Crusaders vs Stormers
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@Billy-Tell said in Crusaders vs Stormers:
@Chester-Draws said in Crusaders vs Stormers:
@Billy-Tell said in Crusaders vs Stormers:
WTF do people sign for hopeless Italian clubs??
Good money for little stress?
Getting to enjoy a bit of difference and avoid dark grey winters?
There's plenty of upsides once you look past the quality of the rugby.
A bit more money and the Italian lifestyle. The rugby is absolutely dire, fighting it out with the other Italian club to avoid the wooden spoon in the Pro12 - so as to qualify for the European Cup, where you get hammered, score 0 competition points and leave the pool stage in last spot.
It's a ridiculously stupid rugby decison on his part, and you can read the extreme regret between the lines of the article. He looked very good for a permanent Crusaders contract IMO.
Why a stupid decision? In the article, it says that he signed after the Mitre 10 Cup season and well before he was called into the Crusaders squad as injury cover. He didn't know he was going to play SR as he wasn't initially named in any team. He's 26 and has a young family. Of course he'd sign with an overseas club if he had no other prospect than club rugby & next season's NPC.
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@Stargazer said in Crusaders vs Stormers:
@Billy-Tell said in Crusaders vs Stormers:
@Chester-Draws said in Crusaders vs Stormers:
@Billy-Tell said in Crusaders vs Stormers:
WTF do people sign for hopeless Italian clubs??
Good money for little stress?
Getting to enjoy a bit of difference and avoid dark grey winters?
There's plenty of upsides once you look past the quality of the rugby.
A bit more money and the Italian lifestyle. The rugby is absolutely dire, fighting it out with the other Italian club to avoid the wooden spoon in the Pro12 - so as to qualify for the European Cup, where you get hammered, score 0 competition points and leave the pool stage in last spot.
It's a ridiculously stupid rugby decison on his part, and you can read the extreme regret between the lines of the article. He looked very good for a permanent Crusaders contract IMO.
Why a stupid decision? In the article, it says that he signed after the Mitre 10 Cup season and well before he was called into the Crusaders squad as injury cover. He didn't know he was going to play SR as he wasn't initially named in any team. He's 26 and has a young family. Of course he'd sign with an overseas club if he had no other prospect than club rugby & next season's NPC.
But Treviso?
I'll get all that, but he was hasty. A decent season with the Crusaders, and if he really wanted to head overseas he would have had Premiership, Top 14, the better Pro 12 sides, or even Japan calling.
26 - I wish I was 26 again! It's not that frickin old.
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@Billy-Tell he wasn't in the Crusaders.
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@Billy-Tell It wasn't that long ago that Douglas was working a normal 8-5 job so I can understand the temptation to sign at that time.
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@Billy-Tell said in Crusaders vs Stormers:
But Treviso?
Guys sign with 2nd Division sides in France and England all the time. Are you telling me that playing for a 2nd Division side in England is better than Treviso?
Come to think of it, Whetu was almost playing for a 2nd Division (Championship) ITM side in NZ, except that Waikato just stayed up in 2014. I doubt he's precious about it.
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probably was on $15-20k at Waikato, picked up a contract with Treviso for something like $100-150k, at 26 probably thought he had missed the chance at Super rugby
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@Chester-Draws said in Crusaders vs Stormers:
@Billy-Tell said in Crusaders vs Stormers:
But Treviso?
Guys sign with 2nd Division sides in France and England all the time. Are you telling me that playing for a 2nd Division side in England is better than Treviso?
Come to think of it, Whetu was almost playing for a 2nd Division (Championship) ITM side in NZ, except that Waikato just stayed up in 2014. I doubt he's precious about it.
I reckon you sell 2nd hand cars for a living. You could sell anything, including the Treviso dream. I'm not personally fussed, but leaving a wee pay increase aside, I doubt he's genuinely too rapt about his impending move.
The likes of Luatau going to Bristol in the 2nd division is 100% to do with cold hard cash. Bucketloads of it. I don't think Treviso is offering remotely similar figures to Douglas.
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@Billy-Tell said in Crusaders vs Stormers:
I reckon you sell 2nd hand cars for a living. You could sell anything, including the Treviso dream. I'm not personally fussed, but leaving a wee pay increase aside, I doubt he's genuinely too rapt about his impending move.
Wee? Wee? You must earn a lot of money to think that an increase of up near $100K is "wee".
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That's flattering, crusaders trying to play like the chiefs, but lacking the skill and talent
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@mariner4life said in Crusaders vs Stormers:
That's flattering, crusaders trying to play like the chiefs, but lacking the skill and talent
Canerbry is going to lose his shit at that.
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crusaders score on thier first visit to stormers territory
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Bit dodgy there. Surely the Sader was holding onto that ball. Id be spewing.
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@Rancid-Schnitzel that was dodgy as fuck, nailed on penalty. Stormers getting some rough calls
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@Rancid-Schnitzel possibly, although I tend to agree with the comms in that the player got himself in the position, but didnt really try to steal the ball, was a period a few years ago when refs pinged alot on that and used to wind me up no end
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dumb decision by the FB there
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@taniwharugby i used to do the same thing in that position. Con the ref because at your end a penalty is better than a turnover. Just gotta sell it
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@mariner4life I know, easier to get yourself in a strong position and look like you are attacking it and they are holding it, but I think most refs are well aware of that con now
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AB props under some pressure
