All Blacks 2025
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@Kiwiwomble Can it also not be true that some of these guys just aren’t that good.
On paper, our pack compared to Ireland’s was inferior… not sure that has ever been the case. Whoever we put out, the backline is always there or thereabouts, but for sometime now we have looked world class blindsides/number eights. Harry Wilson for example, walks into the ABs but possibly doesn’t even start for Australia.
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Hope Williams and Parker from the Chiefs are available for AB selection. Who is certainly out - Aumua from the Canes?
@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
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@Duluth said in All Blacks 2025:
@reprobate said in All Blacks 2025:
Ruthless is a requirement, but you can be hard without being an arsehole mate. Look at all our recent greats.
Like Retallick & Coles? The standards shift depending on who the player is. In reality people like/dislike certain players and they give a pass to players they like
I don't think Retallick. Coles sure.
Not whitelock, not mccaw, not read, not 3xsmiths, not nonu etc.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.
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Darry mentioned on Rugby Direct a few weeks back his target was Canterbury NPC pre season games so he’s a no.
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Bryn Evans joins AB coaching team.
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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
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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.
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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
@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.
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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.
@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
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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
The elephant in the room is how much better Scooter has gone since handing over the captaincy
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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.
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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.
He played in 3 tests at the end of last year including the last test. He's basically a 23 incumbent.
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I'd still like to see what Lam could do.
@nostrildamus especially if they are gonna run BB at 10, combinations are important
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BB? Behind DMac one presumes, but holding on with his fingernails to backup 10?
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@nostrildamus especially if they are gonna run BB at 10, combinations are important
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I'm juatbsaying I think the coaches still see BB as an option, but maybe they will change the way they use Lam in black...not holding my breath, but that's my thinking...
