All Blacks 2025
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Wait (a few) people are getting upset about the All Blacks playing a test in the United States of America.
Hang on until they find out where's the 2031 Rugby World Cup going be hosted.
@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
Wait (a few) people are getting upset about the All Blacks playing a test in the United States of America.
Hang on until they find out where's the 2031 Rugby World Cup going be hosted.
Are you being deliberately obtuse?
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@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
Wait (a few) people are getting upset about the All Blacks playing a test in the United States of America.
Hang on until they find out where's the 2031 Rugby World Cup going be hosted.
Are you being deliberately obtuse?
@antipodean No, I'm expressing an opinion.
It's a Rugby Forum. You (or I for that matter) are going to find different opinions here.
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For those talking about the 95 WC, this is on the ABs website for this upcoming "Grand Slam" tour:
"While not officially recognised as a Grand Slam tour, the 1995 All Blacks beat Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England at the Rugby World Cup in South Africa."
https://www.allblacks.com/news/all-blacks-2025-grand-slam-northern-tour-schedule-confirmed
The obvious reason for 95 not being officially recognised is that we were not playing them in their own back yards, so it's not the same. But for this tour, we have decided to allow one game to be played at a neutral venue and still claim it's a Grand Slam.
I'm not sure what's so difficult to understand here. Everybody understands the commercial realities for exhibition matches like this, so that part is not up for debate. But to call it a Grand Slam when one of the toughest matches is at a neutral venue on a field that doesn't even meet the minimum requirements is just silly.
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For those talking about the 95 WC, this is on the ABs website for this upcoming "Grand Slam" tour:
"While not officially recognised as a Grand Slam tour, the 1995 All Blacks beat Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England at the Rugby World Cup in South Africa."
https://www.allblacks.com/news/all-blacks-2025-grand-slam-northern-tour-schedule-confirmed
The obvious reason for 95 not being officially recognised is that we were not playing them in their own back yards, so it's not the same. But for this tour, we have decided to allow one game to be played at a neutral venue and still claim it's a Grand Slam.
I'm not sure what's so difficult to understand here. Everybody understands the commercial realities for exhibition matches like this, so that part is not up for debate. But to call it a Grand Slam when one of the toughest matches is at a neutral venue on a field that doesn't even meet the minimum requirements is just silly.
@No-Quarter said in All Blacks 2025:
For those talking about the 95 WC, this is on the ABs website for this upcoming "Grand Slam" tour:
"While not officially recognised as a Grand Slam tour, the 1995 All Blacks beat Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England at the Rugby World Cup in South Africa."
https://www.allblacks.com/news/all-blacks-2025-grand-slam-northern-tour-schedule-confirmed
The obvious reason for 95 not being officially recognised is that we were not playing them in their own back yards, so it's not the same. But for this tour, we have decided to allow one game to be played at a neutral venue and still claim it's a Grand Slam.
I'm not sure what's so difficult to understand here. Everybody understands the commercial realities for exhibition matches like this, so that part is not up for debate. But to call it a Grand Slam when one of the toughest matches is at a neutral venue on a field that doesn't even meet the minimum requirements is just silly.
You're not letting this go are you ?
Surely the teams being played is the main factor and the venue is an afterthought, especially in this day and age ?
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@MN5 what do you mean "in this day and age?" Are you implying that in the modern game home advantage is not a factor anymore?
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@MN5 what do you mean "in this day and age?" Are you implying that in the modern game home advantage is not a factor anymore?
@No-Quarter said in All Blacks 2025:
@MN5 what do you mean "in this day and age?" Are you implying that in the modern game home advantage is not a factor anymore?
Absolutely not, just pointing out that games are played at neutral venues far more often.
You know I'm usually a big fan of what you post I just find it amusing you're making such a stand about this
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And of course I'm not letting this go, nobody else has, and it's Friday, my motivation to work is low, so starting meaningless fights on the Fern is the best way to pass the time
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And of course I'm not letting this go, nobody else has, and it's Friday, my motivation to work is low, so starting meaningless fights on the Fern is the best way to pass the time
@No-Quarter said in All Blacks 2025:
And of course I'm not letting this go, nobody else has, and it's Friday, my motivation to work is low, so starting meaningless fights on the Fern is the best way to pass the time
Fair enough.
Razor picking Ethan Blackadder and David Havilii and ignoring Akira Ioane and Hoskins Sotutu was a coaching masterstroke.
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@MN5 yeah I get that the neutral venue is more common now, the argument is that forging ahead with calling it a Grand Slam regardless of that undermines the concept of it. I'm probably just raging against the times, might need to head to the GOM thread. Rugby is a game steeped in tradition which is what has made it special for so many players and fans, and the Fish heads in charge now don't seem to give a crap about that.
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@MN5 yeah I get that the neutral venue is more common now, the argument is that forging ahead with calling it a Grand Slam regardless of that undermines the concept of it. I'm probably just raging against the times, might need to head to the GOM thread. Rugby is a game steeped in tradition which is what has made it special for so many players and fans, and the Fish heads in charge now don't seem to give a crap about that.
@No-Quarter said in All Blacks 2025:
@MN5 yeah I get that the neutral venue is more common now, the argument is that forging ahead with calling it a Grand Slam regardless of that undermines the concept of it. I'm probably just raging against the times, might need to head to the GOM thread. Rugby is a game steeped in tradition which is what has made it special for so many players and fans, and the Fish heads in charge now don't seem to give a crap about that.
Fair argument.
But money talks very loudly.
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@MN5 what do you mean "in this day and age?" Are you implying that in the modern game home advantage is not a factor anymore?
@No-Quarter said in All Blacks 2025:
@MN5 what do you mean "in this day and age?" Are you implying that in the modern game home advantage is not a factor anymore?
You do know it's officially part of autumn series (well Ireland is marketing it as such) and from what I see as home union Irish rugby seems to be selling tickets to it already. Are grnd slams meant to be only held at Landsowne Rd, Murrayfield, , Twickenham and Cardiff Arms where they always were? Or do we move on?
We haven't bloody won it yet anyway!:beaming_face_with_smiling_eyes: -
And of course I'm not letting this go, nobody else has, and it's Friday, my motivation to work is low, so starting meaningless fights on the Fern is the best way to pass the time
@No-Quarter said in All Blacks 2025:
And of course I'm not letting this go, nobody else has, and it's Friday, my motivation to work is low, so starting meaningless fights on the Fern is the best way to pass the time
i just watched/listened too a 40min you tube vid of a guy building a desk....so yeah, i feel ya
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i'll admit i always considered beating the them all at their home grounds as being part of a Grand Slam
@Kiwiwomble said in All Blacks 2025:
i'll admit i always considered beating the them all at their home grounds as being part of a Grand Slam
Of course you never played tests in neutral venues before the RWC era. Times change
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Takeaways after 2 rounds of Super.
Im not impressed, from an Allblack perspective, with DMAC and Beaudy playing 15 instead of 10.
Ardies vanity project in Moana is a complete waste of time. They have shipped 100 points in 2 games.
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Takeaways after 2 rounds of Super.
Im not impressed, from an Allblack perspective, with DMAC and Beaudy playing 15 instead of 10.
Ardies vanity project in Moana is a complete waste of time. They have shipped 100 points in 2 games.
@Jet said in All Blacks 2025:
Im not impressed, from an Allblack perspective, with DMAC and Beaudy playing 15 instead of 10.
It is a bit weird isn't it?
Much as though the thought of David Havili at 10 filled me with horror, I did like the way Robertson and the Crusaders worked together to see how he went at 10 at SR level.
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@Jet said in All Blacks 2025:
@antipodean said in All Blacks 2025:
@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.
What annoys me is the "milking" of a brand thats in danger of becoming irrelevant.
It's all well and good selling out to Ineos, Altrad and playing games in the U.S if you are the "Harlem Globetrotters" of your sport. But we are now losing regularly to France, Ireland and South Africa and even Argentina and still strutting around like we are the cock of the walk.
We could do with winning the odd tournament to justify our lofty sense of self worth these days.
The modern day iteration of the Allblacks are all fur coat and no knickers.
Winning is all that matters and the rest is superfluous.
The first Chicago expedition was the start of the current malaise.
I think it is more commercial realities where the AB brand is the growth engine for NZR.
Yes, you are correct - the continued success/Brand of ABs/NZR requires success. Ideally at a world cup level.
I dont think it is becoming irrelevant, its amazing how quickly the aura is restored after a period of non domination of the sport - which we are in now. Besting the boks at home would help of course and is a must for a number of reasons
@DaGrubster said in All Blacks 2025:
Yes, you are correct - the continued success/Brand of ABs/NZR requires success. Ideally at a world cup level.
Just a thought. The All Blacks built the brand off 92 years of dour amateurism, a bare 70% winning record (I'll check exact numbers later), and being worse than South Africa, compounded by a 24 year gap between World Cups.
A game or two per year in neutral territory is not destroying the brand.
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Takeaways after 2 rounds of Super.
Im not impressed, from an Allblack perspective, with DMAC and Beaudy playing 15 instead of 10.
Ardies vanity project in Moana is a complete waste of time. They have shipped 100 points in 2 games.
@Jet said in All Blacks 2025:
Takeaways after 2 rounds of Super.
Im not impressed, from an Allblack perspective, with DMAC and Beaudy playing 15 instead of 10.
Ardies vanity project in Moana is a complete waste of time. They have shipped 100 points in 2 games.
Could be good for him to face more adversity than usual and have to get into the muck more trying to stop teams from running away from MP - they can still turn it on in attack. He was average in black last year so this change might get him back to his top form.
Probably doesn't matter too much that DMac is playing 15 while the regular 15s are out, he's still leading the team.
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This post is deleted!
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And of course I'm not letting this go, nobody else has, and it's Friday, my motivation to work is low, so starting meaningless fights on the Fern is the best way to pass the time
@No-Quarter said in All Blacks 2025:
And of course I'm not letting this go, nobody else has, and it's Friday, my motivation to work is low, so starting meaningless fights on the Fern is the best way to pass the time
Not sure if this has been mentioned but a 6 nations grand slam includes winning games at home. Just saying.
