Exodus 2016
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<p>I think for Vito it's a pity his best position isn't 6. 8 will be perma-blocked by Read, whereas Kaino is ageing and there might have been room for Vito. In saying that, Akira Ioane strikes me as a potentially amazing talent.</p>
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<p>With Paddy Tuipolotou back, I doubt the ABs will persist with their extra loose forward on the bench policy either.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Smudge" data-cid="556072" data-time="1454467234">
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<p>To be fair to Gosper, he has congratulated Vito - not the club - and I get the feeling he must have a professional relationship with Vito through the WRAC?</p>
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<p><span style="color:rgb(41,47,51);font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:26px;">Felicitations to World Rugby Athletes Commission member </span><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://twitter.com/VictorVito1103'><span style="color:rgb(102,181,210);">@</span>VictorVito1103</a><span style="color:rgb(41,47,51);font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:26px;"> (oh and also an All Black) on his move to La Rochelle in France.</span></p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href=''>
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<p>Piss off. I was happy being upset for no particular reason.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MajorRage" data-cid="556159" data-time="1454479323">
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<p>Piss off. I was happy being upset for no particular reason.</p>
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<p>Mea culpa. I have now blocked Brett Gosper as a show of solidarity.</p>
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<p>Not that I was ever following him, mind.</p> -
<p>Jarrod Firth gone to Glasgow</p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/76609339/jarrod-firth-links-with-glasgow-warriors-after-missing-super-rugby-contract'>http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/76609339/jarrod-firth-links-with-glasgow-warriors-after-missing-super-rugby-contract</a></p> -
<p>SA rugby seems fcuked.</p>
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<p>There are more SA rugby players in Europe than Syrian refugees I reckon.</p>
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<p>Marcell Coetzee the latest.</p>
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<p>TBH, I kind of hope in the long run that the ANZAC unions align themselves with Argentina/Japan/The Pacific for Super Rugby and ditch SA. The problem is SA falls into the European time zone and brings in the most money I think.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="cgrant" data-cid="558909" data-time="1455542591">
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<p>A bit off topic but Toulon has signed Goromaru, the Reds fullback for the next season. Did you know that he is the highest paid rugby player in the world ? He is earning about 340 000 NZD per month.</p>
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<p>Just a rumour at this stage. Not confirmed by Toulon (usually the first to scream it off the roof tops) and denied by the Reds.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="gt12" data-cid="558966" data-time="1455584612">
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<p>Well, I'm shocked - he's not really next level popular here (no rugby player is) although he is clearly the most popular player. Maybe when things went crazy following the World Cup, he cashed in, but I'd be surprised if he is making that much.</p>
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<p>Nothing would surprise me as far as Toulon is concerned. Toulon's owner clearly has too much money.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Wurzel" data-cid="558975" data-time="1455586926"><p>Fair play to him if it's true. Most Premier League teams have a random Japan/Korea/Thai player in their squad in the hope of capitalising on Asian fans.</p></blockquote>
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I'm not sure that the logic holds though - we don't even get the European rugby on JSports (on demand anyway). Pretty small market for rugby jerseys, although he might be the player who could stimulate the interest.<br><br>
Anyway, according to the Reds, it's not going to happen - and if it were confirmed I'm sure my breakfast TV show would have been going on about it. They love home right now. -
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<p>of those 3 names, Kaino would be the one most likely to go*, but the other 2, you'd think the Lions next year would be a huge carrot, and didn't BB also recently withdraw from the 7s to focus on 15s?</p>
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<p>*although if Kaino is still the AB 6 at the years end, surely he'd be keen to give the Lions a crack in a Black jersey!</p> -
The only player I can think of with 30+ caps off contract in 2016 is beauden Barrett. He would get megabucks in France or the uk. And I wouldn't be surprised to see him go if the money was enormous.
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<p>The ones I was thinking of were Kaino, Franks and Crockett, since they're getting on in years, but all three have signed up until at least the end of 2017. Kaino does apparently have a sabbatical option in his contract though, so he could use that.</p>
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<p>Messam and SBW might be possibilities, since we don't know what their plans are after the Olympics, but I imagine at least one of them would be keen to play the Lions.</p>
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<p>Otherwise, like you said Billy, Barrett's the only one with 30+ caps and whose contract expires this year.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="taniwharugby" data-cid="560078" data-time="1456171469">
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<p>of those 3 names, Kaino would be the one most likely to go*, but the other 2, you'd think the Lions next year would be a huge carrot, and didn't BB also recently withdraw from the 7s to focus on 15s?</p>
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<p>*although if Kaino is still the AB 6 at the years end, surely he'd be keen to give the Lions a crack in a Black jersey!</p>
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<p>I would have thought Kaino was staying just for the Lions - there's not much left for him to do on his international bucket list.</p>
