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Jason Ryan labels contentious All Blacks selection call 'spicy' and 'tasty'

Peter Lakai of the Hurricanes. Photo by GRANT DOWN/AFP via Getty Images

All Blacks selection beckons as Super Rugby Pacific exposes any ambition lacking substance with elimination. The final is just one week away and with that, the club season makes way for international fixtures.

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The big stage of club rugby sees the lights get brighter, but is no comparison for the international arena, as Sam Whitelock was quick to correct now All Blacks assistant coach Jason Ryan while in the throws of their dynastic Crusaders run.

It’s a warning that has stayed with the forwards guru and is helping inform his selections in the first All Blacks squad of the year, set to be named on Monday the 24th.

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Now in his third international season with New Zealand, Ryan is going through the selection process with more scrutiny and diversity of opinion from within the environment.

“It’s a bit of a change-up in the sense that all the coaches have a say,” Ryan told the All Blacks Podcast. “I’m taking care of the tight five and the loosies (loose forwards), while Razor’s (Scott Robertson) overseeing the loosies as well, but ultimately the forward pack is my responsibility.

“Scotty Hansen’s having a look at the nines and 10s, Jason Holland’s doing the midfield and Leon MacDonald’s doing the outsides and that fullback position.

“We had a crack at the team about a month ago for the first time in Christchurch; we said righto boys, grab the pen and chuck your names up and why and let’s have a debate.

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“We had a really robust conversation and that was really good. It was good for me to not just think about your core roles of set piece in the All Black forwards, it’s good to hear conversations from Leon around what he’s seeing, this player’s carry and his footwork. Scotty says well I need you to have a bit more of a think about him defensively.

“It’s a real good, robust discussion and a good change-up. It’s a bit fresher in the sense that we all get a chance to have a say. At the end of the day, Razor’s the boss and he makes the final call.

“But, it’s good to have all those numbers in front from different areas so we’re all open to being challenged in picking the first All Blacks squad of the year, which is great.”

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There’ll be two more squads named following the one selected for the England series and Fiji Test in San Diego.

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For Ryan, selection is no easy task but is particularly challenging in the back row where names like Ardie Savea, Dalton Papali’i, Luke Jacobson and Sam Cane are joined by the resurgent form of Hoskins Sotutu, the development of Samipeni Finau, the health of Ethan Blackadder and the emergence of Peter Lakai among many, many more.

“There are genuinely some players who have been really consistent in Super and there are genuinely some guys who are putting their hand up in this final series as well, which I know they will.

“I think the loose forward selection is getting real tasty, a little bit spicy in some of those combos, which is brilliant. That’s a good one.

“The front row boys and the props, how we cover those boys and how we look at that. The reality is we pick three All Black teams this year; the England series, the Rugby Championship and the Northern Tour. So, we know we’re going to have a few more players than usual with the Test calendar we’ve got.

“But we need that too, I think it’s great coming out of a World Cup, heading into a good, strong calendar where we’ll have to use a few players.

“I think within our selections we’re being really challenged to go three or four deep in each position, so it’s good.”

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Comments

26 Comments
M
MattJH 290 days ago

I’ve got a feeling Peter Lakai may have to wait a bit longer.

G
Graham 290 days ago

The selection of the All Black squad is going to be very interesting. Scott Barrett , I believe will be the captain. He is the best man for the job. Ethan Blackadder will also be there. Looked great on his return. Codie Taylor showed he is the best hooker. Wallace Sititi, could be a bolter.

S
Scott 290 days ago

The All Blacks have 3 very special young athletes in back row who could become world class by 2027- 6 Samipeni Fineau, 7 Peter Lauki, and 8 Wallace Sititi.

Are they ready to start versus England in July 2024- no. But I would have all 3 in the squad now so the can make debuts vs Fiji, Argentina, and Australia.

For England, I would start the best loose forward combination from players who have been capped by the All Blacks already which I believe are 6 Ethan Blackadder, 7 Dalton Papalii, 8 Ardie Savea with Hoskins Sotutu on the bench.

R
Red and White Dynamight 291 days ago

Chiefs loosies looked better without Cane there, the ABs will too.

W
Willie 292 days ago

I anticipated the ABs will again be world class without missing a beat until I read Leon MacDonald is involved with selections. Compare this year’s Blues with MacDonald’s riff raff of the past if you want to argue.

G
Graham 292 days ago

Ethan Blackadder came back so well for the Crusaders, late in the season. He was in great form. I believe he will make the All Blacks. Those new faces mentioned , a number will be picked.

N
Nickers 293 days ago

Refreshing to hear something so candid and positive about what’s going on behind the scenes.

D
David 293 days ago

Samisoni found himself demoted to the bench by Ryan after being rated the top No 2 in World Rugby. Looks like he’s injured so won’t have to suffer not being picked by the “Crusader Razor Gang.”

T
T-Bone 293 days ago

It will be interesting to see the loose forward selection for the ABs

Sititi was the outstanding player and has been all year

Lakai was good but gave away 6 points

Iose very quiet

In fact the Chiefs loosies completely outplayed the hyped Canes

T
Tristan 293 days ago

So many loosies putting their hand up. Hansen and particularly Fossie went with experience first. Will Razor be more open to fostering potential? Iose, lakai, sititi. Zero caps between them but how good could they be as a unit in a few years….

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Comments on RugbyPass

I
IkeaBoy 4 hours ago
Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

“Why are you so insistent on being wrong? Man United won in 2008 (beating Chelsea in the final). In 2009 Barcelona won, beating United.”

Good lad, just checking. So you’re not a bot! Chelsea bombed the 2008 final more than United won it. John Terry… couldn’t happen to a nicer fella.


“The gap between wins ignores the finals contested. 2 in 2 years with his City Triumph. The most recent put him in the elite company of managers to have won it with multiple clubs. Yet more late career success and history.”

Again - you’re not correct. City won the CL in 2023, and made the final in 2021. Those are the only two CL finals they have made.”

So the difference between 2021 and 2023 would of course be TWO YEARS. 24 months would account for 3 different seasons. They contested ECL finals twice in two years. The first in 2021 - which they lost - was still the first elite European final in the clubs then 141 year history. Explain clearly how that’s not an achievement? Guess what age he was then…


“I think your take on Gatland is pretty silly. Gatland was without Edwards in the 2013 and 2017 Lions tours and managed to do alright.”

I thought you don’t care what certain managers did 10 years ago…

Why would I address Eddie Jones? Why would he be deserving of a single sentence?


“I am aware Les Kiss has achieved great things in his career, but I don’t care what he did over ten years ago. Rugby was a different sport back then.”

So you haven’t watched even a minute of Super Rugby this year?


“lol u really need to chill out”

Simply frightful! If you’re not a bot you’re at least Gen-Z?

171 Go to comments
f
fl 5 hours ago
Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

“Pep didn’t win the ECL in 2009. It was 2008 with Barca”

Why are you so insistent on being wrong? Man United won in 2008 (beating Chelsea in the final). In 2009 Barcelona won, beating United.


“The gap between wins ignores the finals contested. 2 in 2 years with his City Triumph. The most recent put him in the elite company of managers to have won it with multiple clubs. Yet more late career success and history.”

Again - you’re not correct. City won the CL in 2023, and made the final in 2021. Those are the only two CL finals they have made. With Barcelona, Pep made the semi final four consecutive times - with City he’s managed only 3 in 8 years. This year they didn’t even make the round of 16.


To re-cap, you wrote that Pep “has gotten better with age. By every measure.” There are some measures that support what you’re saying, but the vast majority of the measures that you have highlighted actually show the opposite.


I am aware Les Kiss has achieved great things in his career, but I don’t care what he did over ten years ago. Rugby was a different sport back then.


I think your take on Gatland is pretty silly. Gatland was without Edwards in the 2013 and 2017 Lions tours and managed to do alright. You’ve also not addressed Eddie Jones.


I agree wrt Schmidt. He would ideally be retained, but it wouldn’t work to have a remote head coach. He should definitely be hired as a consultant/analyst/selector though.


“Look at the talent that would be discarded in Schmidt and Kiss if your age Nazism was applied.”

lol u really need to chill out lad. Kiss and Schmidt would both be great members of the coaching set up in 2025, but it would be ridiculous to bank on either to retain the head coach role until 2031.

171 Go to comments
I
IkeaBoy 6 hours ago
Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

Pep didn’t win the ECL in 2009. It was 2008 with Barca. The gap between wins ignores the finals contested. 2 in 2 years with his City Triumph. The most recent put him in the elite company of managers to have won it with multiple clubs. Yet more late career success and history.


His time with City - a lower win ratio compared to Bayern Munich as you say - includes a 100 PT season. A feat that will likely never be surpassed. I appreciate you don’t follow soccer too closely but even casual fans refer to the sport in ‘pre and post Pep’ terms and all because of what he has achieved and is continuing to achieve, late career. There is a reason that even U10’s play out from the back now at every level of the game. That’s also a fairly recent development.


How refreshing to return to rugby on a rugby forum.


Ireland won a long over due slam in 2009. The last embers of a golden generation was kicked on by a handful of young new players and a new senior coach. Kiss was brought in as defence coach and was the reason they won it. They’d the best defence in the game at the time. He all but invented the choke tackle. Fittingly they backed it up in the next world cup in their 2011 pool match against… Australia. The instantly iconic image of Will Genia getting rag-dolled by Stephen Ferris.


His career since has even included director of rugby positions. He would have an extremely good idea of where the game is at and where it is going in addition to governance experience and dealings. Not least in Oz were many of the players will have come via or across Rugby League pathways.


Gatland isn’t a valid coach to compare too. He only ever over-achieved and was barely schools level without Shaun Edwards at club or test level. His return to Wales simply exposed his limitations and a chaotic union. It wasn’t age.


Schmidt is open to staying involved in a remote capacity which I think deserves more attention. It would be a brain drain to lose him. He stepped in to coach the ABs in the first 2022 test against Ireland when Foster was laid out with Covid. They mullered Ireland 42-19. He was still heavily involved in the RWC 2023 quarter final. Same story.


Look at the talent that would be discarded in Schmidt and Kiss if your age Nazism was applied.

171 Go to comments
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