All Blacks 2025
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Not sure how I feel about the captain taking a sabbatical, but I guess the timing is spot on and if it works, great!
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Can't wait until we can roll out a starting side of just Faingaanuku and Higgins and annihilate every other side. Should save NZR a fair bit of money too.
What with LF being incredible in a long, turgid competition and Higgins having fixed the hole in the ozone at age group level, AB rugby is safe for many years to come.
@Bones said in All Blacks 2025:
Can't wait until we can roll out a starting side of just Faingaanuku and Higgins and annihilate every other side. Should save NZR a fair bit of money too.
What with LF being incredible in a long, turgid competition and Higgins having fixed the hole in the ozone at age group level, AB rugby is safe for many years to come.
For fucks sake, Bones, calm down
You'll be comparing these two to Cam Roigard next.
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@Bones didn't Richie have a non-playing sabbatical?
@taniwharugby said in All Blacks 2025:
@Bones didn't Richie have a non-playing sabbatical?
He did, as did Codie Taylor for most of super just 2 years ago.
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I don't mind players that have put in the time to the ABs getting a break. It's helps those players last longer and recover from all the contact.
But players like that Mounga and LF that leave early? They can fuck right off.
@Kirwan said in All Blacks 2025:
I don't mind players that have put in the time to the ABs getting a break. It's helps those players last longer and recover from all the contact.
But players like that Mounga and LF that leave early? They can fuck right off.
Faingaʻanuku has played a total of seven tests (two of which were against Namibia and Uruguay) and wasn't deemed good enough for the 23 in the World Cup semi-final or final before he left. Talk of him walking straight back into the squad doesn't sit right.
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I was actually going to float the Carter as a wing/halfback option last night - this tour seems like the perfect place to do it.
Frankly I’m not convinced by Roe or any of the other options so why not take a little bit of a risk.
@zedsdeadbaby said in All Blacks 2025:
I was actually going to float the Carter as a wing/halfback option last night - this tour seems like the perfect place to do it.
Frankly I’m not convinced by Roe or any of the other options so why not take a little bit of a risk.
The difference between a 6/2 split with Carter or a specialist halfback on the bench, given the current starting group, is really only whether or not Jordan stays at fullback or has to move to the wing if one of the starting wings is injured. If Carter starts on the wing and covers halfback from there, however, is where this could be handy, with a first-five/fullback and a midfield back on the bench.
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Is it fair to say the French midfielders in the test series didn't produce anything special?
How relevant is top14 form for midfielders?
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@brodean said in All Blacks 2025:
Is it fair to say the French midfielders in the test series didn't produce anything special?
How relevant is top14 form for midfielders?
Well that does also need consider that the best players didn't travel.
@Kirwan said in All Blacks 2025:
@brodean said in All Blacks 2025:
Is it fair to say the French midfielders in the test series didn't produce anything special?
How relevant is top14 form for midfielders?
Well that does also need consider that the best players didn't travel.
@Kirwan said in All Blacks 2025:
@brodean said in All Blacks 2025:
Is it fair to say the French midfielders in the test series didn't produce anything special?
How relevant is top14 form for midfielders?
Well that does also need consider that the best players didn't travel.
Not the very best but the best available. Fickou has a ton of experience and had been their best for a long time.
And Gailleton is the new 'it' boy isn't he? He came off the bench in the ABs NH test last year.
Barrasi played and he's a top guy.
Seems Moefana and Danty was the only guys missing in the series out of the top guys.
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Fickou was fucking good what are you talking about?
And the French use their midfield very differently to us
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@Kirwan said in All Blacks 2025:
I don't mind players that have put in the time to the ABs getting a break. It's helps those players last longer and recover from all the contact.
But players like that Mounga and LF that leave early? They can fuck right off.
Faingaʻanuku has played a total of seven tests (two of which were against Namibia and Uruguay) and wasn't deemed good enough for the 23 in the World Cup semi-final or final before he left. Talk of him walking straight back into the squad doesn't sit right.
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@ShaquilleOatmeal Wasn't he sent off against Ireland in Dunedin?
@SBW1 said in All Blacks 2025:
@ShaquilleOatmeal Wasn't he sent off against Ireland in Dunedin?
Just checked. A red card to Angus Ta’avao, yellows to Leicester Fainga’anuku (for colliding with a player in the air) and Ofa Tuungafasi.
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@SBW1 said in All Blacks 2025:
@ShaquilleOatmeal Wasn't he sent off against Ireland in Dunedin?
Just checked. A red card to Angus Ta’avao, yellows to Leicester Fainga’anuku (for colliding with a player in the air) and Ofa Tuungafasi.
@ShaquilleOatmeal A series where discipline cost us dearly, same for the World Cup Final.
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Fickou was fucking good what are you talking about?
And the French use their midfield very differently to us
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2025:
Fickou was fucking good what are you talking about?
And the French use their midfield very differently to us
Didn't say it was bad. Just asked if it was anything special? Do you think Fickou produced special performances?
I'd expect Fainga'anuku to be producing special performances against special players to be able to walk back into the ABs.
Also if the French use midfielders differently how relevant is Fainga'anukus form playing for a French club?
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@SBW1 said in All Blacks 2025:
Would be okay with him switching allegiance personally. Would be a tough decision though, which way would he lean? Samoa are probably more in need of a 10.
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I just don't get why an incredibly average, overseas-based, 31yr-old 10 at the fag-end of his career is considered key to the AB's success by the national coach
