Nonu
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<p>In my mind it seemed Toeava was rushed into the crucible of Test rugby and it took a long time for him to recover. His form in RWC2011 was superb and for Auckland he was always brilliant.</p>
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<p>In hindsight a pity he wasn't managed better.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Kirwan" data-cid="535912" data-time="1446075940">
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<p>"<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;">The Blues efforts to sign the talented utility came unstuck last year because he was not willing to give up his contract in Japan in order to satisfy the New Zealand Rugby Union's eligibility rules.</span></p>
<p style="font-size:12px;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:rgb(51,51,51);">Toeava doesn't meet the NZRU criteria which says only players who have played 40 tests for the All Blacks or 80 Super Rugby matches can be registered as an overseas player with the NZRU.</p>
<p style="font-size:12px;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:rgb(51,51,51);">To play for a Super Rugby team in New Zealand, players must sign up for the entire calendar year and make themselves available for a provincial side and the All Blacks."</p>
<p style="font-size:12px;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:rgb(51,51,51);"><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/international/10456409/Isaia-Toeava-linked-to-Samoa-for-the-World-Cup'>http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/international/10456409/Isaia-Toeava-linked-to-Samoa-for-the-World-Cup</a></p>
<p style="font-size:12px;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:rgb(51,51,51);">Consider that he's basically playing 10 these days, was only 28 when looking to come back, and the Blues had a lack of depth in that position it could have really helped us. He played 36 tests and one match, they could have made an exception for him.</p>
<p style="font-size:12px;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:rgb(51,51,51);">Annoying when you look the exceptions made for the SBWs of the world.</p>
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<p>I agree, a shame. Perhaps they should consider also World Cup appearances.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="antipodean" data-cid="535932" data-time="1446079147"><p>In my mind it seemed Toeava was rushed into the crucible of Test rugby and it took a long time for him to recover. His form in RWC2011 was superb and for Auckland he was always brilliant.<br><br>
In hindsight a pity he wasn't managed better.</p></blockquote>
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Yep, the coaches (Smith in particular) learned not to make comparisons and to take more care in introducing players. Look at the difference in how Ben Smith was handled. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Kirwan" data-cid="535912" data-time="1446075940">
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<p>"<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;">The Blues efforts to sign the talented utility came unstuck last year because he was not willing to give up his contract in Japan in order to satisfy the New Zealand Rugby Union's eligibility rules.</span></p>
<p style="font-size:12px;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:rgb(51,51,51);">Toeava doesn't meet the NZRU criteria which says only players who have played 40 tests for the All Blacks or 80 Super Rugby matches can be registered as an overseas player with the NZRU.</p>
<p style="font-size:12px;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:rgb(51,51,51);">To play for a Super Rugby team in New Zealand, players must sign up for the entire calendar year and make themselves available for a provincial side and the All Blacks."</p>
<p style="font-size:12px;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:rgb(51,51,51);"><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/international/10456409/Isaia-Toeava-linked-to-Samoa-for-the-World-Cup'>http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/international/10456409/Isaia-Toeava-linked-to-Samoa-for-the-World-Cup</a></p>
<p style="font-size:12px;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:rgb(51,51,51);">Consider that he's basically playing 10 these days, was only 28 when looking to come back, and the Blues had a lack of depth in that position it could have really helped us. He played 36 tests and one match, they could have made an exception for him.</p>
<p style="font-size:12px;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:rgb(51,51,51);">Annoying when you look the exceptions made for the SBWs of the world.</p>
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<p>Does that not sound like he wanted to play for the Blues but skip the AB's & Auckland part?</p>
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<p>If you work on the idea that the Super teams are a step up the chain for ITM players & a feeder for the ABs then it makes total sense. Sure, it doesn't help the Blues much, but picking a young 10 from ITM & seeing if he can move up is better for NZ rugby. If we go down the road of NZ qualified guys stepping in for the Super games then pissing off to play offshore thats going to kill the ITM.</p>
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<p>At least SBW committed to all NZ rugby when he came back didn't he? ABs, Waikato, Chiefs</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Kirwan" data-cid="536003" data-time="1446091231">
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<p>Yep, the coaches (Smith in particular) learned not to make comparisons and to take more care in introducing players. Look at the difference in how Ben Smith was handled.</p>
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<p>They've kinda handled Naholo exactly the way they did Ice, brought him, told all & sundry how amazing he was, put him in a huge preseure situation, subbed him like a sack of shit when he had tits for hands.</p> -
Toeava should have been credited the games he was forced to miss during the reconditioning window in 2007. At that point he is only a few games short either easily waived off as an exception or blamed on missed finals during this past horror coaching run.
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You'd have more of a point if we weren't playing a Japanese halfback at the Clan and a Japanese Eight at the Chiefs. Two positions were we lack a bit of quality depth. <br><br>
Dispensations are made for other teams, just not the Blues it would seem. They have done something similar with Piutau wanting to play for the Blues in 2016. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="gollum" data-cid="536106" data-time="1446113665">
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<p> </p>
<p>They've kinda handled Naholo exactly the way they did Ice, brought him, told all & sundry how amazing he was, put him in a huge preseure situation, subbed him like a sack of shit when he had tits for hands.</p>
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<p>don't agree. toeava was what, 19 when selected? and hadn't even played super rugby? it was another couple of years before he was even really good at super level, in my memory.</p>
<p>waisake is 24 and has just had a completely dominant super rugby season, playing a big part in a hugely underdog team winning the comp.</p>
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<p>they handled slade just as badly as toeava, bringing him back into the ABs with fuck-all game time of any sort in 2 years.</p> -
I have no issue with Piutau being told to stick it. I'd rather have someone there available for the whole season committed to the blues. also gives the opportunity to develop whoever is going to be his long term replacement whether that is Visinia or Nanai.
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="reprobate" data-cid="536122" data-time="1446116596"><p>don't agree. toeava was what, 19 when selected? and hadn't even played super rugby? it was another couple of years before he was even really good at super level, in my memory.<br>
waisake is 24 and has just had a completely dominant super rugby season, playing a big part in a hugely underdog team winning the comp.<br>
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they handled slade just as badly as toeava, bringing him back into the ABs with fuck-all game time of any sort in 2 years.</p></blockquote> plus Naholo has played 7's for Titch. -
<div>Sheesh, I miss Ice at the Blues. He was our outright best and most important player from 2007 - 2011. Often people give me the stink eye when I say I'd have him ahead of Cashmore and Mils in an all time Blues backline at 15, but Ice could do anything those two could do and more, he just played with a crappier cast. If he got to play a larger part of his career at 12, I think he'd go down as the best Blues 12 as well. He looked like the complete package whenever he got game time at 12, we just always had Stanley or McAlister in the team, so he never had to play there much.</div>
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<div>In the last 8 years, I don't think we've felt a bigger impact from losing a player than Ice at the Blues. Our attack was always in the top bracket with him in the team, but is nothing but average without him. Our attack practically revolved around him, and he made others(particularly wingers) around him look better. I mean, he even made Lome Faatau look world class when he was at the Canes in 06. :shock:</div>
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<div>It sucks that the NZRU didn't let him come back when they even let Faifili Levave come back for Super Rugby after skipping the ITM Cup to play Japanese rugby.</div> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Nepia" data-cid="535647" data-time="1446004052">
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<p>You're picking a right wing over a left wing for your all time ABs team? Yes, we do have different opinions of former players.</p>
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<p>Did Goldie ever play on the left wing?</p>
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<p>As mentioned only a handful. My wingers would be Wilson and Kirwan so Goldie moves to the left wing to accommodate JK.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Dice" data-cid="536361" data-time="1446177680">
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<div>Sheesh, I miss Ice at the Blues. He was our outright best and most important player from 2007 - 2011. Often people give me the stink eye when I say I'd have him ahead of Cashmore and Mils in an all time Blues backline at 15, but Ice could do anything those two could do and more, he just played with a crappier cast. If he got to play a larger part of his career at 12, I think he'd go down as the best Blues 12 as well. He looked like the complete package whenever he got game time at 12, we just always had Stanley or McAlister in the team, so he never had to play there much.</div>
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<div>In the last 8 years, I don't think we've felt a bigger impact from losing a player than Ice at the Blues. Our attack was always in the top bracket with him in the team, but is nothing but average without him. Our attack practically revolved around him, and he made others(particularly wingers) around him look better. I mean, he even made Lome Faatau look world class when he was at the Canes in 06. :shock:</div>
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<div>It sucks that the NZRU didn't let him come back when they even let Faifili Levave come back for Super Rugby after skipping the ITM Cup to play Japanese rugby.</div>
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<p>Yes those famous Blues golden years 2007-2011...</p>
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<p>Wow you're the most impressive Toeava fanboy yet, that's an amazingly glossy take on the career of the Special Gifted Athlete.</p>
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<p>I notice you leave out all of his internationals? Henry had few howlers, and Auckland's most over hyped player since Luke MacAlister was one of them.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Canerbry" data-cid="536754" data-time="1446283767">
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<p>I notice you leave out all of his internationals? Henry had few howlers, and Auckland's most over hyped player since Luke MacAlister was one of them.</p>
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<p>From Harbour but anyway.</p> -
Back on point, NONU!!!!
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<p>Forget the official Rugby World Player of the year nominations, Nonu you legend! Player of the year for me.</p>
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Nonu, PLEASE DON'T GO!!
