The Silver Fern

While I can completely understand a bit of the frustration at some of the selections, I think people are letting one or two decisions cloud their judgement on the squad (and Robertson and co) as a whole.

Of the seven Crusaders selected, who didn't deserve their spot?

Taylor, Williams, Newell, Barrett and Reece are all incumbent All Blacks and there are very strong cases for all five to get a call-up. Blackadder has had some strong games in the black jersey and, worst case scenario, he breaks early in the year and is replaced by someone else.

Bell is the only one of the seven that is a real head scratcher, but it's not like there were any other obvious options available to the selectors. Until Taukei'aho was injured, there weren't any other hooker names being bandied about because none of them were even close to the level of Taukei'aho/Aumua/Taylor. Riccitelli has performed well this year but it's not like he's been banging the door down for a number of seasons or has the physical attributes that would make anyone stand up and take notice. Is he realistically going to be starting a World Cup knock-out game in four year's time against the Springboks? Would he measure up against the Springboks (or England) now? Further, Riccitelli is two years older than Aumua and three years older than Taukei'aho.

Bringing in a young hooker to learn from Taylor and Aumua (and Corey Flynn) makes sense and when you look around the country, it's really only Bell and Thompson who have previously been earmarked for the future (with their selection in the All Blacks XV). With Thompson's future rumoured to be up in the ear and Robertson and Ryan already familiar with Bell, it's not the most outrageous selection, all things considered.

And for the people who are now bringing race into the equation, four of the five debutants are Maori/Pasifika. I think some disappointing conclusions are being jumped to when there are far more sensible answers...

@KiwiInLondon largely agree on Sotutu and Plummer but in what world has Mo'unga ever shown himself to be 'head and shoulders' above McKenzie at international level? McKenzie's already shown as much potential at 10 for NZ as Mo'unga did over four years, even without taking the Ireland game into consideration.

@Frank said in All Blacks Vs England, Twickenham:

The Guardian rating

Beauden Barrett Started out always looking to kick but when he started to vary things he found some joy. Not as explosive as he was but still a masterly operator. 8

Absurd.

McKenzie is so far away from the problem the All Blacks have at the moment.

Toggle with the loosies, lock down the first choice fullback and give the guys a few games together and the results will come. The team isn't far away from clicking at all.

@Yeetyaah said in Final - Crusaders v Chiefs:

https://www.theroar.com.au/2025/06/18/why-i-couldnt-care-less-about-the-super-rugby-final/

Absolute dribble from someone who admits not enjoying super rugby in the first place in the article lmfao

I have zero interest in who wins State of Origin (and won't be watching), do I get to write an article to go in the league section for The Roar too?

Watched The Green Mile for the first time last night (I know, I know).

Lived up to the hype. Roughly knew the story anyway but that didn't deter from an incredibly powerful film.

@Canes4life said in Hurricanes vs Chiefs:

@Boourns said in Hurricanes vs Chiefs:

@nostrildamus They went from Etruscans' to the Christian God, quite the religious evolution. We have already had a Christian (Cullen) that was god like, now is the coming age of the new pantheon or something similar, one hopes.

You just all wait until Riley Higgins comes of age.

Fluffing up Hurricanes players is one thing but grooming them?

I'd like to talk about the Hurricanes, actually.

@darylmitchell said in All Blacks 2024:

We've lost the equal most tests in a year (2022) since 2009 & all wins against England were extremely unconvincing - We almost threw all 3 England matches at the death FFS......

I think people got carried away after beating a poor English side who have lost 5 on the bounce by the skin of our teeth, then an aging Irish side who showed they aren't really at the races against Argentina as well. If we look earlier in the season, the win against Australia in Sydney was also by the skin of our teeth. Not many convincing performances this year in the big games with a win now side and a huge amount of caps.....

I would still take Schmidt/Foster from 2023 were we actually won the RC convincingly, beat Argentina 42-10 & 44-6 in the Semi's, South Africa 36-20 at Mt Smart & only lost 12-10 in World Cup final (despite having 14 men) over this facade of 'improvement'.......

The losses were also all by the skin of their teeth. It goes both ways.

@Davesofthunder said in All Blacks XV vs Ireland A:

Really frustrated this is not on in the UK.

Thanks for any updates, all appreciated

This should work:

The worst thing isn't not having access, the worst thing is finally getting access back and realising that no one else has been able to post anything for you to get upset about.

From Hansen's comments, it sounds like that's exactly what they're going to be doing.

@SBW1 said in All Blacks 2025:

Watching Channel 9 news here in Oz, and Kalyn Ponga was being talked about as seriously linking with New Zealand Rugby.

Michael Chammas  /  Jul 14  /  NRL

Knights in crisis: Ponga prepares to walk away, club set to move on from O’Brien

The Newcastle star is concerned about wasting the prime years of his career at the struggling Knights and is open to departing at the end of the season.

Is his contract up? Feel like this happens every two years.

Interesting hearing the commentators say there are more important games to come... Disagree with that. While this was weirdly not deemed a Test match, it's a game against another international side - one they'd never previously lost to.

Can't see any situation where Tavatavanawai makes the team, to be honest. He's not fast enough to be an international wing and Barrett and Tupaea will both be ahead of him at 12. There's Havili too, a favourite of Razor's. I think it's a pipe dream.

Obviously, the final call will be based on what happens in next week's final but it's been a remarkable season from the Chiefs.

Despite suggestions that they've let the pedal off the gas a little bit in recent times, they've actually not given up a bonus point since they played the Blues on April 1 - the only bonus point they've given up all season.

Even with the close recent games, neither the Brumbies nor Reds came within 7 points in the finals - and then the likes of the Crusaders, Hurricanes and Brumbies only got within 10 points during their regular season matches with the Chiefs.

They won't want to again find themselves in an arm wrestle with the Crusaders next weekend, but they're certainly battle-hardened and have found ways to win more than their fair share of games. It's very similar to the way the side performed under Dave Rennie in 2012 and 2013.

@Tim said in All Blacks 2023:

Foster admits the performances in the semifinals did change the squad. 'One went in and one went out'.

Possibly Samipeni Finau in for Akira Ioane?

Bar one or two blips (including his goal-kicking in the weekend, which is normally very reliable and with another option in the backline in Jordie Barrett, not really a major reason to drop him from playing 10), McKenzie has been very good this year. I actually don't think he's been a step down from Mo'unga at all, to be honest.

@Duluth said in Crusaders 2024:

@SouthernMann said in Crusaders 2024:

That TVNZ piece on Rob Penny is a real watch. Reporter Thomas Mead certainly won't be getting a Christmas card of or a free scarf after Penny called him a see you next Tuesday

Tough questions are fine but there was some low quality shit at the start. Penney did well to stay mostly calm

Full interview here

Defiant Penney says he won't step aside from struggling Crusaders

I'd say pretty low-quality throughout, to be honest. Repetitive, silly questions and it came across far more like a legal interrogation than any sort of conversation, which is just poor technique on the interviewer's behalf. I know he was after a soundbyte but jeez...

@LagerLout said in All Blacks v France:

We are miles off being a good team, personnel wise and strategy wise. We were bloody slow to the ruck in the second half. Our wingers are bollock slow. The only places we look dangerous are in in the starting front and back rows, the rest of it we are struggling. Feels like a bleak WC cycle to me. We had so much talent and where is it now.

I have pretty much the completely opposite view. NZ lost to one of the top four teams in the world at their fortress (and it is a fortress, the loudest and most partisan atmosphere you'll get at any ground around the world).

NZ have a great front row with Samisoni Taukei'aho still to return, some very good young loose forwards, two very promising halfbacks in Roigard and Ratima.

There are a few issues across the line-up but Razor will probably push the boat out a little more next year. There's a few pieces of deadweight that probably need to be moved on but already Cane and Perenara will be gone next year, Reece has probably played his last game in black, and there are a few more players who will be under a lot of pressure. It bodes well for the future, even if they didn't always get the biscuits this year.