All Blacks 2026
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There was a rumour on Sports Nation by Sam Casey end of last year that after the Wellington loss to the Boks that Scott Hansen basically ignored Jason Holland and took over all aspects of the attack. Holland does the strike plays btw. That was apparently the reason Holland resigned as he felt unwanted in that environment. This is according to Sam Casey’s sources. Also Hansen apparently likes to play in a structure (similar to Crusaders style), which is at odds with some non-Crusaders players in the backs like Reuben Love who plays on instinct and what he sees. This was apparently why there was a clash between Hansen and Love regarding playing style.
Remember that Scott Hansen was an assistant coach to Jamie Joseph in Japan including that 2019 World Cup. If you watch those Japanese games in that World Cup you can see shots of Hansen in the coaching box next to Joseph.
Because of his international experience with Japan, Razor has clearly given Hansen way too much power.
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@Chris sounded like coaches to me.
Sam Casey has a lot of contacts.
He said that Razor was told that its basically over. Apparently Kirk and Mealamu driving the change.
If his information is correct we will find out but seems to no a hell of a lot. -
you'd have to think if things dont land as casey has said he's burnt as a good source, listening to him it doesnt sound like there are caveats, no "could be wrong", "i would be surprised if true but have heard"
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@MN5 the story on here is that Papalii was asked to come into the squad for 2025 EOYT once Finau & Jacobson withdrew / went down. He refused and Lio Willie & Flanders got called in.
I’ve heard conflicting rumours that on 2024 EOYt something happened between Papalii & Razor. My source isn’t clear what did happen beyond
that Papalii come home PISSED off and wanted nothing to do with Razor even back then. -
@george33 said in All Blacks 2026:
@Chris sounded like coaches to me.
Sam Casey has a lot of contacts.
He said that Razor was told that its basically over. Apparently Kirk and Mealamu driving the change.
If his information is correct we will find out but seems to no a hell of a lot.So we are going to have a camp with new coaches and no word from NZR strange if true.
Because I think the camp is this weekend -
@canefan said in All Blacks 2026:
@Nepia said in All Blacks 2026:
@reprobate said in All Blacks 2026:
If I were NZR, I'd still look at Rennie pretty closely.
Rennie is a good bet for turning around an underperforming team in a short period of time.
What's he doing right now?
Still at Kobe in Japan.
Getting a coach from Japan or Europe (e.g., McMillan) would require compensation to their club. Lots of $$$.
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@SammyC said in All Blacks 2026:
Some of these players sound like right fuckwits if these rumors are true.
I guess we'll find out with the next coaching group whether the players are just straight uncoachable or whether this coaching group just couldn't connect with this current crop of players should there be change in the coaching staff of course.
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@george33 said in All Blacks 2026:
@Chris be all closed doors and no one will even be aware of it that's what I'm thinking anyway.
There will be Jurnos aware of the camp it has been planned for months there are Jurnos on here they will be sniffing around.
Strange no other media is on this if true they are all quiet. -
@handa457 Actually, adding a bit more. One person (I can’t remember who) posted on The Fern that Papalii allegedly threw a punch at Razor during the EOYT 2024. That wasn’t substantiated, and my source couldn’t confirm it. I personally highly doubt that's true.
What I can confirm is that coming into 2024, Papalii had been told he was firmly the No. 7 the All Blacks wanted, with Cane leaving. He came into camp, was asked to play a certain way, then was dropped after a handful of games and barely featured again in 2024. He was pretty frustrated with the communication, selection, and style of play. On top of that, someone along the line had apparently floated that he might be future captain material. So to go from “potential future captain” to being dropped with limited communication clearly put him offside.
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@African-Monkey said in All Blacks 2026:
@SammyC said in All Blacks 2026:
Some of these players sound like right fuckwits if these rumors are true.
I guess we'll find out with the next coaching group whether the players are just straight uncoachable or whether this coaching group just couldn't connect with this current crop of players should there be change in the coaching staff of course.
....thats what i thought with Razor
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@handa457 said in All Blacks 2026:
@handa457 Actually, adding a bit more. One person (I can’t remember who) posted on The Fern that Papalii allegedly threw a punch at Razor during the EOYT 2024. That wasn’t substantiated, and my source couldn’t confirm it. I personally highly doubt that's true.
What I can confirm is that coming into 2024, Papalii had been told he was firmly the No. 7 the All Blacks wanted, with Cane leaving. He came into camp, was asked to play a certain way, then was dropped after a handful of games and barely featured again in 2024. He was pretty frustrated with the communication, selection, and style of play. On top of that, someone along the line had apparently floated that he might be future captain material. So to go from “potential future captain” to being dropped with limited communication clearly put him offside.
Yeah not sure about that one, he did play in 2025 albeit very briefly.
Also he was more than likely pissed off his Super Rugby winning Blues loose forward teammates were on the outer too ?
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@handa457 said in All Blacks 2026:
@handa457 Actually, adding a bit more. One person (I can’t remember who) posted on The Fern that Papalii allegedly threw a punch at Razor during the EOYT 2024. That wasn’t substantiated, and my source couldn’t confirm it. I personally highly doubt that's true.
What I can confirm is that coming into 2024, Papalii had been told he was firmly the No. 7 the All Blacks wanted, with Cane leaving. He came into camp, was asked to play a certain way, then was dropped after a handful of games and barely featured again in 2024. He was pretty frustrated with the communication, selection, and style of play. On top of that, someone along the line had apparently floated that he might be future captain material. So to go from “potential future captain” to being dropped with limited communication clearly put him offside.
It seemed the natural move, he does have concrete feet in traffic at times, but still plays very much in the way of current international 7s and was needed if we were to carry Ardie at 8 in his choose-to-get-involved-when-I-want style.
We have plenty of journos or sources to journos on here, so it's surprising to not have heard from the most accurate sources we have here yet.
I'm still with @taniwharugby, we may see an assistant go but Razor would need to walk IMO.
@SammyC, that was a fascinating post coming from one of the Canterbury-ish mafia, and hard to argue with, do you think he's signed up to Ben Darwin's 'data' that experience of playing together is the secret sauce?
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It's going to be a laugh when we all find out that Ian Foster started these rumors.
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@george33 said in All Blacks 2026:
My source came back and said coaches will be told this but no official announcement until new coaches are signed on he's hearing Joseph and Brown .That's all he's hearing. How it plays out have to wait and see.
I hope you are right but I'd be surprised SA would let Brown go. This would do wonders for our backline and I'd be very interested in who Joseph would favour for forwards. I liked what he did with NZ XV forwards this year. Sounds too good to be true, actually.
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@Kiwiwomble said in All Blacks 2026:
I assume the Highlanders will get razor in return for fucking our season?
It's Hammer time!
