All Blacks 2025
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So we need halfbacks 4&5.
Highlanders: Fakatava, Lennox, Arscott and Hastie.
Only Fakatava is a viable option.
Crusaders: Drummond and Preston.
Would be a massive shout to bring Preston in there.
Hurricanes: Viljoen.
No show.
Chiefs: Roe.
Outside chance.
Blues: Funaki, Nock and Christie.
Christie the best option.
Out of that lot, Fakatava and Christie have to be favoured. With Roe and Preston as outside chances.
@SouthernMann said in All Blacks 2025:
So we need halfbacks 4&5.
Highlanders: Fakatava, Lennox, Arscott and Hastie.
Only Fakatava is a viable option.
Crusaders: Drummond and Preston.
Would be a massive shout to bring Preston in there.
Hurricanes: Viljoen.
No show.
Chiefs: Roe.
Outside chance.
Blues: Funaki, Nock and Christie.
Christie the best option.
Out of that lot, Fakatava and Christie have to be favoured. With Roe and Preston as outside chances.
I'm going the opposite to you.
Roe and Preston. Fakatava for Preston maybe.
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Viljoen might have been a goer now if he’d not been bizarrely overlooked for Enari consistently for some reason during Super Rugby. I rate him, probably higher than Roe.
@zedsdeadbaby said in All Blacks 2025:
Viljoen might have been a goer now if he’d not been bizarrely overlooked for Enari consistently for some reason during Super Rugby. I rate him, probably higher than Roe.
Not picking Viljoen yet. But agree his absence was bizarre.
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@SouthernMann said in All Blacks 2025:
So we need halfbacks 4&5.
Highlanders: Fakatava, Lennox, Arscott and Hastie.
Only Fakatava is a viable option.
Crusaders: Drummond and Preston.
Would be a massive shout to bring Preston in there.
Hurricanes: Viljoen.
No show.
Chiefs: Roe.
Outside chance.
Blues: Funaki, Nock and Christie.
Christie the best option.
Out of that lot, Fakatava and Christie have to be favoured. With Roe and Preston as outside chances.
I'm going the opposite to you.
Roe and Preston. Fakatava for Preston maybe.
@booboo said in All Blacks 2025:
@SouthernMann said in All Blacks 2025:
So we need halfbacks 4&5.
Highlanders: Fakatava, Lennox, Arscott and Hastie.
Only Fakatava is a viable option.
Crusaders: Drummond and Preston.
Would be a massive shout to bring Preston in there.
Hurricanes: Viljoen.
No show.
Chiefs: Roe.
Outside chance.
Blues: Funaki, Nock and Christie.
Christie the best option.
Out of that lot, Fakatava and Christie have to be favoured. With Roe and Preston as outside chances.
I'm going the opposite to you.
Roe and Preston. Fakatava for Preston maybe.
I just don't see two debutants coming in. Especially as 4th/5th ranked in the position. If they are bringing in guys for a game or two. Best to be lads who have previously been involved in the system.
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The Eden Park record makes me want experience. There will be two injury covers, so FC and Funaki or Fakatava.
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Okay, what I think the AB squad will be (not what I'd like to it be):
Props: Williams, De Groot, Norris, Newell, Tosi, Dyer
Hookers: Taylor, Taukei'aho, Aumua
Locks: S Barrett, Vaii, Holland, Tuipolutu, Darry
Back row: Finau, Kirifi, Blackadder, Sititi, Lakai, Savea, Lio-Willie
Half Backs: Ratima, Christie, Fakatava
First Fives: B Barrett, DMac
Midfield: Jodie Barrett, Tavatavanawai, Tupaea, Proctor
Back Three: R Ioane, Reece, Narawa, Jordan, Love -
Okay, what I think the AB squad will be (not what I'd like to it be):
Props: Williams, De Groot, Norris, Newell, Tosi, Dyer
Hookers: Taylor, Taukei'aho, Aumua
Locks: S Barrett, Vaii, Holland, Tuipolutu, Darry
Back row: Finau, Kirifi, Blackadder, Sititi, Lakai, Savea, Lio-Willie
Half Backs: Ratima, Christie, Fakatava
First Fives: B Barrett, DMac
Midfield: Jodie Barrett, Tavatavanawai, Tupaea, Proctor
Back Three: R Ioane, Reece, Narawa, Jordan, Love -
I'd be surprised if Darry is selected with less than 40 mins of rugby behind him.
Sititi might not be ready for the Arg trip so Parker is a good chance based on the rumours. Like the squad for the French series, there will be extras included as injury replacements.
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I'd be surprised if Darry is selected with less than 40 mins of rugby behind him.
Sititi might not be ready for the Arg trip so Parker is a good chance based on the rumours. Like the squad for the French series, there will be extras included as injury replacements.
@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2025:
I'd be surprised if Darry is selected with less than 40 mins of rugby behind him.
Sititi might not be ready for the Arg trip so Parker is a good chance based on the rumours. Like the squad for the French series, there will be extras included as injury replacements.
TTC is for two months, so plenty of time to get Darry up to speed.
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Okay, what I think the AB squad will be (not what I'd like to it be):
Props: Williams, De Groot, Norris, Newell, Tosi, Dyer
Hookers: Taylor, Taukei'aho, Aumua
Locks: S Barrett, Vaii, Holland, Tuipolutu, Darry
Back row: Finau, Kirifi, Blackadder, Sititi, Lakai, Savea, Lio-Willie
Half Backs: Ratima, Christie, Fakatava
First Fives: B Barrett, DMac
Midfield: Jodie Barrett, Tavatavanawai, Tupaea, Proctor
Back Three: R Ioane, Reece, Narawa, Jordan, Love@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
Okay, what I think the AB squad will be (not what I'd like to it be):
Props: Williams, De Groot, Norris, Newell, Tosi, Dyer
Hookers: Taylor, Taukei'aho, Aumua
Locks: S Barrett, Vaii, Holland, Tuipolutu, Darry
Back row: Finau, Kirifi, Blackadder, Sititi, Lakai, Savea, Lio-Willie
Half Backs: Ratima, Christie, Fakatava
First Fives: B Barrett, DMac
Midfield: Jodie Barrett, Tavatavanawai, Tupaea, Proctor
Back Three: R Ioane, Reece, Narawa, Jordan, LoveWould be surprised if they pick 12 locks and loose forwards.
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@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
Okay, what I think the AB squad will be (not what I'd like to it be):
Props: Williams, De Groot, Norris, Newell, Tosi, Dyer
Hookers: Taylor, Taukei'aho, Aumua
Locks: S Barrett, Vaii, Holland, Tuipolutu, Darry
Back row: Finau, Kirifi, Blackadder, Sititi, Lakai, Savea, Lio-Willie
Half Backs: Ratima, Christie, Fakatava
First Fives: B Barrett, DMac
Midfield: Jodie Barrett, Tavatavanawai, Tupaea, Proctor
Back Three: R Ioane, Reece, Narawa, Jordan, LoveWould be surprised if they pick 12 locks and loose forwards.
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@Kirwan said in All Blacks 2025:
Good tackler, good goalkicker, covers 12 and 15, kicks his team around the field and runs it hard and straight. Complete waste of time for the All Blacks, obviously.
Not compatible with the way we want to play
@canefan said in All Blacks 2025:
@Kirwan said in All Blacks 2025:
Good tackler, good goalkicker, covers 12 and 15, kicks his team around the field and runs it hard and straight. Complete waste of time for the All Blacks, obviously.
Not compatible with the way we want to play
The Abs strengths over the next 2-3 seasons are in their set piece, tight 5, halfback, Jordie coming into his peak and from the back with Jordan and if we get the outside backs right.
This screams out for a 10 who can put us in the right places in the field.
With Roigard at 9 we need less of a playmaker, gamebreaker at 10.But it seems as though we are obseessed with chipkicks
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I'd be surprised if Darry is selected with less than 40 mins of rugby behind him.
Sititi might not be ready for the Arg trip so Parker is a good chance based on the rumours. Like the squad for the French series, there will be extras included as injury replacements.
@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2025:
I'd be surprised if Darry is selected with less than 40 mins of rugby behind him.
Sititi might not be ready for the Arg trip so Parker is a good chance based on the rumours. Like the squad for the French series, there will be extras included as injury replacements.
If the pick 4 locks, I dont think Darry replaces any of the 4 locks from the french squad, maybe he hets in if they select vaai as a 6 primarily
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@brodean They may go with only one of Lakai or Blackadder, but lots of sauces suggest they are part of the coaches' plans.
@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
@brodean They may go with only one of Lakai or Blackadder, but lots of sauces suggest they are part of the coaches' plans.
You don't seem to accounting for Papalii at all who has just been with the squad and put in a compelling case at the end of test 3.
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@canefan said in All Blacks 2025:
@Kirwan said in All Blacks 2025:
Good tackler, good goalkicker, covers 12 and 15, kicks his team around the field and runs it hard and straight. Complete waste of time for the All Blacks, obviously.
Not compatible with the way we want to play
The Abs strengths over the next 2-3 seasons are in their set piece, tight 5, halfback, Jordie coming into his peak and from the back with Jordan and if we get the outside backs right.
This screams out for a 10 who can put us in the right places in the field.
With Roigard at 9 we need less of a playmaker, gamebreaker at 10.But it seems as though we are obseessed with chipkicks
@DaGrubster said in All Blacks 2025:
@canefan said in All Blacks 2025:
@Kirwan said in All Blacks 2025:
Good tackler, good goalkicker, covers 12 and 15, kicks his team around the field and runs it hard and straight. Complete waste of time for the All Blacks, obviously.
Not compatible with the way we want to play
The Abs strengths over the next 2-3 seasons are in their set piece, tight 5, halfback, Jordie coming into his peak and from the back with Jordan and if we get the outside backs right.
This screams out for a 10 who can put us in the right places in the field.
With Roigard at 9 we need less of a playmaker, gamebreaker at 10.But it seems as though we are obseessed with chipkicks
It's bloody frustrating. We need a guy who is a little bit of Grant Fox to go with the X-factor
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@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
@brodean They may go with only one of Lakai or Blackadder, but lots of sauces suggest they are part of the coaches' plans.
You don't seem to accounting for Papalii at all who has just been with the squad and put in a compelling case at the end of test 3.
@KiwiMurph I'd love to see Dalton Papali'i in there. IMHO he is at least our second best 7 and perhaps even our best, but let me put it this way, I don't think that opinion is shared by the All Blacks coaches.
All the rumours from TMM suggest we can expect Blackadder in there.
Higher up the thread is the squad I'd pick.
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@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2025:
I'd be surprised if Darry is selected with less than 40 mins of rugby behind him.
Sititi might not be ready for the Arg trip so Parker is a good chance based on the rumours. Like the squad for the French series, there will be extras included as injury replacements.
If the pick 4 locks, I dont think Darry replaces any of the 4 locks from the french squad, maybe he hets in if they select vaai as a 6 primarily
@DaGrubster said in All Blacks 2025:
@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2025:
I'd be surprised if Darry is selected with less than 40 mins of rugby behind him.
Sititi might not be ready for the Arg trip so Parker is a good chance based on the rumours. Like the squad for the French series, there will be extras included as injury replacements.
If the pick 4 locks, I dont think Darry replaces any of the 4 locks from the french squad, maybe he hets in if they select vaai as a 6 primarily
It seems to be something they are intrigued with
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Was really impressed last year when he deputised when Roigard was out but maybe it’s just me
@zedsdeadbaby said in All Blacks 2025:
Was really impressed last year when he deputised when Roigard was out but maybe it’s just me
Don't get me wrong mate, he was pretty handy, just I don't really think he is a real high level 9. That is the case with a bloody lot of good players we got in the country, and absolutely no insult to them. I think perhaps Viljoen could evelop a snappier pass, and pick his times to break or angle he runs, he tends to get isolated at times. Once again that's not real bad, and these things could come to round him off as a top level 9.
