All Blacks 2025

[brodean]

@Landers92 said in All Blacks 2025:

@brodean said in All Blacks 2025:

@Bones

A pot belly on a professional athlete would generally be considered an indicator of lack of conditioning.

Lack of conditioning is generally an indicator that an athlete doesn't take their preparation seriously and lacks professionalism.

Some coaches of elite teams don't like to have players like that on their teams.

It’s just how some people are built mate. Come on, you don’t live under a rock. Look up Chuck Liddell, and all time UFC great, he has the same kind of abdominal structure when fighting.

Jim played basically all the minutes for the Highlanders in an incredibly physical position and being the most involved. If he wasn’t tackling he was jackling for the ball which is incredibly fatiguing. Far from ‘lack of conditioning’.

I guess his competition leading 78 defenders beaten with the nearest to him being Dmac on 53 is even more impressive considering his lack of conditioning. Maybe there’s still a chance for all of us.

I'm not criticising him as a player or a person.

I'm saying some coaches don't like it when players are built like he seems to be. I've already said I wouldn't mind seeing him getting a go.

[Victor Meldrew]

@Old-Samurai-Jack said in All Blacks 2025:

My starting backline:
Roigard
McKenzie
Clark
Barrett
Proctor
Ioane
Jordan.

For the 1st Test, think Robertson will stick with last years lineup and have Proctor and Love in the 23. If we win the first 2 Tests, then Proctor & QT to start

Roigard
DMac
Clark
Barrett
Ioane
Reece
Jordan

Proctor
Tupeau
Ratima

[Bones]

@Victor-Meldrew Jordie covering ten? No

[Canes4life]

@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2025:

@Old-Samurai-Jack said in All Blacks 2025:

My starting backline:
Roigard
McKenzie
Clark
Barrett
Proctor
Ioane
Jordan.

For the 1st Test, think Robertson will stick with last years lineup and have Proctor and Love in the 23. If we win the first 2 Tests, then Proctor & QT to start

Roigard
DMac
Clark
Barrett
Ioane
Reece
Jordan

Proctor
Tupeau
Ratima

Don’t think they’ll go both Proctor and Tupaea on the bench. But I like your thinking around starting them together. I think they would compliment each other nicely.

[Frank]

@brodean said in All Blacks 2025:

@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:

@brodean said in All Blacks 2025:

@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:

@brodean said in All Blacks 2025:

Tavatavanawai kind of looks like he has a pot belly. If that's the case I think the current selectors frown on that sort of thing.

I reckon work rate and involvement probably trumps whether some rando on the internet thinks a player has a Potbelly.

Last time I checked the point of this forum was for randoms to speculate on rugby and rugby players?

My bad. Feel free to "speculate" on whether a player has love handles and what Razor thinks of them, whilst ignoring the actual rugby. Quality.

If you don't think that kind of thing is a factor then you mustn't have heard about the importance of body language also.

De Groot has been asked to lose some weight under two coaching regimes now.

These things are factors.

I wouldn't complain if Tavatavanawai was in the squad. I'd like to see how he goes. I just think that is potentially a factor against him.

This guy had a big pot belly. Wasn't too bad apparently.

[brodean]

@Frank said in All Blacks 2025:

@brodean said in All Blacks 2025:

@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:

@brodean said in All Blacks 2025:

@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:

@brodean said in All Blacks 2025:

Tavatavanawai kind of looks like he has a pot belly. If that's the case I think the current selectors frown on that sort of thing.

I reckon work rate and involvement probably trumps whether some rando on the internet thinks a player has a Potbelly.

Last time I checked the point of this forum was for randoms to speculate on rugby and rugby players?

My bad. Feel free to "speculate" on whether a player has love handles and what Razor thinks of them, whilst ignoring the actual rugby. Quality.

If you don't think that kind of thing is a factor then you mustn't have heard about the importance of body language also.

De Groot has been asked to lose some weight under two coaching regimes now.

These things are factors.

I wouldn't complain if Tavatavanawai was in the squad. I'd like to see how he goes. I just think that is potentially a factor against him.

This guy had a big pot belly. Wasn't too bad apparently.

He didn't look like that at his peak in 2003.

[Frank]

@brodean said in All Blacks 2025:

@Frank said in All Blacks 2025:

@brodean said in All Blacks 2025:

@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:

@brodean said in All Blacks 2025:

@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:

@brodean said in All Blacks 2025:

Tavatavanawai kind of looks like he has a pot belly. If that's the case I think the current selectors frown on that sort of thing.

I reckon work rate and involvement probably trumps whether some rando on the internet thinks a player has a Potbelly.

Last time I checked the point of this forum was for randoms to speculate on rugby and rugby players?

My bad. Feel free to "speculate" on whether a player has love handles and what Razor thinks of them, whilst ignoring the actual rugby. Quality.

If you don't think that kind of thing is a factor then you mustn't have heard about the importance of body language also.

De Groot has been asked to lose some weight under two coaching regimes now.

These things are factors.

I wouldn't complain if Tavatavanawai was in the squad. I'd like to see how he goes. I just think that is potentially a factor against him.

This guy had a big pot belly. Wasn't too bad apparently.

He didn't look like that at his peak in 2003.

But was still awesome with a pot belly.

[Frank]

I'll add Shannon Frizell to my list of players I'd be pissed to see selected, especially with all the young loose forwards coming through

[Nepia]

@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2025:

@SBW1 said in All Blacks 2025:

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/all-black-shannon-frizell-eyes-rugby-world-cup-return-alongside-richie-mounga/W6EHO32GONGYDLXUI6VRXICGFE/?utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=nzh_fb&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwY2xjawKrijVleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFPTDR5NjRhUjFYYXpuSGQxAR6LU5EzGv991oeOsipxm1j1TKal4i4cfJXPSCHNT7FQ1LU-YqPVYcBgtiTbaw_aem_4G1av_hSsaUNvr0xGFN-_w#google_vignett

Liam Napier is about as reliable as it gets in NZ rugby media so it looks like Frizell is going to return - but not until next year

Frizell is now off contract with the Japanese club. Frizzell is, however, expected to re-sign a one-season extension with Toshiba before eyeing a return to New Zealand.

Speaking after Sunday’s Japanese final, Frizell told RugbyJP.com: “It’s likely that I’ll be in Japan for another season. Firstly, I’m going to have a good break with my family and then we’ll see what happens.”

Well you've ruined my exodus thread happiness.

[Victor Meldrew]

@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2025:

Don’t think they’ll go both Proctor and Tupaea on the bench. But I like your thinking around starting them together. I think they would compliment each other nicely.

Hopefully in one of the French games.

[reprobate]

The pot belly is key to the low centre of gravity for turnovers. You just flop it up there on the tackled player and it provides great stability while still looking like you are supporting your body weight.

[nostrildamus]

@reprobate said in All Blacks 2025:

The pot belly is key to the low centre of gravity for turnovers. You just flop it up there on the tackled player and it provides great stability while still looking like you are supporting your body weight.

<- me listening to the words of experience.

[canefan]

@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2025:

@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2025:

@Old-Samurai-Jack said in All Blacks 2025:

My starting backline:
Roigard
McKenzie
Clark
Barrett
Proctor
Ioane
Jordan.

For the 1st Test, think Robertson will stick with last years lineup and have Proctor and Love in the 23. If we win the first 2 Tests, then Proctor & QT to start

Roigard
DMac
Clark
Barrett
Ioane
Reece
Jordan

Proctor
Tupeau
Ratima

Don’t think they’ll go both Proctor and Tupaea on the bench. But I like your thinking around starting them together. I think they would compliment each other nicely.

They have to make room for Havili....

[canefan]

@reprobate said in All Blacks 2025:

The pot belly is key to the low centre of gravity for turnovers. You just flop it up there on the tackled player and it provides great stability while still looking like you are supporting your body weight.

You have a nice spot to balance the remote too

[booboo]

@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:

@brodean said in All Blacks 2025:

Tavatavanawai kind of looks like he has a pot belly. If that's the case I think the current selectors frown on that sort of thing.

I reckon work rate and involvement probably trumps whether some rando on the internet thinks a player has a Potbelly.

And actual fitness test results.

[Bones]

@booboo said in All Blacks 2025:

@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:

@brodean said in All Blacks 2025:

Tavatavanawai kind of looks like he has a pot belly. If that's the case I think the current selectors frown on that sort of thing.

I reckon work rate and involvement probably trumps whether some rando on the internet thinks a player has a Potbelly.

And actual fitness test results.

Yeah I could understand pointing it out if the player actually had a pot belly, especially if they were playing fuck all minutes and/or not doing much apart from one or two decent carries.... but this is out there eh.

[nostrildamus]

Razor: "Yeah he leads the stats, is ferocious in attack and defence, a much-admired leader of men, plays several positions very well indeed, is unpredictable tough and uncompromising, and has a bit of an x-factor, but he's no David Havili."

[canefan]

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2025:

Razor: "Yeah he leads the stats, is ferocious in attack and defence, a much-admired leader of men, plays several positions very well indeed, is unpredictable tough and uncompromising, and has a bit of an x-factor, but he's no David Havili."

It would be funnier if it wasn't true

[nostrildamus]

I'm a fan, our backline is too predictable. It might be risky. But fun to watch.

[Bones]

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2025:

I'm a fan, our backline is too predictable. It might be risky. But fun to watch.

It's a good point though, I can't for the life of me think what Havili adds to any squad above Jim (goalkicking and fullback already being covered a million times over).

i.e. there's exactly zero risk to selecting Tavatavanawai over Havili.