Editors Adrian Hill and Campbell Burnes, flying solo after the retirement of the great Clive Akers, have again compiled a remarkable tome containing a record of all major rugby played by our international, Super Rugby and domestic teams in 2024.
It runs to a record 542 pages and contains a healthy chunk of comment and constructive criticism as well as statistics and a chronicle of events.
Despite copping a one-game suspension and losing his All Blacks starting jersey at the end of the year, de Groot is listed at loosehead prop in the Almanack XV.
He is ‘‘still our preferred loosehead’’ though the editors note the rapid progress made by challenger Tamaiti Williams.
De Groot is the only Highlanders player named in a squad of the year that contains five Blues, five Chiefs, five Hurricanes, four Crusaders and — another record — three players (starting loose forwards Ardie Savea and Sam Cane and reserve back Beauden Barrett) listed by their Japanese clubs.
Other Highlanders receive honourable mentions.
The editors note fullback Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens and centre Tanielu Tele’a had made the most of their shift south, highlight the efforts of young flanker Oliver Haig in his first full Super Rugby season, and note Dutch lock Fabian Holland had ‘‘brought himself further into the frame’’ with All Blacks XV selection.
Players of the year are Blues winger Caleb Clarke (also named 2020), Hurricanes prop Tyrel Lomax (also 2022), rising Chiefs star Wallace Sititi, Blues No8 Hoskins Sotutu and Chiefs lock Tupou Vaa’i.
Pledger made just two NPC appearances for Otago off the bench but his exciting potential is recognised with a nod as a promising player of the year.
The lightning-quick No9 helped the New Zealand colts win the inaugural Under-20 Rugby Championship, and he was their best player as they finished third, their best result in seven years, at the junior world championship.
Pledger is the fourth consecutive Otago rookie to be named an Almanack promising player, following prop Rohan Wingham, Holland and loose forward Christian Lio-Willie.
Counties loosie Cameron Church, Wellington first five Callum Harkin, Waikato flanker-turned-winger Oli Mathis and Canterbury utility back James White are the other promising players.
In their team-by-team reviews, the editors highlight the Highlanders’ awful points differential (minus-113) over the season and the ‘‘stinker’’ of a game against the Force, but say they showed starch when it mattered.
Otago improved but scoring tries was a weak point, while North Otago — who missed the playoffs for the first time in 25 years — developed some players but were generally poor.
New Black Fern Maia Joseph, a reserve, is the only Otago player named in the women’s XV.
Timaru-born sevens star Jorja Miller, who is on the cover alongside Sititi, is named women’s player of the year, and North Harbour fullback Mikayla Joy Suluape is named most promising.
In their editorial, Hill and Burnes declare the Black Ferns Sevens’ Olympic gold medal was the ‘‘clear highlight’’ of the New Zealand rugby year.
They refer to new coach Scott Robertson’s 10-4 record with the All Blacks as a ‘‘pass mark’’, and note the national team delivered some patches of good rugby as well as a statement win over Ireland.
The editors call for more rugby for the Black Ferns and New Zealand Maori teams, and suggest there is no need to change All Blacks eligibility laws.
The Rugby Almanack is the world's longest-running rugby book of record. It was first published in 1935.
