All Blacks 2025
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I'm going on record with the rest of the underwhelmed.
Not fussed. He's no Dan Carter, nor for that matter Mehrts or Spencer. Fuck, he's not even fucking Aaron Cruden.
Am not UNHAPPY to see him back, but I'm not doing backflips over a 30-something semi-decent 1st 5/8 who is rather indistinguishable from those currently available and hasn't played Tests for 3 years. Will he be better than the guys we have? Maybe, maybe not.
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So Richie Mo'unga is set to play NPC Rugby in 2026, but what about if he is out injured for either the 2026 EOYT or/and the 2027 Rugby Championship?
Because of the money involved in getting him back from Japan and his close relationship with the Head Coach, we are committing to selecting for the 2027 RWC a semi-decent player who may have only three or four tests at most to reconnect to the squad and the way Test Rugby has developed in this World Cup cycle.
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@MN5 said in All Blacks 2025:
@nzzp said in All Blacks 2025:
@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
We did something similar with Sonny Bill Williams which turned out alright, even if the circus around him was nauseating at times.
We did it again with Roger Tuisava-Sheck who never really seemed at home in Rugby.
SBW was a crazy athlete - if he got the positioning and skills he was going to succeed in some format.
Was he really ? Great beach muscles but was he noticably faster, fitter, stronger than others ?
Ma’a Nonu blasted through tackles better than he did, J Savea, R Ioane etc were quicker.
If you want to compare him to our greatest 12, a wing who had a peak as high as any in world rugby and the best athlete in the team, then go for it. It may not make the point you are trying to make though.
He was a pretty remarkable dude, carried a big frame with him and some serious muscle.
@nzzp said in All Blacks 2025:
@MN5 said in All Blacks 2025:
@nzzp said in All Blacks 2025:
@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
We did something similar with Sonny Bill Williams which turned out alright, even if the circus around him was nauseating at times.
We did it again with Roger Tuisava-Sheck who never really seemed at home in Rugby.
SBW was a crazy athlete - if he got the positioning and skills he was going to succeed in some format.
Was he really ? Great beach muscles but was he noticably faster, fitter, stronger than others ?
Ma’a Nonu blasted through tackles better than he did, J Savea, R Ioane etc were quicker.
> If you want to compare him to our greatest 12, a wing who had a peak as high as any in world rugby and the best athlete in the team, then go for it. It may not make the point you are trying to make though.
He was a pretty remarkable dude, carried a big frame with him and some serious muscle.
I just did exactly that.
…..another I’d throw in is Jonah who at his peak would be as quick and considerably more powerful than anyone who ever played Rugby and who threw some pretty amazing offloads if he didn’t manage to trample or go round defenders.
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Sopoaga is only a couple months older than BB, he's gotta come into the equation too.
@taniwharugby said in All Blacks 2025:
Sopoaga is only a couple months older than BB, he's gotta come into the equation too.
I aint no SBW myself but Lima looked fairly barrel chested when I seen him last week (admittedly making a line break and scoring match winning try).
At least Beaudy looks the part
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@booboo said in All Blacks 2025:
We need to work on the next bunch of players, the Love Generation.
Love might be our Stephen Larkham, a guy who started his SR career at 15, and turned into quite a serviceable 10 for ACT and Straya..... (Not saying he will be as good as Bernie, but there is a potential parallel there)
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@taniwharugby said in All Blacks 2025:
Sopoaga is only a couple months older than BB, he's gotta come into the equation too.
I aint no SBW myself but Lima looked fairly barrel chested when I seen him last week (admittedly making a line break and scoring match winning try).
At least Beaudy looks the part
@Jet said in All Blacks 2025:
@taniwharugby said in All Blacks 2025:
Sopoaga is only a couple months older than BB, he's gotta come into the equation too.
I aint no SBW myself but Lima looked fairly barrel chested when I seen him last week (admittedly making a line break and scoring match winning try).
At least Beaudy looks the part
Pot belly!
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I want to know what Love is? 4th choice? 5th choice?
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I want to know what Love is? 4th choice? 5th choice?
@MiketheSnow said in All Blacks 2025:
I want to know what Love is? 4th choice? 5th choice?
Razor will show you
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@MiketheSnow said in All Blacks 2025:
I want to know what Love is? 4th choice? 5th choice?
Razor will show you
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I believe this is Surfjesus' first trip to Argentina as ABs coach? Was his last trip as a player, when he scored a try in the left hand corner to save/win the game?
@barky1 said in All Blacks 2025:
I believe this is Surfjesus' first trip to Argentina as ABs coach? Was his last trip as a player, when he scored a try in the left hand corner to save/win the game?
He would have gone over with the Crusaders in 2018.
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@taniwharugby said in All Blacks 2025:
Sopoaga is only a couple months older than BB, he's gotta come into the equation too.
I aint no SBW myself but Lima looked fairly barrel chested when I seen him last week (admittedly making a line break and scoring match winning try).
At least Beaudy looks the part
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When the match kicks off, and the pitch lights ignite,
He stands at First Five, calm under the night.
With every sidestep, defenders fall light.
Love, Love will tear you apart… again.When passes get slick, and the pace starts to climb,
He reads every move like he’s bending time.
The backline sings sweet when he’s on the line.
Love, Love will tear you apart… again.Why is his vision so sharp and so clear?
He spins it both ways, no panic, no fear.
That left boot of his? A tactical spear.
Love, Love will tear you apart… again.He’s ghosting through gaps that no one can see,
From Welly to Black—pure rugby poetry.
The rivals all sigh, “How’d he break free?”
Love, Love will tear you apart… again. -
When the match kicks off, and the pitch lights ignite,
He stands at First Five, calm under the night.
With every sidestep, defenders fall light.
Love, Love will tear you apart… again.When passes get slick, and the pace starts to climb,
He reads every move like he’s bending time.
The backline sings sweet when he’s on the line.
Love, Love will tear you apart… again.Why is his vision so sharp and so clear?
He spins it both ways, no panic, no fear.
That left boot of his? A tactical spear.
Love, Love will tear you apart… again.He’s ghosting through gaps that no one can see,
From Welly to Black—pure rugby poetry.
The rivals all sigh, “How’d he break free?”
Love, Love will tear you apart… again.@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:
When the match kicks off, and the pitch lights ignite,
He stands at First Five, calm under the night.
With every sidestep, defenders fall light.
Love, Love will tear you apart… again.When passes get slick, and the pace starts to climb,
He reads every move like he’s bending time.
The backline sings sweet when he’s on the line.
Love, Love will tear you apart… again.Why is his vision so sharp and so clear?
He spins it both ways, no panic, no fear.
That left boot of his? A tactical spear.
Love, Love will tear you apart… again.He’s ghosting through gaps that no one can see,
From Welly to Black—pure rugby poetry.
The rivals all sigh, “How’d he break free?”
Love, Love will tear you apart… again.Ian curtis will be spinning in his grave
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I'm going on record with the rest of the underwhelmed.
Not fussed. He's no Dan Carter, nor for that matter Mehrts or Spencer. Fuck, he's not even fucking Aaron Cruden.
Am not UNHAPPY to see him back, but I'm not doing backflips over a 30-something semi-decent 1st 5/8 who is rather indistinguishable from those currently available and hasn't played Tests for 3 years. Will he be better than the guys we have? Maybe, maybe not.
@booboo said in All Blacks 2025:
I'm going on record with the rest of the underwhelmed.
Not fussed. He's no Dan Carter, nor for that matter Mehrts or Spencer. Fuck, he's not even fucking Aaron Cruden.
Am not UNHAPPY to see him back, but I'm not doing backflips over a 30-something semi-decent 1st 5/8 who is rather indistinguishable from those currently available and hasn't played Tests for 3 years. Will he be better than the guys we have? Maybe, maybe not.
Indeed - we are talking about a marginal improvement over the two guys we currently have, not a game changer.
