Super Rugby News

[taniwharugby]

@kiwimurph yep, Nock has been very good as a kicking/passing 9 this season, with a decent run of being unbroken, he will need to add a bit more running to really push Pulu IMO

Aside form 2 big runs by Savea running over him, he defended well this year too.

[Stargazer]

Chiefs announce highly experienced coaching group for 2018

On the eve of the Gallagher Chiefs squad announcement, head coach Colin Cooper has named a highly experienced coaching team to prepare his men for their 2018 Investec Super Rugby title hunt.  Cooper will be joined by returning coaches Neil Barnes, Andrew Strawbridge and Carl Hoeft, with the exciting addition of Tabai Matson completing a quintet that features a combined 70 years of professional coaching experience.

[Bovidae]

I'll be watching how the Maori backs perform under Matson. The Crusaders' backs were average under his coaching with lateral play.

[Crucial]

What's the sauce on a 10 to replace Otere Black?

[Number 10]

Whit(e)lock?

[Daffy Jaffy]

@number-10 After the Herald saying 5am the Crusaders facebook says team announcement is at 8am.

[KiwiMurph]

@taniwharugby said in Super Rugby News:

Wonder if that means Tua had gone elsewhere, WTG or overlooked.

Tua has made the Blues.

[Stargazer]

2018 Blues squad is:

Hookers: Leni Apisai, Matt Moulds, James Parsons.

Front row: Alex Hodgman, Sione Mafileo, Pauliasi Manu, Isaac Salmon, Mike Tamoaieta, Ofa Tuungafasi.

Locks: Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, Josh Goodhue, Scott Scrafton, Patrick Tuipulotu, Jimmy Tupou

Loose forwards: Blake Gibson, Akira Ioane, Jerome Kaino, Dalton Papalii, Glenn Preston, Kara Pryor, Murphy Taramai.

Halfbacks: Sam Nock, Augustine Puli, Jonathan Ruru.

First Five: Otere Black/Daniel Kirkpatrick, Bryn Gatland, Stephen Perofeta.

Midfield: Matt Johnson, George Moala, Tamati Tua, TJ Faiane, Sonny Bill Williams.

Outside backs: Caleb Clarke, Michael Collins, Matt Duffie, Rieko Ioane, Melanie Nanai, Jordan Trainor.

Wellington first five Otere Black, who announced his move to the Blues recently, will be out for the season after suffering an ACL injury and will be replaced by experienced first five Daniel Kirkpatrick, who has returned after several years playing in France.

Likewise inspirational loose forward Blake Gibson will be out for the first part of the Super season in recovery from an operation on his shoulder.

Blues Rugby

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[KiwiMurph]

Happy to see some fresh blood at prop and Tua make the squad.

Taramai and Kirkpatrick are a bit meh but theyll do for one year.

[Stargazer]

2018 Crusaders squad:

FORWARDS

Michael Alaalatoa
Scott Barrett
Ethan Blackadder
Wyatt Crockett
Mitchell Dunshea
Owen Franks
Ben Funnell
Billy Harmon
Oliver Jager
Andrew Makalio
Joe Moody
Tim Perry
Kieran Read
Luke Romano
Pete Samu
Tom Sanders
Quinten Strange
Jordan Taufua
Codie Taylor
Matt Todd
Sam Whitelock

BACKS
Tim Bateman
George Bridge
Ryan Crotty
Israel Dagg
Mike Delany
Mitchell Drummond
Brayden Ennor
Jack Goodhue
Bryn Hall
David Havili
Mitchell Hunt
Will Jordan
Jone Macilai
Manasa Mataele
Richie Mo'unga
Jack Stratton
Seta Tamanivalu

Of the 21 forwards named in the side, two are new to Super Rugby and one player, Tom Sanders, returns to Christchurch to join the squad. (...)

The two new loose forwards joining the squad are Canterbury’s Billy Harmon and  Ta$man’s Ethan Blackadder. (...)

In the backs, Canterbury halfback Jack Stratton joins the squad in 2018, after Ere Enari was ruled out for the season when he broke his leg in the last round-robin match of the Mitre 10 Cup. (...)

Braydon Ennor and Will Jordan both debuted in the Mitre 10 Cup this season, for Canterbury and  Ta$man respectively, and have been named as two new outside backs in the squad. (...)

Mike Delany, who played for the Highlanders and Chiefs between the 2007 and 2012 seasons and earned one test cap for the All Blacks in 2009, also joins the squad - as an option at either first five-eighth or fullback.

http://crusaders.co.nz/news/1158-seven-new-names-in-2018-bnz-crusaders-squad

[SammyC]

@stargazer said in Super Rugby News:

2018 Crusaders squad:

FORWARDS

Michael Alaalatoa
Scott Barrett
Ethan Blackadder
Wyatt Crockett
Mitchell Dunshea
Owen Franks
Ben Funnell
Billy Harmon
Oliver Jager
Andrew Makalio
Joe Moody
Tim Perry
Kieran Read
Luke Romano
Pete Samu
Tom Sanders
Quinten Strange
Jordan Taufua
Codie Taylor
Matt Todd
Sam Whitelock

BACKS
Tim Bateman
George Bridge
Ryan Crotty
Israel Dagg
Mike Delany
Mitchell Drummond
Brayden Ennor
Jack Goodhue
Bryn Hall
David Havili
Mitchell Hunt
Will Jordan
Jone Macilai
Manasa Mataele
Richie Mo'unga
Jack Stratton
Seta Tamanivalu

Of the 21 forwards named in the side, two are new to Super Rugby and one player, Tom Sanders, returns to Christchurch to join the squad. (...)

The two new loose forwards joining the squad are Canterbury’s Billy Harmon and  Ta$man’s Ethan Blackadder. (...)

In the backs, Canterbury halfback Jack Stratton joins the squad in 2018, after Ere Enari was ruled out for the season when he broke his leg in the last round-robin match of the Mitre 10 Cup. (...)

Braydon Ennor and Will Jordan both debuted in the Mitre 10 Cup this season, for Canterbury and  Ta$man respectively, and have been named as two new outside backs in the squad. (...)

Mike Delany, who played for the Highlanders and Chiefs between the 2007 and 2012 seasons and earned one test cap for the All Blacks in 2009, also joins the squad - as an option at either first five-eighth or fullback.

http://crusaders.co.nz/news/1158-seven-new-names-in-2018-bnz-crusaders-squad

Fukafuka not there thankfully, glad we've managed to hold on to Stratton

[Stargazer]

So the Crusaders no longer have Jed Brown (injured), Heiden Bedwell-Curtis, Sione Fifita, Leon Fukofuka (de-listed?), Sean Wainui, Marty McKenzie and Digby Ioane. Instead they've signed Billy Harmon, Tom Sanders, Ethan Blackadder, Mike Delany, Brayden Ennor, Will Jordan and Jack Stratton (for injured Ere Enari).

[taniwharugby]

@sammyc yeah I like the look of Stratton!

[Wurzel]

No major complaints with the Crusaders squad. Just hope we can lock the likes of Hamish Dalzell and Josh McKay into WTG contracts and not lose them to other teams.

[SammyC]

@taniwharugby said in Super Rugby News:

@sammyc yeah I like the look of Stratton!

Me too, he's a real general at club level... directs his team around the park with real maturity. We've seen glimpses of that this year for the Prov Barbarians and Canterbury.

[Stargazer]

Damn, why did the Hurricanes have to be the last squad to be announced ...

[Stargazer]

2018 Highlanders squad:

Backs:
Ben Smith, Josh McKay, Tevita Li, Waisake Naholo, Tevita Nabura, Thomas Umaga-Jensen, Richard Buckman, Patelesio Tomkinson, Matt Faddes, Rob Thompson, Teihorangi Walden, Lima Sopoaga, Fletcher Smith, Josh Ioane, Josh Renton, Kayne Hammington, Aaron Smith

Forwards:
Luke Whitelock, Liam Squire, Elliott Dixon, Shannon Frizell, Dillon Hunt, James Lentjens, Dan Pryor, Alex Ainley, Tom Franklin, Jackson Hemopo, Josh Dickson, Pari Pari Parkinson, Kalolo Tuiloma, Siate Tokolahi, Daniel Lienert-Brown, Tyrel Lomax, Aki Seiuli, Guy Millar, Ash Dixon, Greg Pleasants-Tate, Liam Coltman.

[Tim]

@wurzel Tom Sanders, Brayden Ennor, and Will Jordan seem like really good signings.

Was surprised that Sanders got so little game time with the Chiefs this year. I'd expect him to start at 6 for the Crusaders?

[Stargazer]

@tim I doubt that. Taufua is most likely the starter at 6.

[SammyC]

@tim said in Super Rugby News:

@wurzel Tom Sanders, Brayden Ennor, and Will Jordan seem like really good signings.

Was surprised that Sanders got so little game time with the Chiefs this year. I'd expect him to start at 6 for the Crusaders?

Taufua will start at 6, he's consistently been one of the best Crusaders for the last couple of years.