All Blacks 2026

@MN5 said in All Blacks 2026:

@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2026:

@MN5 said in All Blacks 2026:

Both Tupaea and Proctor have failed to nail the 13 jumper.

One game each admittedly isn’t a huge sample size but with a tour to SA coming up this could be good news for Reiko Ioane.

Certainly defensively

I think we just need to come to terms that we don't have an international quality centre atm and we just have to do the best with what we've got. It's the same for blindside flanker.

I'm happy to admit that Proctor hasn't stepped up, similar to David Havili, he looks really good at Super but just can't make the step up to international level for whatever reason.

Going back to Ioane and ALB will just provide us with different issues.

Yeah someone mentioned in the Wallabies thread that they’re better at 6 and 13 than the ABs. I believe that is true

6 yes but not 13. Joey is pretty erratic. He’s a threat no doubt but he’s still learning the game and makes quite a few bad decisions.

@Steven-Harris was told last week he would join squad regardless of injuries.
No surprise really.

@Chester-Draws said in All Blacks 2026:

I cannot see an attack-oriented coach going for a centre that is still basically a slow winger. No matter how well he tackles.

Our backs scored 25 tries all season last year, and only one try on the counter.

This year they already have 8.

There's a correlation.

said in All Blacks 2026:

@Chester-Draws said in All Blacks 2026:

I cannot see an attack-oriented coach going for a centre that is still basically a slow winger. No matter how well he tackles.

Our backs scored 25 tries all season last year, and only one try on the counter.

This year they already have 8.

There's a correlation.

And on the wing there's no comparison to Rieko vs Jordan, Fehi, Moorby, Carter or Clarke.

@Jnr said in All Blacks 2026:

@Chester-Draws said in All Blacks 2026:

I cannot see an attack-oriented coach going for a centre that is still basically a slow winger. No matter how well he tackles.

Our backs scored 25 tries all season last year, and only one try on the counter.

This year they already have 8.

There's a correlation.

Who was at fault under Razor, was it Holland, Hansen or Razor himself? Who thought chip kicks from your own 22 was the right strategy etc. Guess it doesnt really matter because Blair has already shown more in 2 games then the previous coaching group.

In saying that I did have some PTSD after Roigard went off and Cortez seemed a little unsure and we had more slow ball and box kicks.

Tupaea has not had enough time at center to be discarded. It isn't his normal position. Proctor on the other hand.

I'd prefer Leroy Carter to Proctor.

@SecFid said in All Blacks 2026:

@jimmyb Jordie Barrett hasn’t started at 15 for the AB’s in years and didn’t start there at all for the Canes this season. Sure he can drop back in general play to diffuse kicks and does so particularly in the second half. Rennie would be wise to leave him at 12 and just find a centre. I think BB might get a start at 15 as DMac doesn’t seem to be offering much on first phase attack at present. If Love and Mounga are preferred at 10 then BB must offer something from 15, or nothing at all.

I would be happy to leave JB where he is, as he is currently one of our more effective backs. DMac played okay IMHO, and he combines well with Love. Moorby put his hand up as a potential option at 15 and I would use him before either of the Barrett brothers

@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2026:

@MN5 said in All Blacks 2026:

Both Tupaea and Proctor have failed to nail the 13 jumper.

One game each admittedly isn’t a huge sample size but with a tour to SA coming up this could be good news for Reiko Ioane.

Certainly defensively

I think we just need to come to terms that we don't have an international quality centre atm and we just have to do the best with what we've got. It's the same for blindside flanker.

I'm happy to admit that Proctor hasn't stepped up, similar to David Havili, he looks really good at Super but just can't make the step up to international level for whatever reason.

Going back to Ioane and ALB will just provide us with different issues.

Rieko played well in the business end of the URC. He's still only 29 and physically bigger than Tupaea and Proctor. Neither Proctor or Tupaea have been reliable defenders there.

@SecFid said in All Blacks 2026:

@jimmyb Jordie Barrett hasn’t started at 15 for the AB’s in years and didn’t start there at all for the Canes this season. Sure he can drop back in general play to diffuse kicks and does so particularly in the second half. Rennie would be wise to leave him at 12 and just find a centre. I think BB might get a start at 15 as DMac doesn’t seem to be offering much on first phase attack at present. If Love and Mounga are preferred at 10 then BB must offer something from 15, or nothing at all.

might not have started there but in a recent article he said he trained for both positions.

After watching the Boks Scotland game I don't see a loose forward combo of Jacobson, Savea and Lakai/Sititi combatting the power of the Springboks forwards in the loose or the maul.

There was one early tackle Sititi attempted against Italy where he was sat on his arse. We need at least one loose forward who can combat the Springboks power on tour.

Not to mention every SA franchise side trying to play the game of their life to claim a win against the ABs.

We will get physically battered and fatigued without the size.

I'd like to see Parker given a shot this weekend.

@brodean said in All Blacks 2026:

@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2026:

@MN5 said in All Blacks 2026:

Both Tupaea and Proctor have failed to nail the 13 jumper.

One game each admittedly isn’t a huge sample size but with a tour to SA coming up this could be good news for Reiko Ioane.

Certainly defensively

I think we just need to come to terms that we don't have an international quality centre atm and we just have to do the best with what we've got. It's the same for blindside flanker.

I'm happy to admit that Proctor hasn't stepped up, similar to David Havili, he looks really good at Super but just can't make the step up to international level for whatever reason.

Going back to Ioane and ALB will just provide us with different issues.

Rieko played well in the business end of the URC. He's still only 29 and physically bigger than Tupaea and Proctor. Neither Proctor or Tupaea have been reliable defenders there.

Ioane is a shit distributor so if he starts then we have a different problem.

@canefan said in All Blacks 2026:

@SecFid said in All Blacks 2026:

@jimmyb Jordie Barrett hasn’t started at 15 for the AB’s in years and didn’t start there at all for the Canes this season. Sure he can drop back in general play to diffuse kicks and does so particularly in the second half. Rennie would be wise to leave him at 12 and just find a centre. I think BB might get a start at 15 as DMac doesn’t seem to be offering much on first phase attack at present. If Love and Mounga are preferred at 10 then BB must offer something from 15, or nothing at all.

I would be happy to leave JB where he is, as he is currently one of our more effective backs. DMac played okay IMHO, and he combines well with Love. Moorby put his hand up as a potential option at 15 and I would use him before either of the Barrett brothers

Moorby looks solid at wing or 15 to me.

@brodean said in All Blacks 2026:

@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2026:

@MN5 said in All Blacks 2026:

Both Tupaea and Proctor have failed to nail the 13 jumper.

One game each admittedly isn’t a huge sample size but with a tour to SA coming up this could be good news for Reiko Ioane.

Certainly defensively

I think we just need to come to terms that we don't have an international quality centre atm and we just have to do the best with what we've got. It's the same for blindside flanker.

I'm happy to admit that Proctor hasn't stepped up, similar to David Havili, he looks really good at Super but just can't make the step up to international level for whatever reason.

Going back to Ioane and ALB will just provide us with different issues.

Rieko played well in the business end of the URC. He's still only 29 and physically bigger than Tupaea and Proctor. Neither Proctor or Tupaea have been reliable defenders there.

From the interweb….

All Black and Gallagher Chiefs midfielder Quinn Tupaea stands at 1.86m (6'1") and weighs 102kg (225 lbs). He is renowned for his immense strength in the gym, having broken the Chiefs midfielders' all-time records for both squats and pull-ups during his career

@MN5 said in All Blacks 2026:

@brodean said in All Blacks 2026:

@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2026:

@MN5 said in All Blacks 2026:

Both Tupaea and Proctor have failed to nail the 13 jumper.

One game each admittedly isn’t a huge sample size but with a tour to SA coming up this could be good news for Reiko Ioane.

Certainly defensively

I think we just need to come to terms that we don't have an international quality centre atm and we just have to do the best with what we've got. It's the same for blindside flanker.

I'm happy to admit that Proctor hasn't stepped up, similar to David Havili, he looks really good at Super but just can't make the step up to international level for whatever reason.

Going back to Ioane and ALB will just provide us with different issues.

Rieko played well in the business end of the URC. He's still only 29 and physically bigger than Tupaea and Proctor. Neither Proctor or Tupaea have been reliable defenders there.

From the interweb….

All Black and Gallagher Chiefs midfielder Quinn Tupaea stands at 1.86m (6'1") and weighs 102kg (225 lbs). He is renowned for his immense strength in the gym, having broken the Chiefs midfielders' all-time records for both squats and pull-ups during his career

Yeah Tupaea's strong no doubt. Nick Gill a couple of years back said Rieko is also very strong and was the best all round athlete in the squad considering strength, speed, endurance and power. Rieko is a bit taller than Quinn and a little bitt heavier.

@brodean said in All Blacks 2026:

@MN5 said in All Blacks 2026:

@brodean said in All Blacks 2026:

@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2026:

@MN5 said in All Blacks 2026:

Both Tupaea and Proctor have failed to nail the 13 jumper.

One game each admittedly isn’t a huge sample size but with a tour to SA coming up this could be good news for Reiko Ioane.

Certainly defensively

I think we just need to come to terms that we don't have an international quality centre atm and we just have to do the best with what we've got. It's the same for blindside flanker.

I'm happy to admit that Proctor hasn't stepped up, similar to David Havili, he looks really good at Super but just can't make the step up to international level for whatever reason.

Going back to Ioane and ALB will just provide us with different issues.

Rieko played well in the business end of the URC. He's still only 29 and physically bigger than Tupaea and Proctor. Neither Proctor or Tupaea have been reliable defenders there.

From the interweb….

All Black and Gallagher Chiefs midfielder Quinn Tupaea stands at 1.86m (6'1") and weighs 102kg (225 lbs). He is renowned for his immense strength in the gym, having broken the Chiefs midfielders' all-time records for both squats and pull-ups during his career

Yeah Tupaea's strong no doubt. Nick Gill a couple of years back said Rieko is also very strong and was the best all round athlete in the squad considering strength, speed, endurance and power.

That’s a lifetime ago for an AB outside back.

@MN5 said in All Blacks 2026:

@brodean said in All Blacks 2026:

@MN5 said in All Blacks 2026:

@brodean said in All Blacks 2026:

@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2026:

@MN5 said in All Blacks 2026:

Both Tupaea and Proctor have failed to nail the 13 jumper.

One game each admittedly isn’t a huge sample size but with a tour to SA coming up this could be good news for Reiko Ioane.

Certainly defensively

I think we just need to come to terms that we don't have an international quality centre atm and we just have to do the best with what we've got. It's the same for blindside flanker.

I'm happy to admit that Proctor hasn't stepped up, similar to David Havili, he looks really good at Super but just can't make the step up to international level for whatever reason.

Going back to Ioane and ALB will just provide us with different issues.

Rieko played well in the business end of the URC. He's still only 29 and physically bigger than Tupaea and Proctor. Neither Proctor or Tupaea have been reliable defenders there.

From the interweb….

All Black and Gallagher Chiefs midfielder Quinn Tupaea stands at 1.86m (6'1") and weighs 102kg (225 lbs). He is renowned for his immense strength in the gym, having broken the Chiefs midfielders' all-time records for both squats and pull-ups during his career

Yeah Tupaea's strong no doubt. Nick Gill a couple of years back said Rieko is also very strong and was the best all round athlete in the squad considering strength, speed, endurance and power.

That’s a lifetime ago for an AB outside back

Rieko is still bigger, faster and stronger than Conrad Smith was at any point in his career. He would still be faster than Proctor and Tupaea. He played well into the URC final.

Proctor and Tupaea both failed to claim the position so far.

There's a school of thought, that we are best off picking players to play our own gameplan, than picking inferior players to try to match the Boks physically (which we can't do)

There's obviously a balance to be struck, but I am not sure picking Parker, essentially because he is big, is necessarily any better than say picking Lakai and trying to beat them with pure workrate.

@frugby said in All Blacks 2026:

There's a school of thought, that we are best off picking players to play our own gameplan, than picking inferior players to try to match the Boks physically (which we can't do)

There's obviously a balance to be struck, but I am not sure picking Parker, essentially because he is big, is necessarily any better than say picking Lakai and trying to beat them with pure workrate.

We should pick him because he's the only player in the squad apart from Ardie to start at 6 and beat the Springboks. He's proven his upside against the Boks. The coaches need to get the best out of his proven potential.

We need a bit of Goldilocks zone for our game plan. Not too big, not too small but just right.