All Blacks 2025
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Overall the French series was a success. New players were tried and we got an idea of what some players have to offer.
Holland was a major win. His combination with Tuipulotu and with Vaa'i there at 6 offered a lot. We saw how dominant the lineout and maul could be in the first half of the second test.
The biggest questions are around who will be the loose forwards and who will be center?
Will Savea be 7 or 8 or will he continue to move around mid game?
Savea, Kirifi, Lio Willie, Lakai and Sititi are all a bit too samey so would hope they make a decision on who to back out of those and pick a bit more variety for the remaining positions.
Would suspect that Savea, Sititi and Finau are the first three named in the squad and that the rest will be selected from there.
Can't see someone like Parker coming in with no test experience and no game time. Suspect he will need to get some games under his belt in the NPC to come under consideration for the EOYT.
Papali'i showed he can offer genuine impact off the bench and he helped us dominate possession for the last 10 minutes. Took a clean lineout on the French 5m line. Made a dominant tackle on Taofifenua. Made strong carries and probably scored a try.
Still Papali'i was only in as injury cover so there is that.
Not sure on the injury status of Jacobson or Blackadder or Lakai but suspect that they will be picking 6 from the following:
Savea, Sititi, Finau, Lakai, Kirifi, Lio-Willie, Papali'i, Jacobson and Blackadder.
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I think the biggest positives to come out of the series were at 6 and lock.
Vaa'i was very good at 6 and will only improve there with more minutes, and Finau is starting to come of age at test level with strong impact off the bench and then his best performance in black in the final test.
Between Holland, Tuiplotu, SBarret, Vaai' and Finau, we have plenty of size and height to fill the 4, 5 and 6 positions to match it with the bigger packs.
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I guess Gregor doesn’t read the fern
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i swear i am being gaslit
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I'm interested in the perspectives of others when it comes to the point of difference our loose forwards bring as individuals.
After his debut season I'm happy for Sititi to come back when fit. But Savea, Kirifi and Lakai (and to a lesser extent Lio-Willie) appear to be much the same.
No doubt Parker will get an opportunity once for, so he can join Finau and Vaai.
I'd like to see Beehre also in that mix as his cameos in the tight were always noticeably positive.
We have the bodies to have an imposing pack, despite the preferences of the coach.
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Does he have Aderns PR team or something?
@No-Quarter said in All Blacks 2025:
Does he have Aderns PR team or something?
Maybe we need the politics section back so you righty tighties can keep it in your pants on the sports threads. :winking_face_with_tongue:
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ALB has signed through to 2028, but he will be in Japan rather than with the Chiefs next season.
https://www.allblacks.com/news/anton-lienert-brown-recommits-to-new-zealand-rugby-to-2028
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I'm interested in the perspectives of others when it comes to the point of difference our loose forwards bring as individuals.
After his debut season I'm happy for Sititi to come back when fit. But Savea, Kirifi and Lakai (and to a lesser extent Lio-Willie) appear to be much the same.
No doubt Parker will get an opportunity once for, so he can join Finau and Vaai.
I'd like to see Beehre also in that mix as his cameos in the tight were always noticeably positive.
We have the bodies to have an imposing pack, despite the preferences of the coach.
@antipodean said in All Blacks 2025:
But Savea, Kirifi and Lakai (and to a lesser extent Lio-Willie) appear to be much the same.
can't agree with this point because Savea continues to be an enigma.
The ruck attendance stats posted in the other thread don't seem to match the eye test so i would be interest as to how many of those he arrived at 3rd and leaned on. He absolutely cleaned a couple later in the test, memorable for their exception.
But he's getting picked, he's playing 80, and he is going to do his own thing. The bigger question is what shirt should he wear?The other 3 are small busy loose forwards without a real point of difference.
With Vaai and Finau playing the dirty stuff, Savea doing his thing, what do we need from the #8? Is it purely a worker? If so, then that guy can't be another smaller body, he needs to make a difference when contact is required.
I tell you what, a Finau, Savea, Vaai starting trio with Sititi off the bench would be tough to handle.
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@No-Quarter said in All Blacks 2025:
Does he have Aderns PR team or something?
Maybe we need the politics section back so you righty tighties can keep it in your pants on the sports threads. :winking_face_with_tongue:
@Nepia said in All Blacks 2025:
@No-Quarter said in All Blacks 2025:
Does he have Aderns PR team or something?
Maybe we need the politics section back so you righty tighties can keep it in your pants on the sports threads. :winking_face_with_tongue:
It wasn't meant as a political post, she did have a good PR team
probably not as good as Beauden's though TBH! -
@booboo said in All Blacks 2025:
injuries?
Updated
Tu'ungafasi
Williams
Lomax (did he get reinjured?)
Aumua
Barrett
Lord
Darry
Sititi
Jacobsen
Blackadder
Lakai
Parker
Barrett B
Perofeta
Ioane
ClarkeOthers
@booboo I fed those names into Chat GTP and asked it if they would be available for the start of the Rugby Championship.
Unavailable for Start of Championship-
^Ofa Tu’ungafasi – Undergoing neck surgery and ruled out for the rest of Super Rugby Pacific, making him unlikely to return by early August oai_citation:0‡SuperSport.
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^Beauden Barrett – Suffered a fractured right hand in early March. Expected 6–8 weeks of recovery, which means he’ll be close to match fitness in May–June; likely fully fit by August oai_citation:1‡RUGBY.com.au oai_citation:2‡SABC Sport oai_citation:3‡RugbyPass.
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^Wallace Sititi – Long-term knee injury still ruling him out.
🟡 Mid-Term/Conditional – Likely Fit by August
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^Josh Lord – “Mid-term” knee concern; unclear timeline but expected back pre-championship.
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^Ethan Blackadder – Quad injury with unspecified timeline, but recovery likely before August.
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^Scott Barrett – Despite recent breaks (missed two tests vs France due to a broken finger), he's training and expected to be match-ready well before the Rugby Championship oai_citation:4‡Reddit oai_citation:5‡Reddit oai_citation:6‡Reuters.
Fit or Uninjured- Scott Barrett, Tamati Williams, Tyrell Lomax, Asafo Aumua, Luke Jacobsen, Peter Lakai, Simon Parker, Reiko Ioane, Caleb Clarke, Stephen Perofeta—all expected to be available once their minor issues settle.
🟢 Summary Table
Player Status Likely Available in August Ofa Tu’ungafasi Out rest of Super Rugby (neck surgery) 
NoBeauden Barrett Fractured hand (6–8 weeks) YesSam Darry Season-ending shoulder NoWallace Sititi Long-term knee NoTyrell Lomax Ankle injury (short-term) YesAsafo Aumua Concussion (returned) YesLuke Jacobsen Minor nose issue YesScott Barrett Broken finger, back in training YesJosh Lord Mid-term knee ProbablyEthan Blackadder Quad injury 
️ LikelyPeter Lakai Fit YesSimon Parker Fit YesReiko Ioane Fit YesCaleb Clarke Minor thigh issue YesStephen Perofeta Calf strain (short) YesTamati Williams Fit Yes
🟢 Final Take
- Definitely unavailable: Tu’ungafasi, Darry, Sititi.
- Uncertain depending on recovery: Blackadder, Lord.
- Likely fit: Beauden Barrett (prior hand issue), Scott Barrett, Lomax, Aumua, Jacobsen, Williams, Parker, Ioane, Clarke, Perofeta, Lakai.
So by early August, most of the squad should be ready—except for the long-term injured trio and two players who are the last to fully recover.
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@Nepia said in All Blacks 2025:
@No-Quarter said in All Blacks 2025:
Does he have Aderns PR team or something?
Maybe we need the politics section back so you righty tighties can keep it in your pants on the sports threads. :winking_face_with_tongue:
It wasn't meant as a political post, she did have a good PR team
probably not as good as Beauden's though TBH!@No-Quarter said in All Blacks 2025:
@Nepia said in All Blacks 2025:
@No-Quarter said in All Blacks 2025:
Does he have Aderns PR team or something?
Maybe we need the politics section back so you righty tighties can keep it in your pants on the sports threads. :winking_face_with_tongue:
It wasn't meant as a political post, she did have a good PR team
probably not as good as Beauden's though TBH!No one has good a PR team as the Barrett family.
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@booboo I fed those names into Chat GTP and asked it if they would be available for the start of the Rugby Championship.
Unavailable for Start of Championship-
^Ofa Tu’ungafasi – Undergoing neck surgery and ruled out for the rest of Super Rugby Pacific, making him unlikely to return by early August oai_citation:0‡SuperSport.
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^Beauden Barrett – Suffered a fractured right hand in early March. Expected 6–8 weeks of recovery, which means he’ll be close to match fitness in May–June; likely fully fit by August oai_citation:1‡RUGBY.com.au oai_citation:2‡SABC Sport oai_citation:3‡RugbyPass.
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^Wallace Sititi – Long-term knee injury still ruling him out.
🟡 Mid-Term/Conditional – Likely Fit by August
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^Josh Lord – “Mid-term” knee concern; unclear timeline but expected back pre-championship.
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^Ethan Blackadder – Quad injury with unspecified timeline, but recovery likely before August.
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^Scott Barrett – Despite recent breaks (missed two tests vs France due to a broken finger), he's training and expected to be match-ready well before the Rugby Championship oai_citation:4‡Reddit oai_citation:5‡Reddit oai_citation:6‡Reuters.
Fit or Uninjured- Scott Barrett, Tamati Williams, Tyrell Lomax, Asafo Aumua, Luke Jacobsen, Peter Lakai, Simon Parker, Reiko Ioane, Caleb Clarke, Stephen Perofeta—all expected to be available once their minor issues settle.
🟢 Summary Table
Player Status Likely Available in August Ofa Tu’ungafasi Out rest of Super Rugby (neck surgery) NoBeauden Barrett Fractured hand (6–8 weeks) YesSam Darry Season-ending shoulder NoWallace Sititi Long-term knee NoTyrell Lomax Ankle injury (short-term) YesAsafo Aumua Concussion (returned) YesLuke Jacobsen Minor nose issue YesScott Barrett Broken finger, back in training YesJosh Lord Mid-term knee ProbablyEthan Blackadder Quad injury ️ LikelyPeter Lakai Fit YesSimon Parker Fit YesReiko Ioane Fit YesCaleb Clarke Minor thigh issue YesStephen Perofeta Calf strain (short) YesTamati Williams Fit Yes
🟢 Final Take
- Definitely unavailable: Tu’ungafasi, Darry, Sititi.
- Uncertain depending on recovery: Blackadder, Lord.
- Likely fit: Beauden Barrett (prior hand issue), Scott Barrett, Lomax, Aumua, Jacobsen, Williams, Parker, Ioane, Clarke, Perofeta, Lakai.
So by early August, most of the squad should be ready—except for the long-term injured trio and two players who are the last to fully recover.
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@sparky Sititi had surgery on his ankle, not a knee injury. When I posted a couple of weeks back that he would be in his moon boot for 3 weeks that was directly from him.
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AI slop 🤨
@zedsdeadbaby It's also missed Caleb Clarke's injury.
https://www.rugby.com.au/news/injured-nz-winger-to-miss-part-of-rugby-championship-2025714
