All Blacks 2025
-
@nostrildamus Bidwell might be the dumbest of all the blokes who get paid (i assume) to talk about rugby
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2025:
@nostrildamus Bidwell might be the dumbest of all the blokes who get paid (i assume) to talk about rugby
I assume there is some healthy competition out there!
-
@Machpants said in All Blacks 2025:
No this is an outside of officially window extra.
England hosts Aust on the same day.
@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2025:
@Machpants said in All Blacks 2025:
No this is an outside of officially window extra.
England hosts Aust on the same day.
Also outside of the window, Ozzie and England need the money as much as is. the window is 3 games and we've done a fourth outside of window every year for ages. Normally the week before, sa even do some after to ensure their players get zero rest
-
@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2025:
@Machpants said in All Blacks 2025:
No this is an outside of officially window extra.
England hosts Aust on the same day.
Also outside of the window, Ozzie and England need the money as much as is. the window is 3 games and we've done a fourth outside of window every year for ages. Normally the week before, sa even do some after to ensure their players get zero rest
@Machpants said in All Blacks 2025:
@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2025:
@Machpants said in All Blacks 2025:
No this is an outside of officially window extra.
England hosts Aust on the same day.
Also outside of the window, Ozzie and England need the money as much as is. the window is 3 games and we've done a fourth outside of window every year for ages. Normally the week before, sa even do some after to ensure their players get zero rest
Poms are obviously using Wallabies to have warm up before ABs, they will really want to win against us!!
-
@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2025:
Ratpoo has lost his job. Available to the highest bidder now!
TBF, and note I'm not defending him here, Ratpoo was always a leaguie, these other two are supposed to be rugby guys.
@Nepia said in All Blacks 2025:
@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2025:
Ratpoo has lost his job. Available to the highest bidder now!
TBF, and note I'm not defending him here, Ratpoo was always a leaguie, these other two are supposed to be rugby guys.
I thought he was a guy who hated sport and was forced to write under duress ?
-
@Nepia said in All Blacks 2025:
@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2025:
Ratpoo has lost his job. Available to the highest bidder now!
TBF, and note I'm not defending him here, Ratpoo was always a leaguie, these other two are supposed to be rugby guys.
I thought he was a guy who hated sport and was forced to write under duress ?
@MN5 said in All Blacks 2025:
@Nepia said in All Blacks 2025:
@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2025:
Ratpoo has lost his job. Available to the highest bidder now!
TBF, and note I'm not defending him here, Ratpoo was always a leaguie, these other two are supposed to be rugby guys.
I thought he was a guy who hated sport and was forced to write under duress ?
as his rugby articles always seem to end up about league he probably really is a league guy. Is he actually fired?
-
@canefan said in All Blacks 2025:
IIRC the field isn't even regulation width...
It's not, which made our lock selection even more bloody ludicrous. Pat Tuipuloto and Kaino FFS. I know we were short of quality at the time, but lineout specialists should have been obvious, along with our best blindside playing at, well, blindside.
Lineouts are important enough, but with more of them and no chance to even take a quick throw because the ball is in the stands every time was just plain dumb.
@Snowy said in All Blacks 2025:
@canefan said in All Blacks 2025:
IIRC the field isn't even regulation width...
It's not, which made our lock selection even more bloody ludicrous. Pat Tuipuloto and Kaino FFS. I know we were short of quality at the time, but lineout specialists should have been obvious, along with our best blindside playing at, well, blindside.
Lineouts are important enough, but with more of them and no chance to even take a quick throw because the ball is in the stands every time was just plain dumb.
May come across as sour grapes but the ref that day was dubious too.
There was a maul try in the corner that was ropey as fuck.
I am so annoyed with the Allblacks/Hansen post 2015. Chicago and the Lions tour were a debacle.
-
@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2025:
the highly anticipated clash fans have been waiting for since the teams met in the United States in 2016
the highly anticipated clash fans have been waiting for since the teams met in the United States in 2016
Guessing that means I'm not a fan. I don't give a flying fuck about fixtures in the USA.
@antipodean said in All Blacks 2025:
@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2025:
the highly anticipated clash fans have been waiting for since the teams met in the United States in 2016
the highly anticipated clash fans have been waiting for since the teams met in the United States in 2016
Guessing that means I'm not a fan. I don't give a flying fuck about fixtures in the USA.
Well I do
And 62k other fans that watched that horrible game did as well.
And I'll be there for the next one if possible.I don't understand why it upsets people so much to play just one test over here, especially when it sells out.
-
@antipodean said in All Blacks 2025:
@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2025:
the highly anticipated clash fans have been waiting for since the teams met in the United States in 2016
the highly anticipated clash fans have been waiting for since the teams met in the United States in 2016
Guessing that means I'm not a fan. I don't give a flying fuck about fixtures in the USA.
Well I do
And 62k other fans that watched that horrible game did as well.
And I'll be there for the next one if possible.I don't understand why it upsets people so much to play just one test over here, especially when it sells out.
@Darren Putting aside the ground can't meet the requirements, I believe outside of tournaments that they should be held in the country of one of the participants.
I genuinely don't see why Americans should get to see this fixture over Kiwis and the Irish.
-
This is how far NZR have fallen; calling this tour a Grand Slam
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18hWcQq5GV/ -
This is how far NZR have fallen; calling this tour a Grand Slam
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18hWcQq5GV/@antipodean said in All Blacks 2025:
This is how far NZR have fallen; calling this tour a Grand Slam
Is it not a Grand Slam? Ireland are happy to head away from home for $$$; that's on them isn't it?
I mean, it's not great - but I can't get super upset about it
Edit: Wikipedia has this
In another context, a Grand Slam tour refers to a touring side – South Africa, Australia or New Zealand – which plays fixtures against all four home nations (England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales) during their tour. If the tourists win all of those matches, they are said to have achieved a Grand Slam. This has been done nine times, first by South Africa in 1912–13, and most recently by New Zealand in 2010.
-
This is how far NZR have fallen; calling this tour a Grand Slam
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18hWcQq5GV/@antipodean said in All Blacks 2025:
This is how far NZR have fallen; calling this tour a Grand Slam
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18hWcQq5GV/How? We can only play the teams that are there. All you’re missing is Italy and France.
France go to NZ for a tour mid year so that’s fine not playing them. In terms of Scotland, we haven’t played Scotland since 2022 and they are a team heading in the right direction.
I like this tour, unsure how this can make someone think it shouldn’t be referred to as a grand slam.
-
@antipodean said in All Blacks 2025:
This is how far NZR have fallen; calling this tour a Grand Slam
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18hWcQq5GV/How? We can only play the teams that are there. All you’re missing is Italy and France.
France go to NZ for a tour mid year so that’s fine not playing them. In terms of Scotland, we haven’t played Scotland since 2022 and they are a team heading in the right direction.
I like this tour, unsure how this can make someone think it shouldn’t be referred to as a grand slam.
@Landers92 said in All Blacks 2025:
I like this tour, unsure how this can make someone think it shouldn’t be referred to as a grand slam.
Because we're playing Ireland in the USA, not at their house. That's the only difference. And then it's perspective as to whether you think that disqualifies or not
-
@Landers92 said in All Blacks 2025:
I like this tour, unsure how this can make someone think it shouldn’t be referred to as a grand slam.
Because we're playing Ireland in the USA, not at their house. That's the only difference. And then it's perspective as to whether you think that disqualifies or not
@nzzp said in All Blacks 2025:
@Landers92 said in All Blacks 2025:
I like this tour, unsure how this can make someone think it shouldn’t be referred to as a grand slam.
Because we're playing Ireland in the USA, not at their house. That's the only difference. And then it's perspective as to whether you think that disqualifies or not
My perspective is it does. For SH teams touring, part of the difficulty is playing those teams in front of their home grounds and I can't think of a single example in history where a SH side has claimed a Grand Slam by playing elsewhere.
Let alone on a field that isn't big enough to qualify.
-
I think it's a bloody disgrace that we care so little about our fans and supporting countries that we can play more matches in USA than against all second tier nations combined.
So when everyone bitches about why some players not getting developed and enough opportunities this year, and why the All Black brand is going down the gurgler, just think of the Fijians, Samoans, Tongans, Japanese, Georgians and Italians who are being reminded of just how valued they are.
Who is making all these decisions??? -
@antipodean said in All Blacks 2025:
This is how far NZR have fallen; calling this tour a Grand Slam
Is it not a Grand Slam? Ireland are happy to head away from home for $$$; that's on them isn't it?
I mean, it's not great - but I can't get super upset about it
Edit: Wikipedia has this
In another context, a Grand Slam tour refers to a touring side – South Africa, Australia or New Zealand – which plays fixtures against all four home nations (England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales) during their tour. If the tourists win all of those matches, they are said to have achieved a Grand Slam. This has been done nine times, first by South Africa in 1912–13, and most recently by New Zealand in 2010.
@nzzp said in All Blacks 2025:
@antipodean said in All Blacks 2025:
This is how far NZR have fallen; calling this tour a Grand Slam
Is it not a Grand Slam? Ireland are happy to head away from home for $$$; that's on them isn't it?
I mean, it's not great - but I can't get super upset about it
Edit: Wikipedia has this
In another context, a Grand Slam tour refers to a touring side – South Africa, Australia or New Zealand – which plays fixtures against all four home nations (England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales) during their tour. If the tourists win all of those matches, they are said to have achieved a Grand Slam. This has been done nine times, first by South Africa in 1912–13, and most recently by New Zealand in 2010.
The All Blacks are playing Ireland, not some invitational Chicago XV. Definitely a Grand Slam
-
I don't understand why there any confusion, the ABs are playing the 4 home nation on a tour, how is it not a Grand Slam?
@ARHS , you do know that US is a second tier country don't you? And out of interest I think ABs have played more countries like Tonga. Fiji, and Fiji than they have played in USA anyway. -
I am 100% with @antipodean on this. Playing an exhibition match against Ireland in Chicago on a field that doesn't even meet the minimum requirements is not the same as playing them in Dublin, and it's not even close. At best it massively cheapens the idea of the grand slam, but really it's better to just accept that it isn't one in the first place.
-
I think it's a bloody disgrace that we care so little about our fans and supporting countries that we can play more matches in USA than against all second tier nations combined.
So when everyone bitches about why some players not getting developed and enough opportunities this year, and why the All Black brand is going down the gurgler, just think of the Fijians, Samoans, Tongans, Japanese, Georgians and Italians who are being reminded of just how valued they are.
Who is making all these decisions???
