All Blacks 2025

Victor Meldrew

@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:

@WoodysRFC said in All Blacks 2025:

@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:

@antipodean said in All Blacks 2025:

@zedsdeadbaby said in All Blacks 2025:

Presumably he was going for good if he didn’t get 2

Then "thanks for your service". He's not the and considering his form last year, we'd be better off without him.

He's bloody good and worth a shit load to NZ rugby. I'm more than ok with loyal servants getting "extras" if it gets them sticking around for over a decade (especially if it gets them playing out their career in NZ).

Yeah agreed, no issue with sabbaticals personally.

I've no issue with the idea and using it for those that have provided great value and years long service. Not happy if it is used in conjunction with automatic AB selection though.

Personally, I wonder if we should be a bit radical and look at a few sabbaticals for contracted players on the fringe on Test XXIII selection if the selectors think a spell overseas would round out/improve their game.

Costs would be kept low and players like Plummer wouldn't be lost.

Victor Meldrew

@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2025:

@Dan54 said in All Blacks 2025:

@brodean said in All Blacks 2025:

@Dan54

Is there really no snow on Mt Taranaki at the moment?

Lol no, there is some on the top, well on this side ,so really the pic was taken a month or so ago when Toyota were announced as new sponsors I think. Was taking liberties mate.

isn't that a Defender?

Probably broken down.....

Bones

@Steven-Harris said in All Blacks 2025:

@handa457 heard Tavatavanawai is in Tauranga and his numbers are out the gate

As in, waist measurement?

Couldn't let that one go.

Frank

@Steven-Harris said in All Blacks 2025:

@handa457 heard Tavatavanawai is in Tauranga and his numbers are out the gate

What numbers???

Frank

@brodean said in All Blacks 2025:

@Chris-B

That loose trio doesn't excite me in the slightest.

Sexually? Or in a rugby sense?

Jet

@Dan54 said in All Blacks 2025:

Looks like Beaudy is already at the old man's farm and ready for team naming on Monday. Guessing will see him watching Coastal's game on Saturday.

I wish I could afford a house, or even afford the car.......well even afford that coat to be honest.

Yeetyaah

@george33 said in All Blacks 2025:

@Kiwiwomble just heard that Lashes guy on SportNation, saying Hoskins turned down , camp, who knows

pretty sure he said "he would probably turn them down" nothing official

Nogusta

@george33 Hoskins was in Tauranga at the camp. Flew down this morning, was back in Auckland by the afternoon.
It was a physical/medical check type of visit with the AB docs/trainers.
Make of that what you will

antipodean

@Nogusta pfft - I'm going with the outrage machine that suggested the Blues should be done with one of their best players.

In accordance with the Crusader media mafia.

nostrildamus

@Jet said in All Blacks 2025:

@Dan54 said in All Blacks 2025:

Looks like Beaudy is already at the old man's farm and ready for team naming on Monday. Guessing will see him watching Coastal's game on Saturday.

I wish I could afford a house, or even afford the car.......well even afford that coat to be honest.

Well you certainly can't afford the player.

nostrildamus

@Nogusta said in All Blacks 2025:

@george33 Hoskins was in Tauranga at the camp. Flew down this morning, was back in Auckland by the afternoon.
It was a physical/medical check type of visit with the AB docs/trainers.
Make of that what you will

Bloody hell, the rumour mill is churning all over the shop.

gt12

@Nogusta said in All Blacks 2025:

@george33 Hoskins was in Tauranga at the camp. Flew down this morning, was back in Auckland by the afternoon.
It was a physical/medical check type of visit with the AB docs/trainers.
Make of that what you will

Good on you. Was it a one day thing or were guys meant to stick around?

Lancaster Park

Our loosies issue is still the lack of a good big (mass and height) 6. We lack height and power in any of our loosies that play well enough to get picked. When we had both read and kaino we had height and enough mass/skill to do the tough stuff. For the last 3 seasons we had players playing well in a 6 role but either tall enough but not solid enough or a solid enforcer who wasnt tall enough.
I could be wrong as its just my perception.
Paps is the classic example. But heavy for a 7, too short for a 6 or 8. Great player for a role in the game for all sizes but ironically not quite the right size.
EB, broken a lot but brings a lot of energy. Too tall for 7, probably too light or is about more speed less power for 6 or 8. Offers things of real value to the collective group but not quite the right shape.
Hos, lots of talent and size. In the semi either was the focus of containment for the defence or just didnt have a great game in the game that mattered.
Jacobseon, great player at 6 and 8 but has the size of a 7. Not as good a 7 as he is 6 or 8. Great bench option for cover but impact.....not sure if hes the line busting 6/8 you might need in the last 20mins of a big international.
Finau. Really capable 6 with good size. Not quite there yet but could be another Kaino or just stays the same.
Satitti. Gives off the same mental aptitude and attitude of an early Mccaw. Next ABs captain if we can find a taller 6 or 8 to get the loosie balance better.
And here we are back at the big lineout option and ball carrier at 6 or 8 again that we dont seem to have.

nostrildamus

This is what I don't get, Paps has size, and is bigger than LJ according to Blues website:
https://www.blues.rugby/dalton-papalii-player-profile (https://www.allblacks.com/playerprofiles/dalton-papalii is the same)
Born 11/10/97
Height 193cm Weight 113kg

Luke Jacobson https://www.allblacks.com/playerprofiles/luke-jacobson (https://chiefs.co.nz/player/luke-jacobson/ 1kg lighter)
Born 20/04/1997
Height 191cm Weight 108kg

Paps gives away no height but 4kgs to Valetini https://wallabies.rugby/players/rob-valentini/2064 who certainly has impact and power..

if you look at Bok loosies they have 2 big munters but plenty of smaller ones
https://www.sarugby.co.za/sa-teams-players/springboks/
[and I'm really surprised if Kolisi is 1.89m tall but he certainly isn't that heavy...]

Smuts

What those stats don’t show is how big Bobby V, Siya, LJ & DP play. With the right combo DPs pretty good just doesn’t feel as big or long as you’d expect.

Ahem.

nostrildamus

@Smuts said in All Blacks 2025:

What those stats don’t show is how big Bobby V, Siya, LJ & DP play. With the right combo DPs pretty good just doesn’t feel as big or long as you’d expect.

Ahem.

yeah I agree. I'm a big fan of one of your smallest loosies, Kwagga Smith.

antipodean

@nostrildamus from that link to the larger Springbok squad, over a third of their loose forwards are 6'4" or more in old money. Of their locks only one fails to be two metres tall.

nostrildamus

@antipodean said in All Blacks 2025:

@nostrildamus from that link to the larger Springbok squad, over a third of their loose forwards are 6'4" or more in old money. Of their locks only one fails to be two metres tall.

Yes but

I wasn't talking about their locks. Who are monsters. And
Their tall loosies are mostly not that heavy. Some of their loosies would be locks in any other side. Good for their lineout I guess.

Now if you want to make the argument that their tight forwards are so hefty they can get away with some lighter loosies I'm not going to disagree.

antipodean

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2025:

@antipodean said in All Blacks 2025:

@nostrildamus from that link to the larger Springbok squad, over a third of their loose forwards are 6'4" or more in old money. Of their locks only one fails to be two metres tall.

Yes but

I wasn't talking about their locks. Who are monsters. And

Their tall loosies are mostly not that heavy. Some of their loosies would be locks in any other side. Good for their lineout I guess.

Now if you want to make the argument that their tight forwards are so hefty they can get away with some lighter loosies I'm not going to disagree.

It's worse than that - they've got genuine height in their loosies which permits them to carry a small forward like Qwagga. It's much easier to carry comparable weight when you're taller which makes you leaner = less aerobic demand.

IMO NZR needs to be selecting some of our locks as loose forwards when it comes to representative duty.

Jet

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2025:

@Jet said in All Blacks 2025:

@Dan54 said in All Blacks 2025:

Looks like Beaudy is already at the old man's farm and ready for team naming on Monday. Guessing will see him watching Coastal's game on Saturday.

I wish I could afford a house, or even afford the car.......well even afford that coat to be honest.

Well you certainly can't afford the player.

I can if his form continues as is

The Silver Fern

All Blacks 2025