The Silver Fern

@taniwharugby getting high performance out of a squad is our challenge. We have a bigger crop of young players than ever before (vs journeymen) - and more SR experience. You have to think that a capable and settled coaching setup is what we need now to move us up the ranks.

@taniwharugby what’s up with Parker? Ankle? That’s a big loss - are they expecting him to play this season…

@taniwharugby said in Northland 2025:

Not a good afternoon, going down 52-7...yikes

Side Auckland named looked pretty good, but still

Shit! Suggests they are focussed on something else….i hope

@taniwharugby very young side for that game. Hard to get a reading from that. Presume another preseason game?

Thanks

@mariner4life said in All Blacks v France 2:

Hey, wins a win right?

Good score, forwards were great. But we're playing faster than our (or any) talent allows.

We won by heaps but I'm underwhelmed. How does this footy go against south africa?

Ok. But yes accuracy needs to improve. Like the bigger pack and the tactics of speed. We still struggle with kick chase game.

Why are we so awful chasing kicks? Just seems a waste of time for us whereas with the Boks it’s their number 1 attacking option - they flood the zone.

@Canes4life said in All Blacks v France 2:

Fk sake Rieko pass it, Ardie was away.

Reiko sorry Rieko showing all his distribution skills.

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks v France 2:

@kev said in All Blacks v France 2:

@No-Quarter said in All Blacks v France 2:

@kev Rieko has done a lot more than just "run" tonight

Admit it - he is better on the wing?

He is better on the wing currently than Proctor is playing at centre, based on the last 2 games but who is to say Proctor is playing better at centre than Rieko would?

Rieko was awful at centre over how many seasons…Proctor already showing his distribution skills and accuracy

@No-Quarter said in All Blacks v France 2:

@kev Rieko has done a lot more than just "run" tonight

Admit it - he is better on the wing?

@taniwharugby said in All Blacks v France 2:

More average aerial work from us

We are crap

@Darth-Sader said in All Blacks v France 2:

I’m loving Reiko back at 11… just suits him

Proctor has much better distribution and handling skills and Reiko can just run.

@booboo said in All Blacks v France 2:

@Chris said in All Blacks v France 2:

@Duluth said in All Blacks v France 2:

@Chris the volume of kicks you tard

The shit kicking is on shit BB he is crap.

I reckon BBs kicking well.

And the volume is good. @Duluth

It's working.

Angled grabbers into corners are good, The up and unders on attack not so much.

@taniwharugby said in Northland 2025:

This said Quinton was back?

4.7K views · 69 reactions | Quinton Nichols is back for 2025!...

Quinton Nichols is back for 2025! 🐉#northlandproud #upthetanis.

@Bones said in All Blacks v France I:

@pakman said in All Blacks v France I:

@reprobate said in All Blacks v France I:

@taniwharugby said in All Blacks v France I:

I guess the issue with BB and his kicking, is he either is 'allowed' to kick or told he shouldn't...I doubt any coach will do that.

I think he has had free reign for so long, he sees space then poorly executes...

It was notable when we put our kicking boots away, we were all over them and looking like breaking loose, but didn't, then re went back to the kicking duel, which kept putting ourselves under pressure.

Kicking asid, BB went pretty well, so how do you get your hugely experienced 10 to kick less?

His passing was really pretty good, best we've seen from him this year, and he kicked his goals well. But fuck me, he kicks so much attacking ball away it does my head in. Each one of those should be treated as a turnover, because that's what they are - if someone knocked the ball on multiple times every game while hot on attack, they would be crucified.
I'm sure there'll be some game where it all comes off and we look amazing and put 50 on some team, but most of the time it means not converting opportunities or applying pressure. that's how you get France C staying close enough to potentially snatch victory - and there are several teams out there better than France C.

And he can't exit with distance. And missed touch from a penalty. And a defensive bomb. And we still don't chase and contest - TBH that's the bit that really confuses me - because if it's a plan, sack the chasers. if it's not a plan, sack the kicker.

It was noticeable that France had two or three effective chasers, whereas we often had no one getting near the ball.

What was most frustrating, was when we do have chasers, they seem coached to wait for the ball to either hit the turf or be caught by the opposition. Really substandard.

It was like watching the Warriors were everyone just stops. Where is Ben Smith when you need him.

@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks v France I:

@MN5 said in All Blacks v France I:

@kev said in All Blacks v France I:

@mariner4life said in All Blacks v France I:

Negatives?

Our spine are dumb and why we struggle. 9, 10, 15. No control at all, no feel for tempo. Flat out, always. Playing for them must be exhausting.

Proctor was average at 13, but he'll he saved by the fact his most likely replacement was worst on ground. Ioane is cooked, get rid.

What the fuck do you fo either Ardie Savea? With ball in hand few are better. But in a test team? He's do selfish. He will actively avoid attacking rucks, so he can get the next run. At 7 he made no dent in the French breakdown.

I think it's a worry that the main problems I see are guys you know will get selected every week

Ioane does look cooked. Doesn’t pass or look to setup those around him. Was just running straight at defenders.

He is at that age unfortunately. How come other countries wingers last longer than ours ?

I think it’s usually our so called power wingers who might start to drop away athletically and to go with that , there might be younger guys demanding pick me

We had two of the best in Ben Smith and Corey Jane. Emoni Narawa looks like that type of balanced player.

@mariner4life said in All Blacks v France I:

Negatives?

Our spine are dumb and why we struggle. 9, 10, 15. No control at all, no feel for tempo. Flat out, always. Playing for them must be exhausting.

Proctor was average at 13, but he'll he saved by the fact his most likely replacement was worst on ground. Ioane is cooked, get rid.

What the fuck do you fo either Ardie Savea? With ball in hand few are better. But in a test team? He's do selfish. He will actively avoid attacking rucks, so he can get the next run. At 7 he made no dent in the French breakdown.

I think it's a worry that the main problems I see are guys you know will get selected every week

Ioane does look cooked. Doesn’t pass or look to setup those around him. Was just running straight at defenders.

Reiko has the same weakness on the wing that he has at centre.

@Windows97 said in All Blacks Vs France, Test One, Dunedin:

Surised to see Barrett at 10, the golden sun continues to shine out of his *ss. Looking forward to 20m touch finders and pointless chip kicks.

I have heard some commentators say that BB has had a better season than Damien. What it I remember from the season is a completely disfunctional Blues backline and repeated throwaway comments about the variation in his kicking game. All I see is a guy that kicks - a lot, leading an underperforming backline.

Damien had a shocker against Waratahs ( I think ) but was generally great during the year. Chiefs backline was awesome. Came finals time he didn’t play badly but didn’t dominate. Missed 2 kicks in final.

So in the end they prefer someone that is less mercurial - less up and down. Still think this is Damien’s position to win if he gets the chance. If he can play like he did against Ireland and not have too many brain explosions.

In the meantime we are left with BB and his kicking game.

@Donsteppa said in NRL 2025:

They really needed that pass to stick....

Edward Kosi just lacks that class of the better players.