2025 All Blacks v France series
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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 -
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.
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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.
@Nepia said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
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.
Gutted to not have Tangitau fit.
Big Jim adds some oomph, but Tangitau would have been icing on the cake.
Imagine:
- Rieko 14. Tangitau 15. Jordan
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@Nepia said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
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.
Gutted to not have Tangitau fit.
Big Jim adds some oomph, but Tangitau would have been icing on the cake.
Imagine:
- Rieko 14. Tangitau 15. Jordan
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Only one specialist 8, two specialist wingers. Not a fan of utility players all over the place.
Same as 10s playing 15, they fixed fullback now that maliase is spreading around the team. Locks that aren't that great at 6 covering six.
A giant cup of meh.
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@Jet the trouble with that is that the Rieko you are imagining is from quite a few years ago now.
@reprobate said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
@Jet the trouble with that is that the Rieko you are imagining is from quite a few years ago now.
Deep down, I know you are right.
On the breakdown they were talking about Rieko to the wing and showed some highlights.
His try against France, His try against Wales (one of my all-time favourites) .
They were from 2018 and 2017 respectively.
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@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.
Oh yes. McAlister and Norris proven test form has secured them their spots.
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Only one specialist 8, two specialist wingers. Not a fan of utility players all over the place.
Same as 10s playing 15, they fixed fullback now that maliase is spreading around the team. Locks that aren't that great at 6 covering six.
A giant cup of meh.
@Kirwan said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:
Only one specialist 8, two specialist wingers. Not a fan of utility players all over the place.
Same as 10s playing 15, they fixed fullback now that maliase is spreading around the team. Locks that aren't that great at 6 covering six.
A giant cup of meh.
No Papalii, Sotutu or Fusitua.
Blues not doing well.
