All Blacks 2025
-
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2025:
@MN5 said in All Blacks 2025:
He loves a bit of leg drive and doesn't like hard work
and yet here WE are. On the Fern.
difference is, i'm only doing parts of my job but nobody is calling for me to be CFO of the year. In fact i have a meeting with HR to avoid...
-
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2025:
@African-Monkey said in All Blacks 2025:
@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks 2025:
@African-Monkey said in All Blacks 2025:
@MN5 said in All Blacks 2025:
@ShaquilleOatmeal said in All Blacks 2025:
@MN5 said in All Blacks 2025:

Ardie proving the fern wrong yet again
Beauden unlucky to miss out.
Has Savea even had a good season by his own standards?
I'll check his instagram
Has he still got that stupid pic of him sitting against the goalpost looking into the sky contemplating life after the England test?
I did it and went into the comments section of that pic on instagram ,
Most of it was along the lines of ,
if everyone tried as hard as him we wouldnt lose a game , or - this poor bugger busts his guts out every game, he deserves better
im probably not as anti Ardie as some on here , but I do think there is some serious delusional stuff going on with the general public
He has good parts to his game, but he's really starting to annoy me. He's playing for his own image and is playing like a glory hunter. He knows what he's doing.
i am not willing to go that far. To me he is a victim of a distinct lack of accountability. A hard nose coach in teh video session shows us losing that ruck on the line with him standing at first receiver and tells him if it happens again then someone will be found who will hit that ruck.
In the 2023 RWC Ardie played tight as shit. Hard carries, hit rucks, and we were so much better for it. He was given a job and did it. This coaching panel has decided the best use of him is for Ardie to do what he wants. The great unwashed only watch who has the ball anyway, so to them he's killing it (despite an enormously reduced effectiveness this year).
Hit a ruck you cat!!
The players he played with in 2023 complemented him.
For me the issue is not Ardie Savea, the issue is they have selected 4 similar players in Kirifi, Lakai, Sititi, and CLW.
Ardie is a better player than all of these guys.
Having said that I would have Ardie on the bench bringing him on at half time and go with this starting loose trio.
- Finau ( Best option for hard close in metres which we are missing at the moment )
- Papali'i (c)
- Sotutu
We need some good defenders on the bench because we are collapsing defensively in the second half.
Bench:
Taukei'aho
Norris ( Good defender )
Tosi
Barrett/Lord ( Good defenders )
Jacobson/Blackadder/Parker ( Good defenders )
Savea ( attacking impact and covers midfield )
Fakatava
Perofeta ( Good defender ) -
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2025:
difference is, i'm only doing parts of my job but nobody is calling for me to be CFO of the year. In fact i have a meeting with HR to avoid...
This is confusing. I am not sure if you are Ardie Savea (just doing parts of the job), Scott Robertson (nobody calling for him to lead now) or Scott Hansen (avoiding HR).
-
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2025:
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2025:
difference is, i'm only doing parts of my job but nobody is calling for me to be CFO of the year. In fact i have a meeting with HR to avoid...
This is confusing. I am not sure if you are Ardie Savea (just doing parts of the job), Scott Robertson (nobody calling for him to lead now) or Scott Hansen (avoiding HR).
yes
-
@brodean said in All Blacks 2025:
FinauAkira- Papali'i (c)
- Sotutu
Bench: Ardie
<broken record>To me those loosies would have no equal if they had just been picked to start with. </broken record>
-
@nostrildamus said in All Blacks 2025:
@brodean said in All Blacks 2025:
FinauAkira- Papali'i (c)
- Sotutu
Bench: Ardie
<broken record>To me those loosies would have no equal if they had just been picked to start with. </broken record>
Well unfortunately that ship has sailed. Highly likely has for Papali'i and Sotutu too sadly.
-
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2025:
@African-Monkey said in All Blacks 2025:
@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks 2025:
@African-Monkey said in All Blacks 2025:
@MN5 said in All Blacks 2025:
@ShaquilleOatmeal said in All Blacks 2025:
@MN5 said in All Blacks 2025:

Ardie proving the fern wrong yet again
Beauden unlucky to miss out.
Has Savea even had a good season by his own standards?
I'll check his instagram
Has he still got that stupid pic of him sitting against the goalpost looking into the sky contemplating life after the England test?
I did it and went into the comments section of that pic on instagram ,
Most of it was along the lines of ,
if everyone tried as hard as him we wouldnt lose a game , or - this poor bugger busts his guts out every game, he deserves better
im probably not as anti Ardie as some on here , but I do think there is some serious delusional stuff going on with the general public
He has good parts to his game, but he's really starting to annoy me. He's playing for his own image and is playing like a glory hunter. He knows what he's doing.
i am not willing to go that far. To me he is a victim of a distinct lack of accountability. A hard nose coach in teh video session shows us losing that ruck on the line with him standing at first receiver and tells him if it happens again then someone will be found who will hit that ruck.
In the 2023 RWC Ardie played tight as shit. Hard carries, hit rucks, and we were so much better for it. He was given a job and did it. This coaching panel has decided the best use of him is for Ardie to do what he wants. The great unwashed only watch who has the ball anyway, so to them he's killing it (despite an enormously reduced effectiveness this year).
Hit a ruck you cat!!
Nail on the head there. He's a very talented player, who is being used badly - or is being left to his own devices, and seagulls. Either way it's a coaching/selection fault. If he's doing what is asked then what we're asking him to do is wrong; if he's not then drop him.
@nostrildamus He isn't even our best loosie to be running with the backs if that's the role he has been given - Sititi has better feet, is faster, and is a better offloader - all of which he showed last year when used wide.On a related note, I'd like to see Finau spend a season at 8. If our 8s role is as per England game smashing it up for 20 carries, then Finau could be much more effective than Lakai, Sititi, CLW. He also gives us a 3rd lineout target, and then you could play Sititi for wide carries and ball skills, with DP or EB to provide ruck workload.
I think Savea really does suit the bench role where he can come on fresh against tired guys and be the hero and beat his chest a bit. -
@nzzp said in All Blacks 2025:
@Jet said in All Blacks 2025:

Pilfered from Planet Rugby.
Don't worry, a 30 point win over Wales will fix that stat
?
The combined losing margin can't be better than 53.
-
@brodean said in All Blacks 2025:
@nzzp said in All Blacks 2025:
@Jet said in All Blacks 2025:

Pilfered from Planet Rugby.
Don't worry, a 30 point win over Wales will fix that stat
?
The combined losing margin can't be better than 53.
ah, right you are. Sorry, my bad - misunderstood the data posted.
-
@reprobate said in All Blacks 2025:
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2025:
@African-Monkey said in All Blacks 2025:
@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks 2025:
@African-Monkey said in All Blacks 2025:
@MN5 said in All Blacks 2025:
@ShaquilleOatmeal said in All Blacks 2025:
@MN5 said in All Blacks 2025:

Ardie proving the fern wrong yet again
Beauden unlucky to miss out.
Has Savea even had a good season by his own standards?
I'll check his instagram
Has he still got that stupid pic of him sitting against the goalpost looking into the sky contemplating life after the England test?
I did it and went into the comments section of that pic on instagram ,
Most of it was along the lines of ,
if everyone tried as hard as him we wouldnt lose a game , or - this poor bugger busts his guts out every game, he deserves better
im probably not as anti Ardie as some on here , but I do think there is some serious delusional stuff going on with the general public
He has good parts to his game, but he's really starting to annoy me. He's playing for his own image and is playing like a glory hunter. He knows what he's doing.
i am not willing to go that far. To me he is a victim of a distinct lack of accountability. A hard nose coach in teh video session shows us losing that ruck on the line with him standing at first receiver and tells him if it happens again then someone will be found who will hit that ruck.
In the 2023 RWC Ardie played tight as shit. Hard carries, hit rucks, and we were so much better for it. He was given a job and did it. This coaching panel has decided the best use of him is for Ardie to do what he wants. The great unwashed only watch who has the ball anyway, so to them he's killing it (despite an enormously reduced effectiveness this year).
Hit a ruck you cat!!
Nail on the head there. He's a very talented player, who is being used badly - or is being left to his own devices, and seagulls. Either way it's a coaching/selection fault. If he's doing what is asked then what we're asking him to do is wrong; if he's not then drop him.
@nostrildamus He isn't even our best loosie to be running with the backs if that's the role he has been given - Sititi has better feet, is faster, and is a better offloader - all of which he showed last year when used wide.On a related note, I'd like to see Finau spend a season at 8. If our 8s role is as per England game smashing it up for 20 carries, then Finau could be much more effective than Lakai, Sititi, CLW. He also gives us a 3rd lineout target, and then you could play Sititi for wide carries and ball skills, with DP or EB to provide ruck workload.
I think Savea really does suit the bench role where he can come on fresh against tired guys and be the hero and beat his chest a bit.I think Sititi is probably quicker off the mark than Ardie but I think Ardie probably has a higher top speed.
-
@brodean said in All Blacks 2025:
@reprobate said in All Blacks 2025:
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2025:
@African-Monkey said in All Blacks 2025:
@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks 2025:
@African-Monkey said in All Blacks 2025:
@MN5 said in All Blacks 2025:
@ShaquilleOatmeal said in All Blacks 2025:
@MN5 said in All Blacks 2025:

Ardie proving the fern wrong yet again
Beauden unlucky to miss out.
Has Savea even had a good season by his own standards?
I'll check his instagram
Has he still got that stupid pic of him sitting against the goalpost looking into the sky contemplating life after the England test?
I did it and went into the comments section of that pic on instagram ,
Most of it was along the lines of ,
if everyone tried as hard as him we wouldnt lose a game , or - this poor bugger busts his guts out every game, he deserves better
im probably not as anti Ardie as some on here , but I do think there is some serious delusional stuff going on with the general public
He has good parts to his game, but he's really starting to annoy me. He's playing for his own image and is playing like a glory hunter. He knows what he's doing.
i am not willing to go that far. To me he is a victim of a distinct lack of accountability. A hard nose coach in teh video session shows us losing that ruck on the line with him standing at first receiver and tells him if it happens again then someone will be found who will hit that ruck.
In the 2023 RWC Ardie played tight as shit. Hard carries, hit rucks, and we were so much better for it. He was given a job and did it. This coaching panel has decided the best use of him is for Ardie to do what he wants. The great unwashed only watch who has the ball anyway, so to them he's killing it (despite an enormously reduced effectiveness this year).
Hit a ruck you cat!!
Nail on the head there. He's a very talented player, who is being used badly - or is being left to his own devices, and seagulls. Either way it's a coaching/selection fault. If he's doing what is asked then what we're asking him to do is wrong; if he's not then drop him.
@nostrildamus He isn't even our best loosie to be running with the backs if that's the role he has been given - Sititi has better feet, is faster, and is a better offloader - all of which he showed last year when used wide.On a related note, I'd like to see Finau spend a season at 8. If our 8s role is as per England game smashing it up for 20 carries, then Finau could be much more effective than Lakai, Sititi, CLW. He also gives us a 3rd lineout target, and then you could play Sititi for wide carries and ball skills, with DP or EB to provide ruck workload.
I think Savea really does suit the bench role where he can come on fresh against tired guys and be the hero and beat his chest a bit.I think Sititi is probably quicker off the mark than Ardie but I think Ardie probably has a higher top speed.
Well it's not high enough for him to be a valid chip kick option if you ask me.
-
@reprobate said in All Blacks 2025:
@brodean said in All Blacks 2025:
@reprobate said in All Blacks 2025:
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2025:
@African-Monkey said in All Blacks 2025:
@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks 2025:
@African-Monkey said in All Blacks 2025:
@MN5 said in All Blacks 2025:
@ShaquilleOatmeal said in All Blacks 2025:
@MN5 said in All Blacks 2025:

Ardie proving the fern wrong yet again
Beauden unlucky to miss out.
Has Savea even had a good season by his own standards?
I'll check his instagram
Has he still got that stupid pic of him sitting against the goalpost looking into the sky contemplating life after the England test?
I did it and went into the comments section of that pic on instagram ,
Most of it was along the lines of ,
if everyone tried as hard as him we wouldnt lose a game , or - this poor bugger busts his guts out every game, he deserves better
im probably not as anti Ardie as some on here , but I do think there is some serious delusional stuff going on with the general public
He has good parts to his game, but he's really starting to annoy me. He's playing for his own image and is playing like a glory hunter. He knows what he's doing.
i am not willing to go that far. To me he is a victim of a distinct lack of accountability. A hard nose coach in teh video session shows us losing that ruck on the line with him standing at first receiver and tells him if it happens again then someone will be found who will hit that ruck.
In the 2023 RWC Ardie played tight as shit. Hard carries, hit rucks, and we were so much better for it. He was given a job and did it. This coaching panel has decided the best use of him is for Ardie to do what he wants. The great unwashed only watch who has the ball anyway, so to them he's killing it (despite an enormously reduced effectiveness this year).
Hit a ruck you cat!!
Nail on the head there. He's a very talented player, who is being used badly - or is being left to his own devices, and seagulls. Either way it's a coaching/selection fault. If he's doing what is asked then what we're asking him to do is wrong; if he's not then drop him.
@nostrildamus He isn't even our best loosie to be running with the backs if that's the role he has been given - Sititi has better feet, is faster, and is a better offloader - all of which he showed last year when used wide.On a related note, I'd like to see Finau spend a season at 8. If our 8s role is as per England game smashing it up for 20 carries, then Finau could be much more effective than Lakai, Sititi, CLW. He also gives us a 3rd lineout target, and then you could play Sititi for wide carries and ball skills, with DP or EB to provide ruck workload.
I think Savea really does suit the bench role where he can come on fresh against tired guys and be the hero and beat his chest a bit.I think Sititi is probably quicker off the mark than Ardie but I think Ardie probably has a higher top speed.
Well it's not high enough for him to be a valid chip kick option if you ask me.
Well I don't want Sititi chipping either.
-
@brodean said in All Blacks 2025:
@reprobate said in All Blacks 2025:
@brodean said in All Blacks 2025:
@reprobate said in All Blacks 2025:
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2025:
@African-Monkey said in All Blacks 2025:
@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks 2025:
@African-Monkey said in All Blacks 2025:
@MN5 said in All Blacks 2025:
@ShaquilleOatmeal said in All Blacks 2025:
@MN5 said in All Blacks 2025:

Ardie proving the fern wrong yet again
Beauden unlucky to miss out.
Has Savea even had a good season by his own standards?
I'll check his instagram
Has he still got that stupid pic of him sitting against the goalpost looking into the sky contemplating life after the England test?
I did it and went into the comments section of that pic on instagram ,
Most of it was along the lines of ,
if everyone tried as hard as him we wouldnt lose a game , or - this poor bugger busts his guts out every game, he deserves better
im probably not as anti Ardie as some on here , but I do think there is some serious delusional stuff going on with the general public
He has good parts to his game, but he's really starting to annoy me. He's playing for his own image and is playing like a glory hunter. He knows what he's doing.
i am not willing to go that far. To me he is a victim of a distinct lack of accountability. A hard nose coach in teh video session shows us losing that ruck on the line with him standing at first receiver and tells him if it happens again then someone will be found who will hit that ruck.
In the 2023 RWC Ardie played tight as shit. Hard carries, hit rucks, and we were so much better for it. He was given a job and did it. This coaching panel has decided the best use of him is for Ardie to do what he wants. The great unwashed only watch who has the ball anyway, so to them he's killing it (despite an enormously reduced effectiveness this year).
Hit a ruck you cat!!
Nail on the head there. He's a very talented player, who is being used badly - or is being left to his own devices, and seagulls. Either way it's a coaching/selection fault. If he's doing what is asked then what we're asking him to do is wrong; if he's not then drop him.
@nostrildamus He isn't even our best loosie to be running with the backs if that's the role he has been given - Sititi has better feet, is faster, and is a better offloader - all of which he showed last year when used wide.On a related note, I'd like to see Finau spend a season at 8. If our 8s role is as per England game smashing it up for 20 carries, then Finau could be much more effective than Lakai, Sititi, CLW. He also gives us a 3rd lineout target, and then you could play Sititi for wide carries and ball skills, with DP or EB to provide ruck workload.
I think Savea really does suit the bench role where he can come on fresh against tired guys and be the hero and beat his chest a bit.I think Sititi is probably quicker off the mark than Ardie but I think Ardie probably has a higher top speed.
Well it's not high enough for him to be a valid chip kick option if you ask me.
Well I don't want Sititi chipping either.
No, but not a problem I've sighted yet thankfully.
-
@reprobate seeing him and BB flounder this year makes you wonder if both have just been given free reign to do what they want and play what see, rather than a plan that everyone plays.
-
@taniwharugby said in All Blacks 2025:
@reprobate seeing him and BB flounder this year makes you wonder if both have just been given free reign to do what they want and play what see, rather than a plan that everyone plays.
Yeah, it's hard to know.
With BB, in many ways he plays the same in every team. He has always kicked the ball away a lot on attack: chipped for himself, cross kicks etc. They are high risk / high reward, 'I'm gonna be the hero', plays. Personally I hate that shit: keep the ball and be clinical and ruthless. For me, if there is a difference in his play, it would be that he looks to be under instructions to put up a lot of contestable high kicks, and he's just not accurate enough, more often than not they are too deep and just a straight turnover. When you combine those two things, it's not pretty.
With Savea, he can play different roles in different teams / at different times. The loosies are super confused to me, but if he's getting 'just do your thing' as his instructions, that would go a long way to explaining it. To be fair, Lakai at least did have a clear role against the Poms; however, he's just not big enough, nor was he given the ball in good enough situations for him doing most of our carrying to be a great idea.
-
@taniwharugby said in All Blacks 2025:
@reprobate seeing him and BB flounder this year makes you wonder if both have just been given free reign to do what they want and play what see, rather than a plan that everyone plays.
I thought I read an interview with Razor in the last 6 months or so where he said exactly that about BB, free rein.