All Blacks 2025
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Not sure if there is a thread for players one expected to see more promise from this year, but my pick would be Haig-maybe he's nursing an injury or I missed his better games.
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2025:
Not sure if there is a thread for players one expected to see more promise from this year, but my pick would be Haig-maybe he's nursing an injury or I missed his better games.
He was injured for most of the first 3 months
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@Frank The best thing about Robertson and co. is that things not leak so much in advance as they did under Hansen and Foster who clearly gave their tame, client journalists 24-48 hours extra notice of big announcements. I'm expecting a surprise or two when the squad is named.
@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
@Frank The best thing about Robertson and co. is that things not leak so much in advance as they did under Hansen and Foster who clearly gave their tame, client journalists 24-48 extra notice of big announcements. I'm expecting a surprise or two when the squad is named.
There are other non-coaching staff who have moved on since 2023.
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Liam Napier's guess. Couple of depressing choices.
Likely All Blacks squad:
Props: Ethan de Groot, Tyrel Lomax, Fletcher Newell, Pasilio Tosi, Tamaiti Williams, George Bower/Josh Fusitu’a/Ollie Norris
Hookers: Codie Taylor, Samisoni Taukei’aho, George Bell
Locks: Scott Barrett, Tupou Vaa’i, Patrick Tuipulotu, Fabian Holland
Loose forwards: Ardie Savea, Wallace Sititi, Ethan Blackadder, Luke Jacobson, Du’Plessis Kirifi, Samipeni Finau
Halfbacks: Cam Roigard, Cortez Ratima, Noah Hotham
First five-eighths: Beauden Barrett, Damian McKenzie, Ruben Love
Midfield: Jordie Barrett, Rieko Ioane, Billy Proctor, David Havili, Anton Lienert-Brown
Outside backs: Caleb Clarke, Will Jordan, Sevu Reece, Leroy Carter/Chay Fihaki -
@cgrant said in All Blacks 2025:
@canefan said in All Blacks 2025:
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2025:
The irony is - picked as a 10 - what runs on the board does Ruben Love have? Half a dozen Super Rugby starts?
Little more at 10 than Rivez. And no trophy to show either. Unless they pick him as a 10/15
A Roigard - Love combo would be logical ...
Laidlaw was an idiot moving Love back to 15. The Canes were on a role with Love at 10 and that decision ultimately cost us from progressing further.
Next year, the Canes have to stick with that combo. They’ll be much better for it.
They also have to stick with the Higgins / Proctor combo which forces Jordie back to 15.
@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2025:
@cgrant said in All Blacks 2025:
@canefan said in All Blacks 2025:
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2025:
The irony is - picked as a 10 - what runs on the board does Ruben Love have? Half a dozen Super Rugby starts?
Little more at 10 than Rivez. And no trophy to show either. Unless they pick him as a 10/15
A Roigard - Love combo would be logical ...
Laidlaw was an idiot moving Love back to 15. The Canes were on a role with Love at 10 and that decision ultimately cost us from progressing further.
Next year, the Canes have to stick with that combo. They’ll be much better for it.
They also have to stick with the Higgins / Proctor combo which forces Jordie back to 15.
Why I agree on Love at 10, the loss of Aumua and the underpowered locking combo were where the heart of the problem.
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@george33 cant say i’m a Finau fan , i thought this was the perfect game for him to make a presence and shut a critic like me up but for mine he was too quiet i dont think Blackadder is the answer either but you cant deny how busy he was .
Finau does’nt make my team personally someone like TK Howden has shown more of a consistent presence during the comp@Steven-Harris said in All Blacks 2025:
@george33 cant say i’m a Finau fan , i thought this was the perfect game for him to make a presence and shut a critic like me up but for mine he was too quiet i dont think Blackadder is the answer either but you cant deny how busy he was .
Finau does’nt make my team personally someone like TK Howden has shown more of a consistent presence during the compIf the Chiefs performance is anything to go by, Parker is the best chance we have of fielding a 6 who will make the oppo think twice about running into his channel.
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@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2025:
@cgrant said in All Blacks 2025:
@canefan said in All Blacks 2025:
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2025:
The irony is - picked as a 10 - what runs on the board does Ruben Love have? Half a dozen Super Rugby starts?
Little more at 10 than Rivez. And no trophy to show either. Unless they pick him as a 10/15
A Roigard - Love combo would be logical ...
Laidlaw was an idiot moving Love back to 15. The Canes were on a role with Love at 10 and that decision ultimately cost us from progressing further.
Next year, the Canes have to stick with that combo. They’ll be much better for it.
They also have to stick with the Higgins / Proctor combo which forces Jordie back to 15.
Agree on the Roigard / Love combo. One of the better and balanced 9-10s in super rugby.
On the Jordie take, I’m not sure about that. The season at Leinster highlighted that Jordie’s play at 12 troubled NH defences. Barring some disaster I think he will be our 12 for the run to 2027. I was impressed.
What was clear for me from last season is that the Jordie / Ioane combo doesn’t get us going the way I think the coaches would want.
In RWC 2023 as individual players I thought both were superb and playing a more conservative and narrow game they were okay-ish. But on the face of it I think we could get a lot more with a Jordie / Proctor combination with a guy like QT being the ALB like bench option.
@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks 2025:
@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2025:
@cgrant said in All Blacks 2025:
@canefan said in All Blacks 2025:
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2025:
The irony is - picked as a 10 - what runs on the board does Ruben Love have? Half a dozen Super Rugby starts?
Little more at 10 than Rivez. And no trophy to show either. Unless they pick him as a 10/15
A Roigard - Love combo would be logical ...
Laidlaw was an idiot moving Love back to 15. The Canes were on a role with Love at 10 and that decision ultimately cost us from progressing further.
Next year, the Canes have to stick with that combo. They’ll be much better for it.
They also have to stick with the Higgins / Proctor combo which forces Jordie back to 15.
Agree on the Roigard / Love combo. One of the better and balanced 9-10s in super rugby.
On the Jordie take, I’m not sure about that. The season at Leinster highlighted that Jordie’s play at 12 troubled NH defences. Barring some disaster I think he will be our 12 for the run to 2027. I was impressed.
What was clear for me from last season is that the Jordie / Ioane combo doesn’t get us going the way I think the coaches would want.
In RWC 2023 as individual players I thought both were superb and playing a more conservative and narrow game they were okay-ish. But on the face of it I think we could get a lot more with a Jordie / Proctor combination with a guy like QT being the ALB like bench option.
I am thinking the same way on midfield. Jordie can also move one out if he needs to play with QT. I think they should move on from Reiko as starting center but they can use him as a wing or bench cover. Also like AJ Lam for similar.
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@reprobate said in All Blacks 2025:
@DMX well it's actually got smaller hasn't it?
Yes, I would agree.
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Caleb Clarke has escaped conviction for fleeing the police. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/all-blacks-blues-star-caleb-clark-sentenced-for-fleeing-from-police/UDFFZFZTHVEM5JYVPV2R7R6LUI/
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@Grooter said in All Blacks 2025:
@brodean said in All Blacks 2025:
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.
He definitely doesn't lack professionalism. the most respected respected player by his peers at the landers, played all bar 15 minutes this season. Lead the round robin in defenders beaten & turnover won. If Razor needs him to lose 3kgs over the next month I'm sure he would accept such a challenge
He did that last year too. Most defenders beaten and turnovers won. He wasn't even called in to the AB XV.
@brodean said in All Blacks 2025:
@Grooter said in All Blacks 2025:
@brodean said in All Blacks 2025:
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.
He definitely doesn't lack professionalism. the most respected respected player by his peers at the landers, played all bar 15 minutes this season. Lead the round robin in defenders beaten & turnover won. If Razor needs him to lose 3kgs over the next month I'm sure he would accept such a challenge
He did that last year too. Most defenders beaten and turnovers won. He wasn't even called in to the AB XV.
a True bolter then
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Caleb Clarke has escaped conviction for fleeing the police. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/all-blacks-blues-star-caleb-clark-sentenced-for-fleeing-from-police/UDFFZFZTHVEM5JYVPV2R7R6LUI/
@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
Caleb Clarke has escaped conviction for fleeing the police. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/all-blacks-blues-star-caleb-clark-sentenced-for-fleeing-from-police/UDFFZFZTHVEM5JYVPV2R7R6LUI/
Well, at least he is still somewhat elusive....
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@brodean said in All Blacks 2025:
@Grooter said in All Blacks 2025:
@brodean said in All Blacks 2025:
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.
He definitely doesn't lack professionalism. the most respected respected player by his peers at the landers, played all bar 15 minutes this season. Lead the round robin in defenders beaten & turnover won. If Razor needs him to lose 3kgs over the next month I'm sure he would accept such a challenge
He did that last year too. Most defenders beaten and turnovers won. He wasn't even called in to the AB XV.
a True bolter then
@Grooter said in All Blacks 2025:
@brodean said in All Blacks 2025:
@Grooter said in All Blacks 2025:
@brodean said in All Blacks 2025:
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.
He definitely doesn't lack professionalism. the most respected respected player by his peers at the landers, played all bar 15 minutes this season. Lead the round robin in defenders beaten & turnover won. If Razor needs him to lose 3kgs over the next month I'm sure he would accept such a challenge
He did that last year too. Most defenders beaten and turnovers won. He wasn't even called in to the AB XV.
a True bolter then
He was injured last year. Not available for either of the EOYT squads
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@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
Caleb Clarke has escaped conviction for fleeing the police. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/all-blacks-blues-star-caleb-clark-sentenced-for-fleeing-from-police/UDFFZFZTHVEM5JYVPV2R7R6LUI/
Well, at least he is still somewhat elusive....
@Old-Samurai-Jack said in All Blacks 2025:
@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
Caleb Clarke has escaped conviction for fleeing the police. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/all-blacks-blues-star-caleb-clark-sentenced-for-fleeing-from-police/UDFFZFZTHVEM5JYVPV2R7R6LUI/
Well, at least he is still somewhat elusive....
20+ tests into his AB career and still a bolter
