All Blacks 2026
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Thoughts on who will be captain?
I don't think Scooter enjoyed being captain and think it's affected his game so wonder if the new coach will pick another captain. Ardie is next in line I guess, but wonder if there's a bit of baggage there from his relationship with Robertson.
Someone completely new as Captain, Jordie? Codie Taylor? Maybe Paps if he comes into the squad? Be good to see someone like Roigard and Sititi get some experience this season - maybe as VC.
@Victor-Meldrew DP, with JB as stand in and CR vice.
Fuck Ardie, way too divisive and I can't see all the players being able to trust him.
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@Victor-Meldrew DP, with JB as stand in and CR vice.
Fuck Ardie, way too divisive and I can't see all the players being able to trust him.
@Bones said in All Blacks 2026:
@Victor-Meldrew DP, with JB as stand in and CR vice.
Fuck Ardie, way too divisive and I can't see all the players being able to trust him.
To me his Mana is completely unearned and superfluous too.
He is a senior man almost by default rather than via sweat equity.The odd pilfer whitewashing 80 minutes of anonymity.
He is a player that adorns a game rather than a player who dictates a game with head down arse up toil.
I think back to some of the leatherings McCaw and Cane took at the hands of the Boks over the years particularly McCaw over in SA early on in his career. They gave him plenty of welly at every ruck.
He just kept getting up and getting stuck back in.
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@Bones said in All Blacks 2026:
@Victor-Meldrew DP, with JB as stand in and CR vice.
Fuck Ardie, way too divisive and I can't see all the players being able to trust him.
To me his Mana is completely unearned and superfluous too.
He is a senior man almost by default rather than via sweat equity.The odd pilfer whitewashing 80 minutes of anonymity.
He is a player that adorns a game rather than a player who dictates a game with head down arse up toil.
I think back to some of the leatherings McCaw and Cane took at the hands of the Boks over the years particularly McCaw over in SA early on in his career. They gave him plenty of welly at every ruck.
He just kept getting up and getting stuck back in.
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@Victor-Meldrew DP, with JB as stand in and CR vice.
Fuck Ardie, way too divisive and I can't see all the players being able to trust him.
@Bones said in All Blacks 2026:
Fuck Ardie, way too divisive and I can't see all the players being able to trust him.
Putting aside any perceived/alleged/real divisiveness, I don't see him as an 80 minute player. Think he's more valuable coming on at 60 mins.
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@Bones said in All Blacks 2026:
Fuck Ardie, way too divisive and I can't see all the players being able to trust him.
Putting aside any perceived/alleged/real divisiveness, I don't see him as an 80 minute player. Think he's more valuable coming on at 60 mins.
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2026:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2026:
Fuck Ardie, way too divisive and I can't see all the players being able to trust him.
Putting aside any perceived/alleged/real divisiveness, I don't see him as an 80 minute player. Think he's more valuable coming on at 60 mins.
Kwagga-esque.
Dont get me wrong about Ardie, his highlights are higher than most others highs.
But he is a shiny bauble when we really need a tree stand.
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Barrett and Savea may very well find themselves on the bench or in the stands.
There are a number of players with leadership qualities or experience as captain for their Super Rugby teams but almost no 80-minute players.
I think they should name the weekend’s team first, and then look at who could be captain.
It might be that, for example, Taylor or Papali'i captains the team for the first half and Savea or Tuipulotu take over when they come on in the second half.
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Barrett and Savea may very well find themselves on the bench or in the stands.
There are a number of players with leadership qualities or experience as captain for their Super Rugby teams but almost no 80-minute players.
I think they should name the weekend’s team first, and then look at who could be captain.
It might be that, for example, Taylor or Papali'i captains the team for the first half and Savea or Tuipulotu take over when they come on in the second half.
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Thoughts on who will be captain?
I don't think Scooter enjoyed being captain and think it's affected his game so wonder if the new coach will pick another captain. Ardie is next in line I guess, but wonder if there's a bit of baggage there from his relationship with Robertson.
Someone completely new as Captain, Jordie? Codie Taylor? Maybe Paps if he comes into the squad? Be good to see someone like Roigard and Sititi get some experience this season - maybe as VC.
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2026:
Thoughts on who will be captain?
I don't think Scooter enjoyed being captain and think it's affected his game so wonder if the new coach will pick another captain. Ardie is next in line I guess, but wonder if there's a bit of baggage there from his relationship with Robertson.
Someone completely new as Captain, Jordie? Codie Taylor? Maybe Paps if he comes into the squad? Be good to see someone like Roigard and Sititi get soe experience this season - maybe as VC.
My solution is NOT to pick a captain.
Pick a leadership group and nominate an on field captain from said group once the playing XV and XXIII is named. Allowing substitution of a starting skipper without worrying about the optics of the skipper not being an 80 minute player.
Edit: I mentioned this earlier, and #booboo'ed @ShaquilleOatmeal
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@ShaquilleOatmeal you still need a "team" captain.
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@booboo said in All Blacks 2026:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2026:
@ShaquilleOatmeal you still need a "team" captain.
Not sure we do.
Be a good way to prove the idiots wrong when they say "it can't get any worse" I guess.
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@reprobate said in All Blacks 2026:
Anybody swanning off to Japan for cash every 2nd year shouldn't be captain.
While you raise a valid point, his sabbatical clause in his contract with NZR allows him to do just that.
Assuming other captaincy candidates (e.g. Taylor, Barrett) have similar clauses, why single out the player who simply exercises his contractual rights?
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@reprobate said in All Blacks 2026:
Anybody swanning off to Japan for cash every 2nd year shouldn't be captain.
While you raise a valid point, his sabbatical clause in his contract with NZR allows him to do just that.
Assuming other captaincy candidates (e.g. Taylor, Barrett) have similar clauses, why single out the player who simply exercises his contractual rights?
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2026:
@reprobate said in All Blacks 2026:
Anybody swanning off to Japan for cash every 2nd year shouldn't be captain.
While you raise a valid point, his sabbatical clause in his contract with NZR allows him to do just that.
Assuming other captaincy candidates (e.g. Taylor, Barrett) have similar clauses, why single out the player who simply exercises his contractual rights?
It is not optimal for the ABs for their captain to not be playing in NZ. If your priority is yourself and not the team, you're not captaincy material.
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@reprobate said in All Blacks 2026:
Anybody swanning off to Japan for cash every 2nd year shouldn't be captain.
Anyone going on these sojourns regardless of talent should be back of the queue when they dare to show their face again. And if you go, you should go for a cycle. And come back at the beginning of the next.
Mo'unga coming back to run the cutter at the next RWC to pad his legacy just stinks to me when we have been treading water for the last few years.
The likes of him want the baby without having to go through the labour pains.
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@reprobate said in All Blacks 2026:
Anybody swanning off to Japan for cash every 2nd year shouldn't be captain.
Anyone going on these sojourns regardless of talent should be back of the queue when they dare to show their face again. And if you go, you should go for a cycle. And come back at the beginning of the next.
Mo'unga coming back to run the cutter at the next RWC to pad his legacy just stinks to me when we have been treading water for the last few years.
The likes of him want the baby without having to go through the labour pains.
@Jet said in All Blacks 2026:
@reprobate said in All Blacks 2026:
Anybody swanning off to Japan for cash every 2nd year shouldn't be captain.
Anyone going on these sojourns regardless of talent should be back of the queue when they dare to show their face again. And if you go, you should go for a cycle. And come back at the beginning of the next.
Mo'unga coming back to run the cutter at the next RWC to pad his legacy just stinks to me when we have been treading water for the last few years.
The likes of him want the baby without having to go through the labour pains.
Without kicking Razor when he's down I have to say the fawning he did over Moungas return was downright embarrassing.
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@reprobate said in All Blacks 2026:
Anybody swanning off to Japan for cash every 2nd year shouldn't be captain.
Anyone going on these sojourns regardless of talent should be back of the queue when they dare to show their face again. And if you go, you should go for a cycle. And come back at the beginning of the next.
Mo'unga coming back to run the cutter at the next RWC to pad his legacy just stinks to me when we have been treading water for the last few years.
The likes of him want the baby without having to go through the labour pains.
@Jet said in All Blacks 2026:
@reprobate said in All Blacks 2026:
Anybody swanning off to Japan for cash every 2nd year shouldn't be captain.
Anyone going on these sojourns regardless of talent should be back of the queue when they dare to show their face again. And if you go, you should go for a cycle. And come back at the beginning of the next.
Mo'unga coming back to run the cutter at the next RWC to pad his legacy just stinks to me when we have been treading water for the last few years.
The likes of him want the baby without having to go through the labour pains.
Yep but what's difference between having a run in easier rugby, and having a break? Both rejuvenate you from what I can gather .
I do think Mounga is different of course, but I think saying him, and LF should wait until after WC doesn't seem right. I strongly dislike that we seem to want to plan everything for winning a couple of tests. There no cycle for me every year is same. -
There's been shit loads of players take sabbaticals over the years. This covers most positions too. However I can't think of any props? Has there been any?
