The Silver Fern

@Dancefloor Jai Tamaiti 4:20 . Think it goes without saying either of the Manawatu halfbacks will be a better fit for the 21 Jersey than Enari moving forward

@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2026:

@Bovidae said in Highlanders 2026:

Talk about an own goal from the media team.

There are a couple of others who could be the third NDC player from the U18 teams (e.g., Jimmy Taylor, Mason Coulthard, Jake Hill) or one of the new academy players.

You'd think it will be Jimmy Taylor.

The question with Taylor is what do they turn him into. Will be tough to crack it at 10. Will likely either become a 12 or 15.

Southland Stags will be a fascinating watch in the next few years as there's also a young fella from Timaru heading down by the name of Jay Reihana who I've been told has a bit of Izzy Dagg about his game

@tubbyj said in Highlanders 2026:

Blues should chase Cam Millar. He is the kind of 10 they need, more Grant Fox than Carlos Spencer.

Speaking objectively Cam has played his better rugby when he has more of a livewire 9 alongside him, Hotham back in age grade, Fakatava in 2024 super and Pledger in NPC just gone, when Hastie or Arscott were his 9 things didn't go as well so what I'm saying is Christie and Millar probably wouldn't gel

@reprobate yeah I find it odd Codie isn't nominated in 1 or 2 of these awards eh

@SouthernMann Jimmy taylor will be spending a few weeks around the team this pre season, that young fella will probably begin his 1st class career as a fullback tho due to being in the same team as Muliaina

@kidcalder yes will be interesting too see how Pledger goes in super, I just haven't been this excited for a talent of his age here since Rokocoko and that Crusaders 12 Carter came on the scene many moons ago

@nostrildamus if I was watching as a neutral probably would've enjoyed myself as Clarke, Rogers, Rees-Zammit & Sititi put on a show

@sparky well deserved

@Dan54 yeah I really doubt my leg is being pulled, my mate has given me other rugby info ahead of time such as Ngani Laumape to Moana, Kyle Brown to the Chiefs and Flyn yates to the blues. beats me why Hansen doesn't rate Ruben, he would be in my 1st choice 23 Dan. 50 minutes today was his lot this Tour sigh well that's life I guess

@Dan54 said in Wales v All Blacks:

@sparky said in Wales v All Blacks:

@Canes4life Because Scott Hansen hates his guts.

Boy we getting some real dumb posts on here lately! Ih Robertson hated his guts he wouldn't be in the squad.
I worry for this forum, we are getting some crazy posts that make no sense.

Nah there's some truth to Scott Hansen specifically not being keen on Ruben, I have a mate that went to Palmy boys with Ruben and has told me as much.

@Mr-Fish said in Wales v All Blacks:

Wales chasing 25 points, their highest ever score against NZ.

This is the worst All Blacks team I've seen in my 22 years of watching the Sport

Tom Roger's is gonna get Tamaiti Ellison sacked lol

I'm not sold on Ratima much anymore to be honest

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1AT9aGRX85/ a reporter with some actual balls I love too see it

@W32 said in All Blacks 2025:

@Nepia said in All Blacks 2025:

@booboo said in All Blacks 2025:

@canefan said in All Blacks 2025:

@booboo said in All Blacks 2025:

@taniwharugby said in All Blacks 2025:

were they just dazzled by his success that all but demanded the job?

Still, to be fair, I was.

Apparently Razor said he was going to head overseas so NZR bent over and signed him instead of letting him leave. That's looking increasingly like a poor decision

Did anybody think he'd shit the bed this bad? I fucking didn't .

I just don't know how to approach this at the minute.

It's hard to think of a coach who has had so much goodwill going into the job and tanked it completely.

Is this not just a hangover from the glory days when the abs were dominant? (Circa 2016 or so) The expectation became that they win every match and when that doesn’t happen, people start screaming for the coaches head. It’s not realistic to think the abs will always be the best team in the world. Historically that wasn’t true, and won’t be for any team. They are a tweak away from being #1 again but people are calling for the whole organization to be replaced.
It’s disrespectful to the other teams in world rugby.
Y’all give yourselves an uppercut.

Robertson has been disrespecting us the punters who love the game of Rugby for far too long now, 2 years in you cannot deny he's way too conservative, 26 Tests in and the same veteran 10s used in each of those. Harry Plummer should've been given an opportunity in 2024 to start but even he knew all was not well, This year when we were playing France "B" Ruben Love or an in form Rivez Reihana would've made sense to start a Test at 10. even now this week It's been said but why is Sevu Reece in the 23 over guys on the up like Tangitau or Nanai-Seturo? There's no real Foresight... like take Finlay Christie bless him he's a good team man but why wasn't Dylan Pledger the NZ 20s best player of the last 7 years not on this tour as an Apprentice? George Bell has basically been an apprentice the last while learning from Taylor, if Pledger played for Canterbury instead of Otago would he be shadowing Roigard right now? I'm sorry I had to vent here but to sum it all up it Just feels like Robertson is trying not to lose games instead of actually trying to Win Games if that makes sense.

when was the most recent year we didn't cap anyone on a end of year tour? I know last year Love debuted against Japan and 2022 Telea debuted against Scotland but anything beyond that my mind is fuzzy

@Bovidae almost feels like they forgot to drop Reece from the squad back in October lol, he's getting himself a free cap this weekend hopefully it's his last

@ACT-Crusader I think they'll go with Rieko over Proctor, only say this with any confidence because I know Ioane's parents are over there

@cgrant I don't see much point in Taylor starting this particular Test unless he was to be captain, Samisoni to play 60 minutes I would imagine