All Blacks 2026

@ShaquilleOatmeal said in All Blacks 2026:

One thing I recall from the way Evan’s used to play is that passing was most often his first option and he would pass immediately. He was quick (like Barrett used to be all those years ago) but he’d set himself up for a run once the opposition became used to him always passing without even looking like he was going to run the ball.

A coach of mine used to tell me to do the same - make the defence complacent before I took them on.

But being a team player I wouldn't let the team down by passing to them!

If it is Evans then great to have someone who has been outside of the bubble. See if he can last 6 months before he’s on the phone to Rangi.

@game_film said in All Blacks 2026:

If it is Evans then great to have someone who has been outside of the bubble. See if he can last 6 months before he’s on the phone to Rangi.

Neuter little Scott and maybe he has a chance to make a difference

@canefan said in All Blacks 2026:

Neuter little Scott and maybe he has a chance to make a difference

The Head Coach or Scott Robertson?

I hope Evans is sure of what the job description is .... I could see him wanting to make changes and getting push back from the current coaches, may not be a fun time for him much like MacDonald and Holland.
Hopefully not and I'm just being pessimistic

@kidcalder said in All Blacks 2026:

I hope Evans is sure of what the job description is .... I could see him wanting to make changes and getting push back from the current coaches, may not be a fun time for him much like MacDonald and Holland.
Hopefully not and I'm just being pessimistic

For a single coach to make a change he really needs to be a selector too. I doubt that happens

@Duluth you'd hope with him being on the outside watching this unfold for 2 years, along with NZR supposedly aware of the issues there would be a bit of pressure on Razor to make some changes to how they do things, you'd hope

Hope or hopeless...

Extraordinary. Holland has gone from the AB coaching group back to the Canes as an asisstant coach. Man, think of the paycut!

@nzzp said in All Blacks 2026:

Extraordinary. Holland has gone from the AB coaching group back to the Canes as an asisstant coach. Man, think of the paycut!

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(With no actual knowledge at all) I'm not even sure it's a pay cut, rather than just get rid of him NZR has just moved him inside the organisation. I wouldn't be surprised if he's on the same money.

@Nepia said in All Blacks 2026:

@nzzp said in All Blacks 2026:

Extraordinary. Holland has gone from the AB coaching group back to the Canes as an asisstant coach. Man, think of the paycut!

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(With no actual knowledge at all) I'm not even sure it's a pay cut, rather than just get rid of him NZR has just moved him inside the organisation. I wouldn't be surprised if he's on the same money.

aren't the Canes a bit bankrupt? Running ongoing deficits at the moment? I would be shocked if a Super assistant got anything like the same money as an AB coach.

@nzzp said in All Blacks 2026:

@Nepia said in All Blacks 2026:

@nzzp said in All Blacks 2026:

Extraordinary. Holland has gone from the AB coaching group back to the Canes as an asisstant coach. Man, think of the paycut!

View embedded content

(With no actual knowledge at all) I'm not even sure it's a pay cut, rather than just get rid of him NZR has just moved him inside the organisation. I wouldn't be surprised if he's on the same money.

aren't the Canes a bit bankrupt? Running ongoing deficits at the moment? I would be shocked if a Super assistant got anything like the same money as an AB coach.

Yeah, they're a basket case which should be disbanded and replaced by a fiscally responsible team based in Hawkes Bay.

But, setting that aside, I think he'll just be getting paid out of a broader NZR pool rather than just the Canes assigned pool of money for crappy coaches.

On the latest Devlin podcast, Uncle Watson said he’d seen texts forwarded (originating from players) that confirmed the HC Scott Hansen stories.

Surely alarm bells are ringing at NZR.

Perhaps they're being drowned out by the claxons!

@Nepia said in All Blacks 2026:

(With no actual knowledge at all)

and to think you are posting on the Fern!

I'm not even sure it's a pay cut, rather than just get rid of him NZR has just moved him inside the organisation.

Then it's a serious waste of money, isn't it?

I wouldn't be surprised if he's on the same money.

Maybe but I doubt it. But it is a stunning fall from being an assistant AB coach..

@antipodean said in All Blacks 2026:

Surely alarm bells are ringing at NZR.

Perhaps they're being drowned out by the claxons!

They've already sent out Lendrum to try to beat it down, which doesn't look like panic at all....

LOL

@Tim said in All Blacks 2026:

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LOL

oof,.. that's a low bar, i thought he should've got SR of the year tho.

@Tim said in All Blacks 2026:

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LOL

Did Ardie win Mr Congeniality as well?

@Tim said in All Blacks 2026:

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LOL

He deserves a seagull for his efforts.....

Im sick of this shit.

@Tim said in All Blacks 2026:

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LOL

Daniel Carter only won it twice, in 04 and 05....and never since.

Just to put Ardies nonsensical coronation into perspective.

@Tim said in All Blacks 2026:

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LOL

Have the fanbase ever been so disconnected from the team/pundits/officialdom?

There is a sizeable consensus on message boards that Ardie should be on the bench or not in the squad at all.

@Tim said in All Blacks 2026:

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LOL

NZRU

100% best player in SR. Very few contenders for best AB - QT was shortlisted FFS - and Cam got injured. Can’t give any extra awards to the Black Ferns after they got smoked.

It is what it is. One of those years.

@Jet said in All Blacks 2026:

@Tim said in All Blacks 2026:

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LOL

Have the fanbase ever been so disconnected from the team/pundits/officialdom?

There is a sizeable consensus on message boards that Ardie should be on the bench or not in the squad at all.

To be honest I think it's a vocal minority that think Savea is overrated. Most NZ fans love him and think he's one of the best players in the world.

Not much credibility when you look at the winners for coaches and teams either.

@Mr-Fish said in All Blacks 2026:

@Jet said in All Blacks 2026:

@Tim said in All Blacks 2026:

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LOL

Have the fanbase ever been so disconnected from the team/pundits/officialdom?

There is a sizeable consensus on message boards that Ardie should be on the bench or not in the squad at all.

To be honest I think it's a vocal minority that think Savea is overrated. Most NZ fans love him and think he's one of the best players in the world.

Couldn't agree more Mr Fish.

@Mr-Fish said in All Blacks 2026:

@Jet said in All Blacks 2026:

@Tim said in All Blacks 2026:

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LOL

Have the fanbase ever been so disconnected from the team/pundits/officialdom?

There is a sizeable consensus on message boards that Ardie should be on the bench or not in the squad at all.

To be honest I think it's a vocal minority that think Savea is overrated. Most NZ fans love him and think he's one of the best players in the world.

People who have a thorough understanding of the game are probably a minority of fans too. Coincidence?

Seriously though, he was superb in Super rugby and nowhere near world xv at test level. The majority of his critics on here at AB level would be very happy to see him getting the super award, because it is deserved.

Agreed.
I think he has flaws in his game and has Shaun Johnson-itis where he can go missing in big games but he’s nowhere near as bad as made out here - nor do I think he’s as good as he’s often made out in media etc

Any of Savea’s supposed flaws are magnified by the lack of others in the loosies to complement / counter his skills.

He does come through in the big moments, e.g the turnover at the end of the Boks game at Eden Park.

@game_film said in All Blacks 2026:

Any of Savea’s supposed flaws are magnified by the lack of others in the loosies to complement / counter his skills.

Well if that's the case, Reece should probably have been in the running.

@nzzp said in All Blacks 2026:

@Nepia said in All Blacks 2026:

@nzzp said in All Blacks 2026:

Extraordinary. Holland has gone from the AB coaching group back to the Canes as an asisstant coach. Man, think of the paycut!

View embedded content

(With no actual knowledge at all) I'm not even sure it's a pay cut, rather than just get rid of him NZR has just moved him inside the organisation. I wouldn't be surprised if he's on the same money.

aren't the Canes a bit bankrupt? Running ongoing deficits at the moment? I would be shocked if a Super assistant got anything like the same money as an AB coach.

@nzzp said in All Blacks 2026:

@Nepia said in All Blacks 2026:

@nzzp said in All Blacks 2026:

Extraordinary. Holland has gone from the AB coaching group back to the Canes as an asisstant coach. Man, think of the paycut!

View embedded content

(With no actual knowledge at all) I'm not even sure it's a pay cut, rather than just get rid of him NZR has just moved him inside the organisation. I wouldn't be surprised if he's on the same money.

aren't the Canes a bit bankrupt? Running ongoing deficits at the moment? I would be shocked if a Super assistant got anything like the same money as an AB coach.

Interesting that he has decided that wants to be an assit at the hurricanes rather than the All Blacks and yes, it would be a reduction in salary. Go back to the organisation that he was the head cosch at before he left.

So his career has gone backwards and he still thinks its a better gig than the ABs.

There might be personal reasons for Holland to leave, but looking at this from the outside it doesnt look very good at all

Was it Holland's idea to leave? I don't see it as all that radical. If not, then it's a very happy medium to pay out his contract - if not, then it's hardly a bad place to be earning well above minimum wage until your next gig.

@game_film said in All Blacks 2026:

Any of Savea’s supposed flaws are magnified by the lack of others in the loosies to complement / counter his skills.

He does come through in the big moments, e.g the turnover at the end of the Boks game at Eden Park.

And the big moments in the other Boks game?

@reprobate big moment for me was seeing him walk from the scrum in the 2nd test v SA and them scoring moments later, obviously single him out because he usually doesnt stop, but in this case, seeing him basically 'giving up' summed up the team for me.

@Nepia said in All Blacks 2026:

@nzzp said in All Blacks 2026:

@Nepia said in All Blacks 2026:

@nzzp said in All Blacks 2026:

Extraordinary. Holland has gone from the AB coaching group back to the Canes as an asisstant coach. Man, think of the paycut!

View embedded content

(With no actual knowledge at all) I'm not even sure it's a pay cut, rather than just get rid of him NZR has just moved him inside the organisation. I wouldn't be surprised if he's on the same money.

aren't the Canes a bit bankrupt? Running ongoing deficits at the moment? I would be shocked if a Super assistant got anything like the same money as an AB coach.

Yeah, they're a basket case which should be disbanded and replaced by a fiscally responsible team based in Hawkes Bay.

But, setting that aside, I think he'll just be getting paid out of a broader NZR pool rather than just the Canes assigned pool of money for crappy coaches.

I don't think leaving the Canes in the hands of a bunch of coke heads is a good idea.

If anyone's going to sort the Canes out, Malcolm Gillies is the man for the job. I see that he's also the Chair on the board so he'll be making plenty of changes.

@Bones said in All Blacks 2026:

Was it Holland's idea to leave?

Holland only had a 2-yr contract, and it was his decision to leave.

As far as the Hurricanes goes, I believe that NZR pays for the salary of the head coach and a set number of assistant coaches. If you want additional assistant/skills coaches that is covered by the SR club.

@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2026:

@Nepia said in All Blacks 2026:

@nzzp said in All Blacks 2026:

@Nepia said in All Blacks 2026:

@nzzp said in All Blacks 2026:

Extraordinary. Holland has gone from the AB coaching group back to the Canes as an asisstant coach. Man, think of the paycut!

View embedded content

(With no actual knowledge at all) I'm not even sure it's a pay cut, rather than just get rid of him NZR has just moved him inside the organisation. I wouldn't be surprised if he's on the same money.

aren't the Canes a bit bankrupt? Running ongoing deficits at the moment? I would be shocked if a Super assistant got anything like the same money as an AB coach.

Yeah, they're a basket case which should be disbanded and replaced by a fiscally responsible team based in Hawkes Bay.

But, setting that aside, I think he'll just be getting paid out of a broader NZR pool rather than just the Canes assigned pool of money for crappy coaches.

I don't think leaving the Canes in the hands of a bunch of coke heads is a good idea.

If anyone's going to sort the Canes out, Malcolm Gillies is the man for the job. I see that he's also the Chair on the board so he'll be making plenty of changes.

Something something stones and glass houses.

that's fucking hilarious. who voted for that? Facebook?

Fuck me dead.

@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2026:

that's fucking hilarious. who voted for that? Facebook?

Fuck me dead.

I owe later day Sam Cane an apology too, because he was way more visible on the field than the current iteration of Ardie, who it seems, is way more visible off the field between matches.

Cane and McCaw put way more into that 7 shirt than what im seeing from our "Mana-facturer".