Super Rugby News
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@taniwharugby said in Super Rugby News:
@MN5 you are adding to the 'legend' by constantly banging on about him too, even if form the other side of things.
I think it is a fair question for people to ask about his well being prior to the Super season, his chances of playing in Black are surely slim this year with Crotty, the emergence of ALB and the return of SBW...
ive mentioned him once. Just making the point that I've never seen someone with so little gametime for the ABs get talked about so often. I'm sure it will continue this year.
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@MN5 once?
Pretty much any time anyone mentioned him last year you responded that he was the most talked about player and how it was like he was the savior, yes there was some hyperbole around him, but, then you also mentioned him a million times....
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@taniwharugby I'll put it out there ... I don't think SBW will make the All Blacks this year. He's not young, is injury prone and isn't even going to play Super Rugby until April.
With Conrad Smith 2 (Crotty), Fekitoa, Lienert Brown, George Moala, Ioane you already have a good mix of stability, power and raw, young talent. And if Charlie is back, thats another ...
I just can't see a spot for SBW.
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@Nepia said in Super Rugby News:
He's getting talked about because of his concussion and the negative impact it had on him playing for the ABs. He was selected ahead of both Moala and ALB in the first AB squad so it's not like he's a no hoper who never had a chance.
This was exactly the reason why I was asking (not his AB future). I had just read something about Broadhurst, and wondered about Ngatai. It's worrying that players are suffering from concussion symptoms for so long, and it raises the question whether players - like Broadhurst - should return to the field at all, considering the possible long-term neurological impact of head knocks.
IMO one cap for the ABs (esp, in a friendly against Samoa) doesn't mean much these days for a future in black, esp after a long absence, but it is much more important that Ngatai concentrates on his health and well-being; whether or not he will be playing for the Chiefs/ABs again shouldn't be a priority.
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@taniwharugby said in Super Rugby News:
@MN5 once?
Pretty much any time anyone mentioned him last year you responded that he was the most talked about player and how it was like he was the savior, yes there was some hyperbole around him, but, then you also mentioned him a million times....
Im gonna play the political card and say i can't recall any of that.
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@MajorRage said in Super Rugby News:
@taniwharugby I'll put it out there ... I don't think SBW will make the All Blacks this year. He's not young, is injury prone and isn't even going to play Super Rugby until April.
With Conrad Smith 2 (Crotty), Fekitoa, Lienert Brown, George Moala, Ioane you already have a good mix of stability, power and raw, young talent. And if Charlie is back, thats another ...
I just can't see a spot for SBW.
I can't see it happening. A key reason for SBW re-signing with the NZR was that Shag told him that he was a big part of the AB's plans going forward. Shag seemed to reiterate that at SBW's re-signing presser last year.
SBW was also in career best form the last time wore black, so I think he'll be given the benefit of the doubt and be given another crack. Whether that is as a starter or not, I don't know, but I think he'll at least be seen as one of the top 3 midfielders in the squad.
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He'll likely be our starting 12. He and ALB would make an awesome combination.
EDIT MOD: Lets try to keep this stuff out of the sports forum as much as possible.
EDIT NQ: fair enough have removed. -
@Dice said in Super Rugby News:
@MajorRage said in Super Rugby News:
@taniwharugby I'll put it out there ... I don't think SBW will make the All Blacks this year. He's not young, is injury prone and isn't even going to play Super Rugby until April.
With Conrad Smith 2 (Crotty), Fekitoa, Lienert Brown, George Moala, Ioane you already have a good mix of stability, power and raw, young talent. And if Charlie is back, thats another ...
I just can't see a spot for SBW.
I can't see it happening. A key reason for SBW re-signing with the NZR was that Shag told him that he was a big part of the AB's plans going forward. Shag seemed to reiterate that at SBW's re-signing presser last year.
SBW was also in career best form the last time wore black, so I think he'll be given the benefit of the doubt and be given another crack. Whether that is as a starter or not, I don't know, but I think he'll at least be seen as one of the top 3 midfielders in the squad.
Rightly or wrongly he'll definitely be there just in time to stir up the Stuff.co.nz comments section that by then will have run out of things to whinge about Trump so will enjoy having him in the spotlight again.
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Hurricanes head coach Chris Boyd admitted he was stunned by Julian Savea's physique when he returned ahead of the new season.
Savea, who was criticised for not being in shape ahead of 2016, was praised by Boyd for how he has looked after himself over Christmas.
"The first thing I said to him was 'Mate, you're a different person'," the 'Canes boss told NZ Newswire about how Savea looked last week.
"He's certainly physically very different than he was this time last year.
"I think in himself, he's much more chipper as well."
Savea has scored 45 tries in his 52 international matches and with a busy year of rugby that includes the British and Irish Lions tour, the Hurricane could well overtake Doug Howlett (49) as New Zealand's top try-scorer.
And Boyd believes they will see the best of their winger from the outset this Super Rugby campaign because of the shape he is currently in.
"I know that he wasn't happy with the way the season started or finished for us last year," he added.
"He just wants to play good code. Part of that is that he realises he needs to be in good physical nick to play good footy."
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@Rocky-Rockbottom said in Super Rugby News:
@MN5 said in Super Rugby News:
Rightly or wrongly he'll definitely be there just in time to stir up the Stuff.co.nz comments section that by then will have run out of things to whinge about Trump so will enjoy having him in the spotlight again.
d'uh did someone mention my name....
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@Tim i saw a photo of him in the gym and he looked ripped and huge
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@Crash said in Super Rugby News:
@Rocky-Rockbottom said in Super Rugby News:
@MN5 said in Super Rugby News:
Rightly or wrongly he'll definitely be there just in time to stir up the Stuff.co.nz comments section that by then will have run out of things to whinge about Trump so will enjoy having him in the spotlight again.
d'uh did someone mention my name....
Sympathy upvote for a crap joke at your service
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@mariner4life said in Super Rugby News:
@Tim i saw a photo of him in the gym and he looked ripped and huge
I saw him at Junglerama with his kids. His mobility needed a bit of work but to be fair it is pretty hard for grown ups to move quickly when they're bent over double.
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Patrick T news not good for Blues.
All Blacks lock Patrick Tuipulotu will not report for duty with the Blues Super Rugby franchise next week and will be sidelined indefinitely by an "ongoing personal matter".
Tuipulotu toured the Northern Hemisphere with the national side last November, starting against Ireland in Chicago and then against Italy in Rome but the giant second rower returned home a week early, along with injured flanker Sam Cane and utility back Ben Smith, for what coach Steve Hansen described at the time as "personal reasons".
Since then, all the tourists have been serving a mandatory 12-week stand-down between seasons. They are due back with the Super Rugby franchises next week to begin pre-season training.
New Zealand Rugby Players' Association rep Rob Nichol has confirmed Tuipulotu will not be among them, but would not elaborate any further on the issue.
The Blues referred any further comment on the matter to the Players' Association.
Tuipulotu's management company, WeAreTenzing, through founder Brooke Howard-Smith, refused to comment.
Tuipulotu has been with the Blues since 2014, playing 34 games and scoring five tries.
He made his All Blacks debut that same year, coming on as a substitute in a 28-27 win over England in Dunedin, and has 12 test caps.
His prolonged absence would be a huge blow to Blues coach Tana Umaga in his second year at the helm and hoping to improve on their eight-win, six-loss and one-draw 2016 record, to take them to their first playoff appearance since 2011.
Meanwhile, the Blues are poised to announce an official Super Rugby match in Samoa this year.
It's understood the Blues' scheduled home competition match against the Reds on June 2 will now be played in Apia.
