All Blacks 2026
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@handa457 said in All Blacks 2026:
@Tim Spoke to my source and got some new oil on the Papalii situation. Again take with a grain of salt. I'd back this guy. And all I can say is holy shit if true.
I'll hold off sharing all the details publicly now. But it's fair to say Papalii was directly told he would be picked for RC by Razor, made some...life altering choices for his family as a result, told Razor what they'd be prior to it all, and then was omitted from the squad.
We don't need to go into detail about those choices, but safe to say, as a family man I'd be fucking murderous if they happened to me.
Long story short Papalii does not just hate Razor, but seems to have the sort of desire for vengeance that burned Rome down.
Crikey, his tell all book will send Ardies to the bargain bin faster than you can say TikTok following…..
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trying to think what kind of things a coach would tell a player and can only think he turned down good money (good for his family long term?) overseas, maybe burnt a bridge, to stay in NZ thinking he was nailed on?
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@Tim said in All Blacks 2026:
@WoodysRFC Well he did have a kid recently ...
Just taking the piss. Handa's comment does leave quite a lot up to the imagination none the less.
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simple really. think Indecent Proposal. One night with her and you're in as skipper
psych!!
(this post was satire don't come looking for me)
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@Kiwiwomble said in All Blacks 2026:
trying to think what kind of things a coach would tell a player and can only think he turned down good money (good for his family long term?) overseas, maybe burnt a bridge, to stay in NZ thinking he was nailed on?
Or going big on property you can only afford on an AB salary, forking out for the best of the best child care/education?
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Concerning that the Senior leadership team still has this much weight.
They've been the worst performing players in the team for the last 2 years.
The rookies that have come in are pretty much carrying this team.
New coaches or not, nearly the entire leadership team should be out as well if the coaches are also gone.
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@WoodysRFC Yeah. And while frustrating, I might not elaborate too much more that.
However it wasn't related to money. It was related to some major private decisions that needed to be made in regards to his personal family matters, and if he was going to be present or not during RC. He specifically approached Razor, explained he needed to know for planning and asked to be told early so he could make those decisions.
He made those decisions based on Razor explicitly telling him he'd be selected, and then didn't get selected. As a family man, I think it's safe to say I would never forgive someone for putting me into that situation.
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@frugby said in All Blacks 2026:
I’m not suggesting what Handa is saying isn’t true, but this is a bit like the Michael Manson saga from last year.
Nobody should be guaranteed anything like a place in a squad - and if they are, we’re fucked
i see what youre saying but i feel telling an existing member if the squad that they're seen as having an increased role in the future than someone new supposedly being offered a guaranteed bench spot to lure them to the team
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And then they went crawling back to him on the EOYT and expected him to bail them out when injuries struck? Christ on a bike what the fuck is wrong with these guys, please move the whole coaching team on.
