All Blacks 2025
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@grooter to be fair, they are both pretty quick
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Media stirring the pot? If not, fuck Mounga for that shitty attitude.
NZ Rugby's decision means Robertson must ignore Mo'unga when he picks his squad for the All Blacks' "Rugby's Greatest Rivalry'' tour of South Africa.
Mo'unga is understood to be underwhelmed at the prospect of playing in front of small crowds in the NPC while the All Blacks tour the Republic, but unless the NZ Rugby board switches its stance he will be tethered to Canterbury.we know Knowler talks rubbish and doesn’t actually watch the games. Take this part for instance
While confirmation Beauden Barrett will be fit for the Grand Slam tour is a significant boost for the All Blacks,
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we know Knowler talks rubbish and doesn’t actually watch the games. Take this part for instance
While confirmation Beauden Barrett will be fit for the Grand Slam tour is a significant boost for the All Blacks,
@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks 2025:
we know Knowler talks rubbish and doesn’t actually watch the games. Take this part for instance
While confirmation Beauden Barrett will be fit for the Grand Slam tour is a significant boost for the All Blacks,
What a load of shit ( which seems all too common in the media nowadays, the dare not say anything remotely negative about a player )
You’d think BB was peak Dan Carter based on this crapola above.
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Would like to have a closer look at Beehre or Shalfoon
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
Would like to have a closer look at Beehre or Shalfoon
I think Beehre is well suited to being a traditional blindside flanker.
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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.
@frugby said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
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.
It's difficult to tell with Ennor as he never seems to be able to string a bunch of performances together without getting injured or being moved by coaches.
At his best he demonstrates sufficient class to play well at the highest level
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My own thoughts:
If Asafa Aumua is fit, he should come back as reserve Hooker. He's clearly in our top three in that position.
Dalton Papalii must be promoted to the All Blacks squad. He's our best 7.
I'd like to see Josh Beehre given a chance for the All
Blacks at 6. I see him, Scott Parker and (the now injured) Tupou Vaii as the three contenders for that position in 2027.With Vaii out, Sam Darry should be back in the All Blacks squad at Lock.
We need to develop more strength in depth at 10. I'm fine with DMac starting against Ireland and England, but Ruben Love needs to given the keys against Scotland and/or Wales, with another 10 (I like Rivez Reihana) given some game time too.
Caleb Tangitau's pace would be useful on the Wing against both Ireland and England. I'd like to see him in the full squad and given some game time.
Players I've been impressed with generally in 2025 and I'd strongly consider for the All Blacks XV squad.
Xavier Numia, Josh Fusitua, George Dyer, Jack Taylor, Bradley Slater, Naitoa Ah Kuoi, Antonio Shalfoon, Devan Flanders, Anton Segner, Corey Kurow, Christian Lio-Willie, Dylan Pledger, Josh Jacomb, Harry Godfrey, Riley Higgins, AJ Lam, Braydon Ennor, Dallas McLeod, Bailyn Sullivan, Jacob R-K, Xavier Tito-Harris, Oli Mathis.
@sparky said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
Caleb Tangitau's pace would be useful on the Wing against both Ireland and England. I'd like to see him in the full squad and given some game time.
It's too early for him. The NPC has highlighted he has some glaring gaps in his skillset he needs to address.
Fix those and he could be a weapon, but I see no urgency to replace Carter.
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@sparky said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
Caleb Tangitau's pace would be useful on the Wing against both Ireland and England. I'd like to see him in the full squad and given some game time.
It's too early for him. The NPC has highlighted he has some glaring gaps in his skillset he needs to address.
Fix those and he could be a weapon, but I see no urgency to replace Carter.
@antipodean said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@sparky said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
Caleb Tangitau's pace would be useful on the Wing against both Ireland and England. I'd like to see him in the full squad and given some game time.
It's too early for him. The NPC has highlighted he has some glaring gaps in his skillset he needs to address.
Fix those and he could be a weapon, but I see no urgency to replace Carter.
This NPC has firmly put a stop on the Tangitau hype train from early super rugby
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Wondering if Ennor gets looked at for AB squad. And Fihaki looks a better bet than Tangitau to me at the moment.
Sam Casey, Dom Gardiner, Oli Mathis, Josh Bartlett, Jack Taylor, Bailyn Sullivan, Viveni Lasaga, Dylan Pledger, Sean Withy all worth consideration for XV on current
form.
I remain surprised Tevita Mafileo rates ahead of George Dyer in AB pecking order. -
@frugby said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
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.
It's difficult to tell with Ennor as he never seems to be able to string a bunch of performances together without getting injured or being moved by coaches.
At his best he demonstrates sufficient class to play well at the highest level
@antipodean said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
@frugby said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
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.
It's difficult to tell with Ennor as he never seems to be able to string a bunch of performances together without getting injured or being moved by coaches.
At his best he demonstrates sufficient class to play well at the highest level
Besides that he is not as good as Rona.
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Quite a few players mentioned who havent proven anything at Super Level. I'd only expect 1 or 2 players selected based on NPC. Pledger and Casey are the only ones that spring to mind. Pledger because the options after Roigard are pretty average.
But to be honest I wouldn't be surprised to only see former All Blacks or players who have shown strong super rugby form because that's who was selected last year.
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Wondering if Ennor gets looked at for AB squad. And Fihaki looks a better bet than Tangitau to me at the moment.
Sam Casey, Dom Gardiner, Oli Mathis, Josh Bartlett, Jack Taylor, Bailyn Sullivan, Viveni Lasaga, Dylan Pledger, Sean Withy all worth consideration for XV on current
form.
I remain surprised Tevita Mafileo rates ahead of George Dyer in AB pecking order.@ARHS said in All Blacks & All Blacks XV EOYT Squads 2025:
I remain surprised Tevita Mafileo rates ahead of George Dyer in AB pecking order.
I could understand taking him to Arg with a smaller squad as Mafileo can play LH, but he doesn't even make the Hurricanes 23 as a TH.
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Perhaps the Oirish man you love to hate should be called in to coach your mob how to catch the high ball
@MiketheSnow said in All Blacks 2025:
Perhaps the Oirish man you love to hate should be called in to coach your mob how to catch the high ball
Didn't his hair used to be a different colour?
He could have dyed. -
@mohikamo said in All Blacks 2025:
It'd be nice to have a bit of clarity on the AB player contracting situation.
Just a general idea of the numbers.
Like the number of players on this amount for this duration.I am pretty sure that signing a NZR contract (of which there are three parts) does not guarantee you AB selection. We can be cynical and say that if you are getting paid ~NZ$1M per year they want to maximise the use of their investment. Players also get generous weekly assembly fees on top of their normal contract, so that is a loss of income if you aren't selected.
Yeah, kinda three parts.
The NZ and Super components plus the assembly fees (match payments you could call them).
They get paid the components whether the play or not. And the assembly fees if they get selected.
For a player on a SR level deal, the AB assembly fees would be a very nice pay boost.
But for a player on an AB level contract, not so much. Their meat will be in the components.The whole AB set up seems to be modelled on the way an NFL team is put together.
It’s the GM (Chris Lendrum) who puts the roster together.
Then they bring in a coach (Robertson) and he brings in his assistants.
Attack coach, D coach, then the position coaches; forwards and backs.
And they do their thing, Robertson co-ordinating. Just like in the NFL.
The coach has only an indirect effect on the roster, he has to use what he is given.All NZR contracted players must be available for the Black teams.
There are 100's of them if you include PU players, so quite a big player pool.
Probably the biggest contracted player pool of any team, in any football code, in the world.
They must have some sort of spreadsheet at NZR HQ.Lendrum has signed 17 of the 23 players who played in the 23WCF.
So that’s the core thru to 27.JB was signed thru to 28.
He looks like the premier signing, and he's playing like it.
Lendrum will be pleased, he got JB paid (by Leinster) and he's come back into the fold, and playing great.
The perfect scenario.
A win/win.The GM is doing a financial balancing act at the top.
You have to be careful, or you'll be stuck with a big, fat, useless contract (ala Rashford).
He's mitigating NZR financial risks by increasing the use of sabbaticals, and giving veteran players the chance to have a nice earner.
Get used to it.If the AB coach wants to go outside that NZ pool, then he has to go whining to the GM.
That's where the Mounga thing is at now.
The GM and Mounga conversating, and the GM not just chattering with Mounga either.
Get used to it.Heard an interview with Lendrum a while ago. Talking about Sam Cane at Suntory.
He’s injured, and you could almost hear the sigh of relief in his voice; that that was Suntory’s problem not his!And heard some gossip about an NFL GM who had just signed his QB to a massive long-term deal.
He then said quietly to one of his colleagues NOW WE ARE FUCKED.
The QB market had forced him into the huge deal, but he knew that this particular QB was never going to win them a SB, and now they were stuck with him!
We sure don’t want that type of thing to happen. -
Yeah, kinda three parts.
The NZ and Super components plus the assembly fees (match payments you could call them).
They get paid the components whether the play or not. And the assembly fees if they get selected.
For a player on a SR level deal, the AB assembly fees would be a very nice pay boost.
But for a player on an AB level contract, not so much. Their meat will be in the components.The whole AB set up seems to be modelled on the way an NFL team is put together.
It’s the GM (Chris Lendrum) who puts the roster together.
Then they bring in a coach (Robertson) and he brings in his assistants.
Attack coach, D coach, then the position coaches; forwards and backs.
And they do their thing, Robertson co-ordinating. Just like in the NFL.
The coach has only an indirect effect on the roster, he has to use what he is given.All NZR contracted players must be available for the Black teams.
There are 100's of them if you include PU players, so quite a big player pool.
Probably the biggest contracted player pool of any team, in any football code, in the world.
They must have some sort of spreadsheet at NZR HQ.Lendrum has signed 17 of the 23 players who played in the 23WCF.
So that’s the core thru to 27.JB was signed thru to 28.
He looks like the premier signing, and he's playing like it.
Lendrum will be pleased, he got JB paid (by Leinster) and he's come back into the fold, and playing great.
The perfect scenario.
A win/win.The GM is doing a financial balancing act at the top.
You have to be careful, or you'll be stuck with a big, fat, useless contract (ala Rashford).
He's mitigating NZR financial risks by increasing the use of sabbaticals, and giving veteran players the chance to have a nice earner.
Get used to it.If the AB coach wants to go outside that NZ pool, then he has to go whining to the GM.
That's where the Mounga thing is at now.
The GM and Mounga conversating, and the GM not just chattering with Mounga either.
Get used to it.Heard an interview with Lendrum a while ago. Talking about Sam Cane at Suntory.
He’s injured, and you could almost hear the sigh of relief in his voice; that that was Suntory’s problem not his!And heard some gossip about an NFL GM who had just signed his QB to a massive long-term deal.
He then said quietly to one of his colleagues NOW WE ARE FUCKED.
The QB market had forced him into the huge deal, but he knew that this particular QB was never going to win them a SB, and now they were stuck with him!
We sure don’t want that type of thing to happen.@mohikamo said in All Blacks 2025:
Yeah, kinda three parts.
The NZ and Super components plus the assembly fees (match payments you could call them).
They get paid the components whether the play or not. And the assembly fees if they get selected.
For a player on a SR level deal, the AB assembly fees would be a very nice pay boost.
But for a player on an AB level contract, not so much. Their meat will be in the components.The whole AB set up seems to be modelled on the way an NFL team is put together.
It’s the GM (Chris Lendrum) who puts the roster together.
Then they bring in a coach (Robertson) and he brings in his assistants.
Attack coach, D coach, then the position coaches; forwards and backs.
And they do their thing, Robertson co-ordinating. Just like in the NFL.
The coach has only an indirect effect on the roster, he has to use what he is given.All NZR contracted players must be available for the Black teams.
There are 100's of them if you include PU players, so quite a big player pool.
Probably the biggest contracted player pool of any team, in any football code, in the world.
They must have some sort of spreadsheet at NZR HQ.Lendrum has signed 17 of the 23 players who played in the 23WCF.
So that’s the core thru to 27.JB was signed thru to 28.
He looks like the premier signing, and he's playing like it.
Lendrum will be pleased, he got JB paid (by Leinster) and he's come back into the fold, and playing great.
The perfect scenario.
A win/win.The GM is doing a financial balancing act at the top.
You have to be careful, or you'll be stuck with a big, fat, useless contract (ala Rashford).
He's mitigating NZR financial risks by increasing the use of sabbaticals, and giving veteran players the chance to have a nice earner.
Get used to it.If the AB coach wants to go outside that NZ pool, then he has to go whining to the GM.
That's where the Mounga thing is at now.
The GM and Mounga conversating, and the GM not just chattering with Mounga either.
Get used to it.Heard an interview with Lendrum a while ago. Talking about Sam Cane at Suntory.
He’s injured, and you could almost hear the sigh of relief in his voice; that that was Suntory’s problem not his!And heard some gossip about an NFL GM who had just signed his QB to a massive long-term deal.
He then said quietly to one of his colleagues NOW WE ARE FUCKED.
The QB market had forced him into the huge deal, but he knew that this particular QB was never going to win them a SB, and now they were stuck with him!
We sure don’t want that type of thing to happen.So, the squad is put together by NZR above what input Razor has, in the sense that the deals are not something he or any coach has control over or input in.
Hopefully they have insanely good talent ID cos that to me sounds like one of the most critically important roles in all of New Zealand rugby, essentially the whole operation hinges on them making shrewd decisions on who to contract and how much they should be paid.
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Relative to the two Bledisloe cup games - I have developed this theory that BB has been a great asset in the first half of games but a significant impediment to good second half performances this year. I thought it was observable that BB played significantly better in the first half of games this season, in fact he seems to be one of the best ABs in the first 20 minutes of games. Maybe the best. He's great in the first 20 and a big part of the reason why the ABs start games so well .
However, his play seems to massively deteriorate in the second half and he appears to indulge heavily in the most aimless of kicking. His game management is just not there.
The three second halves that he has missed (all due to injury) have all seen the ABs play better than their efforts in that first half and/or consolidate/improve their position from the first half. The other game that he missed a significant chunk of the match in the 2H was the loss in Argie and I think the ABs stepped up a gear when he was subbed.
I really think there is some sense in playing him for the first half then pulling him off at or just after halftime. He can create and be productive for 40 minutes or so but he can't manage a game after that, it's just not how he plays.
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@mohikamo said in All Blacks 2025:
Yeah, kinda three parts.
The NZ and Super components plus the assembly fees (match payments you could call them).
They get paid the components whether the play or not. And the assembly fees if they get selected.
For a player on a SR level deal, the AB assembly fees would be a very nice pay boost.
But for a player on an AB level contract, not so much. Their meat will be in the components.The whole AB set up seems to be modelled on the way an NFL team is put together.
It’s the GM (Chris Lendrum) who puts the roster together.
Then they bring in a coach (Robertson) and he brings in his assistants.
Attack coach, D coach, then the position coaches; forwards and backs.
And they do their thing, Robertson co-ordinating. Just like in the NFL.
The coach has only an indirect effect on the roster, he has to use what he is given.All NZR contracted players must be available for the Black teams.
There are 100's of them if you include PU players, so quite a big player pool.
Probably the biggest contracted player pool of any team, in any football code, in the world.
They must have some sort of spreadsheet at NZR HQ.Lendrum has signed 17 of the 23 players who played in the 23WCF.
So that’s the core thru to 27.JB was signed thru to 28.
He looks like the premier signing, and he's playing like it.
Lendrum will be pleased, he got JB paid (by Leinster) and he's come back into the fold, and playing great.
The perfect scenario.
A win/win.The GM is doing a financial balancing act at the top.
You have to be careful, or you'll be stuck with a big, fat, useless contract (ala Rashford).
He's mitigating NZR financial risks by increasing the use of sabbaticals, and giving veteran players the chance to have a nice earner.
Get used to it.If the AB coach wants to go outside that NZ pool, then he has to go whining to the GM.
That's where the Mounga thing is at now.
The GM and Mounga conversating, and the GM not just chattering with Mounga either.
Get used to it.Heard an interview with Lendrum a while ago. Talking about Sam Cane at Suntory.
He’s injured, and you could almost hear the sigh of relief in his voice; that that was Suntory’s problem not his!And heard some gossip about an NFL GM who had just signed his QB to a massive long-term deal.
He then said quietly to one of his colleagues NOW WE ARE FUCKED.
The QB market had forced him into the huge deal, but he knew that this particular QB was never going to win them a SB, and now they were stuck with him!
We sure don’t want that type of thing to happen.So, the squad is put together by NZR above what input Razor has, in the sense that the deals are not something he or any coach has control over or input in.
Hopefully they have insanely good talent ID cos that to me sounds like one of the most critically important roles in all of New Zealand rugby, essentially the whole operation hinges on them making shrewd decisions on who to contract and how much they should be paid.
@nonpartizan
All NFL fans will know who both the coach, and the GM of their team is.
I follow the Bills, Brandon Beane is their GM, super smart guy, always a great interview. A better interview than the coach (McDermott).Of course as time goes on, Razor’s continuing input will mean the team becomes more and more his team.
I would say most current contracts will run out by the end of 27; and after that, if Razor is still around, it’ll be 100% his team.In olden times a new coach would come in with a clean slate, no legacy contracts then.
Back then the convenor of selectors (usually 3) was the coach, so the coach always got the team he wanted.The SR club coaches are the talent scouts.
They put their team lists together, and then they go to the GM and his team.
The GM team then play some tetris, and squeeze the players into the budgets.
That then is the AB roster.Chris Lendrum, GM Professional Rugby & Performance, had a few other interesting things to say which I may as well add.
Even seems to have a bit of an input into the style of rugby the ABs play.
Does not want the ABs to play a more basic style like the Saffers, wants to retain the more expansive style as a point of AB difference, a point of excellence.
Seems to think that the 1 point loss in the WCF indicates they are not that far off the mark.Thinks that Springboks success with the use of overseas players is down to the simple game plan they are implementing. Making it easier to integrate disparate players.
They get in trouble when they try a more elaborate game strategy.
He feels that the style that the ABs want to play will require a more close-knit set-up, so no overseas players.
Interesting that the style of play is the decisive factor in selecting overseas players, or not.Also, was fascinated to hear him say that he has absolutely no issue with SR Aupiki girls playing NRLW.
Says the competitions are “complementary.”
I don’t have an issue either, but to hear the key man in NZ pro rugby say it was interesting.
How times have changed.Said 19 pro teams was too many in NZ domestic rugby. But had a take on it that I hadn’t considered before.
Said 5 cities had 2 pro teams, which did not make sense.
Almost seemed like he was saying that if there was a change; Auckland, Waikato, Wellington, Canterbury Otago PUs would be merged with the SR clubs.
Which kinda does make sense. As I recall it may have been like that at the start of SR.Likes the idea of a SR draft, for entertainment and commercial reasons at least. Everybody likes the hype of a draft. Need to get the selection criteria sorted.
That was a 2025 interview.
