All Blacks 2025
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Sititi being out of form definitely doesn't help. What I can't quite understand is why they totally removed Lio-Willie from the squad, when he was very polished in his two test appearances. Feel like those are the two best back to back performances we've seen from an ABs eight this season.
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One of the problems with the loosies that I feel would be relatively easy to remedy is reducing Ardies minutes.
I think part of the reason he doesn't give a good 80 minute performance is because he is burned out from over playing. When you play every minute of every match of course your batteries are low.
He needs to be rotated out of the team sometimes he also needs to be subbed. We need less minutes from him but higher quality minutes.
I can guarantee if he was South African he would not be playing as much for Rassie.
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Sititi being out of form definitely doesn't help. What I can't quite understand is why they totally removed Lio-Willie from the squad, when he was very polished in his two test appearances. Feel like those are the two best back to back performances we've seen from an ABs eight this season.
@frugby said in All Blacks 2025:
Sititi being out of form definitely doesn't help. What I can't quite understand is why they totally removed Lio-Willie from the squad, when he was very polished in his two test appearances. Feel like those are the two best back to back performances we've seen from an ABs eight this season.
Yeah I would agree that Lio Willie looked the best out of all the 8s this year. Involved and accurate. For whatever reason they preferred focusing more on Kirifi.
Kirifi also has that flex and scream/grunt that Ardie does. Its the ultimate body language and maybe that's what appeals to the guys in the coaching box.
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One of the problems with the loosies that I feel would be relatively easy to remedy is reducing Ardies minutes.
I think part of the reason he doesn't give a good 80 minute performance is because he is burned out from over playing. When you play every minute of every match of course your batteries are low.
He needs to be rotated out of the team sometimes he also needs to be subbed. We need less minutes from him but higher quality minutes.
I can guarantee if he was South African he would not be playing as much for Rassie.
@nonpartizan said in All Blacks 2025:
One of the problems with the loosies that I feel would be relatively easy to remedy is reducing Ardies minutes.
I think part of the reason he doesn't give a good 80 minute performance is because he is burned out from over playing. When you play every minute of every match of course your batteries are low.
He needs to be rotated out of the team sometimes he also needs to be subbed. We need less minutes from him but higher quality minutes.
I can guarantee if he was South African he would not be playing as much for Rassie.
This is a great point. Kolisi playing 80 minute games or every game hasn't been a feature for years now.
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What i hate about the last couple of posts is we are happy with our winger based on tackles and pick-and-go tries.
What I wouldn't give to see him in space. You know, like we get to see the Aussie outside backs.
And the African outside backs.
And the Argie outside backs.
And the French outside backs.The way we played we may as well load up 11, 13 and 14 with extra loose forwards.
@mariner4life we could move him to centre and get him to cart the ball up rather than utilise his pace
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What i hate about the last couple of posts is we are happy with our winger based on tackles and pick-and-go tries.
What I wouldn't give to see him in space. You know, like we get to see the Aussie outside backs.
And the African outside backs.
And the Argie outside backs.
And the French outside backs.The way we played we may as well load up 11, 13 and 14 with extra loose forwards.
i'd say that happens because all those teams you mention are probably edging us in the loose-forward physicality contest, which is sucking our D in a bit, and creating a bit of space for their outsides
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I think one of Lasaqa and Casey will make it. JJ dropped a him around Casey saying it would be a toss up between the likes of him and someone established like Blackadder.
With the midfield. The mix of Lam, MacLeod, Havili and Ennor are guys who have a been investigated and tried without a lot of success.
Cooper Roberts is playing his way into a team like this. Higgins should be there if available. Just looks at the balance between who is ready and who has prospects worth checking out.
@SouthernMann said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
I think one of Lasaqa and Casey will make it. JJ dropped a him around Casey saying it would be a toss up between the likes of him and someone established like Blackadder.
With the midfield. The mix of Lam, MacLeod, Havili and Ennor are guys who have a been investigated and tried without a lot of success.
Cooper Roberts is playing his way into a team like this. Higgins should be there if available. Just looks at the balance between who is ready and who has prospects worth checking out.
Reaching myth and legend levels…..
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I think one of Lasaqa and Casey will make it. JJ dropped a him around Casey saying it would be a toss up between the likes of him and someone established like Blackadder.
With the midfield. The mix of Lam, MacLeod, Havili and Ennor are guys who have a been investigated and tried without a lot of success.
Cooper Roberts is playing his way into a team like this. Higgins should be there if available. Just looks at the balance between who is ready and who has prospects worth checking out.
@SouthernMann said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
I think one of Lasaqa and Casey will make it. JJ dropped a him around Casey saying it would be a toss up between the likes of him and someone established like Blackadder.
With the midfield. The mix of Lam, MacLeod, Havili and Ennor are guys who have a been investigated and tried without a lot of success.
Cooper Roberts is playing his way into a team like this. Higgins should be there if available. Just looks at the balance between who is ready and who has prospects worth checking out.
Lam is worth persevering with, has only played one match for the AB XV.
Couldn't agree more about the other three. The fact any of them are mentioned as AB options is various degrees of laughable.
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@SouthernMann said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
I think one of Lasaqa and Casey will make it. JJ dropped a him around Casey saying it would be a toss up between the likes of him and someone established like Blackadder.
With the midfield. The mix of Lam, MacLeod, Havili and Ennor are guys who have a been investigated and tried without a lot of success.
Cooper Roberts is playing his way into a team like this. Higgins should be there if available. Just looks at the balance between who is ready and who has prospects worth checking out.
Lam is worth persevering with, has only played one match for the AB XV.
Couldn't agree more about the other three. The fact any of them are mentioned as AB options is various degrees of laughable.
@MN5 said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@SouthernMann said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
I think one of Lasaqa and Casey will make it. JJ dropped a him around Casey saying it would be a toss up between the likes of him and someone established like Blackadder.
With the midfield. The mix of Lam, MacLeod, Havili and Ennor are guys who have a been investigated and tried without a lot of success.
Cooper Roberts is playing his way into a team like this. Higgins should be there if available. Just looks at the balance between who is ready and who has prospects worth checking out.
Lam is worth persevering with, has only played one match for the AB XV.
Couldn't agree more about the other three. The fact any of them are mentioned as AB options is various degrees of laughable.
I thought Lam played well for AB XV?
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If you use the 2024 AB XV squad as a starting point you would expect Chay Fihaki to be one of the outside backs. Bailyn Sullivan has been the best of the Waikato backs and should be one of the midfielders. He can play on the wing too.
I wouldn't be selecting Eklund due to his age. Another player from the 2024 squad not mentioned is Caleb Delaney.
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@MN5 said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@SouthernMann said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
I think one of Lasaqa and Casey will make it. JJ dropped a him around Casey saying it would be a toss up between the likes of him and someone established like Blackadder.
With the midfield. The mix of Lam, MacLeod, Havili and Ennor are guys who have a been investigated and tried without a lot of success.
Cooper Roberts is playing his way into a team like this. Higgins should be there if available. Just looks at the balance between who is ready and who has prospects worth checking out.
Lam is worth persevering with, has only played one match for the AB XV.
Couldn't agree more about the other three. The fact any of them are mentioned as AB options is various degrees of laughable.
I thought Lam played well for AB XV?
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@MN5 said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@SouthernMann said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
I think one of Lasaqa and Casey will make it. JJ dropped a him around Casey saying it would be a toss up between the likes of him and someone established like Blackadder.
With the midfield. The mix of Lam, MacLeod, Havili and Ennor are guys who have a been investigated and tried without a lot of success.
Cooper Roberts is playing his way into a team like this. Higgins should be there if available. Just looks at the balance between who is ready and who has prospects worth checking out.
Lam is worth persevering with, has only played one match for the AB XV.
Couldn't agree more about the other three. The fact any of them are mentioned as AB options is various degrees of laughable.
I thought Lam played well for AB XV?
Didn't see him but my point is the other three have all been found wanting.
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CLW is a workhorse. Does the small stuff. Cares about the detail. Support play excellent. He’s Rodders without the dreads.
In terms of squad makeup I guess they saw him as a backup #8 that starts or not in the 23. And given they see Sititi in that role they set him aside once Wallace was back.
CLW started as a 7 but we have so many examples in recent years at Super and NPC levels of 7s being moved to 6 or 8 to fit in another player, which result in undersized loose trios.
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I think Ennor should be there. I think he should be being viewed as a genuine option at centre for the All Blacks. May lack power, but is an excellent defender and distributor.
McLeod has had a good NPC.
Happy to move past Havili, but remember this is not just a development team, part of it is rewarding the next best players to keep them in the country.
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I felt like this was worthy of a thread of its own in regards to squad selection. This is my guess for the ABs Squad and ABs XV Squad. Hard to know how many there will be in the XV, but I am picking around 30 for them and 36+1 for the ABs, as am expecting Bower to be with them as a 7th prop:
All Blacks
Props:
Ethan de Groot
Tamaiti Williams
Ollie Norris
Fletcher Newell
Pasilio Tosi
Tevita Mafileo
George Bower (Injury Cover)All Blacks XV
Props:
Xavier Numia
Pouri Rakete-Stones
Josh Fusitua
George Dyer
Josh BartlettNot Available: Tyrel Lomax, Ofa Tu'ungafasi & Saula Ma'u (XV)
Notes: Could be a bit of a race to the bottom at prop for the XV if they do pick Bower for the ABs. Bartlett seems to fit the mould of Tosi and Norris as an impactful ball carrier so they may look to get him into the environment.All Blacks
Hookers:
Codie Taylor
Samisoni Taukei'aho
Brodie McAllisterAll Blacks XV
Hookers:
George Bell
Kurt Eklund
Jack TaylorNot Available: Asafo Aumua
Notes: If Aumua is really out with concussion, that has to be a major concern, but he has not been sighted for a while. Also would not be stunned if Bell and McAllister were the other way around.All Blacks
Locks:
Scott Barrett (c)
Fabian Holland
Patrick Tuipulotu
Sam DarryAll Blacks XV
Locks:
Josh Lord
Naitoa Ah Kuoi
Josh BeehreNot Available: Tupou Vaa'i
Notes: I would have Darry over Lord, but it is hard to keep up with who they rank higher out of those two. Deserved call-up for Beehre to the XV. Suspect Lord ends up as cover for the ABs at some point, in which case they will need another one. Walker-Leawere has been in and around it, so he is the most likely. Antonio Shalfoon won't be far off it either.All Blacks
Loose Forwards:
Simon Parker
Ardie Savea
Peter Lakai
Wallace Sititi
Luke Jacobson
Du'Plessis Kirifi
Samipeni FinauAll Blacks XV
Loose Forwards:
TK Howden
Devan Flanders
Dalton Papalii
Sean Withy
Christian Lio-Willie (c)Not Available: Corey Kellow & Ethan Blackadder
Notes: Think if Vaa'i was fit, Finau would have been squeezed down into the XV, but in the absence of an outstanding candidate to replace him, he survives for now. Howden to be rewarded for a good year I think, and is a Jamie Joseph favourite, and he should have some influence. Kellow, had he stayed fit I think would have been a bolter to blow past Kirifi into the top squad. Haig was there last year, so if he is seen as a player of the future he may be retained as a continuity pick. Bound to be a few injuries at play here.All Blacks
Halfbacks:
Cam Roigard
Cortez Ratima
Finlay ChristieAll Blacks XV
Halfbacks:
Dylan Pledger
Kyle Preston
Xavier RoeNot Available: Noah Hotham
Notes: Probably the position with the most intrigue given the emergence of Pledger? I think they resist the urge to rush him as the number three, so the ginger will be retained, but hard to see him playing outside of the Wales test. I would not be surprised if he links up with the ABs top squad after the two XV games. Fakatava deserves to be here on form, and given Joseph is coach, he may sneak in, but otherwise expecting them in the same order they were called up.All Blacks
First Fives:
Beauden Barrett
Damian McKenzieAll Blacks XV
First Fives:
Josh Jacomb
Rivez ReihanaNot Available: Stephen Perofeta
Notes: Perofeta has been unsighted, so am assuming he is out. Jacomb is the obvious one, and they may only pick one if they decide to release Love down into the XV for one of the two games. Reihana leads the chasing group, though there is daylight.All Blacks
Midfielders:
Jordie Barrett
Quinn Tupaea
Billy Proctor
Rieko Ioane
Anton Lienert-BrownAll Blacks XV
Midfielders:
Dallas McLeod
Brayden Ennor
David Havili
AJ LamNot Available: Timoci Tavatavanawai & Riley Higgins (XV)
Notes: Assuming they pick five in the top squad, it will be those five. Quite funny that we have gone full circle and realised that Rieko is actually a centre, and a very good defensive centre at that. The XV will be continuity picks I think. Ennor a bolter for the top side over ALB, but otherwise McLeod and Havili have been in and around it. Have Lam down as the other centre, though they might go with a bit more of a bolter than thatAll Blacks
Outside Backs:
Caleb Clarke
Leicester Fainga'anuku
Leroy Carter
Emoni Narawa
Will Jordan
Ruben LoveAll Blacks XV
Outside Backs:
Sevu Reece
Caleb Tangitau
Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens
Etene Nanai-Seturo
Fehi FineanganofoNot Available: ?
Notes: Hard to see a world where the ABs don't go for those six outsides. If Narawa is out, am picking they will go Tangitau over Reece. Just seems they have made the decision to move on from the latter. The XV have many options, because a lot of them are very similar. Pretty confident in the first three, less sure on the last two.@frugby said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
All Blacks
Halfbacks:
Cam Roigard
Cortez Ratima
Finlay ChristieAll Blacks XV
Halfbacks:
Dylan Pledger
Kyle Preston
Xavier RoeNot Available: Noah Hotham
Notes: Probably the position with the most intrigue given the emergence of Pledger? I think they resist the urge to rush him as the number three, so the ginger will be retained, but hard to see him playing outside of the Wales test. I would not be surprised if he links up with the ABs top squad after the two XV games. Fakatava deserves to be here on form, and given Joseph is coach, he may sneak in, but otherwise expecting them in the same order they were called up.With Roigard and Ratima fit, I would take Preston on tour with the ABs and have Christie with the AB XV.
Christie can be on emergency call similar to the RC.
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@brodean said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
Is Chay Fihaki injured?
He’s playing today and our goal kicker.
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2 Rugby championships under Razor and we are no further ahead, no RC in the trophy cabinet and if anything, in my opinion we have regressed. Beating the Wallabies and retaining the Bledisloe will take the heat off the coaching group, but it shouldn’t. The record loss(at home too) isn’t talked about enough.
A silver lining is a couple young guys coming through so far this year in Fabian Holland and Leroy Carter, both look the part and look like they could own the jersey. Tupaea stepping up last night is also a step forward for the midfield(still baffled he was subbed, can only assume it was pre determined which does my head in).
End of year tour is going to be extremely interesting, not just in results but with how the public respond if the inconsistencies continue. All Blacks through thick and thin but shit it feels like a weird time to support them right now, something just seems off. Let’s hope it all clicks soon.
Bring on the EOYT.
@Landers92 said in All Blacks 2025:
2 Rugby championships under Razor and we are no further ahead, no RC in the trophy cabinet and if anything, in my opinion we have regressed. Beating the Wallabies and retaining the Bledisloe will take the heat off the coaching group, but it shouldn’t. The record loss(at home too) isn’t talked about enough.
A silver lining is a couple young guys coming through so far this year in Fabian Holland and Leroy Carter, both look the part and look like they could own the jersey. Tupaea stepping up last night is also a step forward for the midfield(still baffled he was subbed, can only assume it was pre determined which does my head in).
End of year tour is going to be extremely interesting, not just in results but with how the public respond if the inconsistencies continue. All Blacks through thick and thin but shit it feels like a weird time to support them right now, something just seems off. Let’s hope it all clicks soon.
Bring on the EOYT.
A big EOYT as well. The can probably afford 1 loss as par. 2, and the pressure is right on.
