Sheesh, didn't look like anyone other Nock knew they were going to do a quick tap .

Maori find some accuracy. Better.

NIce line from Bailyn, good pass from Nock.

Things seemingly going a lot smoother with Nock running the show (and 15 players).

Kemara to fullback Forbes to wing?

@Kestrel said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

Japan beats the All Blacks

Close in 2022. 38 - 31 to the ABs.

@Bones said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

Things seemingly going a lot smoother with Nock running the show (and 15 players).

Reihana is still shitting things up. Terrible clearance with all the time in the world.

Woeful from Forbes

Cole Forbes… oh boy. Weak again

I was about to say the fullback is blowing that ... didn't factor in Forbes.

Kemara is no better.

Kemara showing why he was benched.....

Still plenty of time. Lack of composure.

@brodean said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

Still plenty of time.

For Japan to put on more points

Has McKenzie been seen in camp giving pointers?

Tough watch to say the least

Yuck, but that can mostly be put down to a team that got together a couple of days ago. Zero communication and 5 defenders standing on each others toes

Cahill packing at 8

@Bones said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

Yuck, but that can mostly be put down to a team that got together a couple of days ago. Zero communication and 5 defenders standing on each others toes

I think that's flattering the players. They're failing in the basics.

Also any coach that selects the worst defender in SR to start needs to have a strong chat with the mirror.

@Bones said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

Yuck, but that can mostly be put down to a team that got together a couple of days ago. Zero communication and 5 defenders standing on each others toes

You have to wonder why NZR accepted this match with such a short build up. For most of the week I just assumed it was next weekend.

@antipodean said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

Also any coach that selects the worst defender in SR to start needs to have a strong chat with the mirror.

At least he's messing up the Maori ABs and not the ABs

@KiwiMurph said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

@antipodean said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

Also any coach that selects the worst defender in SR to start needs to have a strong chat with the mirror.

At least he's messing up the Maori ABs and not the ABs

Taele will never be an All Black.

@antipodean said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

@KiwiMurph said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

@antipodean said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

Also any coach that selects the worst defender in SR to start needs to have a strong chat with the mirror.

At least he's messing up the Maori ABs and not the ABs

Taele will never be an All Black.

I meant the coach

What was that penalty for?

What’s with the Taele slander? He’s only 21 years old. Plenty of room for growth in my opinion. Punching above his weight for a 21 year old that’s for sure

@Landers92 said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

What’s with the Taele slander? He’s only 21 years old. Plenty of room for growth in my opinion. Punching above his weight for a 21 year old that’s for sure

He's improved. Has a long way to go though. Not sure if he'll have the size to be a test midfield.

After all this discussion, good play by Taele there to put Spencer away. TK Howden scores.

@Landers92 said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

What’s with the Taele slander? He’s only 21 years old. Plenty of room for growth in my opinion. Punching above his weight for a 21 year old that’s for sure

He's simply too small to play midfield. I quite enjoy watching him play though.

At the back end of Super and today Spencer has made a really good fist of wing

@Landers92 said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

What’s with the Taele slander? He’s only 21 years old. Plenty of room for growth in my opinion. Punching above his weight for a 21 year old that’s for sure

Because he's a dreadful defender. He's going to have to put on some weight and spend a lot of time learning to tackle.

@KiwiMurph said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

@Landers92 said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

What’s with the Taele slander? He’s only 21 years old. Plenty of room for growth in my opinion. Punching above his weight for a 21 year old that’s for sure

He's simply too small to play midfield. I quite enjoy watching him play though.

He can probably get to 100kg. Toeava was a similar size when he first came on the scene.

@KiwiMurph said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

@Landers92 said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

What’s with the Taele slander? He’s only 21 years old. Plenty of room for growth in my opinion. Punching above his weight for a 21 year old that’s for sure

He's simply too small to play midfield. I quite enjoy watching him play though.

I find it weird he's persisted with in the midfield - plays very similar to someone like Harkin I reckon. He's a 15/10 through and through.

@brodean said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

@KiwiMurph said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

@Landers92 said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

What’s with the Taele slander? He’s only 21 years old. Plenty of room for growth in my opinion. Punching above his weight for a 21 year old that’s for sure

He's simply too small to play midfield. I quite enjoy watching him play though.

He can probably get to 100kg. Toeava was a similar size when he first came on the scene.

No way. Toeava much bigger frame than Taele.

Really goes to show how shit the Chiefs were not only in this years final but also the 2025 final. They were so bad they made Rivez Reihana look like a contender at 10.

@brodean said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

@KiwiMurph said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

@Landers92 said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

What’s with the Taele slander? He’s only 21 years old. Plenty of room for growth in my opinion. Punching above his weight for a 21 year old that’s for sure

He's simply too small to play midfield. I quite enjoy watching him play though.

He can probably get to 100kg. Toeava was a similar size when he first came on the scene.

Isaia was a generational talent.

@tubbyj said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

Really goes to show how shit the Chiefs were not only in this years final but also the 2025 final. They were so bad they made Rivez Reihana look like a contender at 10.

Don't forget Blues destroying Chiefs in 2024 final (shameless excuse to reference Blues)

@KiwiMurph said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

@Landers92 said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

What’s with the Taele slander? He’s only 21 years old. Plenty of room for growth in my opinion. Punching above his weight for a 21 year old that’s for sure

He's simply too small to play midfield. I quite enjoy watching him play though.

Just send him up to Ireland to work with Bundee Aki's trainer.

@KiwiMurph said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

At the back end of Super and today Spencer has made a really good fist of wing

Yeah I honestly didn't see much in him but he's changed my mind over .

Ito the Japanese 10 is a joy to watch

@brodean said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

@KiwiMurph said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

@Landers92 said in Māori All Blacks v Japan XV:

What’s with the Taele slander? He’s only 21 years old. Plenty of room for growth in my opinion. Punching above his weight for a 21 year old that’s for sure

He's simply too small to play midfield. I quite enjoy watching him play though.

He can probably get to 100kg. Toeava was a similar size when he first came on the scene.

That's weird eh, Taele looks like a midget, I find it hard to believe he's 6'