Renowned Kiwi sports broadcaster Tony Johnson joins Martin Devlin for a lively and in-depth discussion about the biggest rugby stories of the year. From the Lions Tour to the All Blacks’ Eden Park fortress, Super Rugby’s future, and the Black Ferns’ title defense, Tony unpacks the game’s challenges and opportunities in 2025. With sharp insights, candid takes, and a love for the sport, this conversation is a must-watch for rugby fans.
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36 Comments
nope . too late . bb was better anyway at 10. the ab's blew it last year scott barrett did as well dumb decisions. robertson making him capt didnt help. but picking ratimer over roigard for a start(injury or not) but picking ratimer over Noah Hotham was madness, ratimer is our 3rd best after roigard who is the best hb in the world. why on earth would robertson whos specialty is trying to please everyone like the media and players pick perenara whos on his way out this year? it can only be the pleasing factor which is bulshit. Hanson got it right Ted got it right-in the end at least. media wise both respectfully but cunningly didnt give too much away, but robertson talks about everything. now him wanting mo is just silly. He has been given a time frame to pick new and develop new players. SO HE MUST FEEL HE HAS NO BETTER OPTION THAN MO. well he does. but its not plummer whos an average player and its not the frilly perofetta cheese. Its obviously dmac and bb. Bret Cameron and younger still Reihana/Kemara are much better options than plummer ffs
I think Ritchie hit international form in last year's RWC. Before that, Ritchie was still finding his feet in the test arena. Its a shame that Ritchie has just now found his form and he's moved to Japan.
Player power and their "feelings" has taken over which was never the case.
The solution regarding Mounga is simple – if he's playing well enough then just select him. Stop overcomplicated a simple issue. The fans want NZs best players to represent the ABs.
I think for the all blacks to dominate again nzru need to add back a south african side in super rugby not just for competition but for experience on tour. I think the tours to sa gave a lot of experience to our players it shows them what it takes if you want to step up to the next level overcoming the jet lag and everything
Are there as many spots as they think thete are for kiwis overseas that will beat playing super rugby? I think this isnt the issue they think. Super rugby needs to be a better run competition if they want to compete though – or, people need to accept that our money cant compete with a billionaires backing. Its inequality and its a political issue, and too much to ask players to give up all that cash for maybe a couple games for the all blacks, cause job prospects after rugby arent what they used to be either
A poor year would see Razor on the chopping block
No problem if Richi comes back, but what if gets injured? Then it's back to current crop. Let him come back in 2026 and see if he can make it for the end of year tour based on form. Then both Richi and Razor doesn't have the pressure of forcing the eligibility rules being bent for something that might not work out.
They lack mongrel. However its there. Just a mindset. Dominate, or be dominated.
Razor and co need to get out of the conservative 'save our jobs' mindset and actually trust youth, and not wait until one of the undroppable 'leadership group' falls over to give them some meaningful game time. This core group of players have been at the heart of the team rocking around a 70% winning percentage for years now. If you keep trusting the same 'experience', you're going to keep getting the same results.
As a Saffa, beautifully balanced show. Keep it it mates!
What do you mean the mehrts, carlos thing. Mehrtens was clearly better and his total matches vs Carlos's prove that. Come on dev
TJ was saying that a really bad red card would result in the player staying off permanently and no chance of replacement taking the field. Had me wondering, Aint all red cards really bad???
Why bringing him back..he's didn't win the all black the world cup ..sorry bro …he went for the money 💰 🤑 💸..😂😂😂😂😂
This myth from these wankers in particulate NH wankers that we’ve been scared to play SA at Eden Park since 2000 SA have won THREE games in NZ we’ve won 18, we could’ve played them on the moon SA don’t win in NZ end of story.
8:23 southern hemisphere or Nzl ??
Richi is a great Crusader player but he is a good All Black. He is not the difference for the current All Black issues. He missed the winning goal kick in the RWC final. It is not his fault that the All Blacks lost but he is also the player that could have won it for the All Blacks, same goes for Jordie Barret. There were other things that contributed to the loss but the obvious pin point factors of when we could have won it was those two attempts at goal and Richi was 1 of the kickers.
Razor is fool. Richie is not good enough to jeopardise retaining other players. BB offers just as much at 10 but treated badly by coaches. Uncertainty does not get the best out of the talented players we have.
He doesn't want to play for Robertson
Let him play in Japan and the ABs that’s it nothing to talk about.
The All Blacks are where the Springboks use to be the Springboks are where the All Blacks use to be just as the Pumas are where the Wallabies use to be and the Wallabies are where the Pumas use to be.
Mounga is a good player, but he has very little Barret in hes prime flair, he is good tho.
Its a tough one. I do think RM is the missing piece of the puzzle for the all blacks but the players still in NZ should be rewarded as well. Then there is also the fact that rugby is struggling to keep and attract fans and that means NZ needs to be dominate to keep the fans we have and so our policy of picking players only in NZ might need to change.
Cam Millar
richie mo'unga is excellent. so are both barrett and mckenzie. mo'unga isn't some silver bullett
Cameron Millar (Otago) future all black. We don't need Richie Mo’unga.
Rm is the key… if he played last year we wudve been undefeated
Leave Ritchie in Japan, give McKenzie an ultimatum to not kick possession away all the time or he doesn't play. Put Barret in as 1st five, he has the wherewithall and he is a good kicker as is his brother
Pretty pathetic move trying to get him back should be trying to blood new and young guy's that are here in NZ,to set up for the next WC or beyond,
NEVER EVER A RIGHT MOVE….PLEASE THIS NONSENSE SHOULD STOP ITS AN INSULT TO NZ PLAYERS BASED IN NZ
Dont need him ,we have future 10s coming through. He has been and gone and happy for him to stay in Japan
Would love to see a team akin to the Lions made up of European teams – France, Italy, Portugal and Romania. This team could then tour the Southern Hemisphere at the same time as the Lions, so if the Lions are playing Oz then the European team can be playing against NZ or SA
Richie had 2 chances to win a world cup for us why should he get 3?,time to move on
SA would never have won the world cup without their overseas players
Im a jamaican england suppoerter ironically wearing an All Black hat today. When Richie left i thought i was well understood hed be away for a year…they should develop what they have and if he comes back he has to earn his place. He is an extraordinary player but form comes and gies. I think the 20 mins Red card is a brilliant idea. Makes for a more entertaining game…apart from blatant thuggery.
Let it go move on he’s got his career to take care of this is how it ends up mostly
Awesome content maybe hire a sound engineer though your voice on headphones it’s terrible to listen to you need to use a de esser or just take the highs off there is also some weird stereo phasing thing going on it should just be a mono signal