2025 All Blacks v France series
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PT runs a better lineout than Barrett and is a better lineout jumper.
PT better on the carry and Barrett better at the breakdown.
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@Bones gut feeling is that Kirifi hasn’t taken his chance, and will be usurped by Lakai when he returns. Be good to see him given a proper go this week though.
@frugby said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:
@Bones gut feeling is that Kirifi hasn’t taken his chance, and will be usurped by Lakai when he returns. Be good to see him given a proper go this week though.
Yeah Kirifi seems to have the unwanted "busy but ineffective" Blackadder tag, unfortunately you can also add "small" to that.
Griping with the ref and not getting turnovers. Did he actually do anything of note ?
Would love him to prove me wrong next week.
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@Bones gut feeling is that Kirifi hasn’t taken his chance, and will be usurped by Lakai when he returns. Be good to see him given a proper go this week though.
@frugby said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:
@Bones gut feeling is that Kirifi hasn’t taken his chance, and will be usurped by Lakai when he returns. Be good to see him given a proper go this week though.
He took quite a long time to become a dominant force at SR level too. Unfortunately you don't get that opportunity in test rugby, especially at his age. I get the feeling he's doing his best to do the role given, but it probably doesn't suit him and he needs to just go out rip shit n bust.
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Vaa'i did well for his try. He's probably deceptively fast but he definitely runs like a lock and not a loose forward.
Him at 6 is working well for the ABs. He went a bit better this week. Maybe PT in at lock helped with that.
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@Duluth said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:
https://www.rugbypass.com/plus/why-new-zealand-learned-more-from-their-july-series-than-france/
What absolute nonsense
France did far better than any pundit predicted and will go forward with a huge playing base
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@Duluth said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:
https://www.rugbypass.com/plus/why-new-zealand-learned-more-from-their-july-series-than-france/
What absolute nonsense
France did far better than any pundit predicted and will go forward with a huge playing base
Yeah the reaction to a disjointed AB side has been strangely positive in the media.
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Robertson might say a bit of stuff about what the team has learned from the series but the real question is whether or not they apply that knowledge in the future. I look forward to the improved tactical kicking, better use of the bench and game plan adaptability.
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Robertson might say a bit of stuff about what the team has learned from the series but the real question is whether or not they apply that knowledge in the future. I look forward to the improved tactical kicking, better use of the bench and game plan adaptability.
@ShaquilleOatmeal said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:
I look forward to the improved tactical kicking, better use of the bench and game plan adaptability.
Yep, and I expect to win lotto this weekend.
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@Duluth said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:
https://www.rugbypass.com/plus/why-new-zealand-learned-more-from-their-july-series-than-france/
Fair comment about the tactically poor appreciation of the space provided by France with both their wingers up and a shallow fullback.
Kicking in New Zealand rugby is as poor as I've ever seen it.
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@Duluth said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:
https://www.rugbypass.com/plus/why-new-zealand-learned-more-from-their-july-series-than-france/
Fair comment about the tactically poor appreciation of the space provided by France with both their wingers up and a shallow fullback.
Kicking in New Zealand rugby is as poor as I've ever seen it.
@antipodean said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:
@Duluth said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:
https://www.rugbypass.com/plus/why-new-zealand-learned-more-from-their-july-series-than-france/
Fair comment about the tactically poor appreciation of the space provided by France with both their wingers up and a shallow fullback.
Kicking in New Zealand rugby is as poor as I've ever seen it.
We've never recovered since DC. Everyone remembers his amazing running game and focus on getting someone who can razzle dazzle, but they forget he was a very good kicker and alround tactical 10 as well
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I thought DMac played a solid game on the weekend. His kicking game was much stronger than BBs, he just didn't have much x factor. I don't mind that, and I'd like to see him get a run with Roigard and the top team
@canefan said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:
I thought DMac played a solid game on the weekend. His kicking game was much stronger than BBs, he just didn't have much x factor. I don't mind that, and I'd like to see him get a run with Roigard and the top team
The backline didn’t look as smooth with DMac at 10, particularly the out the back plays close to the line that opened up the French defence so well, looked noticeably disjointed in this test.
The tries scored were not nearly as well constructed as in the previous tests. The grubber that resulted in Kirifis try was a dirt poor option that was made to look good by the French 15 fumbling it and Reece stripping it. The ALB try didn’t scream the smooth and well constructed out the back plays we saw in the previous two tests either. No real excuses for Dmac with a 9,11,13 combo he was very familiar with.
Dmac has also been targeted under the high ball and it’s a clear vulnerability in the ABs backfield. The Crusaders did it in the final and the international teams will target him.
But we’re stuck between rock and a hard place with Barrett and McKenzie. Either Love or someone else has to step up
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@canefan said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:
I thought DMac played a solid game on the weekend. His kicking game was much stronger than BBs, he just didn't have much x factor. I don't mind that, and I'd like to see him get a run with Roigard and the top team
The backline didn’t look as smooth with DMac at 10, particularly the out the back plays close to the line that opened up the French defence so well, looked noticeably disjointed in this test.
The tries scored were not nearly as well constructed as in the previous tests. The grubber that resulted in Kirifis try was a dirt poor option that was made to look good by the French 15 fumbling it and Reece stripping it. The ALB try didn’t scream the smooth and well constructed out the back plays we saw in the previous two tests either. No real excuses for Dmac with a 9,11,13 combo he was very familiar with.
Dmac has also been targeted under the high ball and it’s a clear vulnerability in the ABs backfield. The Crusaders did it in the final and the international teams will target him.
But we’re stuck between rock and a hard place with Barrett and McKenzie. Either Love or someone else has to step up
@jimmyb said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:
@canefan said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:
I thought DMac played a solid game on the weekend. His kicking game was much stronger than BBs, he just didn't have much x factor. I don't mind that, and I'd like to see him get a run with Roigard and the top team
But we’re stuck between rock and a hard place with Barrett and McKenzie. Either Love or someone else has to step up
I’d like to see them give Love (given he’s the options they have in squad right now) significant game time throughout the Rugby Championship, introducing him from the bench with more and more minutes each game as the tournament goes on and eventually starting, until it’s clear whether or not he’s the best option going forward. No point in mucking around with Barrett for another two years.
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@jimmyb said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:
@canefan said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:
I thought DMac played a solid game on the weekend. His kicking game was much stronger than BBs, he just didn't have much x factor. I don't mind that, and I'd like to see him get a run with Roigard and the top team
But we’re stuck between rock and a hard place with Barrett and McKenzie. Either Love or someone else has to step up
I’d like to see them give Love (given he’s the options they have in squad right now) significant game time throughout the Rugby Championship, introducing him from the bench with more and more minutes each game as the tournament goes on and eventually starting, until it’s clear whether or not he’s the best option going forward. No point in mucking around with Barrett for another two years.
@ShaquilleOatmeal said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:
@jimmyb said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:
@canefan said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:
I thought DMac played a solid game on the weekend. His kicking game was much stronger than BBs, he just didn't have much x factor. I don't mind that, and I'd like to see him get a run with Roigard and the top team
But we’re stuck between rock and a hard place with Barrett and McKenzie. Either Love or someone else has to step up
I’d like to see them give Love (given he’s the options they have in squad right now) significant game time throughout the Rugby Championship, introducing him from the bench with more and more minutes each game as the tournament goes on and eventually starting, until it’s clear whether or not he’s the best option going forward. No point in mucking around with Barrett for another two years.
Agreed. Neither Barrett nor McKenzie are capable of winning a team a World Cup
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@canefan said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:
I thought DMac played a solid game on the weekend. His kicking game was much stronger than BBs, he just didn't have much x factor. I don't mind that, and I'd like to see him get a run with Roigard and the top team
The backline didn’t look as smooth with DMac at 10, particularly the out the back plays close to the line that opened up the French defence so well, looked noticeably disjointed in this test.
The tries scored were not nearly as well constructed as in the previous tests. The grubber that resulted in Kirifis try was a dirt poor option that was made to look good by the French 15 fumbling it and Reece stripping it. The ALB try didn’t scream the smooth and well constructed out the back plays we saw in the previous two tests either. No real excuses for Dmac with a 9,11,13 combo he was very familiar with.
Dmac has also been targeted under the high ball and it’s a clear vulnerability in the ABs backfield. The Crusaders did it in the final and the international teams will target him.
But we’re stuck between rock and a hard place with Barrett and McKenzie. Either Love or someone else has to step up
@jimmyb to be fair, DMax was playing with the B team, no wonder it was clunky. I'm not totally convinced either, but he needs a decent run with the top team to see if he can lift his level. Starting BB is just wasting opportunities to look at other prospects
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@jimmyb to be fair, DMax was playing with the B team, no wonder it was clunky. I'm not totally convinced either, but he needs a decent run with the top team to see if he can lift his level. Starting BB is just wasting opportunities to look at other prospects
@canefan said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:
@jimmyb to be fair, DMax was playing with the B team, no wonder it was clunky. I'm not totally convinced either, but he needs a decent run with the top team to see if he can lift his level. Starting BB is just wasting opportunities to look at other prospects
Exactly that, it's a shit call to say he had as good an opportunity as BB, when a vastly different team was rolled out. BB had the benefit of having DMac in his backline too...
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I'd go so far as to say it's shit management by the All Black coaches to not do a little mix and match across the three games so no particular Test you could say one was full strength. You want to see how players go when substituted in with considerable first choice experience around them. To see if they're the weak link or could be a multiplier.
I'm starting to believe that they're little more than fucking idiots.
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I'd go so far as to say it's shit management by the All Black coaches to not do a little mix and match across the three games so no particular Test you could say one was full strength. You want to see how players go when substituted in with considerable first choice experience around them. To see if they're the weak link or could be a multiplier.
I'm starting to believe that they're little more than fucking idiots.
@antipodean said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:
You want to see how players go when substituted in with considerable first choice experience around them.
You could argue they did do that if you look at Holland at lock, Proctor at 13, Vaai at 6 and Lio Willie at 8.
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Holland looks like the find of the series, he has the size, has the tools, and will only get better. As they were explaining on the rugby pod, the best thing is that his play suits a player like Patty T perfectly, so PT could put his focus on ball running a bit more as Holland was doing heaps of cleaning.
The pod were also talking up Kirifi - apparently very very high for cleaning, and they were making a similar argument that his work at the ruck was helping save Finau's legs so that he could also get the most out of his running game. Apparently, he had 80% gainline and of those 90% were 'super' fast ball.
