Exodus

[taniwharugby]

@Billy-Tell meh

[Snowy]

It is the rule that has more exceptions than the rule...

However, "neighbors" isn't a good example of how to spell correctly (unless you consider American a language...)

[taniwharugby]

@Snowy tbf it is more me typing 'their', is like me typing 'form' instead of 'from'...fat fingers

[Tim]

Six former All Blacks eligible for new nations in 2025

The new year brings with it the potential of new chapters and fresh starts for many of international rugby's discarded or forgotten talents.

[Duluth]

@Tim said in Exodus:

Six former All Blacks eligible for new nations in 2025

The new year brings with it the potential of new chapters and fresh starts for many of international rugby's discarded or forgotten talents.

The Ioane eligibility keeps getting mis-stated

Now plying his trade in Japan with Hanazono Kintetsu Liners, Ioane is out of the All Blacks picture entirely and can offer his physicality to his nation of birth, Japan, or the nation his father represented, Samoa.

He clarified last year that he was not born in Japan. Somehow it got on the AllBlacks website years ago but they've fixed it now

[Daffy Jaffy]

North Harbour Lock Mahonri Ngakuru is at Montpellier as injury cover for Paul Willemse, according to L'Equipe.

[Bovidae]

Although he was playing for the Crusaders U20s last year, Riley Brewis has been named in the Western Force's 2025 Academy squad.

[Mauss]

Joshua Smith ('24 NZ U20s, Hawke's Bay), the young tighthead prop, is now apparently playing for the Western Force. I had completely missed this news so was quite surprised when I saw him suddenly appear in the Brumbies-Force game.

I can't find an official announcement either but it looks like he's an injury replacement for Atu Moli. Surprising to see such a promising young tight forward play for the Force, hopefully he finds his way back to an NZ team in the near future. Very good piece of recruiting by the Force, either way.

[Bovidae]

The Force have often looked to NZ for injury replacement props, e.g., Coxon, Bartlett.

[Nepia]

@Mauss said in Exodus:

Joshua Smith ('24 NZ U20s, Hawke's Bay), the young tighthead prop, is now apparently playing for the Western Force. I had completely missed this news so was quite surprised when I saw him suddenly appear in the Brumbies-Force game.

I can't find an official announcement either but it looks like he's an injury replacement for Atu Moli. Surprising to see such a promising young tight forward play for the Force, hopefully he finds his way back to an NZ team in the near future. Very good piece of recruiting by the Force, either way.

Probably not too surprising as Western Force assistant Ozich is a former HB coach.

[Mauss]

@Nepia said in Exodus:

Probably not too surprising as Western Force assistant Ozich is a former HB coach.

I suppose I meant surprising more in the sense that I would've expected the Hurricanes to keep someone like Smith close to the top team. The Canes have good depth at tighthead (Lomax, Tosi, Mafileo, Lauaki) but I rate Smith's scrummaging ability higher than someone like Lauaki.

The Hurricanes Hunters recently had players like Gareth Ward-Allen and Peter Seeling playing at tighthead, so it's not like the depth goes much beyond those four aforementioned players.

[Bovidae]

@Mauss

Ben Somerford  /  Feb 24

Force cap #272 Josh Smith: 'He acquitted himself really well'

[Mauss]

@Bovidae There's a good chance Smith will see plenty of game time for the Force, with Johnson-Holmes gone for the season and Tauakipulu still having his issues in the scrum. Will be interesting to see how he goes.

[Nepia]

@Mauss said in Exodus:

I suppose I meant surprising more in the sense that I would've expected the Hurricanes to keep someone like Smith close

You realise this is the Canes and Smith is/was signed with the Magpies?

[Machpants]

The man's a machine

Feb 25

Ma'a Nonu joins French club Toulon until the end of the season

Toulon announced the signing on X, along with a photo of the 42-year-old holding up the club's red jersey.

[antipodean]

@Machpants that's insane. Even for a

[sparky]

@Machpants said in Exodus:

The man's a machine

Feb 25

Ma'a Nonu joins French club Toulon until the end of the season

Toulon announced the signing on X, along with a photo of the 42-year-old holding up the club's red jersey.

Ma'a Nonu made his NPC debut for Wellington in August 2002. And he's still a professional Rugby Player. Different gravy.

[DurryMexted]

@sparky Him and Jimmy Gopperth battling out to see who will be last man standing from the lions 2002 team

[Higgins]

@Mauss said in Exodus:

@Nepia said in Exodus:

Probably not too surprising as Western Force assistant Ozich is a former HB coach.

I suppose I meant surprising more in the sense that I would've expected the Hurricanes to keep someone like Smith close to the top team. The Canes have good depth at tighthead (Lomax, Tosi, Mafileo, Lauaki) but I rate Smith's scrummaging ability higher than someone like Lauaki.

The Hurricanes Hunters recently had players like Gareth Ward-Allen and Peter Seeling playing at tighthead, so it's not like the depth goes much beyond those four aforementioned players.

I don't have my finger on the pulse of the club and school scene in Wellington as much as I used to so assume these two players must have slipped my notice being fluffed beyond belief at Scots College.

EDIT A bit of searching reveals my previous thoughts might be a little wide of the mark! In the case of Peter Seeling it looks to be a remarkable rise from the 2024 Manawatu B Team https://www.manawaturugby.co.nz/newsarticle/143087?newsfeedId=1750818 and Ward-Allen all the way from the world of underwater hockey https://www.otago.ac.nz/news/newsroom/gareths-sporty-look-takes-him-all-the-way-to-world-championships

[ploughboy]

New Munster head coach all but confirmed

Munster look to be close to appointing their next boss after bookies suspended the market following a flurry of bets on Clayton McMillan...