Super Rugby News
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@crazy-horse I think Hansen & Co seemed pretty happy with him last year, he draws alot of defenders to him...that said, his lack of knowledge of some of the basic rugby rules seem to have popped up moreso in the past year than prior.
On Friday he dummied at the back of a ruck (although he probably saw the French 9 do that last year when he got carded for another rule he didnt know)
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Aug 6, 2017 - Sonny Bill Williams is reportedly likely to make an eventual return to the Sydney Roosters. ... with Roosters chairman Nick Politis last week. The 32-year-old is said to have no plans of retiring once his current contract with the New Zealand Rugby Union ends after the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11899398
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@mikedogz always gonna be speculation with SBW...currently he is contracted with NZR upto and including the RWC, after which, who knows what will happen...he will likely be on 60+ tests (3 RWC's) by then, so if he chooses to buggar off after that, I dont think many should begrudge him that (but many will)
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I posted it in another thread didnt realize it was being discussed here ,
As much as he looks a bit out of sorts to some of us ,
it would be a massive call to get rid of him now , even if he had slipped in their pecking order , how the fuck do you know what happens over the next year or so with form and injuries ,
remember the Beaver , you never know who will be required , the more hands on deck the better I wouldve thought .
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POWERFUL Sydney Roosters chairman Nick Politis has doused speculation linking Sonny Bill Williams with a shock return to the club for this years finals. “It’s news to me,” Politis said. “As far as I’m aware he’s contracted to play rugby union in New Zealand. “We love Sonny and we’ll always love Sonny. But I’m not sure where this has come from.” -
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JUST days after their round one drubbing, the Queensland Reds have been dealt another blow with new skipper Scott Higginbotham suspended for two matches by the Super Rugby judiciary. Higginbotham was sent from the field after just eight minutes in Friday’s heavy 45-19 defeat to the Melbourne Rebels after his dangerous no-arms hit on lock Matt Philip. While the back-rower was suspended for three weeks, his ban expires the day before the Reds’ away clash against the Jaguares in Argentina, meaning he will only be ineligible for their home fixtures against the Brumbies and Bulls. -
At Monday afternoon's training Cooper confirmed utility back Tim Nanai-Williams was gone for the season, requiring surgery on a shoulder he injured in the final pre-season game against the Brumbies on the Sunshine Coast.
Then there's newly instated co-captain and fullback Charlie Ngatai (knee) and lock Dominic Bird (shoulder), who left AMI Stadium gingerly, with Cooper guessing each would be out for a couple of weeks.
A trio of players are also going through concussion protocols, with loose forward Mitch Brown and bench backs Marty McKenzie and Sean Wainui all taking knocks on the night. Brown had looked the groggiest on the night but is said to be in the best nick of them, with no symptoms.
Cooper said there wouldn't be any returnees from the casualty ward this week either, with props Kane Hames (illness), Mitchell Graham (leg) and Sefo Kautai (foot), loose forward Tyler Ardron (hand) and utility back Sam McNicol (concussion), already out. All Black Hames had returned to training last Thursday but Cooper said he "had to go through a process".
A decision on if someone would take over Ngatai's co-captaincy duties was still being worked through, as was the call on a replacement for Nanai-Williams, with former Chief Declan O'Donnell - having also been under Cooper's tutelage at Taranaki - training with the side on an afternoon which also saw former All Blacks assistant coach Wayne Smith in attendance as part of a gig mentoring some exchange players from Japanese club Kobe.
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Boyd said he knew after three minutes that the team were struggling. The players - headed by their "game drivers" - recognised it too. They talked about how to respond but "just weren't putting it into action," said captain Brad Shields. "We've just got to slow the tempo a bit. We love to play fast ball, but sometimes we've got to slow down and do a bit of nitty gritty first, to earn our right to go wider and play with the pill." That's about as badly as the team will beat themselves up, in Buenos Aires this week. Boyd said the team's work at the breakdown, on both attack and defence, wasn't remotely adequate and left them unable to compete in any other facet of the game. They lost the physical battle and therefore lost the match.With the Crusaders to play when they get home, the Hurricanes have to get maximum points out of the Jaguares and it will be interesting to see what Boyd does with the 23. Wing Wes Goosen and prop Toby Smith were the two main injury concerns out of the Bulls match while prop Alex Fidow, who missed the match due to a bad skin infection, should be fit to play in Argentina.Starting Beauden Barrett would seem a given, probably at first five-eighth. Things that could complicate that include whether Barrett or Ihaia West is regarded as the first-string goalkicker on tour and whether Matt Proctor plays fullback or centre. Proctor played both in Pretoria, finishing at 13 as part of a backline that had Barrett at 15 and West at first-five. The most likely scenario is for Barrett to start at 10 and finish at 15, given there isn't a specialist fullback in the touring party. -
@stargazer said in Super Rugby News:
Hurricane Wes Goossen posted a photo on his instagram on which you can see him wearing a moonboot. Anyone else heard about the injury toll of the weekend?
Goossen definitely out injured. He's on his way home.
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@tim Good on RTS for sticking with league.
The solutions for NZ Rugby are not with poaching from the Warriors who desperately need every decent player they can get - but, in convincing their counterpart unions to develop their own club players instead of stealing ours.
A bit odd they'd go after him anyway. Fullback isn't a position we're particularly short of candidates.
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@chris-b not surprised that if they were trying to entice him across, that Steve Hansen woulda been involved, but I'd be surprised if there was any formal offer (as in if you sign you will be an AB on the EOYT) rather an introduction and look at how things are done and what would be expected of him if he had plans on making the ABs.
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No news on Kiri Kiri yet.
Lukhan Tui (Reds) suspended for 3 weeks
Queensland Reds lock Lukhan Tui has joined his captain and fellow Wallabies forward Scott Higginbotham in copping a three-match suspension from Super Rugby. Referee Brendon Pickerill issued a yellow card to Tui for a lifting tackle on Will Genia during the first half of the Melbourne clash on Friday, which the Rebels won 45-19. Tui was later cited and that was upheld on Tuesday by the three-man judicial committee chaired by Michael Heron QC. "The judicial committee deemed the act of foul play merited a low end entry point of six weeks due to an absence of intention and other contributing factors," Heron said in a Sanzaar statement on Tuesday night. "However, taking into account mitigating factors including the player's excellent disciplinary record and his guilty plea at the earliest possible opportunity, the judicial committee reduced the suspension to three weeks."
