2025 All Blacks v France series

Some midfield attack stats:

Gainline %
79.5% AJ Lam
76.7% Xavi Taele
75.7% Riley Higgins
67.9% Sam Gilbert
67.7% Gideon Wrampling
65.5% Corey Evans
64.9% Rieko Ioane
63.7% Quinn Tupaea
62.0% Lalomilo Lalomilo
61.5% David Havili
60.9% Leicester Fainga'anuku
60.8% Tanielu Tele'a
60.5% Daniel Rona
60.3% Billy Proctor
60.2% Peter Umaga-Jensen
59.6% Levi Aumua
58.0% Bailyn Sullivan
54.0% Jordie Barrett
54.0% Anton Lienert-Brown
53.6% Braydon Ennor

Dominant Carry %
62.3% AJ Lam
56.8% Sam Gilbert
54.4% Bailyn Sullivan
52.5% Leicester Fainga'anuku
52.2% Tanielu Tele'a
51.2% Peter Umaga-Jensen
48.0% Gideon Wrampling
41.2% Quinn Tupaea
39.7% Lalomilo Lalomilo
37.8% Rieko Ioane
37.0% Corey Evans
35.5% Tamati Tua
35.3% Billy Proctor
34.5% Timoci Tavatavanawai
34.3% Riley Higgins
34.1% Jordie Barrett
32.0% Braydon Ennor
31.8% Levi Aumua
31.0% Xavi Taele
29.7% Daniel Rona

Carries Committing 2+ Tacklers
74.0% AJ Lam
70.8% Timoci Tavatavanawai
70.2% Levi Aumua
67.5% Quinn Tupaea
66.3% Leicester Fainga'anuku
64.0% Anton Lienert-Brown
62.4% Peter Umaga-Jensen
59.1% Bailyn Sullivan
58.6% Billy Proctor
58.1% Tanielu Tele'a
58.1% Gideon Wrampling
53.5% Lalomilo Lalomilo
53.5% Xavi Taele
50.5% Rieko Ioane
50.0% Jordie Barrett
50.0% Braydon Ennor
48.6% Riley Higgins
48.5% Tamati Tua
42.3% David Havili
38.3% Daniel Rona

Tackle Evasion %
44.8% Billy Proctor
35.3% AJ Lam
34.8% Timoci Tavatavanawai
31.0% David Havili
30.6% Leicester Fainga'anuku
28.4% Tanielu Tele'a
27.7% Sam Gilbert
27.0% Levi Aumua
26.7% Peter Umaga-Jensen
26.4% Corey Evans
26.3% Jordie Barrett
25.9% Anton Lienert-Brown
25.6% Bailyn Sullivan
25.0% Braydon Ennor
23.6% Lalomilo Lalomilo
22.9% Tamati Tua
21.7% Gideon Wrampling
21.3% Daniel Rona
18.8% Riley Higgins
18.7% Quinn Tupaea
15.9% Xavi Taele
12.6% Rieko Ioane

@brodean Those stats are pretty interesting in the context that I'll be pretty surprised if our midfield for the first test vs France is anything other than the tried and trusted combo of Jordie and Rieko.

@Chris-B

Yeah I'd be stunned if it wasn't Jordie and RIeko.

As someone mentioned earlier, if our game plan really is supposed to be a wide game spreading thr ball to the edges, then ALB should be thr first midfielder picked.

But it's not. And he won't.

@brodean are those blended over multiple seasons or different comps?

@taniwharugby the stats are for this Super Rugby season only https://theanalyst.com/club-rugby-stats

I haven't updated them from a couple of weeks ago so there might be a few changes.

@brodean Thanks - are Jordie's stats from URC?

@KiwiMurph Yes URC, Fainga'anuku Top 14

@canefan said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:

@brodean said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:

@canefan

ALB didn't play a full season this year but he did last year. He had zero yellow cards in SRP and gave away 3 penalties for the whole season over 14 games.

BTW I wouldn't select ALB or David Havili but for different reasons.

I'd go with:

Jordie Barrett (Hurricanes)
Quinn Tupaea (Chiefs)
Rieko Ioane (Blues)
Billy Proctor (Hurricanes)
AJ Lam (Blues)

He racked up a couple in tests IIRC

3 YCs across the year, I think, against:

Australia at Accor (65th minute, they scored straight away and we went down to 13 for a bit there)]
Off the bench

England at Twickenham (78th minute that nearly cost the match)
Off the bench

Italy (50th minute)
Started the match

@gt12 as a replacement or starter?

@Bones said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:

@gt12 as a replacement or starter?

Two off the bench
Post edited accordingly

@gt12 said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:

@Bones said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:

@gt12 as a replacement or starter?

Two off the bench
Post edited accordingly

So either start him and replace him at halftime, or bring him off the bench in the 79th minute. Problem solved.

@Bones said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:

@gt12 said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:

@Bones said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:

@gt12 as a replacement or starter?

Two off the bench
Post edited accordingly

So either start him and replace him at halftime, or bring him off the bench in the 79th minute. Problem solved.

His YC per minute played stat would be fun to calculate

a least one YC a team one? might have been two

@ploughboy said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:

a least one YC a team one? might have been two

Against England it was a tackle off the ball I’m pretty sure, just stupid from someone who should know better (and we’d already had a penalty against us).

@ploughboy said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:

a least one YC a team one? might have been two

Against Italy, he was co-captain I believe , we were on a warning and he ripped the ball after being told to let it go by the ref.

Barrett also got a Yc in that game I think.

The thread is a good read.

@ploughboy said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:

a least one YC a team one? might have been two

Against Oz, I cant remember and the thread isn’t much help Quite some discussion of his lack of leadership though

It was for hands in the ruck, according to the newspaper.

@brodean said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:

@Chris-B

Yeah I'd be stunned if it wasn't Jordie and RIeko.

I am kinda shocked by PUJ's versus Rieko's stats.
It might be helpful if they were labelled at 12 or 13 but I guess too much work to separate when they've played both.

Yeah it was quite surprising to see guys that have regularly made big breaks, appear quite far down the gainline success stats

Well those opta stats don't include line breaks.

@brodean said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:

Well those opta stats don't include line breaks.

So as soon as someone falls off the tackle, it's not considered for gainline?

@KiwiMurph said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:

@brodean Thanks - are Jordie's stats from URC?

And Leicester and Tua...

@Bones said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:

@brodean said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:

Well those opta stats don't include line breaks.

So as soon as someone falls off the tackle, it's not considered for gainline?

It's not the percentage made over the gain line.

It's the percentage of times you make it over the gainline when you carry.

So if AJ Lam makes 100 carries then 79 of them will make it over the gain line.

When Jordie Barrett makes 100 carries then 54 of them will make it over the gain line.

@gt12 said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:

@ploughboy said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:

a least one YC a team one? might have been two

Against England it was a tackle off the ball I’m pretty sure, just stupid from someone who should know better (and we’d already had a penalty against us).

Didn’t he actually get two yellow card offences in the same passage of play?

@Jet

Its the fern and all, but 5 posts up bro ️

When is the squad announced?

@antipodean said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:

When is the squad announced?

About 6 weeks too late

PROPS:
Tamaiti Williams (Crusaders)
Ethan de Groot (Highlanders)
Josh Fusitu'a (Blues)
Tyrel Lomax (Hurricanes)
Fletcher Newell (Crusaders)
Pasilio Tosi (Hurricanes)

HOOKERS:
Codie Taylor (Crusaders)
Samisoni Taukei'aho (Chiefs)
George Bell (Crusaders)

LOCKS:
Scott Barrett (c) (Crusaders)
Tupou Vaa'i (Chiefs)
Patrick Tuipulotu (Blues)
Fabian Holland (Highlanders)

LOOSE FORWARDS:
Ethan Blackadder (Crusaders)
Samipeni Finau (Chiefs)
Ardie Savea (Moana Pasifika)
Peter Lakai (Hurricanes)
Dalton Papalii (Blues)
Wallace Sititi (Chiefs)
Luke Jacobson (Chiefs)

HALFBACKS:
Cameron Roigard (Hurricanes)
Cortez Ratima (Chiefs)
Noah Hotham (Crusaders)

FIRST FIVES:
Damian McKenzie (Chiefs)
Beauden Barrett (Blues)

MIDFIELDERS:
Jordie Barrett (Hurricanes)
Quinn Tupaea (Chiefs)
Rieko Ioane (Blues)
Billy Proctor (Hurricanes)
David Havili (Crusaders)

OUTSIDE BACKS:
Caleb Clarke (Blues)
Emoni Narawa (Chiefs)
Sevu Reece (Crusaders)
Will Jordan (Crusaders)
Ruben Love (Hurricanes)

Unavailable due to injury: Asafo Aumua (Hurricanes), Simon Parker (Chiefs), Anton Lienert-Brown (Chiefs)

Personally I'd have Ollie Norris ahead of Fusitu'a but the signs are there that the latter is getting the nod. Would also have Brodie McAlister ahead of Bell.

I think if the Maori All Blacks weren't playing then Rivez Reihana would be in this squad at the expense of David Havili. If I were in charge of selecting I'd also go for Folau Fakatava ahead of Hotham for much the same reason.

I can see Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, Reihana and a fit Simon Parker and Caleb Tangitau all playing a role on the EOYT.

@Mr-Fish Beware French trickery!

@antipodean said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:

When is the squad announced?

Monday 23rd, next week.

A back-three rota of Love, Jordan, JRK, Tangitau, Clarke (back in form) and Narawa going into the World Cup would be best in class. Reihana can push McKenzie for the 10 jersey leaving Barrett to set a new point-scoring record against Hong Kong in the pool stages.

@mariner4life said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:

As someone mentioned earlier, if our game plan really is supposed to be a wide game spreading thr ball to the edges, then ALB should be thr first midfielder picked.

But it's not. And he won't.

matching players skill sets to a game plan?....you're weird dude

@mariner4life said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:

As someone mentioned earlier, if our game plan really is supposed to be a wide game spreading thr ball to the edges, then ALB should be thr first midfielder picked.

But it's not. And he won't.

The last time we played a successful wide game was when we had the ALB/Crotty/SBW trio mixing it up as midfield starters with Ioane on the wing.

@ACT-Crusader said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:

@mariner4life said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:

As someone mentioned earlier, if our game plan really is supposed to be a wide game spreading thr ball to the edges, then ALB should be thr first midfielder picked.

But it's not. And he won't.

The last time we played a successful wide game was when we had the ALB/Crotty/SBW trio mixing it up as midfield starters with Ioane on the wing.

And how many RWCs did those guys win together?

@canefan said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:

@ACT-Crusader said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:

@mariner4life said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:

As someone mentioned earlier, if our game plan really is supposed to be a wide game spreading thr ball to the edges, then ALB should be thr first midfielder picked.

But it's not. And he won't.

The last time we played a successful wide game was when we had the ALB/Crotty/SBW trio mixing it up as midfield starters with Ioane on the wing.

And how many RWCs did those guys win together?

yeah perfect metric.

How many did Cullen, Wilson, lomu, Bunce, Little, etc win again?

@mariner4life said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:

@canefan said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:

@ACT-Crusader said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:

@mariner4life said in 2025 All Blacks Squad v France:

As someone mentioned earlier, if our game plan really is supposed to be a wide game spreading thr ball to the edges, then ALB should be thr first midfielder picked.

But it's not. And he won't.

The last time we played a successful wide game was when we had the ALB/Crotty/SBW trio mixing it up as midfield starters with Ioane on the wing.

And how many RWCs did those guys win together?

yeah perfect metric.

How many did Cullen, Wilson, lomu, Bunce, Little, etc win again?

Good point. Mine was much clumsier. The wide game plan is flawed. We need a blend of up the guts power rugby before we feed the backs

It’s only flawed if you don’t have the players to execute it. Crotty, ALB and SBW all had good passing games but more importantly used angles to create opportunities and space.

Jordie and Ioane are quite different and that’s one of the reasons things aren’t humming.

I think we have players currently running around that have been and could be ABs that possess the skill sets to use what ball the forwards provide to create and exploit space in the wider channels.