All Blacks 2025

[Chris B.]

So, by the end of last year, I reckon the starting XV was pretty clear and I'm expecting for the first test vs France they'll roll out something pretty much as close as possible to this.

Williams
Taylor
Lomax
Barrett
Vaa'i
Sititi
Cane
Savea
Roigard
Barrett
Clarke
Barrett
Ioane
Tele'a
Jordan

Cane's obviously not available and Tele'a signed offshore, so seems little point persisting with him.

So a loosie to join Sititi and Savea - and frankly it could be someone rolled at at any of 6,7 or 8.

Reece probably has the inside running to replace Tele'a.

Anyone else likely to lose their place? I'm pretty doubtful.

DMac might supplant Beaudy if he plays out of his skin this week and next and BB shits the bed tonight - but, I honestly don't see that switch happening.

[Bovidae]

@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2025:

They will also be bringing in a lineout specialist

Bryn Evans.

[Frank]

Hope Williams and Parker from the Chiefs are available for AB selection. Who is certainly out - Aumua from the Canes?

[Chris B.]

@Frank ALB is in doubt - broken collarbone.

Ofa Tu'ungafasi? Sam Darry? Steve Perofeta?

[Canes4life]

@Frank said in All Blacks 2025:

Hope Williams and Parker from the Chiefs are available for AB selection. Who is certainly out - Aumua from the Canes?

Lakai looked pretty sore coming off against the Brumbies last week, looked to be a knee injury so that might rule him out of selection.

[JKP]

@frugby
Aren't we better than the sum of our parts? We clearly aren't at the moment but to me that was always our point of difference.

[Steven Harris]

@Frank had it confirmed Parker’s injury is 6-8 weeks but more interestingly his rehab is being managed by the All Black medical team

[JKP]

@reprobate

But for everyone of them - Rodders/Colins/Kaino/Williams(!)/Thorn/Hayman/Woodcock/Hore/Mealamu/Coles did heavy lifting - it was clever and disciplined. That in my view is what we are missing.

[zedsdeadbaby]

Darry mentioned on Rugby Direct a few weeks back his target was Canterbury NPC pre season games so he’s a no.

[Canes4life]

Bryn Evans joins AB coaching team.

[MN5]

What does it take for a player to finally get the recognition he deserves—raw talent, relentless consistency, or just the right coach watching at the right time? David Havili might be the All Blacks’ most underrated weapon, and it’s a veteran Wallaby, of all people, sounding the alarm. James O’Connor has played alongside rugby’s elite, but when asked about Havili, he didn’t hesitate: “One of the best I’ve played with.” That’s not praise tossed around lightly, especially not ahead of a blockbuster Super Rugby semi-final.

Havili’s 2025 season reads like a captain’s masterclass. Since taking over the Crusaders’ armband from Scott Barrett, he hasn’t missed a beat—or a start. His leadership and midfield command helped drag the Crusaders from last year’s stumbles back into title contention. And yet, while other names swirl in All Blacks debates—Jordie Barrett, Quinn Tupaea, Timoci Tavatavanawai—Havili remains curiously left out of the headline conversations. Not for O’Connor. Not for Justin Marshall. And definitely not for those watching closely.

His vision, his crisp distribution under pressure, his calm in chaos—these are the traits of a world-class No. 12. And with the Blues looming this Friday in Christchurch, it’s the perfect stage for Havili to force the selectors’ hands. He’s not just in form. He’s leading from the front, starting in every game, making a case not with talk, but with performances.

There’s a quiet fire in David Havili. And if the All Blacks blink, they might just miss out on a centre who’s been doing it all right—just without the fanfare.

#DavidHavili #AllBlacks #SuperRugbyPacific #Crusaders #RugbyChampionship #RugbyUnion #HaviliFor12

Stolen from Facebook, couldn’t have put it better myself

[SammyC]

Classic that your browsing Facebook and repostiing obvious AI bulshit when there’s an actual game of rugby on in which Havili played really well.

[Mr Fish]

I do think Havili is underrated and with a game plan that accounted for his strengths, could be a good international player. If you're going to insist on using him as a battering ram then you're going to have a bad time.

[MN5]

@SammyC said in All Blacks 2025:

Classic that your browsing Facebook and repostiing obvious AI bulshit when there’s an actual game of rugby on in which Havili played really well.

*you’re

I was multitasking.

[nostrildamus]

@MN5 said in All Blacks 2025:

What does it take for a player to finally get the recognition he deserves—raw talent, relentless consistency, or just the right coach watching at the right time? David Havili might be the All Blacks’ most underrated weapon, and it’s a veteran Wallaby, of all people, sounding the alarm.

And he's a potential Wallaby too, a team that desperately wants to win back the Bledisloe. Of course we should trust the words of a bulked up Justin Bieber with an aussie twang.

[ACT Crusader]

@Mr-Fish said in All Blacks 2025:

I do think Havili is underrated and with a game plan that accounted for his strengths, could be a good international player. If you're going to insist on using him as a battering ram then you're going to have a bad time.

There’s two tests vs the Boks and Wallabies where I thought the patterns we ran suited his strengths - a wider channel and not as flat. He still carted ball up into traffic and actually made metres but it was when we spread a little wider that he was able to have more positive impact.

I still think they will go for Jordie

[Victor Meldrew]

@MN5

The elephant in the room is how much better Scooter has gone since handing over the captaincy

[kiwiinmelb]

With alb out , I can’t see how havilli misses out on squad selection considering he has had a good SR season and was already a razor favourite.

[ploughboy]

don't think ALB is out for much longer final is played on week 8 from injury

[brodean]

@kiwiinmelb

He played in 3 tests at the end of last year including the last test. He's basically a 23 incumbent.