Exodus 2017
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@gt12 said in Exodus 2017:
Another cautionary tale for those who think they'll be able to come back and play at the same level (or better).
His case is a bit different. It's not like he was fit and playing good rugby in France before he came back
He had no form in the NH and his NZ form was a continuation of that decline
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@Duluth form of his life when he had signed to go north (first time)...funny how it works out that way.
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@taniwharugby said in Exodus 2017:
@Duluth form of his life when he had signed to go north (first time)...funny how it works out that way.
Yes, he was so good at the time that he'd probably have been named in the ABs if he hadn't signed with Montpellier.
He didn't make himself very popular in France either, by admitting he didn't want to be there and would rather play in NZ. He's made quite a few negative comments about French rugby on instagram during that time. I'm surprised La Rochelle wants him.
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@Stargazer money talks.
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There is talk , Shields , who carries an English passport due to his parents , which would make him eligible almost straight away ,
is being pursued by England ,
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@kiwiinmelb said in Exodus 2017:
There is talk , Shields , who carries an English passport due to his parents , which would make him eligible almost straight away ,
is being pursued by England ,
Almost modern poetry, I like your style.
(no surprises that shields is weighing up his options)
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@Billy-Tell said in Exodus 2017:
@kiwiinmelb said in Exodus 2017:
There is talk , Shields , who carries an English passport due to his parents , which would make him eligible almost straight away ,
is being pursued by England ,
Almost modern poetry, I like your style.
(no surprises that shields is weighing up his options)
You want it as Haiku?
Brad Shields may be gone
He has English ancestry
Can play six and eight -
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@reprobate said in Exodus 2017:
@jegga i think all exodus posts should be presented as haiku from now on. it somehow makes the shit news easier to take.
I agree with you
The exodus continues
And it often hurts -
@kiwiinmelb said in Exodus 2017:
There is talk , Shields , who carries an English passport due to his parents , which would make him eligible almost straight away ,
is being pursued by England ,
Sounds like it's more a case of his agent touting him around the place, than him being pursued by England to be fair.
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Sure, he'd be an option. But I doubt he's being pursued by anyone in the England setup.
Wouldn't surprise me if he made a move north though. Seems to be out of the frame AB wise and could earn a decent wedge in the current market.
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Don't they have enough big loose forwards with tits for hands in England already?
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@Stockcar86 said in Exodus 2017:
Don't they have enough big loose forwards with tits for hands in England already?
They pick Teimana Harrison.
There depth isn't amazing by any means.
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I had nothing to do at work yesterday, for your benefit I went through Wikipedia to work out how many nz players are currently earning their way in the foreign leagues.
Total is 224.
France Top 14: 51
English Premiership; 39
Pro 12: 32
French D2: 39 (but 3 of the teams had no data)
Japan Top League (& Sunwolves): 48
English Championship: 8 ( I only counted from Leeds & Bristol, the rest aren't really pro)
Super Rugby (Aus and SAF teams): 7Now my counting system is what I consider NZ 'products'. So plenty are under other nations flags.
So I include guys like ; Payne, Joe Tekori, Atonio, Aki, Blair Cowan, Dylan Hartley, Tameifuna, Sa'u, even Aussie born Sekope Kepu, etc ,
But I exclude those I consider NZ polished, rather than NZ Products (eg any scholarship guys whether they played for NZ, the Islands, or double poaches ) e.g. David Smith, Fekitoa, Nili Latu, Halai , Nathan Hughes, Tongan Thor, Henry Speight. Alapati Leiua, Etc
I've heard the Saffa lament about "300 overseas players" a bit recently. So wanted to get a comparison to see how much bigger their problem is (although I think their real problem is quality - they're not retaining the Dan Carter, Read, Nonu level player for a 10 year stretch like NZ has been able to)
Also, What I was interested in. Is if NZ rugby was an isolated bubble with no outside pressures, or inwards flows (such as AFL). How many pro players are out there on top of the 5 SR teams we currently have plus the impossible to quantify NPC level players who still have local dreams and haven't buggered off yet.
However. On the quality side - There were 10 guys in the Japanese league, and 17 in the French D2 I'd never heard of, with no wiki profile, but they had NZ flags as their nationality. Also I don't think there would be a place for 37 year old outside backs like Bryce Robins etc in NZ pro rugby, as well as some of the ancient but formerly well known players in France and England- e.g. A Jamie MacIntosh, Census Johnston etc who I assume are squad role players these days required for long grinding seasons.
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@bones said in Exodus 2017:
Frank Halai is a hooker now? What the?
Foot race him versus Aumua please
