2025 All Blacks v France series
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No Blackadder and havilli is still a shock to me even if it was tipped .
Maybe it’s time for us to let the theory of the razor crusader bias go
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@reprobate said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
@Jet said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
Only 5 loosies.......seems a bit light?
The most attritional position, 5 guys to cover 3 spots, and no lock/6. And 6 midfielders to cover 2 spots?
arent both scooter and vaai lock/6's?
plus savea is an 80min player
@Kiwiwomble said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
@reprobate said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
@Jet said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
Only 5 loosies.......seems a bit light?
The most attritional position, 5 guys to cover 3 spots, and no lock/6. And 6 midfielders to cover 2 spots?
arent both scooter and vaai lock/6's?
plus savea is an 80min player
Barrett isn't a 6's arsehole, and the few times hes played there it has been a disaster. When has Vaai played there?
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@Kiwiwomble said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
@Jet said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
Only 5 loosies.......seems a bit light?
Tavatavanawai to cover 7
Would love to see him and Kirifi on the field at the same time.
@Canes4life said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
@Kiwiwomble said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
@Jet said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
Only 5 loosies.......seems a bit light?
Tavatavanawai to cover 7
Would love to see him and Kirifi on the field at the same time.
Du Plessi has toiled away for years. Delighted for him.
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@Kiwiwomble said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
@reprobate said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
@Jet said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
Only 5 loosies.......seems a bit light?
The most attritional position, 5 guys to cover 3 spots, and no lock/6. And 6 midfielders to cover 2 spots?
arent both scooter and vaai lock/6's?
plus savea is an 80min player
Barrett isn't a 6's arsehole, and the few times hes played there it has been a disaster. When has Vaai played there?
@reprobate said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
@Kiwiwomble said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
@reprobate said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
@Jet said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
Only 5 loosies.......seems a bit light?
The most attritional position, 5 guys to cover 3 spots, and no lock/6. And 6 midfielders to cover 2 spots?
arent both scooter and vaai lock/6's?
plus savea is an 80min player
Barrett isn't a 6's arsehole, and the few times hes played there it has been a disaster. When has Vaai played there?
Think Vaai covered 6 a few times in black?
Or was subbed on or switched to 6 in the infancy of his career.
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No Blackadder and havilli is still a shock to me even if it was tipped .
Maybe it’s time for us to let the theory of the razor crusader bias go
@kiwiinmelb said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
No Blackadder and havilli is still a shock to me even if it was tipped .
Maybe it’s time for us to let the theory of the razor crusader bias go
It feels like his comments around being bolder with selections pertains to not just favouring players he has worked with before (which looks like bias). Very pleased, though I really think they could have made room for Sotutu...
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Vaa'i has the attributes to go well at 6 but he needs some serious game time there. SB - Holland - Vaa'i would give us a LOT more height
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Based on those selections who starts the first test?
Have the odds come out for the NPC yet? Ta$man will have Blackadder, Havili and Lester. Worth a cheeky bet.
@Canes4life Perhaps a first test starting backline of Roigard, BB, Clarke, JB, Proctor, Reece, Jordan
and a backs bench of Ratima, McKenzie and Ioane -
It's concerning that the Chiefs have the most forwards with 6 after they failed to do a job against the Blues and Crusaders.
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Vaa'i has the attributes to go well at 6 but he needs some serious game time there. SB - Holland - Vaa'i would give us a LOT more height
@No-Quarter said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
Vaa'i has the attributes to go well at 6 but he needs some serious game time there. SB - Holland - Vaa'i would give us a LOT more height
To me he is completely unproven as a 6, and being selected to cover that spot for the best team in the world is bizarre. Barrett even worse, is a proven failure at 6.
Being a short lock doesn't make you a 6.
It just smacks of 'couldn't make a decision on the midfielders' to me. -
Not a bad squad.
The only guy I'm genuinely annoyed about in this squad is Reece.
Lio-Willie's inclusion as cover means form counts this year in a way it didn't last year. I think Sotutu offers more but are we resigned to seeing him turn out for England or Fiji. Don't mind Kirifi's selection after years of toiling away.
Scooter better fucking not be covering 6, it took him most of the season to get into form at his usual spot without him being shifted. And then if we move Vaa'i then were moving our best performing lock of the last two years.
I wonder if Tupaea will get a decent shot this year? Hard to overcome the last name Barrett in NZ rugby.
The finals don't appear to have had an impact on the selections.
Pleased to see McAlister there, Bell hasn't looked up to the task and isn't even the next best hooker in his franchise.
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It's concerning that the Chiefs have the most forwards with 6 after they failed to do a job against the Blues and Crusaders.
@brodean said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
It's concerning that the Chiefs have the most forwards with 6 after they failed to do a job against the Blues and Crusaders.
Super form doesn't matter.
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@No-Quarter said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
Vaa'i has the attributes to go well at 6 but he needs some serious game time there. SB - Holland - Vaa'i would give us a LOT more height
To me he is completely unproven as a 6, and being selected to cover that spot for the best team in the world is bizarre. Barrett even worse, is a proven failure at 6.
Being a short lock doesn't make you a 6.
It just smacks of 'couldn't make a decision on the midfielders' to me.@reprobate said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
@No-Quarter said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
Vaa'i has the attributes to go well at 6 but he needs some serious game time there. SB - Holland - Vaa'i would give us a LOT more height
To me he is completely unproven as a 6, and being selected to cover that spot for the best team in the world is bizarre. Barrett even worse, is a proven failure at 6.
Being a short lock doesn't make you a 6.
It just smacks of 'couldn't make a decision on the midfielders' to me.Was ALB really necessary?
Look at Ireland. It's Aki, Henshaw and Ringrose. Any 2 of the 3 every week for the last few years.
We selected 6 blokes, one of whom is crocked.
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Havili is missing out.
@SouthernMann you had that 20mins ahead of time good on ya, I had a gut feel Havili was gonna be on the chopping block as James O'Connor was saying on his podcast the other week why isn't Daveys name out there when talking about ABs 12
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@No-Quarter said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
Vaa'i has the attributes to go well at 6 but he needs some serious game time there. SB - Holland - Vaa'i would give us a LOT more height
To me he is completely unproven as a 6, and being selected to cover that spot for the best team in the world is bizarre. Barrett even worse, is a proven failure at 6.
Being a short lock doesn't make you a 6.
It just smacks of 'couldn't make a decision on the midfielders' to me.@reprobate said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
@No-Quarter said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
Vaa'i has the attributes to go well at 6 but he needs some serious game time there. SB - Holland - Vaa'i would give us a LOT more height
To me he is completely unproven as a 6, and being selected to cover that spot for the best team in the world is bizarre. Barrett even worse, is a proven failure at 6.
Being a short lock doesn't make you a 6.
It just smacks of 'couldn't make a decision on the midfielders' to me.I think Simon Parker is a certainty for the four nations and, impressively, they really didn't want to select Blackadder.
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@Landers92 said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
Big Jim!!!! Love to see it.
I'd still be concerned about his pace as a winger at this level. BUT he certainly will offer something different off the bench.
