All Blacks 2025

KiwiInLondon

@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:

@Bones If Patty T hits form or Sam Darry gets fit, I'd bump them above Holland, but I'm intrigued to see how he'd go at Test level.

Probably I'd like eventually to see
12 Quinn Tupaea
14 Will Jordan
15 Jordie Barrett

But Jordie's playing well at provincial level at 12 and Will Jordan at 15 so I'd leave them there for now.

We sure Holland isn’t just the lock version of Tom Christie with a better PR team?

Holland vs Behree

Minutes
Holland: 647
Behree: 578

Carries
Holland: 51
Behree: 74

Metres
Holland:84
Behree: 187

Post contact metres
Holland: 95
Behree: 153

Defenders beaten
Holland: 2
Behree:11

Tackles:
Holland: 143 (88%)
Behree: 110 (90%)

sparky

@KiwiInLondon Fabian Holland was bloody good for the All Blacks XV against Munster last year. He won the Man of the Match award. He's a big old unit and an easy lineout target, although his Super form has been mixed this year.

KiwiInLondon

@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:

@KiwiInLondon Fabian Holland was bloody good for the All Blacks XV against Munster last year. He won the Man of the Match award. He's a big old unit and an easy lineout target, although his Super form has been mixed this year.

I watched that game. I have a funny ol feeling that MoM award wasn’t entirely based on who played the best…

canefan

@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:

@canefan It's what I'd pick, not what I think Razor will pick.

I won't be too upset to see David Havili in the ABs squad. He's playing better than last year.

I don't see Ethan Blackadder and Chay Fihaki as anything other than solid to average Super Rugby players. But I don't pick the side.

DH may be in form, but apart from one game in SA, has he shown he belongs at test level? Not for me

Victor Meldrew

Is it just me, or has Cam Roigard off his form a bit or is he still nursing some sort of Blackadder we don't know about?

He just hasn't looked that sharp to me so far

antipodean

@Victor-Meldrew I'll take a "Cam Roigard off his form a bit" over a Finlay Christie every day of the week.

BerniesCorner

Geez I hope Razor and Co throw caution to the wind this year and pick form players.
For the past god knows how many years we have been picking underperforming incumbents. Done my head in.
A fleet seven, a 12-13 combo that distributes, young back stars.
For starters unleash the young Canes.
Form is king, bring back the excitement

BerniesCorner

And stop mucking around. DMac is the starting first five for 2025 unless there is an injury.

antipodean

@BerniesCorner said in All Blacks 2025:

For starters unleash the young Canes.

A win in Canberra and the bandwagon is overloaded.

BerniesCorner

@antipodean said in All Blacks 2025:

@BerniesCorner said in All Blacks 2025:

For starters unleash the young Canes.

A win in Canberra and the bandwagon is overloaded.

Nope, Proctor should have had a run yonks ago.
And we have had a slow 7 forever

DaGrubster

@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2025:

Is it just me, or has Cam Roigard off his form a bit or is he still nursing some sort of Blackadder we don't know about?

He just hasn't looked that sharp to me so far

I was thinking that too. He has out away his running game for now and playing very conservatively.

DaGrubster

@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:

@sparky like it, not sold on Holland yet though and tempted to switch Jordie and Tupaea.

I dont think he has kicked on as much as i thouhht he would but his potential is obvious.

He is a big man, technically very good at set piece and breakdown and hits rucks.

He would be our biggest lock and our starting locks are less thsn 2m

MN5

@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:

This is what I've currently got pencilled in for the First Test, but it will be interesting to see how players go at the business end of the season.

T. Williams

C. Taylor

T. Lomax

S. Barrett (c)

T. Vai'i

S. Finau

A. Savea

W. Sititi

C. Ratima

DMac

C. Clarke

J. Barrett

B. Proctor

E. Narawa

W.Jordan

S. Taukei'aho

E. De Groot

F. Newell

F. Holland

P. Lakai

C. Roigard

R. Love

Q. Tupaea

This team would be terrific if it was actually rolled out. Whether that happens is the big question.

That loose trio is caramel strawberry mint choc chip with a dynamic coating of cookies and cream and licorice compared to the vanilla we're used to. I'm still not convinced Finau can smash anyone other than small first fives but my point stands.

Some really nice impact on that bench too.

frugby

It's almost as if Holland has been inconsistent because the Highlanders picked an illogical squad, forcing them to overplay him. I'd like to see some of those stats adjusted for possession too.

Sometimes Highlanders fans desperately over-rate players, but Fabian Holland isn't one of them. Holland's best game is way better than anything Beehre can deliver, and time will show that.

frugby

@KiwiInLondon said in All Blacks 2025:

@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:

@Bones If Patty T hits form or Sam Darry gets fit, I'd bump them above Holland, but I'm intrigued to see how he'd go at Test level.

Probably I'd like eventually to see
12 Quinn Tupaea
14 Will Jordan
15 Jordie Barrett

But Jordie's playing well at provincial level at 12 and Will Jordan at 15 so I'd leave them there for now.

We sure Holland isn’t just the lock version of Tom Christie with a better PR team?

Holland vs Behree

Minutes
Holland: 647
Behree: 578

Carries
Holland: 51
Behree: 74

Metres
Holland:84
Behree: 187

Post contact metres
Holland: 95
Behree: 153

Defenders beaten
Holland: 2
Behree:11

Tackles:
Holland: 143 (88%)
Behree: 110 (90%)

Where are you getting these stats from?

Opta has Holland at 207m from 51 carries. I'd also note his 12 dominant tackles. Two different styles of players, who as it has been pointed out, probably shouldn't be competing for the same spot.

Steven Harris

@frugby i think you will find Beehre is a more traditional tight lock who will do all the hard yards close in
Based on the stats posted its pretty impressive
Once Tuipulotu moves on Josh will find himself in the 4 jersey imo
I have been told by a few sources that he is excptionally strong in the scrummaging department
Hes taken his opportunity in Sam Darry’s absence
Holland should be an All Black this year ,but it would surprise me if Beehre becomes an All Black in the next couple of years

sparky

@Steven-Harris I remember almost all of us agreeing that Lock was going to be a problem position after Sam Whitelock and Brodie Retallick moved on. Great to see so much talent coming through in the Engine Room.

darylmitchell

@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:

This is what I've currently got pencilled in for the First Test, but it will be interesting to see how players go at the business end of the season.

T. Williams

C. Taylor

T. Lomax

S. Barrett (c)

T. Vai'i

S.Parker

A. Savea

W. Sititi

C. Ratima

DMac

C. Clarke

J. Barrett

B. Proctor

C.Tangitau

W.Jordan

Fixed.

sparky

@darylmitchell

A polite no to both suggestions from me at the moment. I see those two as All Blacks XV players this year unless they improve a bit in these last few rounds of Super Rugby.

Caleb Tangitau has the pace, but I want to see him looking for work more and backing up performances by playing well week after week before I see him as an All Black. Emoni Narawa is all-class and deserves a run of two or three games to show what he can do in a Test jersey.

Simon Parker is definitely a long-term project and reminds me a lot of Scott Barrett in how he plays and as an athlete. Samipeni Finau has impressed when games are on the line a bit more. He's added lineout and defensive reliability to his obvious dynamism. He did well on the All Blacks EOYT last year.

Simon Parker is definitely one I'd be saying to "some people see you as an All Black now prove it at the business end of the season".

Bones

@darylmitchell think Parker is just a bit too much like Sititi.

The Silver Fern

All Blacks 2025