All Blacks 2025
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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.@chchfanatic said in All Blacks 2025:
Jacobsen are certainties.
I'm sure he will be picked but there's no way Jacobson should be a certainty
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@chchfanatic said in All Blacks 2025:
Jacobsen are certainties.
I'm sure he will be picked but there's no way Jacobson should be a certainty
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2025:
@chchfanatic said in All Blacks 2025:
Jacobsen are certainties.
I'm sure he will be picked but there's no way Jacobson should be a certainty
I really can see him being the starting 6 and stated the reasons earlier in this thread.
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@Grooter The top two half backs are clearly Ratima and Roigard. Both good passers and runners and decent kickers.
Ratima edges it for me at the minute because of his strengths in terms of decision-making and defence. Ratima's combination with Sititi and DMac is also why I'd start him in Test 1 against the French.
Roigard's confidence and acceleration will help him get a lot of AB game time in 2025 though. Even though he makes the odd mistake, I love his enthusiasm and positivity.
In terms of the third half back slot, there's not much between Fakatava, Funaki and Hotham. Fakatava would be my pick because I see him as the most consistent and reliable of the three, as well as the one who will challenge defences the most.
But I think the selectors will go with Noah Hotham as they seem to see him as a long-term project.
@sparky yeah I suspect they will go for Ratima and Roigard, and I will be happy enough with that because Ratima did well last year. We're well stocked at 9.
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@sparky yeah I suspect they will go for Ratima and Roigard, and I will be happy enough with that because Ratima did well last year. We're well stocked at 9.
@Crazy-Horse said in All Blacks 2025:
@sparky yeah I suspect they will go for Ratima and Roigard, and I will be happy enough with that because Ratima did well last year. We're well stocked at 9.
Ratima had a run of poor form near the end of the year last year and lost his confidence - to put it kindly.
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@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
So with Reiko Ioane back in form, who misses out in the selection for the ABs in midfield?
Proctor
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@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
So with Reiko Ioane back in form, who misses out in the selection for the ABs in midfield?
Proctor
@booboo said in All Blacks 2025:
@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
So with Reiko Ioane back in form, who misses out in the selection for the ABs in midfield?
Proctor
ALB.
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I'd take Lam over Tavatavanawai. I think Lams game is better suited to test rugby. Both will probably miss out to Havili and Ennor.
@brodean said in All Blacks 2025:
I'd take Lam over Tavatavanawai. I think Lams game is better suited to test rugby. Both will probably miss out to Havili and Ennor.
Lam is bigger and plays arguably in a more test-like Super team but with less turnovers.
How do/could they compare as a backup wing? -
I don't think it is scandalous to consider Savea and Sititi are viewed as ahead of Sotutu at 8 in AB coaches' eyes (and of course they play 7 and 6 as well) but he seems pretty useful to the Blues to me, not sure he has really been playing as badly as some here suggested (I haven't seen today's game).
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Nobody here picking Beauden? Or more accurately, picking the coaches to pick BB?
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Nobody here picking Beauden? Or more accurately, picking the coaches to pick BB?
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2025:
Nobody here picking Beauden? Or more accurately, picking the coaches to pick BB?
Huh? Everybody knows he's a certainty.
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@booboo said in All Blacks 2025:
@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
So with Reiko Ioane back in form, who misses out in the selection for the ABs in midfield?
Proctor
ALB.
@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:
@booboo said in All Blacks 2025:
@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
So with Reiko Ioane back in form, who misses out in the selection for the ABs in midfield?
Proctor
ALB.
Who's your backup 12? Havili or Lam?
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@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:
@booboo said in All Blacks 2025:
@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
So with Reiko Ioane back in form, who misses out in the selection for the ABs in midfield?
Proctor
ALB.
Who's your backup 12? Havili or Lam?
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2025:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:
@booboo said in All Blacks 2025:
@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
So with Reiko Ioane back in form, who misses out in the selection for the ABs in midfield?
Proctor
ALB.
Who's your backup 12? Havili or Lam?
I thought ALB is injured?
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@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2025:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:
@booboo said in All Blacks 2025:
@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
So with Reiko Ioane back in form, who misses out in the selection for the ABs in midfield?
Proctor
ALB.
Who's your backup 12? Havili or Lam?
I thought ALB is injured?
@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2025:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:
@booboo said in All Blacks 2025:
@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
So with Reiko Ioane back in form, who misses out in the selection for the ABs in midfield?
Proctor
ALB.
Who's your backup 12? Havili or Lam?
I thought ALB is injured?
My bad. Didn't know it was season-ending.
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@chchfanatic Savea, Sititi, Lakai, Parker, Jacobson Papalii, Blackadder to be selected.
Kirifi just misses out.
@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
@chchfanatic Savea, Sititi, Lakai, Parker, Jacobson Papalii, Blackadder to be selected.
Kirifi just misses out.
Plenty of time for Blackadder to get injured between now and AB team naming.
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I don't think it is scandalous to consider Savea and Sititi are viewed as ahead of Sotutu at 8 in AB coaches' eyes (and of course they play 7 and 6 as well) but he seems pretty useful to the Blues to me, not sure he has really been playing as badly as some here suggested (I haven't seen today's game).
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2025:
I don't think it is scandalous to consider Savea and Sititi are viewed as ahead of Sotutu at 8 in AB coaches' eyes (and of course they play 7 and 6 as well) but he seems pretty useful to the Blues to me, not sure he has really been playing as badly as some here suggested (I haven't seen today's game).
I thought Sotutu had a fine game today. Showed lovely hands and some good defensive work too
