Geekzone Rugby (Union) Discussion Thread

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#3386393 23-Jun-2025 13:45

Hookers: Codie Taylor, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Brodie McAlister.
Props: Ethan de Groot, Tamaiti Williams, Ollie Norris, Tyrel Lomax, Fletcher Newell, Pasilio Tosi.
Locks: Scott Barrett (capt), Patrick Tuipulotu, Tupou Vaa’i, Fabian Holland.
Loose forwards: Samipeni Finau, Ardie Savea, Du'Plessis Kirifi, Wallace Sititi, Luke Jacobson.
Halfbacks: Cam Roigard, Cortez Ratima, Noah Hotham
First five-eighths: Beauden Barrett, Damian McKenzie.
Midfielders: Anton Lienert-Brown, Jordie Barrett, Rieko Ioane, Quinn Tupaea, Billy Proctor, Timoci Tavatavanawai
Outside backs: Caleb Clarke, Sevu Reece, Will Jordan, Ruben Love.

Injury cover: Christian Lio-Willie (for Luke Jacobson), Emoni Narawa (for Anton Lienert-Brown).

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#3386395 23-Jun-2025 14:26

Dingbatt:

Glad to see Tavatavanawai get the call up. Proves you don’t have to be in a winning team. He was outstanding for the Highlanders.

Looks like they’ve gone all next Gen for halfbacks, with Roigard, Ratima and Hotham. No room for Christie.

They seem to be persevering with Clark. Narawa as injury cover for ALB though.

Tough on Havili to miss out on a spot. But the inside back stocks are blessed with riches. As are the loose forwards.

Aaron Smith got the call up every year, so it's definitely a thing that you don't need a winning team to pull players from. I agree Tavatavanawai did look very compelling. I'll be interested to see if he kicks on to show continued form.

I didn't have much doubt Reece would make the cut, he's more than a winger.

I feel for Havilli but interestingly, he was more mercurial this year than other years, so a little like Damian, brilliant when it comes off, but looks pretty average when he doesn't. He is a kicking option and has decent game management (and does organise a backline well). I would personally have preferred him over Tupea.

I was surprised at Kirifi only because his size means he isn't a lineout option, but you'd have to say the way he played this year at or near the ruck was impressive. I am looking forward to seeing if he can compete against international 7's.

Disappointed for Leo Willie and Blackadder. Blackadder led the stats in many areas in the final, for me the only question is around how injury prone he is.

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#3386406 23-Jun-2025 15:00

Well, it definitely wasn't conservative like I'd expected. It's great to see some new talent coming into the environment. I've been a fan of McAlister for ages and he'll benefit heaps from being in there with Ryan etc.

However, I don't think this would necessarily be the team selected if they were leaving for the World Cup next week. Players like Blackadder, Havili, Papali'i aren't necessarily gone for good. The selectors know what they'll get from them, and now is a good time to widen the pool and have a closer look at some other options. Some of Razor's comments said as much.

They've definitely gone for specialists over utilities. e.g. Kirifi only plays 7, Finau only plays 6, Tupaea really only plays 12. Maybe in a World Cup situation, versatility from Blackadder, Havili, etc will be more important.

Interestingly, only 2 specialist wingers. Does that mean Ioane or Love are going to be tried on the wing? Similarly, only 5 loosies. Does that mean they might try Barrett at blindside, with Holland at lock?

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#3386754 24-Jun-2025 17:05

Earbanean:

However, I don't think this would necessarily be the team selected if they were leaving for the World Cup next week. Players like Blackadder, Havili, Papali'i aren't necessarily gone for good. The selectors know what they'll get from them, and now is a good time to widen the pool and have a closer look at some other options. Some of Razor's comments said as much.

This is a good point and one Robertson covered this morning with Mike Hosking. To those players he didn't select he isn't saying no, he's saying 'not right now'.

Interestingly, he also said that last year the AB's led world rugby on many stats but they didn't finish the opportunities they created and this was a big focus for this year. He also indicated he wants the game even faster

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#3386755 24-Jun-2025 17:10

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/all-blacks-squad-david-havili-out-as-all-blacks-opt-for-powerful-midfield-approach/SIZXPSJE6FCQLPXRERQHC5BPWA/

I am guessing perhaps Reiko is there primarily for experience and continuity, given at least for me, when I think tackle busting centers that make the gain line, Reikos name doesn't feature. I can understand Tupea and Tavatavanawi, even Jordie for making the gain line.

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#3386912 25-Jun-2025 09:01

networkn:

This is a good point and one Robertson covered this morning with Mike Hosking. To those players he didn't select he isn't saying no, he's saying 'not right now'.

Interestingly, he also said that last year the AB's led world rugby on many stats but they didn't finish the opportunities they created and this was a big focus for this year. He also indicated he wants the game even faster

Also, if you were highly cynical, you could point out that this squad will prevent Kirifi playing for Samoa, Tavatavanawai playing for Fiji, Norris playing for Australia and even Holland playing for err Holland - all for this current World Cup cycle. There has been history of the ABs giving Pacifica players 1 or 2 tests appearances and in turn locking them out of other eligibilities. Not necessarily saying this is what's happening here though.

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#3386913 25-Jun-2025 09:10

Earbanean:

Also, if you were highly cynical, you could point out that this squad will prevent Kirifi playing for Samoa, Tavatavanawai playing for Fiji, Norris playing for Australia and even Holland playing for err Holland - all for this current World Cup cycle. There has been history of the ABs giving Pacifica players 1 or 2 tests appearances and in turn locking them out of other eligibilities. Not necessarily saying this is what's happening here though.

I have never bought into this. There is a great saying. Two can keep a secret if one of them is dead. No way if this was a real policy, even an off-record one, it wouldn't have been exposed definitively now. It's also pretty evil.

I was a little surprised about Kirifis inclusion. Given the type of game we appear to be setting up to play, he would traditionally be too small. I say this even knowing his form in SR for the 'canes was nothing short of breathtaking.

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#3386916 25-Jun-2025 09:24

I said "if you were highly cynical". I'm not.

Having said that, it would never have been an official policy. But as a unconscious bias, or 'all else being equal' selection tie-breaker, it's not impossible.

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#3386921 25-Jun-2025 09:44

Michael Hooper, Fraser McReight and David Pocock are comparable in size to Dupes, and I would say they do/did pretty well on the international stage.

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#3386963 25-Jun-2025 12:38

Tavatavanawai is being pitched as the new Ma Nonu, by some.

Imagine if we could get him to anywhere near the same level and what a game changer that would be. At 27, it would have been nice to have him on the path a couple of years ago, but depends what is required to get him to the next level.

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#3387123 26-Jun-2025 08:02

Earbanean:

I've been welcoming Auck, Welly and Otago mates on board the Chiefs wagon this week. Everyone loves the underdog and especially with petty stuff like the cow bell ban going on. So they're all firmly Chiefie for a week. Hopefully the game lives up to the expectations. This will be a perfect All Blacks trial, with AB match ups right across the park. Bring it on.

I was overseas the last fortnight so just catching up on this thread.. I did see the Chiefs were actually favourites with the bookies prior to kick off.

I caught a replay of the game last night, Dmac missing some easy kicks really cost the Chiefs a victory.

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#3387158 26-Jun-2025 11:12

JPNZ:

I caught a replay of the game last night, Dmac missing some easy kicks really cost the Chiefs a victory.

Both sides opting to go for the corner instead of taking kickable 3s cost them to the extent I'd say that neither really deserved to win. No drop goals either. We seem to go through phases of this kind of decision-making in NZ rugby for some reason, the Euros take a much more pragmatic view of getting points on the board.

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#3387178 26-Jun-2025 12:10

For me at least, DMacs biggest plus for the test side last year was his goal kicking and it's been very consistently excellent for a few years now. He had an uncharacteristically wobbly night with the boot, probably brought on by the pressure the Crusaders applied to him almost every chance they got.

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#3387192 26-Jun-2025 13:14

Only selecting 2 (30+ year olds) for the upcoming series is a bit strange. I do wonder who the next cab off the rank is in NZ 10's? Love, Jacomb, Reihana?

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#3388226 30-Jun-2025 12:08

The Lions Force match was a great fun watch. Ultimately, the Lions were just too strong. It was very entertaining style of Rugby.

I didn't watch the boks game, it was in my opinion a foregone conclusion. Taking a strong test team against the rag tag style of the Baa Baas was always going to be a rout.

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