asking for is to see Nicoll-Klokstad at the Crusaders
@Grooter said in All Blacks 2025:
@SBW1 be realistic for goodness sakes. let's see Ruben Love start a test, have a look at the Chiefs midfield together, see if Caleb Tangitau can step up, is Taumoefolau from Moana aspiring to be an AB? Plenty of talent on these shores but next thing you will be asking for is to see Nicoll-Klokstad at the Crusaders
Has played for Tonga already though?
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@SBW1 said in All Blacks 2025:
Really?
Not reading the article based to the clickbait headline.
Listen to the podcast. https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/podcasts/rugby-direct/
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@Grooter said in All Blacks 2025:
@SBW1 be realistic for goodness sakes. let's see Ruben Love start a test, have a look at the Chiefs midfield together, see if Caleb Tangitau can step up, is Taumoefolau from Moana aspiring to be an AB? Plenty of talent on these shores but next thing you will be asking for is to see Nicoll-Klokstad at the Crusaders
Has played for Tonga already though?
@HugeCarrot2 said in All Blacks 2025:
@Grooter said in All Blacks 2025:
@SBW1 be realistic for goodness sakes. let's see Ruben Love start a test, have a look at the Chiefs midfield together, see if Caleb Tangitau can step up, is Taumoefolau from Moana aspiring to be an AB? Plenty of talent on these shores but next thing you will be asking for is to see Nicoll-Klokstad at the Crusaders
Has played for Tonga already though?
He has, but he chose not to play for them last year.
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DMac has every right to be hard done by at Razor's man-love for Richie. (and to lesser extent BB)
Our best game this year was against Ireland. when DMac controlled the game well.
And then, for some god-forsaken reason, he selects Mr Shovel it on kick and hope Beauden Barret for the French game.Mounga was given the luxury of 4-5 years at AB level 10 to develop his game.
And for most of that, he couldn't fuckin tackle.@Frank said in All Blacks 2025:
DMac has every right to be hard done by at Razor's man-love for Richie. (and to lesser extent BB)
Our best game this year was against Ireland. when DMac controlled the game well.
And then, for some god-forsaken reason, he selects Mr Shovel it on kick and hope Beauden Barret for the French game.Mounga was given the luxury of 4-5 years at AB level 10 to develop his game.
And for most of that, he couldn't fuckin tackle.RM tackled quite well at the end. But completely agree with the rest. It blows me away how BB still gets the starting 10 jersey ahead of DMac (esp. after Ireland). I really want to know the statistics of opposition scores/turnover ball after "BB dinky kicks" in the 2023 Blues/2023-4 AB teams. Either my trumatized brain is playing tricks on me or BB dinkies have led to a hell of a lot of opposition scores or turnover ball in compromised positions.
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And to add to this. Didn't Beaver get dropped for just doing a BB dinky kick once! It lost the game but f#$ken once!
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And to add to this. Didn't Beaver get dropped for just doing a BB dinky kick once! It lost the game but f#$ken once!
@Old-Samurai-Jack said in All Blacks 2025:
And to add to this. Didn't Beaver get dropped for just doing a BB dinky kick once! It lost the game but f#$ken once!
Is that Hong Kong? Thought it was a misplaced touch finder.
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@SBW1 said in All Blacks 2025:
Really?
Not reading the article based to the clickbait headline.
Listen to the podcast. https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/podcasts/rugby-direct/
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@Old-Samurai-Jack said in All Blacks 2025:
And to add to this. Didn't Beaver get dropped for just doing a BB dinky kick once! It lost the game but f#$ken once!
Is that Hong Kong? Thought it was a misplaced touch finder.
@Bones yeah the fact he kicked it 55m in the air under pressure was pretty good, it just didn't go out. I feel like these days they would have just run the minute off the clock without kicking anyway.
I can't stand these late game dinky kicks of recent years.
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Kalyn Ponga more likely to switch to the Kiwis, is the most likely outcome, cannot see him going to the Hurricanes on a $200,000 contract unless a third party chips in. On a more positive note, Joey Manu is going to give Rugby Union a really good crack, while he maybe out of the headlines, it does sound like he is going to spend more time than some of the other more recent converts.
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@Old-Samurai-Jack said in All Blacks 2025:
And to add to this. Didn't Beaver get dropped for just doing a BB dinky kick once! It lost the game but f#$ken once!
Is that Hong Kong? Thought it was a misplaced touch finder.
@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:
@Old-Samurai-Jack said in All Blacks 2025:
And to add to this. Didn't Beaver get dropped for just doing a BB dinky kick once! It lost the game but f#$ken once!
Is that Hong Kong? Thought it was a misplaced touch finder.
Right you are. Makes the point even stronger though, the standards of a successful era vs now.
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This post is deleted!
@nonpartizan said in All Blacks 2025:
@booboo said in All Blacks 2025:
@SBW1 said in All Blacks 2025:
Really?
Not reading the article based to the clickbait headline.
Listen to the podcast. https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/podcasts/rugby-direct/
It must be aggravating to players who are currently eligible for All Black selection who are producing in Super rugby week in week out to have prospective converts and ineligible players get publicity ahead of them.
Robertson was even talking about the Australian converts of two decades ago (Tuquiri, Sailor) and I don't recall them being particularly successful, at least not better than the likes Mortlock, Latham etc.
It's not the NZ way to fap on about league converts. Robertson should focus on what's in front of him
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@nonpartizan said in All Blacks 2025:
@booboo said in All Blacks 2025:
@SBW1 said in All Blacks 2025:
Really?
Not reading the article based to the clickbait headline.
Listen to the podcast. https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/podcasts/rugby-direct/
It must be aggravating to players who are currently eligible for All Black selection who are producing in Super rugby week in week out to have prospective converts and ineligible players get publicity ahead of them.
Robertson was even talking about the Australian converts of two decades ago (Tuquiri, Sailor) and I don't recall them being particularly successful, at least not better than the likes Mortlock, Latham etc.
It's not the NZ way to fap on about league converts. Robertson should focus on what's in front of him
This post is deleted! -
@nonpartizan said in All Blacks 2025:
@booboo said in All Blacks 2025:
@SBW1 said in All Blacks 2025:
Really?
Not reading the article based to the clickbait headline.
Listen to the podcast. https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/podcasts/rugby-direct/
It must be aggravating to players who are currently eligible for All Black selection who are producing in Super rugby week in week out to have prospective converts and ineligible players get publicity ahead of them.
Robertson was even talking about the Australian converts of two decades ago (Tuquiri, Sailor) and I don't recall them being particularly successful, at least not better than the likes Mortlock, Latham etc.
It's not the NZ way to fap on about league converts. Robertson should focus on what's in front of him
@canefan said in All Blacks 2025:
Robertson should focus on what's in front of him
Honestly, it's almost like he's looking for miracle cures or get rich schemes. He should speak to any number of England supporters who saw a procession of RL converts stinking up the England team a few years back.
I just don't get this approach. He was supposed to be some bloke with a long-term vision and a reputation for painstaking building an integrated, solid team with a great attitude when things got tough. Seen fuck all of that so far.
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@canefan said in All Blacks 2025:
Robertson should focus on what's in front of him
Honestly, it's almost like he's looking for miracle cures or get rich schemes. He should speak to any number of England supporters who saw a procession of RL converts stinking up the England team a few years back.
I just don't get this approach. He was supposed to be some bloke with a long-term vision and a reputation for painstaking building an integrated, solid team with a great attitude when things got tough. Seen fuck all of that so far.
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2025:
@canefan said in All Blacks 2025:
Robertson should focus on what's in front of him
Honestly, it's almost like he's looking for miracle cures or get rich schemes. He should speak to any number of England supporters who saw a procession of RL converts stinking up the England team a few years back.
I just don't get this approach. He was supposed to be some bloke with a long-term vision and a reputation for painstaking building an integrated, solid team with a great attitude when things got tough. Seen fuck all of that so far.
It's just lazy. And therefore disappointing
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@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2025:
@canefan said in All Blacks 2025:
Robertson should focus on what's in front of him
Honestly, it's almost like he's looking for miracle cures or get rich schemes. He should speak to any number of England supporters who saw a procession of RL converts stinking up the England team a few years back.
I just don't get this approach. He was supposed to be some bloke with a long-term vision and a reputation for painstaking building an integrated, solid team with a great attitude when things got tough. Seen fuck all of that so far.
It's just lazy. And therefore disappointing
@canefan said in All Blacks 2025:
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2025:
@canefan said in All Blacks 2025:
Robertson should focus on what's in front of him
Honestly, it's almost like he's looking for miracle cures or get rich schemes. He should speak to any number of England supporters who saw a procession of RL converts stinking up the England team a few years back.
I just don't get this approach. He was supposed to be some bloke with a long-term vision and a reputation for painstaking building an integrated, solid team with a great attitude when things got tough. Seen fuck all of that so far.
It's just lazy. And therefore disappointing
I get the first year nerves and inexperience, I really do.
I just don't get how a bloke so prepared, so wanting the job, with overwhelming media/public support and with the security of a 4-yr contract is thinking this way.
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@canefan said in All Blacks 2025:
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2025:
@canefan said in All Blacks 2025:
Robertson should focus on what's in front of him
Honestly, it's almost like he's looking for miracle cures or get rich schemes. He should speak to any number of England supporters who saw a procession of RL converts stinking up the England team a few years back.
I just don't get this approach. He was supposed to be some bloke with a long-term vision and a reputation for painstaking building an integrated, solid team with a great attitude when things got tough. Seen fuck all of that so far.
It's just lazy. And therefore disappointing
I get the first year nerves and inexperience, I really do.
I just don't get how a bloke so prepared, so wanting the job, with overwhelming media/public support and with the security of a 4-yr contract is thinking this way.
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2025:
@canefan said in All Blacks 2025:
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2025:
@canefan said in All Blacks 2025:
Robertson should focus on what's in front of him
Honestly, it's almost like he's looking for miracle cures or get rich schemes. He should speak to any number of England supporters who saw a procession of RL converts stinking up the England team a few years back.
I just don't get this approach. He was supposed to be some bloke with a long-term vision and a reputation for painstaking building an integrated, solid team with a great attitude when things got tough. Seen fuck all of that so far.
It's just lazy. And therefore disappointing
I get the first year nerves and inexperience, I really do.
I just don't get how a bloke so prepared, so wanting the job, with overwhelming media/public support and with the security of a 4-yr contract is thinking this way.
Didn't he say something to the effect of him not having done the preparation during the first few tests after having a year to prepare?
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@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2025:
@canefan said in All Blacks 2025:
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2025:
@canefan said in All Blacks 2025:
Robertson should focus on what's in front of him
Honestly, it's almost like he's looking for miracle cures or get rich schemes. He should speak to any number of England supporters who saw a procession of RL converts stinking up the England team a few years back.
I just don't get this approach. He was supposed to be some bloke with a long-term vision and a reputation for painstaking building an integrated, solid team with a great attitude when things got tough. Seen fuck all of that so far.
It's just lazy. And therefore disappointing
I get the first year nerves and inexperience, I really do.
I just don't get how a bloke so prepared, so wanting the job, with overwhelming media/public support and with the security of a 4-yr contract is thinking this way.
Didn't he say something to the effect of him not having done the preparation during the first few tests after having a year to prepare?
@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2025:
@canefan said in All Blacks 2025:
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2025:
@canefan said in All Blacks 2025:
Robertson should focus on what's in front of him
Honestly, it's almost like he's looking for miracle cures or get rich schemes. He should speak to any number of England supporters who saw a procession of RL converts stinking up the England team a few years back.
I just don't get this approach. He was supposed to be some bloke with a long-term vision and a reputation for painstaking building an integrated, solid team with a great attitude when things got tough. Seen fuck all of that so far.
It's just lazy. And therefore disappointing
I get the first year nerves and inexperience, I really do.
I just don't get how a bloke so prepared, so wanting the job, with overwhelming media/public support and with the security of a 4-yr contract is thinking this way.
Didn't he say something to the effect of him not having done the preparation during the first few tests after having a year to prepare?
Possibly. But with zero experience in Test rugby, you can argue it was always going to difficult to prep properly in his first few Tests regardless. Not the case now so I'm hoping for some real change this season
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I think the first few rounds of Super Rugby have proven that Damian McKenzie and Beauden Barrett are indeed comfortably the two best 10s in the country, and their best position may well be fullback.
There is nothing below them that will be ready by 2027, so for that reason alone, the Mo'unga conversation will and should continue. Whether he starts is another question, but if DMac was to do his ACL (which he has before, and keep in mind he himself will be 32), you're looking at washed up, 36 year-old Beauden Barrett starting at 10 at the World Cup.
Godfrey has been nice, but has some rounding out to do, and is at best a prospect for the 2026 EOYT IMO. The rest of the young 10s have been a massive let down.
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I think the first few rounds of Super Rugby have proven that Damian McKenzie and Beauden Barrett are indeed comfortably the two best 10s in the country, and their best position may well be fullback.
There is nothing below them that will be ready by 2027, so for that reason alone, the Mo'unga conversation will and should continue. Whether he starts is another question, but if DMac was to do his ACL (which he has before, and keep in mind he himself will be 32), you're looking at washed up, 36 year-old Beauden Barrett starting at 10 at the World Cup.
Godfrey has been nice, but has some rounding out to do, and is at best a prospect for the 2026 EOYT IMO. The rest of the young 10s have been a massive let down.
