All Blacks 2025
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bold of you to suggest we will make another RWC final
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@Nepia said in All Blacks 2025:
@nonpartizan said in All Blacks 2025:
One thing I noticed this younger generation just don't have that same intensity and edge like the older ones.
Its even down to stuff like I heard Cully said the old schoolers like Zinny and Fitzy really would not give the newbies like him the time of day until they had established themselves.
That type of shit got rightfully punted eventually during the Henry era, and it contributed to one of the most dominant AB eras ever.
I think we're over analysing this a bit now. We're just a but shit, our coaches are shit, whether players are mates off field with the opposition, or whether there's an 80s style hierarchy doesn't matter.
We can't even do the basics right, we can't catch, we don't kick for territory even though we have a couple of guys who can get distance, we appear mot to have a defensive coach ...
I'm hoping Razor can turn it around and it's just taken him this long to adjust to this level.
I agree with all you've said except I don't have the same hope as you in the last sentence. For things to change I think he will need to replace some of his coaching staff like Foster did. Some of them just aren't up to it.
Also the ignoring/shunning of Blues players just doesn't add up and something seems to be off there. Similar sort of thing seems to be happening to when Mains was in charge. The coaching staff seem to have a bit of a chip or their heads up their arses.
Apart from Tuipulotu they've ignored the Blues best players and now have the likes of BB and Christie in the team. Many Blues fans would argue that those two are what have held the Blues back.
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@Jet said in All Blacks 2025:
but we need lads to be pulled after 30 40 mins if having a stinker,
We'd be playing 7s after 30 minutes then.
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@Nepia what about cards?
@taniwharugby said in All Blacks 2025:
@Nepia what about cards?
Ah fuck, we'll be playing 7 aside but with only 6 on the field.
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@nonpartizan said in All Blacks 2025:
One thing I noticed this younger generation just don't have that same intensity and edge like the older ones.
Its even down to stuff like I heard Cully said the old schoolers like Zinny and Fitzy really would not give the newbies like him the time of day until they had established themselves.
That type of shit got rightfully punted eventually during the Henry era, and it contributed to one of the most dominant AB eras ever.
I think we're over analysing this a bit now. We're just a but shit, our coaches are shit, whether players are mates off field with the opposition, or whether there's an 80s style hierarchy doesn't matter.
We can't even do the basics right, we can't catch, we don't kick for territory even though we have a couple of guys who can get distance, we appear mot to have a defensive coach ...
I'm hoping Razor can turn it around and it's just taken him this long to adjust to this level.
@Nepia said in All Blacks 2025:
@nonpartizan said in All Blacks 2025:
One thing I noticed this younger generation just don't have that same intensity and edge like the older ones.
Its even down to stuff like I heard Cully said the old schoolers like Zinny and Fitzy really would not give the newbies like him the time of day until they had established themselves.
That type of shit got rightfully punted eventually during the Henry era, and it contributed to one of the most dominant AB eras ever.
I think we're over analysing this a bit now. We're just a but shit, our coaches are shit, whether players are mates off field with the opposition, or whether there's an 80s style hierarchy doesn't matter.
We can't even do the basics right, we can't catch, we don't kick for territory even though we have a couple of guys who can get distance, we appear mot to have a defensive coach ...
I'm hoping Razor can turn it around and it's just taken him this long to adjust to this level.
No worries - just needs to fix up the attack, the defense, the set piece, the selection, the leadership and the coaching......
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@nonpartizan said in All Blacks 2025:
One thing I noticed this younger generation just don't have that same intensity and edge like the older ones.
Its even down to stuff like I heard Cully said the old schoolers like Zinny and Fitzy really would not give the newbies like him the time of day until they had established themselves.
That type of shit got rightfully punted eventually during the Henry era, and it contributed to one of the most dominant AB eras ever.
I think we're over analysing this a bit now. We're just a but shit, our coaches are shit, whether players are mates off field with the opposition, or whether there's an 80s style hierarchy doesn't matter.
We can't even do the basics right, we can't catch, we don't kick for territory even though we have a couple of guys who can get distance, we appear mot to have a defensive coach ...
I'm hoping Razor can turn it around and it's just taken him this long to adjust to this level.
@Nepia said in All Blacks 2025:
I think we're over analysing this a bit now. We're just a but shit, our coaches are shit, whether players are mates off field with the opposition, or whether there's an 80s style hierarchy doesn't matter.
It's extraordinary.
No-one has got a stupid haircut that I can think of - and yet we still can't win?
On reflection it may be the coaches'haircuts that are the problem?
And white boots! Actually, white boots annoy me, because they're playing with a white ball and my eyes aren't as sharp as they used to be. Get some green fluoro boots you fluffybunnies!
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@Nepia said in All Blacks 2025:
I think we're over analysing this a bit now. We're just a but shit, our coaches are shit, whether players are mates off field with the opposition, or whether there's an 80s style hierarchy doesn't matter.
It's extraordinary.
No-one has got a stupid haircut that I can think of - and yet we still can't win?
On reflection it may be the coaches'haircuts that are the problem?
And white boots! Actually, white boots annoy me, because they're playing with a white ball and my eyes aren't as sharp as they used to be. Get some green fluoro boots you fluffybunnies!
@Chris-B said in All Blacks 2025:
Get some green fluoro boots you fluffybunnies!
my son, who is an olympic level hater anyway, haaates the fact they all wear the same boot. have some individuality he reckons.
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@Nepia said in All Blacks 2025:
@nonpartizan said in All Blacks 2025:
One thing I noticed this younger generation just don't have that same intensity and edge like the older ones.
Its even down to stuff like I heard Cully said the old schoolers like Zinny and Fitzy really would not give the newbies like him the time of day until they had established themselves.
That type of shit got rightfully punted eventually during the Henry era, and it contributed to one of the most dominant AB eras ever.
I think we're over analysing this a bit now. We're just a but shit, our coaches are shit, whether players are mates off field with the opposition, or whether there's an 80s style hierarchy doesn't matter.
We can't even do the basics right, we can't catch, we don't kick for territory even though we have a couple of guys who can get distance, we appear mot to have a defensive coach ...
I'm hoping Razor can turn it around and it's just taken him this long to adjust to this level.
No worries - just needs to fix up the attack, the defense, the set piece, the selection, the leadership and the coaching......
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2025:
@Nepia said in All Blacks 2025:
@nonpartizan said in All Blacks 2025:
One thing I noticed this younger generation just don't have that same intensity and edge like the older ones.
Its even down to stuff like I heard Cully said the old schoolers like Zinny and Fitzy really would not give the newbies like him the time of day until they had established themselves.
That type of shit got rightfully punted eventually during the Henry era, and it contributed to one of the most dominant AB eras ever.
I think we're over analysing this a bit now. We're just a but shit, our coaches are shit, whether players are mates off field with the opposition, or whether there's an 80s style hierarchy doesn't matter.
We can't even do the basics right, we can't catch, we don't kick for territory even though we have a couple of guys who can get distance, we appear mot to have a defensive coach ...
I'm hoping Razor can turn it around and it's just taken him this long to adjust to this level.
No worries - just needs to fix up the attack, the defense, the set piece, the selection, the leadership and the coaching......
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@Nepia said in All Blacks 2025:
I think we're over analysing this a bit now. We're just a but shit, our coaches are shit, whether players are mates off field with the opposition, or whether there's an 80s style hierarchy doesn't matter.
It's extraordinary.
No-one has got a stupid haircut that I can think of - and yet we still can't win?
On reflection it may be the coaches'haircuts that are the problem?
And white boots! Actually, white boots annoy me, because they're playing with a white ball and my eyes aren't as sharp as they used to be. Get some green fluoro boots you fluffybunnies!
@Chris-B said in All Blacks 2025:
No-one has got a stupid haircut that I can think of
Yep, the coach is the only one allowed a stupid haircut.
Also explains why Fakatava isn't there.
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This video helps confirm what I suspected
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This video helps confirm what I suspected
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@nonpartizan said in All Blacks 2025:
@kpkanz said in All Blacks 2025:
@Smuts said in All Blacks 2025:
@stodders as a bok fan I hope your coaches keep looking for solutions at 10, 13 and even blindside for your lack of penetration and attacking fluency.
But here’s a mental experiment: you have to stop a single AB back line player one on one or you lose a nut. Who are you choosing?
We have a term for anybody who doesn’t choose most average Barrett: Billy Big Nut.
Swap him for any of the other 2nd/5s in the Championship and your 10s and 13s will suddenly find themselves with far more space.
I agree, I genuinely think the ABs have been held hostage for the last decade by the Barret brothers.
Scott should not be captain or starting yet he is.
Beauden should not be the starting 10 or possibly in the 23 yet he is.
Jordie might be the worst..in the sense he's kinda like an asymptomatic illness. He has the best form of the 3, probably has the best shout of being a starter out of all 3, and he's actually a great player in general...but his specific play style and skillset at 12 is a MASSIVE hindrance to the entire AB attack.
He is not agile, not really quick of hand, not an amazing passer, and doesn't have the first instinct to create space for others but rather to take contact.
It just reminds me of the Wallabies 15+ years ago, when I would just sit back and feel extremely happy seeing Reece Hodge against us, such a limited predictable player, and wondering how he kept starting for Australia over genuinely terrifying alternative options like Berrick Barnes.
So I'm happy you brought this up, because I've always pondered that there must be so many Bok/Wallaby fans extremely elated and astounded to see the ABs continue with BB/Jordie/Rieko, and just sit back cautiously riding out this wave as long as possible before the jig is up.
I think that is a tad unfair on Jordie, who I think has been the best brother of the three this season, by quite some margin.
On Saturday he was the player with the most touches/involvements in the try - 4.
First, he gets across the gainline initially having spun out of a tackle and taking two defenders to bring him down. Then when the ball swings back to De groot it's gets spilled and Jordie cleans it up and passes out of pressure because the bok prop (Ox) is bearing down on him. Then the third time he touches it he gets man and ball (Kolisi) and gets the ball away. Lastly, he steps in at halfback in the final sequence.
So his overall involvement was a carry over the gainline, two passes to the left, one to the right, both the passes in midfield were made with a bok right in his face.
Jordie saved their bacon with the try saver on Kolbe and he was the player that ran the full length of the pitch on the try intercept that stopped Kolbe going under the posts so that the conversion could be as hard as possible. Whatever his faults I never doubt Jordies integrity and his commitment to the ABs. He doesn't give up on any play.
I just don't see him as the liability that others do. I think Scott has the worst form of all the locks that have played this year and for every good thing BB does he does 3 or 4 pointless things.
I agree Jordie is easily the best Barret and most deserving of a starting role.
It's more the circumstance of his specific skillset and playstyle at the 12 position may end up being the biggest bottleneck for the AB attack.
@kpkanz said in All Blacks 2025:
It's more the circumstance of his specific skillset and playstyle at the 12 position may end up being the biggest bottleneck for the AB attack.
The problem is that no 12 has consistently performed to a high level
a. outside Christie and BB
b. with these coaches.Jordie has, overseas. What was Leicester doing so well with him that we can't?
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@kpkanz said in All Blacks 2025:
@SammyC said in All Blacks 2025:
MacKenzie is so overrated on here, he's a liability in big games and was fucking awful on the weekend.
'Liability in big games...', like against Ireland last year?
When he led us to our first win in Dublin in nearly a decade? Against the number 1 team in the world?
Or when he came off the bench and led us to a win against England at Twickenham?
Three super rugby finals in a row he's been useless.... and a bunch of test matches last year (he was deservedly dropped)
We won that Ireland game because |reland made a shitload of handling errors..
We were lucky to win that England game, thanks to Mark Telea and England missing that penalty at the end.
Mackenzie was dropped for a reason last year, he's a selfish player who can't control a tight game.
@SammyC said in All Blacks 2025:
Mackenzie was dropped for a reason last year, he's a selfish player who can't control a tight game.
BB should be dropped for multiple reasons this year, he's a scared player who can't control a tight game.
And DMac passes a lot for a so-called selfish player.
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look, we're all just shouting in to the void, none of us have any idea what is actually going on inside the camp. But we care, so we make shit up. We're also not helped by the lack of honesty in teh communications, but that's another story.
That said, from the outside, there does look like a culture that lacks an edge, that lacks accountability, but is very big on acceptance. The last few posts about Richie M are telling, given the posters who made them.
Fine, you don't trust DMac with the keys, your call you're the coach. But there is no way BB deserves to be the starting 10 for a top level team, yet he's just there accumulating substandard cap after substandard cap. It looks for all the world like no accountability for performance, but acceptance of "well there's no one else, and i don't need to develop any one because i get another 10 back next year". If RMo comes back like everyone else comes back from Japan then we are fuuuuuucked.Scott Barrett is the captain. You would be hard pressed to suggest he is in the top 3 performing locks this year. Walked around a lot on Saturday. Accountability? no. Acceptance? yes.
You could go through the squad and find underperforming players that are immune to accountability, while we rotate the wingers (an absolute coaching classic to look like you are open to change without changing anything).And yes the fucking edge. I get it's 2025, and these blokes just do not care about rugby like we do. It's their job. Half of them probably don't even watch games. But holy shit guys, the only reason you get paid as much as you do in a tiny country in the corner of nowhere is because the people of that tiny country care a lot. It isn't just a game champ, it's your literal profession, paid for because people very much give serious fucks. Again, we're not there, maybe the boys are hurting in the sheds, but shit boys, messaging matters!
7 tests in to the year, very consistent selections, can anyone honestly say the team is improving? Everyone expects a backlash against Australia, are we capable of one? And will it mean anything? Recent history says even if we do play well, that level will not be replicated in Perth.
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2025:
look, we're all just shouting in to the void, none of us have any idea what is actually going on inside the camp.
You must be new here.
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@SammyC said in All Blacks 2025:
Mackenzie was dropped for a reason last year, he's a selfish player who can't control a tight game.
BB should be dropped for multiple reasons this year, he's a scared player who can't control a tight game.
And DMac passes a lot for a so-called selfish player.
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2025:
@SammyC said in All Blacks 2025:
Mackenzie was dropped for a reason last year, he's a selfish player who can't control a tight game.
BB should be dropped for multiple reasons this year, he's a scared player who can't control a tight game.
And DMac passes a lot for a so-called selfish player.
I'm convinced Barrett is only still playing because he's after that most caps record. He probably thought he'd be able to retire with the most tries too but Jordan will likely mess that one up for him.
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@antipodean that Razor had a deadshit game plan and it was the senior players that saved it?
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2025:
@antipodean that Razor had a deadshit game plan and it was the senior players that saved it?
There's a snippet where Sam is doing the talking and Razor looks lost beside him.
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@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2025:
@antipodean that Razor had a deadshit game plan and it was the senior players that saved it?
There's a snippet where Sam is doing the talking and Razor looks lost beside him.
@antipodean said in All Blacks 2025:
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2025:
@antipodean that Razor had a deadshit game plan and it was the senior players that saved it?
There's a snippet where Sam is doing the talking and Razor looks lost beside him.
How well would Robertson have done coaching another Super Rugby team without the talent the Crusaders system gave him access to?
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@SammyC said in All Blacks 2025:
Also, fuck Richie Mou'aga swanning back for 1 season and then leaving again.... another one that doesn't want to work for his spot in the team.
I'm hopeful that this one season thing isn't the actual plan and it's more based around the possibility that things might not unfold as Richie (or Razor) might hope.
Because, if that really is the plan - to swan in play the RWC and fuck off - then he should have been told to fuck off.
And I say that as one of Richie's biggest fans on here.
@Chris-B said in All Blacks 2025:
Because, if that really is the plan - to swan in play the RWC and fuck off - then he should have been told to fuck off.
And I say that as one of Richie's biggest fans on here.
He's 31 now turns 32 in May 2026, and will be 33 and a half during the 2027 RWC. but he would probably like to win one. Given his age I can't see him having much to offer after RWC even if available. Could play for Samoa or Tonga I guess.
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@antipodean said in All Blacks 2025:
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2025:
@antipodean that Razor had a deadshit game plan and it was the senior players that saved it?
There's a snippet where Sam is doing the talking and Razor looks lost beside him.
How well would Robertson have done coaching another Super Rugby team without the talent the Crusaders system gave him access to?
@ShaquilleOatmeal said in All Blacks 2025:
@antipodean said in All Blacks 2025:
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2025:
@antipodean that Razor had a deadshit game plan and it was the senior players that saved it?
There's a snippet where Sam is doing the talking and Razor looks lost beside him.
How well would Robertson have done coaching another Super Rugby team without the talent the Crusaders system gave him access to?
I'm beginning to think he had better assistant coaches than the other sides. Not now, though.
