All Blacks 2025

booboo

@1kiwi said in All Blacks 2025:

With Noah Hotham under an injury cloud and may need to be replaced, who is the next cab off the rank? Xavier Roe, Kyle Preston?
But please no Christie.

I'd go Roe

Mr Fish

Would be shocked if it weren't Christie.

Otherwise probably Fakatava? Roe maybe.

sparky

@1kiwi Fakatava.

Bones

@Mr-Fish said in All Blacks 2025:

@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:

@Mr-Fish said in All Blacks 2025:

He doesn't have to play any games. If Robertson wants Leicester in the squad, NZR will let Robertson select him.

NZR might publicly say that the requirement is to play NPC but they've ignored that rule in recent years when convenient.

I can't think of any, who did they do that with?

TJ Perenara when he returned from Japan a couple of years back.

Oh true, that wasn't a sabbatical?

SBW1

@KiwiMurph He was around when we had a lot of depth at 10, pretty sure he faced the Lions when Dan Carter was injured.

stodders

@sparky Lakai all but started in 2024 against France, coming on in the 1st minute.

Mr Fish

@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:

@Mr-Fish said in All Blacks 2025:

@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:

@Mr-Fish said in All Blacks 2025:

He doesn't have to play any games. If Robertson wants Leicester in the squad, NZR will let Robertson select him.

NZR might publicly say that the requirement is to play NPC but they've ignored that rule in recent years when convenient.

I can't think of any, who did they do that with?

TJ Perenara when he returned from Japan a couple of years back.

Oh true, that wasn't a sabbatical?

Nope, Perenara signed a new deal while he was overseas.

Same situation with Barrett last year. Contract ended at NZR, didn't take a sabbatical, but signed a deal with NZ before going to Japan and was ushered straight into the team for July (though that was something Barrett would have specifically negotiated in his new contract).

Victor Meldrew

@canefan said in All Blacks 2025:

@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2025:

@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:

@Mr-Fish said in All Blacks 2025:

He doesn't have to play any games. If Robertson wants Leicester in the squad, NZR will let Robertson select him.

NZR might publicly say that the requirement is to play NPC but they've ignored that rule in recent years when convenient.

I can't think of any, who did they do that with?

The only one I can think is Luke McAlister was parachuted back in and given an exemption

I think that was 08/09 so over 15 years ago and 4 AB coaches ago.

And he was pants wasn't he?

Lucky Luke would push the current incumbents

sparky

@stodders Yes and sorry to be pedantic, but he didn't start that game.

Crazy Horse

@1kiwi said in All Blacks 2025:

With Noah Hotham under an injury cloud and may need to be replaced, who is the next cab off the rank? Xavier Roe, Kyle Preston?
But please no Christie.

Preston has some attributes that the ABs could do with (solid kicking game off both feet and pace), but he showed this year he can be a bit sloppy when clearing the ball under pressure. I think he needs more time.

SBW1

Would not be surprised if Mark Telea is brought into the squad and could even face the Boks.

reprobate

I think Ratima has been a bit disappointing to be honest. If Hotham is out I'd prefer Fakatava - he was one of very few highlights in the AUNZ lions game, service looked crisp.

taniwharugby

@reprobate I thought he was good in the 3rd test.

Crazy Horse

@taniwharugby said in All Blacks 2025:

@reprobate I thought he was good in the 3rd test.

Yeah I thought he alright. The only problem I have with Ratima as back up to Roigard is that they are very similar players, with Ratima not being quite as good.

I think there are other options as the back up 9 who are just as good as Ratima but bring something a bit different.

brodean

It's quite annoying that Mark Tele’a is playing NPC and is not around the ABs squad when Razor and co whinge about selection eligibility of players like Mounga and Frizell.

Tele’a had a quiet season in the beginning of SRP but came could in the end. He's still comfortably the best right wing in the country if Jordan is playing fullback.

I can't remember a single good game Reece has played against the Boks and he's also had some poor games against the Puma's like the one we lost last year in Wellington.

SBW1

He will almost certainly be brought if there is a slipup against the Pumas.

brodean

Pumas will certainly be targeting those games against us. Am I correct in saying they haven't beaten us at home yet?

Dan54

@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:

@Mr-Fish said in All Blacks 2025:

@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:

@Mr-Fish said in All Blacks 2025:

He doesn't have to play any games. If Robertson wants Leicester in the squad, NZR will let Robertson select him.

NZR might publicly say that the requirement is to play NPC but they've ignored that rule in recent years when convenient.

I can't think of any, who did they do that with?

TJ Perenara when he returned from Japan a couple of years back.

Oh true, that wasn't a sabbatical?