Exodus 2016

Cantab79

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Unco" data-cid="551369" data-time="1452202296">
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Yeah, I'm sure guys like Richie McCaw and Keiran Read would've been everyday journeymen if Canterbury hadn't poached them and turned them into All Blacks.
 
Don't worry though, buddy, I'm not really complaining. If the Crusaders had just put a bit more effort in, perhaps Damian McKenzie, Anton Lienert-Brown, James Tucker, James Lowe, Nepo Laulala and Dom Bird would've been more willing to stay local instead of playing for the Chiefs.
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No franchise can keep every player they develop. And as much as I'd have loved for the Crusaders to have been able to keep Laulala, Bird and Whitelock (three CRFU academy graduates who our system turned into All Blacks) the reality is none of these players were guaranteed starters at the Crusaders. Such is their depth in the forwards.

Billy Tell

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Cantab79" data-cid="551431" data-time="1452228158">
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Yeah fair call. I guess when I long for the bygone glory days of the Crusaders I'll just have to make do and comfort myself with Canterbury's seven provincial titles from the past eight seasons.
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You're embarassing us other Crusaders fans. I thought this one-eyed provinical BS was from a bygone era.

Cantab79

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Billy Tell" data-cid="551447" data-time="1452232221">
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You're embarassing us other Crusaders fans. I thought this one-eyed provinical BS was from a bygone era.
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May as well scrap ITM Cup Rugby and Super Rugby if taking pride in one's province and franchise is considered "BS" from a "bygone era". Just play a series of AB trials and then start the test season.

No Quarter

Sounds good to me.

African Monkey

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Cantab79" data-cid="551267" data-time="1452145625">
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I'm actually very positive about the Crusaders prospects for this year. We have a great mix of youth and experience, which I think is extremely important at SR level. Moreover, all of established ABs will have had a better preparation than they've had in years. At no.10, Mo'unga has had as good an apprenticeship as anyone could expect from a young first five, and will be good at this level. Whilst Dan and Richie will be missed, lets be brutally honest neither have really excelled at S15 level for a number of years. I like the fact that we'll have a hungry squad with a point to prove. I'm very disappointed about the losses of Laulala, Bird and Luke Whitelock, I believe all three players are developing into fine rugby players. But Crusaders fans are used to having our talented academy graduates plundered by other franchises, that's what happens when you invest heavily in youth development programs.
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Spoken like a typical Canterbury supporting muppet.

African Monkey

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Cantab79" data-cid="551433" data-time="1452228318">
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Bird and Whitelock (three CRFU academy graduates who our system turned into All Blacks) the reality is none of these players were guaranteed starters at the Crusaders. Such is their depth in the forwards.
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Hahahahahahahaha you really are a clown.

Crucial

I haven't watched any NH rugby so forgive me if my comments are misguided, but the cynical among us really wonder about the quality level of the game up there when you read quotes like this (from a respected rugby press) 
 
"28-year-old (Hadleigh) Parkes, also a Kiwi, is one of the men benefiting from Pivacâ€™s license to play and has been among the best players in the Pro12 so far this season."

mariner4life

I have just discovered Eurosport has heaps of French and Japanese rugby on. 
 
I watched some of a Japanese game the other day, it was fucking atrocious! Holes everywhere, guys looking at rucks, people walking. No wonder guys take the money and play there, it's shit and the money is unreal. How is that a fully professional comp?!

taniwharugby

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="mariner4life" data-cid="551742" data-time="1452466687">
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I have just discovered Eurosport has heaps of French and Japanese rugby on. 
 
I watched some of a Japanese game the other day, it was fucking atrocious! Holes everywhere, guys looking at rucks, people walking. No wonder guys take the money and play there, it's shit and the money is unreal. How is that a fully professional comp?!
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so what you are really saying is, if I was 10 years younger I'd be al over that shit!

mariner4life

pffft i wasn't even close to being good enough even for that, but i can see why it's an attractive offer, especially for the injury prone, it doesn't look too rough. But i will take any comment that someone will be ok for international rugby because they are killing it in japan with a huuuuge grain of salt.

gollum

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Crucial" data-cid="551727" data-time="1452462301">
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I haven't watched any NH rugby so forgive me if my comments are misguided, but the cynical among us really wonder about the quality level of the game up there when you read quotes like this (from a respected rugby press) 
 
"28-year-old (Hadleigh) Parkes, also a Kiwi, is one of the men benefiting from Pivacâ€™s license to play and has been among the best players in the Pro12 so far this season."
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To be fair, Pro 12 is like the 3rd division. Its a stack of shithouse Italian, Irish & Italian teams. And the Welsh. Its a very shallow talent pool, you don't have to be very good to be one of Zebre or Glasgows top players
 
You want to watch top flight Welsh players you watch the HC teams from France.

ulsterman

The best 4 or 5 teams in the Pro12 - on current form Ulster, Leinster, Scarlets, Glasgow and Ospreys - could just about hold a game against (say) the worst 5 teams in Super Rugby.
 
The rest of them would have trouble in the ITM Cup.

Billy Tell

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Crucial" data-cid="551727" data-time="1452462301">
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I haven't watched any NH rugby so forgive me if my comments are misguided, but the cynical among us really wonder about the quality level of the game up there when you read quotes like this (from a respected rugby press) 
 
"28-year-old (Hadleigh) Parkes, also a Kiwi, is one of the men benefiting from Pivacâ€™s license to play and has been among the best players in the Pro12 so far this season."
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From what I have seen (mainly the Irish sides play), Leinster would finish mid table SXV, Ulster have decent enough backs but woeful forwards, Munster are a complete shadow of their former selves and ITM cup material. Ditto for Connacht.
 
The Pro 12 is losing relevance outside of the teams that participate, the vast majority of SH players are heading to UK & France with the odd exception (eg Piutau). Francis Saili has been very poor for Munster.

Crucial

So Pat Lam has also found his level?

Billy Tell

They love pat lam out wesht of Ireland. From where I'm sitting Connacht are heading to their usual mid table pro 12 finish and the European challenge cup. Same old same old. Expect lam will hand pick a few more ITM cup journeymen to head there. Dunno what bundee Aki was thinking.

taniwharugby

guess this is as good of a place as any...We all feel bad for the rich French fulla right? maybe he should kit Toulon out in Black as that seems to be what inspires Nonu the best!
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/international/75800356/toulon-owner-mourad-boudjellal-lashes-maa-nonu-tom-taylor-and-quade-cooper'>http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/international/75800356/toulon-owner-mourad-boudjellal-lashes-maa-nonu-tom-taylor-and-quade-cooper</a>
 
All Blacks Ma'a Nonu and Tom Taylor and Wallabies playmaker Quade Cooper have all felt the sting of outspoken Toulon owner Mourad Boudjellal who has been critical of their early efforts in Europe.
The big-spending Frenchman has high standards and he expects his players and team to meet them.
But he's not been happy with some of his latest high profile signings as Toulon struggle in fourth in the French Top 14 championship with seven wins and five losses. In their European Champions Cup pool they lie second to London Wasps.
Cooper has had a tough act to follow in the form of England legend Jonny Wilkinson in the red No 10 jersey.
READ MORE: 
* <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/international/75775574/dan-carter-too-good-for-chris-masoe-when-it-comes-to-speaking-french'>Clever Carter bemuses Masoe</a> 
* <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/75796884/all-black-ben-smith-offers-to-host-personal-training-session-for-young-fans'>All Black helps out young fans</a> 
* <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/international/75763162/manu-tuilagi-set-to-miss-start-of-six-nations-despite-premiership-return'>Tuilagi back but no 6N yet</a>
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Asked how the change was working, Boudjellal told Quinze Mondial: "It's difficult to go from foie gras to pÃ¢tÃ©."
That translated to having Wilkinson as the duck delicacy and Cooper as the standard fare.
"For now, Cooper is not what I was hoping for. But we have to also give him time.
"Right now if I say that I'm not happy with our stars, it's only because we expect a lot. It's true that in our imagination, we want them to fly across the pitch. 
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<div>"We've been spoiled somewhat by [Tana] Umaga and then Wilkinson, so maybe we need to give them timeâ€¦"</div>
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Earlier Boudjellal had been critical of his two New Zealand signings.
He had labelled some of Nonu's performances as the backline's king-pin as "disappointing" but said he was "not worried" and that the All Blacks double World Cup winner wasn't "a lost bet".
He had told Le 10 Sport: "I can't tell you that I don't have concerns when I see the performances of Ma'a Nonu."
Taylor didn't escape his frank views either, clearly not giving his boss too much confidence with his goalkicking.
"I have the impression that Tom Taylor, an All Black, trembles each time he has a penalty attempt," Boudjellal said.
 - Stuff

Hooroo

Poor ole Quade, he is always on a hiding to nothing

mariner4life

you buy blokes on the verge of retirement, and buy a team of players who are playing for the cheque book, pay them an obscene amount of money, and you wonder why they aren't pissing blood for you? What a tool, these guys are test players, Toulon are not a country.

No Quarter

Nonu was never going to put his body on the line for Toulon. He wouldn't do it for the Blues or the Highlanders, let alone bloody Toulon.
 
All I have to say about that is LOL.

rotated

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="No Quarter" data-cid="551906" data-time="1452553249">
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Nonu was never going to put his body on the line for Toulon. He wouldn't do it for the Blues or the Highlanders, let alone bloody Toulon.
 
All I have to say about that is LOL.
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Forget body on the line - how do you expect these guys to play top quality rugby after playing almost 12 months straight culminating in the biggest physical and mental effort of their careers in late October. They need a serious spell in order to play top quality rugby - if they ever could for Toulon, that's not Nonu specific.

The Silver Fern

Exodus 2016