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@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2026:
@WillieTheWaiter said in All Blacks 2026:
another random thought I just had - Razor decided he didn't need Gilbert Enoka
Probably the other way round. Enoka made it pretty clear in Foster's book his concerns with the way Robertson behaved - was pretty scathing IIRC.
my new years resolution to read more rather than doom scrolling isn't going well.. I'm only on page 21.. will skip ahead! intriguing!
another random thought I just had - Razor decided he didn't need Gilbert Enoka
who was fulfilling that role within the team? Sounds like that would have been useful in this situation with so many player concerns - bit of a buffer between players and coaching staff - help actually articulate the issues etc
@pakman said in All Blacks 2026:
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2026:
@tubbyj said in All Blacks 2026:
Why wasn't he concerned in 2022 when Foster was dragging the team down to this level?
He was. Difference is Foster listened to his players and engaged with them. BB has spoken openly about it.
I spent the best part of a week in Tokyo RWC at same hotel as ABs. Very clear that Shag and Fossie were pally with vast bulk of players.
this was one of the big issues Razor had with Leon - thought he was too close to the players
@Unite said in All Blacks 2026:
@nonpartizan said in All Blacks 2026:
@mohikamo said in All Blacks 2026:
On the Savea thing; I think his membership of the PI AB group had maybe more influence on the course of events in the last few days, than his membership of the senior player AB group
He would be the unquestioned leader of the PI group.
Some one here posted some inside info here that the PIs as a group were pissed off.
That was a red flag for me.
I'd say Savea and Mealamu had a serious convo this week.When I heard that the PIs as a group were pissed; I considered it all over for Razor.
It's one of the challenges that has been flagged up here - on the pitch Ardie didnt get it done in 2025 but off the pitch he is more powerful than ever heading into 2026.
I don't see how an incoming coach is gonna feel he can drop him if that is what is best for the team because if he loses Ardies support and buy in that is gonna undermine his support from the wider playing group. Ardie is possibly the most powerful AB player ever since he has influence throughout the squad but also Mealamus ear.
It's not something I would personally want to manage.
I thought I heard Kirk being asked about complaints or issues being raised by players directly. He mentioned having conversations with various players at different times, one was Ardie he said before the Scotland Test, didn’t he say Ardie told him he was really tired and had had a big work load? Maybe Ardie didn’t want to be picked every game and play 80mins every Test?
Ardie burnt a lot of matches in Super carrying his team - didn't see that form in the AB's.. passion not the same under razor?
@nonpartizan said in All Blacks 2026:
@kidcalder said in All Blacks 2026:
@Dan54 That will be the most interesting watch when the new coaching team is assembled what they do with those 2..
I think most likely both stay in the squad due to their experience etc but hopefully less game time (bench roles prefer) but put down to better player welfare/management.
Others will be given time in the saddle to develop depth and test match experience and hopefully they thrive and the others then begin to be phased out slowly but surely.
Thats how I see it - injuries always come into selections and if DMac and all the loosies fall over then you may need a safety net for big tests.
I see that more likely than say JJ gets the role and wants to wield his axe dropping what he doesn't want onto the scrap heap..
Its been done before though - Laurie with the Whettons etc but times have changedYeah.
In this era you could not do what Laurie Mains did. Frank Bunce (who considers Laurie his best coach) has said exactly that.
With the younger generations of millennials and Z you got to be a little more cautious in your approach. They don't respond to being dealt with abrasively.
> A part of the problems between the coaches and players seems to me to be a generational divide.
this was a key part of what Straws was helping with when he moved into the his role with AB's - didn't get 'advertised' was all about 'skills' (also surprising his take were the basic skill levels were very average)
I was talking to him once about player management post a bunch of stuff that had gone down with cycling nz and issues with how coaches interact with riders and asked his take - cant remember exactly what the answer was but something like used to be 80% coaching 20% 'man management'.. and that was totally reversed these days - total lack of resilience with younger players.
Guess we've seen that play out across pretty much every sport in nz over the last few years..
@African-Monkey said in All Blacks 2026:
Another thing about Razor, is he put himself forward as this 'culture coach' which is all well and good if things are going well, but with all the reports on here, he seemed to fail miserably at it and flog everyone off to either Scott Hansen or just ignore every issue (along with treating Dalton Papali'i like a dog).
It baffles me that he was seen as that guy who put culture first, and did the complete opposite to it.
was listening to talkback last night driving home from work and they read out a text from someone who was 'mates with a senior player' - said key concern from senior AB's was that Robertson was undermining and destroying the AB culture that had been built up over many years. Also there was something about his lack of integrity dealing with players.
Was chatting to the old man later and he was saying he remembered chatting to razor in Scotland many moons ago when he was one of the dirty dirtys boozed at the pub - and was saying how much he hated being on tour and how much he hated the environment.
I wonder if he has a very different view to how the environment / culture should be in his head that wildly differs from the majority
@taniwharugby said in All Blacks 2026:
Unless Brown had a special clause written into his contract, SA would be bonkers to let him go, surely?
got a mate with decent contacts who reckons this is in place.. if JJ gets the gig
can't wait to see if it's decent sauce!
@tubbyj said in England A v All Blacks XV:
Ennor was excellent at centre, Lio Willie and Papali'i had great games as did Havili apart from that terrible dropping it cold off the kick under no pressure. Fokatava brought some real energy and hussle off the bench and I wonder why he is not ahead of Finlay Christie in the halfback pecking order. Brodie McCallister also played very well at hooker somewhat surprising me.
Luke Jacobsons career summed up by one awesome run then off for a HIA which he failed.
Luke must be done. Pretty sure they kept it undercover but he was fucked after his last npc game against otago.. was surprised when he got named to tour.
Can't keep getting a head knock per game and keep going
Thought this might have been a decent game..
I was wrong!
Havilli - must be responsible for about 25 of the oppositions points. How the fuck is he still on the field
@African-Monkey said in Blues v Chiefs:
Lol that streaker could win another penalty for the Chiefs here now that a scrum has been called.
I dunno what happened to the streaker but as I was leaving out the back 3 st johns ambos were wheeling along him along in a wheel chair and he was sucking pretty hard on a green whistle looking very unhappy.
then outside the police were walking the tan pants guy out carrying a few pages of paperwork - also looking very unhappy and was very unresponsive to any banter in his direction..
@Bovidae said in Blues v Chiefs:
The Chiefs forwards have put on some weight in the off-season, a consequence of being bullied up front in the final. They certainly won more collisions in this game.
very noticeable in person how much size vaa'i and lord have added.
especially compared with Segner who looks like a toothpick.
Both the TT and IP moved to mat h thr men's distance on 1 jan...
So Botha and andrews record were about 3rd attempt. But both are topof the game so deserve to hold them.
I felt like it was a missed opportunity to organize a track day on new years day and have my kids be world record holders 
@allblackfan2 said in Peleton:
Looking to buy a stationary bike and wondering if any recommendations re make, models, basic requirements etc from Ferners who know about these things?
do you have a bike at all?
do you want to do programmes / virtual riding i.e. hook up to a computer?
budget?
will more than one person be using it?
I'd recommend at least a 'smart trainer' - programme controls the trainer e..g if you're riding a road course when it goes up a hill it makes it harder or in erg mode when doing a programme it controls the power you have to put in.
riding on a 'dumb' stationary trainer will drive you insane very quickly.
most basic option if you have a bike is a 'wheel on' smart trainer
https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketplace/sports/cycling/bike-accessories/indoor-trainers/listing/5053097050
$250 plus bike plus monthly sub for whatever platform you use.
from there you step up to a 'wheel off' direct drive trainer - more expensive but very quiet and a much nicer feel.
https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketplace/sports/cycling/bike-accessories/indoor-trainers/listing/5047331987
if you don't have a bike and you want a stationery smart bike - they're up there in cost.
https://domestique.nz/collections/smart-trainers
I'd always struggle to buy one of those full bike setups as you can buy a bloody good 2nd hand bike plus trainer for less - then you've got a bike to use outside if you ever want to.
but if you're say a couple then they're got as easily adjustable
https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketplace/sports/cycling/bike-accessories/indoor-trainers/listing/5048966927
have a yarn to the dude who runs that site - they hire stuff as well - always a good option in case it doesn't 'take'!
@Kruse said in Sevu Reece - in trouble again:
@Bones said in Sevu Reece - in trouble again:
@Kruse said in Sevu Reece - in trouble again:
To be fair, after reading the details of Sevu's first "incident" - and reading between the lines of the witness reports - I had some sympathy. It seemed quite possibly an innocuous incident, but branded with "domestic violence" and therefore pitchforks out.
But a second incident... not sure I can be bothered reading the details of this one, but one way or the other, he hasn't learned lessons.
Plus he's slower than me, so get him out of the All Blacks anyway.I thought he'd knocked/tackled her to the ground and dragged her? The injuries don't sound very innocuous, have I completely misunderstood the meaning of that word?
My reading of it was that he'd been trying to de-escalate a situation between her and others, and had tried to get her to sit down, initially by sitting down himself, then eventually physically pulling her down to sit with him.
The kind of action which a particularly nasty prosecution lawyer of the american kind could force a witness into describing as "pulling her to the ground" and "dragging".
I might have it wrong though - and the fact there is this second incident... yeah, I'm wondering if I was overly optimistic in the first place.
she was an absolute nutter - always hitting him and stuff - he reacted, got done. Saders got the 'get him away from her he'll be ok' so took him on.
Not saying the guy hasn't totally farked up on this occasion but first time round was plenty of sympathy from those close to the situation and hence the reason they signed him.
Pretty surprised the saders and AB's kept him on this year tho - plenty knew it was him
@canefan said in All Blacks 2024:
@Darth-Sader said in All Blacks 2024:
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks 2024:
@frugby you say 'let's see what Super Rugby brings'
A number of guys carved up in Super Rugby this year and were barely given an opportunity.
Lam
Love
ProctorEtc etc
And the irony is - for the most part - the guys who were given a shot in black on the back of Super rugby form looked good.
Meanwhile these established guys rack up test after test with mediocrity (Havili, ALB, Rieko, Jacobson etc).
Havili and ALB have had their time. Absolutely need to introduce new options there. Neither offers enough. Reiko still has something in him, but how do we unlock it consistently?
Give him some time and space for one thing. Plummer seemed to do it during Super. Of course the Blues backs stood a little deeper
reeks seems to have one job with AB's which is crash ball. He just aint that big ball carrier type though.
@Duluth said in All Blacks 2024:
@WillieTheWaiter said in All Blacks 2024:
(sauce: completely random convo with Razor in a lift somewhere in Paris back in my I was overseas days still remember how filthy he was)
That was 20 years ago
I remember you speaking to the rest of the group just after that.. you were surprised that he was so willing to shit on Mitchell to a random kiwi
Wasn't he pissed at Deans too?
dunno my memory ain't that good! just remember him raging about mitch.
had a 30 year uni reunion on the weekend - just a bunch of people looking at each other say yeh can kinda remember you but not really... so not just my memory that's gettin hazy!
@kpkanz said in All Blacks 2024:
@canefan said in All Blacks 2024:
Or 2004 where we transformed the team in ONE EOYT by leaving behind Spencer/Marshall and a bunch of experienced MUST HAVE players.
And the next gen took over and dominated the world.
hmm interesting - this made me remember how Razor exited the AB's. He was the incumbent Mitch didn't take him on EOYT so he could get in great shape for next season as he'd have a heavy workload. Then he never got picked again. Suffice to say Mitch was never going to be on his xmas card list. (sauce: completely random convo with Razor in a lift somewhere in Paris back in my I was overseas days still remember how filthy he was).
wonder if that baggage is impacting his selection thinking..
Will Jordan same fuckup that cost us WC final.
Can't believe he doesn't get the same shit dmac would for his never ending knock ons shit passing and brain farts
Reiko. What about another shithouse pass from Jordan.