All Blacks 2026

@brodean said in All Blacks 2026:

@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.

I'm glad Rieko is in the squad, he won't let us down and gets us one step closer to 6:2.
Tupaea's touches on attack against France mean I want to see more of him. He played really well in one test at 13 last year (McKenzie at 10), and has not had the same number of opportunities as Proctor.
Proctor's starts have mostly come in a dysfunctional backline to be fair, but despite his excellent super form there were still occasional bad defensive misses there. I'd like to know the coaches have been working on that for a few weeks before we see him again.

@Jnr said in All Blacks 2026:

@reprobate said in All Blacks 2026:

@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.

The causation you're looking for is BB at 10 my man.

Did you not see the stats on how many passes Rieko actually made the last few years? Super rugby or international level......

I'm just talking about the lack of tries from the backs mate, no need to shift those goalposts.

@reprobate said in All Blacks 2026:

@Jnr said in All Blacks 2026:

@reprobate said in All Blacks 2026:

@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.

The causation you're looking for is BB at 10 my man.

Did you not see the stats on how many passes Rieko actually made the last few years? Super rugby or international level......

I'm just talking about the lack of tries from the backs mate, no need to shift those goalposts.

That was a lot more than just RI at centre. Start with the duff coaches

@reprobate said in All Blacks 2026:

@Jnr said in All Blacks 2026:

@reprobate said in All Blacks 2026:

@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.

The causation you're looking for is BB at 10 my man.

Did you not see the stats on how many passes Rieko actually made the last few years? Super rugby or international level......

I'm just talking about the lack of tries from the backs mate, no need to shift those goalposts.

You're the one that is bringing in BB randomly rather than blaming a dysfunctional coaching team and strategy.

I'm merely showing, with facts, that Rieko's passing game is exceptionally poor. Which is why I include his Super rugby passing record and lack of try assists as well.

@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.

While I agree with your point, your example is a bit dicey as PSDT probably has a better workrate than Lakai e.g. he made 21 tackles and 12 carries against the Poms vs Lakai's 7 & 8 against France...

As with Love at first five, they should now be picking a centre - Tupaea - and giving him as much game time as possible, preferably alongside the same players, to get him up to speed.

@ShaquilleOatmeal said in All Blacks 2026:

As with Love at first five, they should now be picking a centre - Tupaea - and giving him as much game time as possible, preferably alongside the same players, to get him up to speed.

I agree with your premise. I'd prefer Proctor though.

Scott Barrett v Ardie no return.

@Jnr said in All Blacks 2026:

@reprobate said in All Blacks 2026:

@Jnr said in All Blacks 2026:

@reprobate said in All Blacks 2026:

@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.

The causation you're looking for is BB at 10 my man.

Did you not see the stats on how many passes Rieko actually made the last few years? Super rugby or international level......

I'm just talking about the lack of tries from the backs mate, no need to shift those goalposts.

You're the one that is bringing in BB randomly rather than blaming a dysfunctional coaching team and strategy.

I'm merely showing, with facts, that Rieko's passing game is exceptionally poor. Which is why I include his Super rugby passing record and lack of try assists as well.

It's way less random than blaming Ioane for the lack of tries last year. I don't think he's a passer at all, but he - and certainly not his passing - isn't to blame for us scoring no tries when he played what 5 tests on the wing or something?

The dysfunction and the 10, sure.

@george33 said in All Blacks 2026:

Scott Barrett v Ardie no return.

Huh?

@reprobate said in All Blacks 2026:

@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.

While I agree with your point, your example is a bit dicey as PSDT probably has a better workrate than Lakai e.g. he made 21 tackles and 12 carries against the Poms vs Lakai's 7 & 8 against France...

I think most people on here would agree that Lakai isn’t a 6 and should be playing 8. Again our loose trio suffers to accomodate Ardie.

@george33 said in All Blacks 2026:

Scott Barrett v Ardie no return.

you mean SB won't be captain again?

@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2026:

I think most people on here would agree that Lakai isn’t a 6 and should be playing 8. Again our loose trio suffers to accomodate Ardie.

Some people think Lakai is a 7.

In the eyes of this coaching group Rieko is behind Tupaea, Proctor and ALB for 13. I can't see him getting a shot at 13 any time soon outside of maybe Bok tour games

@george33 said in All Blacks 2026:

Scott Barrett v Ardie no return.

@kiwimurph said in All Blacks 2026:

In the eyes of this coaching group Rieko is behind Tupaea, Proctor and ALB for 13. I can't see him getting a shot at 13 any time soon outside of maybe Bok tour games

That assumes proctor hasn't gone backwards with his performance against Italy. He might be the midweek option now.

@george33 said in All Blacks 2026:

Scott Barrett v Ardie no return.

To the captaincy, the squad, or to rugby?