The Silver Fern

@SouthernMann said in Southland v Otago:

@frugby said in Southland v Otago:

I think Casey will usurp Taylor in the pecking order quite quickly… I suppose the other consideration might be is that they see CLW playing the 80, and perhaps feel they want a tighter blindsided (e.g Stodart/Elton) as opposed to a ball runner.

Personally I’d be inclined to try run Southland off their feet, but I’m happy to wait for the game to reserve judgement.

Am excited to see how Broomfield goes, and find it intriguing Nemec-Vial has jumped Rangitutia, Nemec injured last year?

Casey shouldn't be viewed as a seven. He is a ball running 6/8. The stats I've seen from club rugby have him dominating in the defenders beaten categories. While Taylor made a lot of impact at the breakdown.

Looked at Kaik's lineups for the club season. He started all but two of his games at 8, with those games at six.

I’ve never been a great fan of Taylor. Be interesting to see what they do when they make changes then because would assume CLW plays the 80, and would assume Taylor will come off, so will be jnteresting to see who lines up at open side.

Ratcliffe is the other open side they signed, but the coaches don’t seem to rate him at this stage.

I think Casey will usurp Taylor in the pecking order quite quickly… I suppose the other consideration might be is that they see CLW playing the 80, and perhaps feel they want a tighter blindsided (e.g Stodart/Elton) as opposed to a ball runner.

Personally I’d be inclined to try run Southland off their feet, but I’m happy to wait for the game to reserve judgement.

Am excited to see how Broomfield goes, and find it intriguing Nemec-Vial has jumped Rangitutia, Nemec injured last year?

@SouthernMann I guess they see Elton as being able to cover lock, whereas Toleafoa is an out and out eight?

He was supposedly quite good in both pre-season games so should get his chance assuming CLW is away with the ABs.

@SouthernMann I expect Pledger to be better than Hastie anyway, but I honestly hope Otago do what is best for Otago... I am sick and tired of us being crap.

A real probables v possibles... which begs the question - why not play Canterbury?

@Yeetyaah Sounds like a classic case of Chinese whispers… “Wrampling is leaving”

Turns out it was Malachi to the Blues.

I’m bravely going to try predict the NPC having failed miserably with Super Rugby

1. Taranaki
2. Canterbury
3. Bay of Plenty
4. Wellington
5. Ta$man
6. Auckland
7. Hawke’s Bay
8. Waikato
9. Northland
10. Otago
11. Harbour
12. Counties
13. Southland
14. Manawatu

Pleased everything is back up and running… I thought New Zealand Rugby had had the page taken down for the leaked lineups!

@Kiwiwomble See the other post. Otago have just named their squad really weirdly. There is loads of development players, I can’t understand why they don’t just name them.

@jimmyb said in Otago 2025:

@frugby said in Otago 2025:

@SouthernMann said in Otago 2025:

@Kiwiwomble said in Otago 2025:

@frugby in fairness...he said no BACK UP 10...

Cheers for that. If he read the post properly it would have blunted his swipe a bit.

I stand by what I wrote yesterday. The fact the team listed above has question marks instead of options is reflective of the issues with the squad that was named yesterday.

I'd change that pack around a bit. I do not want to see Coltman there unless we have to. So same front row. Then

Stodart and Tucker at lock. With Casey, Taylor and Toleafoa in the loose.

There’s two posts mate. Was referring to the other one which said 10 is an issue

I meant 10 is an issue if Millar goes down injured. The same way lock “isn’t an issue” Holland can play and there aren’t any injuries. The lack of cover is an issue, particularly if Hurley is out. Gilbert shifts to 10 then who plays fullback? That’s definitely an issue wouldn’t you say?

@jimmyb said in Otago 2025:

@frugby said in Otago 2025:

@SouthernMann said in Otago 2025:

@Kiwiwomble said in Otago 2025:

@frugby in fairness...he said no BACK UP 10...

Cheers for that. If he read the post properly it would have blunted his swipe a bit.

I stand by what I wrote yesterday. The fact the team listed above has question marks instead of options is reflective of the issues with the squad that was named yesterday.

I'd change that pack around a bit. I do not want to see Coltman there unless we have to. So same front row. Then

Stodart and Tucker at lock. With Casey, Taylor and Toleafoa in the loose.

There’s two posts mate. Was referring to the other one which said 10 is an issue

I meant 10 is an issue if Millar goes down injured. The same way lock “isn’t an issue” Holland can play and there aren’t any injuries. The lack of cover is an issue, particularly if Hurley is out. Gilbert shifts to 10 then who plays fullback? That’s definitely an issue wouldn’t you say?

I actually think loose forward shapes as a bigger problem straight off the bat with Haig out. Unless someone really steps up, I think we screwed there… I’m not so concerned about the lack of a backup for Millar, because there will be someone (probably Miln), even if not on a full contract. Likewise at lock, I still fully expect to see heaps of Tengblad.

@SouthernMann said in Otago 2025:

@Kiwiwomble said in Otago 2025:

@frugby in fairness...he said no BACK UP 10...

Cheers for that. If he read the post properly it would have blunted his swipe a bit.

I stand by what I wrote yesterday. The fact the team listed above has question marks instead of options is reflective of the issues with the squad that was named yesterday.

I'd change that pack around a bit. I do not want to see Coltman there unless we have to. So same front row. Then

Stodart and Tucker at lock. With Casey, Taylor and Toleafoa in the loose.

There’s two posts mate. Was referring to the other one which said 10 is an issue

Hurley being gone for the season is a blow for us, but Gilbert is a very tidy 15 at NPC level - to say we have no fullback is harsh. Ditto, to say 10 is an issue I think is equally harsh. At NPC level, Cam Millar is a very good first five - getting a run of games will probably do him a world of good. Accounting for injuries, here is what we could look like v the Stags in R1:

1. Lopas
2. Bell
3. Ma'u
4. Tamani
5. Tucker
6. Toleafoa
7. Casey
8. Stodart
9. Hastie
10. Millar
11. Asi
12. Umaga-Jensen
13. Timu
14. Powell
15. Gilbert
16. Coltman
17. Pole
18. Wingham
19. ?
20. Taylor
21. Pledger
22. ?
23. ?

@Duluth said in Otago 2025:

@frugby said in Otago 2025:

Tengblad has indeed been lost then... had some sauce last week that he was sticking around for this season but clearly that was referring to the Highlanders.

This was posted in another thread:

@Steven-Harris said in Auckland Rugby 2025:

NZ U20 lock Josh Tengbald has also signed with Auckland but for the 2027 season , will be linking up with the Highlanders for 2026

The Otago line about him "being developed carefully" is strange. If the above rumour is true they have two years to make use of him. Are they punishing him for moving at a later date?

I think this rumour is definitely true, hence why everyone heard he was leaving (clearly he just isn’t leaving yet)

Tengblad has indeed been lost then... had some sauce last week that he was sticking around for this season but clearly that was referring to the Highlanders.

Most of the newbies/returners have looked pretty good in these tests - but this is not a top rate French team. We've seen Havili look a million bucks at this time of year before.

I think what is more telling is when guys can't impact in games like these, because if you can't do it now, I give you little chance against the Boks.

@brodean said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:

PT runs a better lineout than Barrett and is a better lineout jumper.

PT better on the carry and Barrett better at the breakdown.

PT must be pretty bloody good then.

@Bones gut feeling is that Kirifi hasn’t taken his chance, and will be usurped by Lakai when he returns. Be good to see him given a proper go this week though.

@brodean said in All Blacks v France III:

@MN5 said in All Blacks v France III:

@brodean said in All Blacks v France III:

@ShaquilleOatmeal

The backline and loose forwards have a number of question marks around them. It's not clear who the third and forth choice players are in a number of positions and even 1st and 2nd choice are not clear either.

A number of players are cruising off the back of a dominant tight five. We probably aren't going to get the same level of tight five dominance against first choice top 4 teams.

Which to me makes guys like Kirifi and Lio Willie surplus to requirements against the really big guns.

That move the latter did to set up Roigard was cool though.

Yes Lio Willie has been better than Kirifi. The way injuries come around it seems that Lio Willie can be relied on to do a job but he doesn't really seem to have the attributes to grab the starting position with both hands and not let go for the next 4 years. So a bit of a stop gap measure at this stage?

A good solid backup to Sititi I reckon.

Hoping it isn’t mass changes next week, as I’d like to see guys fill some roles…

1. de Groot
2. Taukei’aho
3. Newell (Lomax)
4. Vaa’i
5. Holland
6. Jacobson
7. Kirifi
8. Savea
9. Roigard
10. Love
11. Ioane
12. Tupaea
13. Proctor
14. Narawa
15. Jordan
16. McAllister
17. Norris
18. Tosi
19. Tuipulotu
20. Finau
21. Hotham
22. Tavatavanawai
23. McKenzie

When bigger tests roll around, I still think Tuipulotu would be best used as your impact man - Scott Barrett will rise to the challenge. Finau gets one last chance, and possibly edging to that territory for Kirifi so I’d start him to get a proper read.

@Landers92 I suspect the hooker market for 2027 will be tasty. Possibly as many as 9 off-contract.