All Blacks 2025

Canes4life

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booboo

With all the speculation has anyone mentioned Fihaki as an outside back option?

barky1

@booboo he's been shit against the Brumbies

canefan

@booboo said in All Blacks 2025:

With all the speculation has anyone mentioned Fihaki as an outside back option?

I haven't seen anything of him that suggests he is up to standard. Of course, Razor loves his red n blacks so....

Canes4life

Hotham has looked very awkward tonight. Another big mistake.

sparky

@Canes4life Fakatava may be the one to benefit.

canefan

@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:

@Canes4life Fakatava may be the one to benefit.

I see him and Hotham as #3 and 4. Whoever can have the greater impact in the final 25 minutes of a match would get my vote

sparky

@canefan Clearly it helps if your Third Half Back is a genial, clubbable character too. Someone like Andy Ellis was perfect to the role.

KiwiMurph

Pleasing to see Ratima finding some form in recent weeks

There's a big gap between the top two 9s and the rest.

Canes4life

@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2025:

Pleasing to see Ratima finding some form in recent weeks

There's a big gap between the top two 9s and the rest.

Yeah massive gap in my view. Based on last night’s performance from Hotham, I’d have Fakatava as the third halfback but I would only use him as bench impact if required.

Roigard and Ratima definitely certainties in the ABs 23.

brodean

There haven't been too many Highlanders picked in recent years. On paper they seem like they should be a lot better than what they are. I thought JJ made a few selection errors earlier in the season.

But overall they should be doing better. They just don't combine well as a team.

I'd have De Groot, Holland and Ratumaitavuki Kneepkins in my squad but that's it. Tangitau needs to be fit.

Howden is a good player.

The other guys like Haig need to be fit to be considered.

brodean

In the past I thought ENS would be a contender but he got chased down by the Highlanders openside yesterday.

Bovidae

@brodean said in All Blacks 2025:

In the past I thought ENS would be a contender but he got chased down by the Highlanders openside yesterday.

His first game since Rd 1, so he wouldn't have been match fit. Unless there was an injury I suspect he was on managed minutes too (replaced at HT).

chchfanatic

What’s everyone’s thoughts on the back row. Normally seven are selected.
Savea ,Wallace ,Lakai, Jacobsen are certainties.
Then you have Dalton, Kirifi , Parker ,Blackadder ,Grace ,Lio Willie.
I think Blackadder is done. Would love to see Kirifi in there. Lio Willie has been great for crusaders. But does make a few mistakes.
I’d take Kirirfi , Parker and Lio Willie.

Chris

@chchfanatic said in All Blacks 2025:

What’s everyone’s thoughts on the back row. Normally seven are selected.
Savea ,Wallace ,Lakai, Jacobsen are certainties.
Then you have Dalton, Kirifi , Parker ,Blackadder ,Grace ,Lio Willie.
I think Blackadder is done. Would love to see Kirifi in there. Lio Willie has been great for crusaders. But does make a few mistakes.
I’d take Kirirfi , Parker and Lio Willie.

Finau,Sotutu and Papalli out of the picture ?

chchfanatic

@Chris I don’t know. Finau has to be close. Between him and Parker.
Hoskins never in the picture and I think Dalton has been poor this year. Would be hard to leave our Kirifi.

canefan

I haven't watched him much, but Parker looks impressive. Kirifi is at the top of his game and would be a potentially excellent impact sub.

Frank

If seven are picked, I'd like to see -
Savea (7,8)
Sititi (8,6)
Lakai (7,8)
Parker (6)
Finau (6)
Jacobsen (6,7,8)
and Kirifi (7)

I don't know much about Lio-Wilie. Does he have enough size?
I suspect Kirifi's lack of versatility might make him the unlucky one.

I think there has to be a real duel for 6.
Finau is playing better with Parker pressuring him and vice versa.

Sotutu's play this season sort of vindicates Robertson's earlier prefernece for Sititi.
Sotutu hasn't responded to hs non-selection with venom. Or, shock horror, is only good going forward.
Papalii appeared on the outer toward the end of last season and hasn't shone for the Blue.

brodean

@chchfanatic said in All Blacks 2025:

@Chris I don’t know. Finau has to be close. Between him and Parker.
Hoskins never in the picture and I think Dalton has been poor this year. Would be hard to leave our Kirifi.

Papali'i has actually had a strong season behind a poor team.

As for your original assessment I believe Finau is a certainty over Jacobson.

Certainties:
Savea
Sititi
Finau
Lakai

Likely:
Jacobson
Blackadder

Possibles:
Papali'i
Parker
Kirifi
Lio-Willie

Not what I would pick but what I think the selectors will go with.

Torian

@brodean said in All Blacks 2025:

There haven't been too many Highlanders picked in recent years. On paper they seem like they should be a lot better than what they are. I thought JJ made a few selection errors earlier in the season.

But overall they should be doing better. They just don't combine well as a team.

I'd have De Groot, Holland and Ratumaitavuki Kneepkins in my squad but that's it. Tangitau needs to be fit.

Howden is a good player.

The other guys like Haig need to be fit to be considered.

I would have Tavatavanawai as 1 of the midfielders in the squad along with Jordie, Rieko, Proctor and Tupaea.

The Silver Fern

All Blacks 2025