All Blacks 2025
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@Steven-Harris By the time Mounga does return he may not be a certainty for the pivot role. Article did say talks had stalled.
@SBW1 said in All Blacks 2025:
Article did say talks had stalled.
That means money.
RM would love to come back for the right $$$ I'm sure. But buying him out is expensive and NZR have no money.
Right decision to not pay, but I am very disappointed at how long this has taken and how much of a distraction this has been in the media. Coaches should be publicly backing their players, not squeezing one out for an overseas player who didn't set the world on fire at Test level.
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@ARHS said in All Blacks 2025:
I struggled with the tactics used at 10 and 13 last year. Wonder how much that is the players, v the match day tactics v the messages from the plethora of coaches in the AB camp. I really do suspect that the issue is the coordination of the messages from the instructors to a new set of players, at a different level, against stronger opponents.
Regarding the midfield, there was very little change from the previous regime to the new mob
The 13 runs a tight line on the shoulder of the 12. The 12 decides to bash up, pop a short ball or play it out the back. I think defences adjusted and the form & decision making of the 12 dipped
It's not utilising the extreme pace of the 13. I would like to see them stand further apart and use the blindside winger more on the shoulder
@Duluth add in some better running lines and our attack would improve considerably
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@Duluth it also seems really pedestrian, i know SBW was in a league of his own for getting his arms free for a pass in the tackle...but can you imagine if JB could do it just a little more and have RI receiving it past the tackle...in space
@Kiwiwomble With JB away this season keep an eye on Riley Higgins for this exact reason - he clocked almost double the amount of offloads compared to the next guy through NPC.
The crash or shovel ball 12 role that Jordie has taken on - its hard to tell if its a refection of his own skills, the defence he faces or the game plan but its tough to watch
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@Kiwiwomble With JB away this season keep an eye on Riley Higgins for this exact reason - he clocked almost double the amount of offloads compared to the next guy through NPC.
The crash or shovel ball 12 role that Jordie has taken on - its hard to tell if its a refection of his own skills, the defence he faces or the game plan but its tough to watch
@DurryMexted said in All Blacks 2025:
@Kiwiwomble With JB away this season keep an eye on Riley Higgins for this exact reason - he clocked almost double the amount of offloads compared to the next guy through NPC.
The crash or shovel ball 12 role that Jordie has taken on - its hard to tell if its a refection of his own skills, the defence he faces or the game plan but its tough to watch
Riley Higgins will be a better 12 than Jordie. He's gifted with all the skills and footwork in the world and needs to take his chance this year with the Canes. He's my breakout player for 2025 and will be in my fantasy side to kick off the year. Higgins is unmatched in NZ IMO when it comes to breaking the line through smarts and footwork, his offloading ability is second to none as well, he just needs to sharpen up on defence but he has every chance to do that in Super. His stats in the NPC show how completely dominant he was and he's already been a massive part of two NPC championships that Wellington has won in the last three years which shows he performs when it matters.
Jordie also had an average season for the Canes before again being an automatic selection at 12 for the ABs. Another player not in form that Razor picked on previous experience.
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@Kiwiwomble With JB away this season keep an eye on Riley Higgins for this exact reason - he clocked almost double the amount of offloads compared to the next guy through NPC.
The crash or shovel ball 12 role that Jordie has taken on - its hard to tell if its a refection of his own skills, the defence he faces or the game plan but its tough to watch
@DurryMexted said in All Blacks 2025:
The crash or shovel ball 12 role that Jordie has taken on - its hard to tell if its a refection of his own skills, the defence he faces or the game plan but its tough to watch
his crash ball has dropped right off. Genuine crash balling would mean drawing in defenders - I don't see him doing that. With his frame, he should be a threat to run into or through the tackle. He's playing more like Havili than SBW at 12, and that does my nut given his potential upside.
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@booboo said in All Blacks 2025:
@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2025:
@Tim said in All Blacks 2025:
Best performance of last year was against Ireland. Maybe focus on that 23.
Or just give guys in form an opportunity. There's an idea.
Can I just jump into the debate on the 13 jersey?
If the incumbent wasn't doing exactly what the coach wanted him to do he'd be out on his arse. "Form" is our feels about how well a player is playing. "Form" may not suit the pattern, tactics, strategy.
I'm not just talking about the 13 jersey, Ioane was actually pretty decent at the end of last year, I'm just meaning guys that are favoured like Reece, Blackadder and Beaudy who seem to get selected no matter their form.
The pattern, tactics and strategy you are speaking of clearly didn't work that well last year so maybe giving other players a go off the back of a strong Super campaign might actually work, instead of shoe horning guys in based on past experience.
@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2025:
The pattern, tactics and strategy you are speaking of clearly didn't work that well last year
I didn't say they did ...
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@DurryMexted said in All Blacks 2025:
The crash or shovel ball 12 role that Jordie has taken on - its hard to tell if its a refection of his own skills, the defence he faces or the game plan but its tough to watch
his crash ball has dropped right off. Genuine crash balling would mean drawing in defenders - I don't see him doing that. With his frame, he should be a threat to run into or through the tackle. He's playing more like Havili than SBW at 12, and that does my nut given his potential upside.
@nzzp said in All Blacks 2025:
@DurryMexted said in All Blacks 2025:
The crash or shovel ball 12 role that Jordie has taken on - its hard to tell if its a refection of his own skills, the defence he faces or the game plan but its tough to watch
his crash ball has dropped right off. Genuine crash balling would mean drawing in defenders - I don't see him doing that. With his frame, he should be a threat to run into or through the tackle. He's playing more like Havili than SBW at 12, and that does my nut given his potential upside.
its actually reminding me of Gilbert for the Highlanders, move this tall/big fast (ish) former 15 that covered 10 to 12 looking for the playmaking aspects of those other positions....and try turning them into a battering ram....with at best mixed results
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@DurryMexted said in All Blacks 2025:
The crash or shovel ball 12 role that Jordie has taken on - its hard to tell if its a refection of his own skills, the defence he faces or the game plan but its tough to watch
his crash ball has dropped right off. Genuine crash balling would mean drawing in defenders - I don't see him doing that. With his frame, he should be a threat to run into or through the tackle. He's playing more like Havili than SBW at 12, and that does my nut given his potential upside.
@nzzp said in All Blacks 2025:
@DurryMexted said in All Blacks 2025:
The crash or shovel ball 12 role that Jordie has taken on - its hard to tell if its a refection of his own skills, the defence he faces or the game plan but its tough to watch
his crash ball has dropped right off. Genuine crash balling would mean drawing in defenders - I don't see him doing that. With his frame, he should be a threat to run into or through the tackle. He's playing more like Havili than SBW at 12, and that does my nut given his potential upside.
I think all other top tier 12s do this better than Jordie at the moment and he’s been in the system since 2017……far too long in the tooth to talk about ‘potential upside’
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@nzzp said in All Blacks 2025:
@DurryMexted said in All Blacks 2025:
The crash or shovel ball 12 role that Jordie has taken on - its hard to tell if its a refection of his own skills, the defence he faces or the game plan but its tough to watch
his crash ball has dropped right off. Genuine crash balling would mean drawing in defenders - I don't see him doing that. With his frame, he should be a threat to run into or through the tackle. He's playing more like Havili than SBW at 12, and that does my nut given his potential upside.
I think all other top tier 12s do this better than Jordie at the moment and he’s been in the system since 2017……far too long in the tooth to talk about ‘potential upside’
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@nzzp said in All Blacks 2025:
@DurryMexted said in All Blacks 2025:
The crash or shovel ball 12 role that Jordie has taken on - its hard to tell if its a refection of his own skills, the defence he faces or the game plan but its tough to watch
his crash ball has dropped right off. Genuine crash balling would mean drawing in defenders - I don't see him doing that. With his frame, he should be a threat to run into or through the tackle. He's playing more like Havili than SBW at 12, and that does my nut given his potential upside.
I think all other top tier 12s do this better than Jordie at the moment and he’s been in the system since 2017……far too long in the tooth to talk about ‘potential upside’
@MN5 said in All Blacks 2025:
@nzzp said in All Blacks 2025:
@DurryMexted said in All Blacks 2025:
The crash or shovel ball 12 role that Jordie has taken on - its hard to tell if its a refection of his own skills, the defence he faces or the game plan but its tough to watch
his crash ball has dropped right off. Genuine crash balling would mean drawing in defenders - I don't see him doing that. With his frame, he should be a threat to run into or through the tackle. He's playing more like Havili than SBW at 12, and that does my nut given his potential upside.
I think all other top tier 12s do this better than Jordie at the moment and he’s been in the system since 2017……far too long in the tooth to talk about ‘potential upside’
when he came in he looked excellent there. But it's been shit for for a while.
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@ARHS said in All Blacks 2025:
I struggled with the tactics used at 10 and 13 last year. Wonder how much that is the players, v the match day tactics v the messages from the plethora of coaches in the AB camp. I really do suspect that the issue is the coordination of the messages from the instructors to a new set of players, at a different level, against stronger opponents.
Regarding the midfield, there was very little change from the previous regime to the new mob
The 13 runs a tight line on the shoulder of the 12. The 12 decides to bash up, pop a short ball or play it out the back. I think defences adjusted and the form & decision making of the 12 dipped
It's not utilising the extreme pace of the 13. I would like to see them stand further apart and use the blindside winger more on the shoulder
@Duluth said in All Blacks 2025:
It's not utilising the extreme pace of the 13. I would like to see them stand further apart and use the blindside winger more on the shoulder
The obvious benefit being more room for blindside winger and fullback to chose a line hitting a soft shoulder or gap. Especially effective when employed against a rush defence where defenders isolate themselves.
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There's so much sensible analysis on the board this morning, on improving our midfield. Bet none of it's gonna happen
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Jordie is still a good bench solution.
I'm bemused that now the issue is we don't have a player like SBW (and yes his ability to get the ball away was epic but I thought we never saw him in his prime; speed hampered by longterm injuries).
Still, others seem to differ "https://rugbynation.com/blogs/rugby/the-unstoppable-force-of-sonny-bill-williams"
-I don't recall lightning fast footwork when he was an AB. -
I can't see JB replaced at 12, he simply such a busy player there. Not saying he great, but noone looks gangbuster to me. I was prettyhopeful in Higgins, but by geez his defence worries me. Not just his tackling, but how often he seemed to get disconnected. I thought one of Canes strengths last year was how well JB and Proctor combined especially in defence.. Let's hope that Higgins switches on and does similar this season to puy hand up for ABs.
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I can't see JB replaced at 12, he simply such a busy player there. Not saying he great, but noone looks gangbuster to me. I was prettyhopeful in Higgins, but by geez his defence worries me. Not just his tackling, but how often he seemed to get disconnected. I thought one of Canes strengths last year was how well JB and Proctor combined especially in defence.. Let's hope that Higgins switches on and does similar this season to puy hand up for ABs.
@Dan54 said in All Blacks 2025:
I can't see JB replaced at 12, he simply such a busy player there. Not saying he great, but noone looks gangbuster to me. I was prettyhopeful in Higgins, but by geez his defence worries me. Not just his tackling, but how often he seemed to get disconnected. I thought one of Canes strengths last year was how well JB and Proctor combined especially in defence.. Let's hope that Higgins switches on and does similar this season to puy hand up for ABs.
He was pretty ordinary in a Canes jersey for the most part in 2024 IMO and as per recent seasons failed to step up when the pressure went on. Three years in a row for the Canes he went missing in the playoffs and he didn't exactly set the house on fire for the ABs either.
He's definitely replaceable but half the problem with the ABs is the Barrett's seem untouchable at the selection table.
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@Dan54 said in All Blacks 2025:
I can't see JB replaced at 12, he simply such a busy player there. Not saying he great, but noone looks gangbuster to me. I was prettyhopeful in Higgins, but by geez his defence worries me. Not just his tackling, but how often he seemed to get disconnected. I thought one of Canes strengths last year was how well JB and Proctor combined especially in defence.. Let's hope that Higgins switches on and does similar this season to puy hand up for ABs.
He was pretty ordinary in a Canes jersey for the most part in 2024 IMO and as per recent seasons failed to step up when the pressure went on. Three years in a row for the Canes he went missing in the playoffs and he didn't exactly set the house on fire for the ABs either.
He's definitely replaceable but half the problem with the ABs is the Barrett's seem untouchable at the selection table.
@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2025:
@Dan54 said in All Blacks 2025:
I can't see JB replaced at 12, he simply such a busy player there. Not saying he great, but noone looks gangbuster to me. I was prettyhopeful in Higgins, but by geez his defence worries me. Not just his tackling, but how often he seemed to get disconnected. I thought one of Canes strengths last year was how well JB and Proctor combined especially in defence.. Let's hope that Higgins switches on and does similar this season to puy hand up for ABs.
He was pretty ordinary in a Canes jersey for the most part in 2025 IMO and as per recent seasons failed to step up when the pressure went on. Three years in a row for the Canes he went missing in the playoffs.
He's definitely replaceable.
Witch.
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@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2025:
@Dan54 said in All Blacks 2025:
I can't see JB replaced at 12, he simply such a busy player there. Not saying he great, but noone looks gangbuster to me. I was prettyhopeful in Higgins, but by geez his defence worries me. Not just his tackling, but how often he seemed to get disconnected. I thought one of Canes strengths last year was how well JB and Proctor combined especially in defence.. Let's hope that Higgins switches on and does similar this season to puy hand up for ABs.
He was pretty ordinary in a Canes jersey for the most part in 2025 IMO and as per recent seasons failed to step up when the pressure went on. Three years in a row for the Canes he went missing in the playoffs.
He's definitely replaceable.
Witch.
@Nepia Lol you responded too quickly, I was in the middle of changing this.
