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Aotearoa Rugby Pod

SHORT: Lomax, De Groot... Then Who? All Blacks prop debate

03 Jun 2026

Transcription

Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.

Chapter 1: What recent injuries have impacted the All Blacks prop selection?

0.031 - 24.132 Jip

jipper who are the props that you feel are on track here to make the all blacks well it's depending on who stays fit at the moment jason ryan is a consistent coach do you know what i mean so like out of the coaching group i don't think we're going to see like masses amounts of change in terms of the front row and i don't think it was an area of concern

0

24.112 - 43.81 Jip

Injury may create opportunity but I still think in the tight head spot you're going to see your Lomax, Tossie and Newell. Depending on, I hope Newell's not too bad because he's been outstanding this season. It's the best I've seen him play at Super Rugby level. De Groot's a given, he's had a massive season.

0

44.551 - 72.089 Jip

And then the other loose heads are probably where potential opportunity lies, but again I just think Jase Ryan has a close relationship with Bauer and George is playing really well in the tight stuff. how he'd go in a Rennie-style up-tempo game, I'm not sure. So that may create opportunities for a Nemea and a Norris to be in the squad in that loose head.

0

72.69 - 91.547 Jip

And I don't think, like, if there's any injuries, you can't rule out Angus Tavel. Like, he has a big engine. He has a skill set. You know, remember him against the Crusaders, he's running great lines, big carries. He's scrummed really well. He's had some big passages of scrummaging.

0

91.527 - 115.234 Jip

and he's got some experience at test match level so there's no reason why his game doesn't fit the opportunities and then I suppose guys that we've seen in there previously you've got your Te Vida Mufflero you've got Ofa Tonga Fasi But I suppose in terms of if you're going straight form, well, it's actually probably a bit harsh to say form.

115.254 - 136.654 Jip

Lomax has just come back, but his international form, to me, warrants him to come straight back in. So I don't see too much change from the start of last year. Obviously, Tamari Williams is a big gap, and you don't know when he's back. So that creates that opportunity for Numia and Norris and Bauer to sort of fight out, I think, for those other two spots at Lucid.

136.634 - 140.243 Unknown

Brennan, you get close to those props. Is there anything you've seen there on top of what Jip said?

140.544 - 152.395 Brennan

Yeah, I think more so you look at your Namia and your Norrises. I think with how the group's been playing, you've got Lomax who's here coming, tossing you, and hopefully Fletcher isn't too bad when it comes to the injury because he has been in previous form, I believe, at Super Rugby level.

Chapter 2: Who are the leading contenders for the All Blacks front row?

152.476 - 170.788 Brennan

But yeah, Yeah, I think with how, you know, look, Namir, with how he does play, more so you look at the up-tempo, I guess, with what Dave really wants to use when it comes to playing a high-tempo game. Like, he's very good for the Hurricanes around that. Now, his footwork, his collision area, being able to get over the advantage line, very good with ball on hand.

0

170.808 - 184.414 Brennan

And the same with Oli Norris as well. So... Yeah, I think Jib's kind of tapped on all of them. I think Angus Tarver has had a great year down at the Highlanders. And if you do want experience, you've got a guy like him who has played very well. You've got Ofotonga Fossey coming back from a major injury if you want some experience.

0

185.055 - 190.165 Brennan

But no, Jib has kind of nailed it on the head with everybody that is in line, I guess, for those popping stocks.

0

190.499 - 208.93 Jip

I feel like Numia was going to be picked and then he got that big injury with his calf. And then it's just sort of taken a bit. I really feel like the Hurricane Scrum is humming and Whoop has got them. I don't think that's a fair question mark anymore. I do actually think he warrants an opportunity at Test Match level.

0

208.91 - 232.864 Jip

And I think his game suits the style, the pace, the tempo that Dave Rennie and his coaching group will want. And I think Norris' comeback, man, he looks a beast. So, yeah, the only other one that is a potential is George Dyer. You know, like if there's injuries to those sort of main three tight heads, like he puts in the yards, man.

232.924 - 238.191 Jip

He's a little bit of an unsung hero for the amount of minutes he plays and the damage he does up front.

238.39 - 255.093 Unknown

We've had plenty of emails come through from you all out there. ARP at fandommedia.co.nz and also stuff coming through in the comments section as you send through your emails and your comments, bring them on the show and you're into that draw for the monthly Athletics Supplement Prize. So we've got a few through this week.

255.113 - 273.639 Unknown

Jamie Bapty is talking all-black selections and he says he's loving the selection debates going on at the moment and his opinion outside of, you know, Jordan, Roy Gard, Adi Savia and Geordie Barrett. Basically... anything could happen. I'd include Kunjapai probably in there as well. Anything could happen.

274.3 - 287.179 Unknown

And he says, is that a strength, Brynner, or is that a worry that when you look at the All Blacks, 15 or 23 right now, we don't really know what it looks like?

Chapter 3: What potential opportunities exist for new props in the squad?

377.659 - 378.88 Unknown

It's a watchful space, isn't it?

0

379.501 - 388.75 Jip

Yeah, but I think to answer the question, I think it's a good thing because I think what we've seen with the success of South Africa

0

388.73 - 413.37 Jip

is the ability for them to play in different styles and i think although i think everyone well we assume how they'll dave rennie and his coaching group want to play i do think they want to innovate they want to be first they want to be different and you're going to need a range of players and and i think if you if you're so set on okay that's our 23 we can't do that

0

413.35 - 429.148 Jip

And so I think if we have this debate and we're not sure, one, I think we're not sure because this is a new coaching group, so we're not sure who they like yet. But two, I think it would be more concerning if we were like, okay, this is the 23.

0

429.128 - 444.252 Jip

I love the debate because I genuinely, I obviously have strong opinions on certain things, but I can't, I literally, I've probably got about 48 names, and that's got to get down to 34.

444.232 - 464.749 Unknown

Yeah. It's not an easy job. It's very challenging. And if you were a macho man, who's one of our regular emailers, he sends an email talking about the way that the Springboks bring in young guys. So like Hushing Peed, the number nine, who was so good at the under 20s last year, you know, went straight into the box squad as a bit of an intern. And I know we've done it in the past with Artie.

465.129 - 477.134 Unknown

We've done it with Geordie. We've done it also with a Sapua Mua where they've been almost a travelling learner. They've seen the potential in that person and said, well, you're not actually in the all-black squad, but you're here to go.

477.174 - 487.536 Jip

They've been doing it. It's just different. So it used to be on the end-of-year tour, they've been doing it for all the home series. So I think good examples are Pete Lakai. He did that.

487.516 - 515.937 Jip

trying to think uh i think it might have been jamie hannah might have been fabian holland before he got in but they've been doing it there's there's been young guys um inserted um you know in in the environment under razer's regime so brenna if you were to take a couple of guys having seen super rugby this year who you think shouldn't probably be in the 34 but you know we should really spend a bit of time with um in the all blacks who would you go for

Chapter 4: How does Tyrel Lomax's form influence his selection?

678.696 - 699.348 Jip

I remember we were talking about Billy Proctor and his ability to get that offload away to Morby a few weeks ago against Moana Pacifica, but... Not once, twice. If we're talking about young, young guys, I mean, that's what we're talking about. As Pede went in after his 20s, I suppose where we've traditionally done it is guys that we've spoken about that have been knocking on the door.

0

699.368 - 704.218 Unknown

Yeah. That have gone. And that's where a 26-year-old Curtis Rona is. Yeah, yeah. Curtis Rona. Daniel Rona.

0

Chapter 5: What role does Tamaiti Williams' absence play in the prop debate?

704.238 - 706.181 Unknown

Curtis Rona. Good luck with getting Curtis Rona.

0

706.201 - 708.025 Jip

We're having a great go with names at the moment.

0

708.005 - 718.32 Brennan

I think one person, if he wasn't injured, I think it would have been like your Dylan Pleasure from last year would have been probably a perfect example. So, yeah, obviously he got injured, but yeah, he was probably one.

0

719.242 - 728.916 Brennan

Talked about that he was going to be in the All Blacks, but then I think him in that kind of apprenticeship role with what we saw probably like your Artie Sevier and your Geordie Bratz early on in their careers. Yeah, he was definitely one that I think missed out.

0

728.896 - 738.669 Unknown

And you know, I don't know where he's at in his rehab, but it probably wouldn't hurt. Even if he's not running the plays and doing all of that, actually having him in the team room, right?

739.29 - 744.017 Brennan

Yeah, but I do think also, Ross, when you are younger, you want to be able to play footy. Do you know what I mean?

Chapter 6: How are younger players like Xavier Numia being evaluated?

744.057 - 754.531 Brennan

So if they were to do that, for example, you have that balance of bringing them into the camp for one or two weeks to get an understanding of what it may look like. As a 9 or even a 10, I know as a player, you need to be out there playing.

0

754.772 - 764.426 Brennan

Especially coming back from a long injury, got to be out there and play for Otago, get some minutes in the about to then hopefully go to Super Rugby and then have the year that we probably wanted him to have this year if he wasn't injured early on.

0

765.067 - 768.532 Jip

So we're all in agreement, it's Daniel Rona. Daniel Rona. Great, thanks guys.

0

769.173 - 770.074 Brennan

Lucas Casey.

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