Exodus
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Eddie Jones has repeatedly said it's not his job to write the eligibility rules, it's his job to prepare the best possible team for England to the very best of his ability.
Whatever decision Hoskins Sotutu makes is up to him. He will know his career goals and his own Rugby identity. He has to think as well about his post-Rugby career and the very real possibility that injury could cut his career short.
It would be a stunning coup by Eddie Jones and the RFU if they could get Hoskins Sotutu of the Blues and former NZ under-20 international to commit to playing for England. But dear God, what would it say about Ian Foster and NZR if they let such an obvious outstanding talent slip through their fingers?
I don't think it says anything about Foster or NZR if he choses to play for England. He's a young, inexperienced lad, so they're not going to throw extra money at him to keep him here. What can they do? Nothing. They're not going to cap a player quickly, just to keep him from playing for another country. Now, that would be dodgy!
From what I've read, it's still a distinct possibility that he choses to play for Fiji. I haven't been able to find it anymore, but I remember reading somewhere that there's quite a lot of pressure from his family in Fiji to do so. There may also be financial pressure from that side.
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@Stargazer It's Ian Foster's job now to prepare the ABs to have the best possible shot of recapturing silverware. That is maxmisied by getting Hoskins Sotutu on board.
If he choses anything other the ABs then Eddie Jones will be laughing for some time.
Hopefully the ABs at the Blues will be enthuse about the AB environment. I'd also get Wayne Shelford and Kieran Read to sit down with young Hoskins 1:1 and explain what that AB Number 8 jersey meant to them.
Ultimately and rightly, the player has the choice here. But I hope the ABs management are doing all they can to bring young eligible talent on board.
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@Machpants said in Exodus:
But dear God, what would it say about Ian Foster and NZR if they let such an obvious outstanding talent slip through their fingers?
It would say NZ has a GDP and pop of a tenth of England, and they can pay him a fuck load more?
Yeah, but NZ has more Rugby fans and won't have its economy anything like as badly affected by Covid-19.
Given the cuts the RFU are currently making, they're not exactly swimming in spare cash:
RFU boss reveals the breathtaking cuts made behind closed doors
The RFU's high ranking officials - including Eddie Jones - have taken pay cuts but the damage for English rugby's rank and file has been far more considerable.
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Hopefully growing up in New Zealand makes him desire the jersey and on form he'd have to be picked in the squad.
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If I was a young England-based talented Number 8 busting my backside off, I'd be a bit upset that my national coach is so intent on turning a player who has spent almost all his life on the other side of the world into an England international.
Eddie Jones said recently that NZ had three great development systems full of young talent: Tonga, Fiji and Samoa. Its obvious he's obsessed with selecting talent from two other development systems: the North island and the South Island of New Zealand.
Why isn't Eddie Jones trying as hard to develop young players from the Isle of Wight, the Isle of Shepney or the Isle of Dogs into becoming England internationals?
Poaching talent plugs holes, but it isn't going to work long-term as a talent development system.
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Why isn't Eddie Jones trying as hard to develop young players from
Because Eddie isn't the Development Officer/person from the RFU. He's the coach of the national team, his job is to make them the best, within the rules he's given. And if getting some bloke from NZ with an English Mum is the best, then he will do it. In fact he would be remiss if he did not pursue it.
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After a couple of decades I'm starting to suspect that Eddie likes to shit stir
Clever at Media Management too.
I suspect the super, right-wing Daily Telegraph is the paper of choice of many ardent England Rugby fans. Rather than reporting that Leicester and the RFU can't match Manu Tuilagi's wage demands as their main Rugby story, they have a headline of a "Raid" on NZ talent:
England boss Eddie Jones plans stunning raid for 'next All Blacks sensation' Hoskins Sotutu
Exclusive: The 21-year-old Blues No 8 is on Jones' radar after recently revealing he qualifies for England via his mother
All Eddie's done is told a journalist at the DT he thinks Hoskins Sotutu is an excellent player and he has an English mother.
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@Machpants said in Exodus:
Why isn't Eddie Jones trying as hard to develop young players from
Because Eddie isn't the Development Officer/person from the RFU. He's the coach of the national team, his job is to make them the best, within the rules he's given. And if getting some bloke from NZ with an English Mum is the best, then he will do it. In fact he would be remiss if he did not pursue it.
If I was Eddie I would mostly be worried about when my players can start playing again. It's July and still they have no fixtures planned and no green light from the UK Government to start even proper training.
The NZ players are prepping for the next World Cup by playing in the toughest domestic competition in the world in front of packed stadiums. There's the return of the legendary North Vs South game to look forward to.
Meanwhile after more than 100 days of lockdown, Eddie's boys are still at home watching Netflix and planning a bender when the pubs open on Saturday.
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Poaching talent plugs holes, but it isn't going to work long-term as a talent development system.
Eddie doesn't give a shit, he is a mercenary short term guy. Can't blame him, other people have to do the development role.
And he's brilliant at that short-term role. But ultimately the guys who look at systems and structures and align them to the vision are going to bring more success in the long term.
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Poaching talent plugs holes, but it isn't going to work long-term as a talent development system.
Eddie doesn't give a shit, he is a mercenary short term guy. Can't blame him, other people have to do the development role.
And he's brilliant at that short-term role. But ultimately the guys who look at systems and structures and align them to the vision are going to bring more success in the long term.
Just pointing out that it isn't his job and noted that the "other" guys and girls have to do their bit.
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Eddie Jones has repeatedly said it's not his job to write the eligibility rules, it's his job to prepare the best possible team for England to the very best of his ability.
Whatever decision Hoskins Sotutu makes is up to him. He will know his career goals and his own Rugby identity. He has to think as well about his post-Rugby career and the very real possibility that injury could cut his career short.
It would be a stunning coup by Eddie Jones and the RFU if they could get Hoskins Sotutu of the Blues and former NZ under-20 international to commit to playing for England. But dear God, what would it say about Ian Foster and NZR if they let such an obvious outstanding talent slip through their fingers?
Next cab off the rank?
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A bit more info. That rumour about Beauden Barrett comes from the Daily Mail. Wait and see whether it's true and whether the length of the deal is correct. I agree @mofitzy_, I also thought he only had a sabbatical clause for one season.
All Blacks superstar Beauden Barrett has agreed a multi-million pound move to Suntory Sungoliath as the exodus of players to Japan continues.
The double World Player of the Year has agreed a two-year deal with the franchise, worth £780,000 (NZ$1.5m) per season.
Sportsmail understands the 29-year-old full-back, who also plays No 10, will join up with his new side after this year’s autumn internationals.
It means he will not represent the All Blacks for two years, however the New Zealand Rugby Union agreed to the deal to help ease the financial strain of COVID-19.
Barrett and his All Blacks team-mates are centrally contracted, allowing New Zealand control over their players on the international stage.
His absence will cost the team arguably their best player but free up crucial funds to help deal with the lack to Test rugby during the Covid-19 crisis.
Barrett agrees huge £780,000-a-year deal to join Suntory Sungoliath
EXCLUSIVE BY NIK SIMON: All Blacks superstar Beauden Barrett has agreed a multi-million dollar move to Suntory Sungoliath as the exodus of players to Japan continues.
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@Stargazer Beauden seems to have become a peripheral figure at the Blues. He should be playing 10 and calling the shots as he did at the Hurricanes. Not surprised he is looking at other options.
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