All Blacks 2026
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Im concerned at how little I care anymore.....
This team used to be my life, on season and off season.
im not sure if its my age, or the general malaise of the jersey but Im really disconnected.
I used to buy every shirt, trackie top, plan annual leave around games etc....
Now ill sleep through a game if its on at an unsuitable time.
Maybe I climbed my Everest in 2011 and 2015 (in my 30's) and now as a 41 year old fan I am in a zen denial or acceptance phase.
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@DaGrubster said in All Blacks 2026:
Who is going to want to take over the team 1 year out from the WC
He was very reluctant though
and be judged on that
SmithyNot sure he wants to ever be judged on being an AB head coach.
Unfortunately!
Seems to me we have at least two good coaches who don't want or can't be head coach (Smith, Schmidt). -
I'm not so engaged at the on-field level; mainly from the way the game presents as a spectacle at test match level.
Seldom/never watch a game right thru on a screen these days.But far more engaged in what is happening off-field.
Fascinating to see in the next few seasons if NZ can maintain their position at the top of the elite part of the game.
Was just rolling along for years, maybe decades; but starting to get a lot more difficult now.
Which makes it extra interesting to me. -
@Crazy-Horse said in All Blacks 2026:
Fuck drinking at games, or concerts, or anything like that. I'll have to go to the pisser all the time and end up missing good chunks of what I paid to see and pissing off those seated near me when I am up and down all the time.
I hear ya...
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@antipodean said in All Blacks 2026:
@African-Monkey said in All Blacks 2026:
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2026:
@African-Monkey said in All Blacks 2026:
Not saying I'm a supporter of Razor - far from it infact, but I too, would be surprised if he went before the 2027 RWC.
He has a hell of a 2026 season to try and negotiate first.
True. Really is make or break for him.
I'm going over to SA for two tests of the tour next year. There better be an improvement or I might do a van Zyl into the coaching box.
Nice! What tests?
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@African-Monkey said in All Blacks 2026:
@antipodean said in All Blacks 2026:
@African-Monkey said in All Blacks 2026:
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2026:
@African-Monkey said in All Blacks 2026:
Not saying I'm a supporter of Razor - far from it infact, but I too, would be surprised if he went before the 2027 RWC.
He has a hell of a 2026 season to try and negotiate first.
True. Really is make or break for him.
I'm going over to SA for two tests of the tour next year. There better be an improvement or I might do a van Zyl into the coaching box.
Nice! What tests?
First Test Ellis Park, Johannesburg,
Midweek Lions v New Zealand, Ellis Park, Johannesburg and
Second Test DHL Stadium, Cape Town -
@Crazy-Horse said in All Blacks 2026:
Fuck drinking at games, or concerts, or anything like that. I'll have to go to the pisser all the time and end up missing good chunks of what I paid to see and pissing off those seated near me when I am up and down all the time.
Fuck being sober at games, or concerts, or anything like that.
There is always plenty of injury outages, or other filler bullshit, for quick pisser breaks
(BTW - I always gets seats at the very ends of rows, so pisser breaks are quick, easy, and minimal pissing off others when I am up and down all the time) -
@Kruse said in All Blacks 2026:
@Crazy-Horse said in All Blacks 2026:
Fuck drinking at games, or concerts, or anything like that. I'll have to go to the pisser all the time and end up missing good chunks of what I paid to see and pissing off those seated near me when I am up and down all the time.
Fuck being sober
at games, or concerts, or anything like that.
There is always plenty of injury outages, or other filler bullshit, for quick pisser breaks
(BTW - I always gets seats at the very ends of rows, so pisser breaks are quick, easy, and minimal pissing off others when I am up and down all the time)Just edited your post for brevity
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@giorgi1997 said in All Blacks 2026:
Legendary All Blacks coach Gilbert Enoka names the best player, captain & person that he's ever worked with...
. https://wetalkrugby.com/gilbert-enoka-all-blacks-dan-carter-mccaw-mealamu/Great read - thanks.
Have asked for Enoka's book for Christmas
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@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks 2026:
Who is going to want to take over the team 1 year out from the WC and be judged on that
Cam Roigard.
Choo choo
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@Crazy-Horse said in All Blacks 2026:
Fuck drinking at games, or concerts, or anything like that. I'll have to go to the pisser all the time and end up missing good chunks of what I paid to see and pissing off those seated near me when I am up and down all the time.
That's one of the great things about the Millennium Stadium (or whatever it's called these days). The loos are situated so you can have a quick piss and be back in your seat quickly
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Going to a baseball game in the states blew me away.
What do you mean i can get full strength beer? What do you mean its in a can. What do you mean it's 500ml. What do you mean i don't even have to leave my seat!!!This wasn't long after going to the cr8cket at tue gabba where they started limiting the amount of midstrength tou could buy in the 2nd session. Made you take your sunniest off to order. And put security on the bin so no one could start a cup snake.
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@nzzp said in All Blacks 2026:
@antipodean said in All Blacks 2026:
@African-Monkey said in All Blacks 2026:
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2026:
@African-Monkey said in All Blacks 2026:
Not saying I'm a supporter of Razor - far from it infact, but I too, would be surprised if he went before the 2027 RWC.
He has a hell of a 2026 season to try and negotiate first.
True. Really is make or break for him.
I'm going over to SA for two tests of the tour next year. There better be an improvement or I might do a van Zyl into the coaching box.
best get eating bro!
And drinking....
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@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks 2026:
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2026:
@African-Monkey said in All Blacks 2026:
Not saying I'm a supporter of Razor - far from it infact, but I too, would be surprised if he went before the 2027 RWC.
He has a hell of a 2026 season to try and negotiate first.
the problem will be, even if 2026 isnt good,
Who is going to want to take over the team 1 year out from the WC and be judged on that
It's a free hit for anyone who took over, considering how desperate NZRU would have to be to fire Razor
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@Victor-Meldrew think i mentioned elsewhere on here, heard Enoka speak at a conference (wasnt even there as the "main" speaker we had to listen to, but was by far the more memorable) he was awesome to listen to, I'll be reading his book too.
One fella i was sitting with said it was his 3rd time hearing him, said he told so many different stories and kept everyone engaged.
Haven't clicked on that link, but I recall him saying Mealamu was a player who carried more mana than anyone.
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@taniwharugby said in All Blacks 2026:
Haven't clicked on that link, but I recall him saying Mealamu was a player who carried more mana than anyone.
Yep. Calls him the "Finest human being I've met"
On a similar vein, Welsh mate's wife is a headteacher who heard Graham Henry give a talk on education (after-school activities). Called it the most inspiring and thought-provoking educational lecture she'd ever had.
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@reprobate said in All Blacks 2026:
@Dan54 said in All Blacks 2026:
@reprobate said in All Blacks 2026:
@Dan54 said in All Blacks 2026:
@ShaquilleOatmeal said in All Blacks 2026:
@Kiwiwomble said in All Blacks 2026:
@ShaquilleOatmeal said in All Blacks 2026:
@Nepia There are several factors stopping people going as frequently as they used to. The price, as you say - and not just the tickets. Better quality streaming and TVs. A bit of over-saturation of rugby. More competition from other entertainment. Lower-quality competitions, with no All Blacks in the NPC, etc.
This one might just be me, but Super Rugby seems to have lost its appeal a bit with all the changes to teams and competition structure, South African teams leaving, Australian teams underperforming.
I also think atmosphere decline feeds on itself. Smaller crowds create a vicious cycle: empty seats reduce atmosphere, poor atmosphere discourages new or casual fans and once a ground feels quiet, people assume it’s not worth going.
MY personal experience is also the time, we had so many years of night games creeping later and later, am i miss remembering they got to 805pm kickoff? it just became a thing lots of families wouldnt do....and if you dont go with your family i think your less likely to go as an adult, i dont have kids but i would struggle to get mate to come to the pub or even at someone's house...clashed with bed time or bath etc...and when people did come it was always talked about "beautiful day this avo and was looking for something to do with the kids"...now we're getting some more day games which is good but its definitely not peoples routine
Taking the kids to a night game does seem like it'd be a bit too difficult. Our one kid is too young to sit and watch a game and, yes, his bedtime is (conveniently for watching at home) bang on 7:00. But people must have used to either go with the family or without them. Something's changed there - the cost, time, a different attitude etc - that wasn't an issue before. There were more afternoon games pre-professionalism but that's now a long time ago.
The thing that has changed is the convenience of watching it at home, and the general attitude of convenience. Games at night it certainly a factor, but needing tv money since professional came is the big reason for this. TV pays the money, wants the product at night for good viewing times, and it pretty easy to stay at home and watch it in comfort.
I mean one of fasting growing things is uber eats, just sit at home and have everything brought to you there. Have a peek t how many music festivals etc are shutting up shop as well, it's too hard to go out for some.
Apart from young kids everything else about shit food and beer etc is just an excuse really. My experience is ( I been going to rugby, etc for long time), the food and even beer is probably better now than ever was, usually more choice in both, but crowds are still dwindling.No Dan. You are ignoring that the beer and food quality in NZ outside of rugby grounds has got a shitload better. Nobody is comparing the offerings at the footy and going "man, how lucky are we? this is way better than it was in the 70s!". They are comparing it to what they can have elsewhere now.
I understand that, but I go to concerts still, and beer isn't great. Mates that go to cricket reckon they don't get great beer either. What sports etc do you go to that has really good beer etc? Genuinely interested. I can get craft beer at a Naki game, and they have food caravans selling a reasonable selection. I will bet I probably get as good beer and food at stadiums in NZ as I got at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane and cricket at the Gabba. You can't have or feed thousands of people like you do at a restaurant mate, it doesn't work. And you go to any game whether test, super or NPC in NZ and have a look at people lined up to buy a drink or food.
And if people aren't saying how lucky are we it's better than the 70s, they weren't going to rugby in 70s, as you couldn't buy any beers in stadiums then, and that was up until 90s, and don't even recall seeing food stalls there, though no doubt you could get hotdog on a stick. I still say if anyone says they not going to rugby because beer and food not up to standard is just not admitting really they just can't be bothered, which is ok. Just be honest.Why do you have to turn it into some 'these people don't care about rugby as much as I do' thing? The reason for anybody not going to anything could be classed as "couldn't be bothered", and there is a different threshold for everyone at which they can be bothered - some people have kids etc. One of the reasons people can't be bothered is because the food and beer is shit and/or overpriced - improving it would get more people to the footy.
Same thing with day games, but there is a bigger hurdle there with TV timing.
Food trucks are a good option, but the prices need to be reasonable, not venue-enhanced.
A chiller, mobile eftpos machines and a few people to hand out beer is not a huge expense.More people at the ground, no matter where rugby fits in their list of priorities is a good thing isn't it?
Where did I say people don't care about rugby. All I said is some prefer watching it at home, or can't be bothered going, which is alright with me. Mate, I make no bones about it ,I a tragic, and mainly go because I can see more of what happens , not because I like game more or less than anyone.
On the chiller eftpos machines etc, it shows how long it been since you have gone. Never been to a stadium for quite some time where there not eftpos, and chillers for beer etc etc. Yep more people at ground is surely on priorities, but that is surely not at expense of running things at a loss.etc. As I say, at Naki they got everything you say rugby doesn't have as well as a family area where spare players from squad are running games for kids, they have others wandering around giving out posters, at halftime they shooting tshirts into crowd for kids or adults) to catch. As I say prices , at food caravans etc are no more than at same caravans etc when they set up at markets etc ,or is beer anymore expensive than I have paid at concerts etc. I have never been to a game/test where the lineup for food and beer isn't long, so to a lot of people obviously happy. And most have q fairly good number of staff in the bars etc.
Where are all these places that are not fulltime venues (so have same costs etc) that are cheaper?
Personally I don't need the extras , I go to watch rugby, but I applaud that most (and I think it a lot of sports these days) have the things that keep families etc amused.
I repeat I never said that you don't like rugby as much, that's just you making up stuff. -
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2026:
Going to a baseball game in the states blew me away.
What do you mean i can get full strength beer? What do you mean its in a can. What do you mean it's 500ml. What do you mean i don't even have to leave my seat!!!This wasn't long after going to the cr8cket at tue gabba where they started limiting the amount of midstrength tou could buy in the 2nd session. Made you take your sunniest off to order. And put security on the bin so no one could start a cup snake.
Yeah - it's great... your namesake's stadium - plenty of craft beer available, amazon automated shopping in little mini-marts (no tills/etc - videos capture what you pick up, automatically charge it to your card - sorcery).
But yes - beers to one's seat - even better.EXCEPT... being cut off at the 7th innnings. For a game which can often continue for many more innings than the standard. I'd have been getting pretty fucking antsy by the end of that 15 innings playoff game a couple of months ago.
I understand why they do it, but...
