Magpies 2020
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devanflanders: Today is the day I say goodbye to my best mate, he has been a crowd favourite and everyone loves him. But I have had enough of him so I have to let him go. Goodbye crooked nose, you will not be missed ๐
Hereโs to breathing properly, cheeeheeee ๐
Before and after photos coming soon
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2021 Super Rugby contracts:
Hurricanes (6):
Gareth Evans
Devan Flanders
Pouri Rakete-Stones
Danny Toala
Lolagi Visinia
Isaia Walker-LeawereChiefs (2):
Jonah Lowe
Brad WeberHighlanders (4):
Ash Dixon (co-captain)
Bryn Evans
Folau Fakatava
Marino Mikaele-Tu'uBlues and Crusaders: 0
All Blacks sevens:
Kurt Baker
Ollie SapsfordWait and see whether competing at the Ignite 7s leads to the step up to a sevens contract:
Caleb Makene
(Anzelo Tuitavuki and Lattrell Smiler-Ah Kiong also selected for Ignite 7s)Unlucky to miss out (age between brackets):
Lincoln McClutchie (21)
Kianu Kereru-Symes (21)
Geoff Cridge (25)
Tom Parsons (30, situation probably similar to Fomai and Ili - see below)
Sam McNicol (25 - could be explained by the number and severity of his injuries)
Neria Fomai and Stacey Ili (respectively, 28 and 29 years old, so age may play a part; their situation is different from Bryn Evans, who already has plenty of experience at a higher level) -
For Shield Snorters next year l would love to see them lure kini naholo back
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@frazzerbazzer Tbh, I'm not really sold on him and he'd hardly get game time anyway. He'd probably only play in case of multiple injuries. Speaking of injuries, Kini seems to be very injury prone. It would be a huge risk signing him. Maybe, if he plays himself into contention via club rugby, but I wouldn't be in favour of signing him without that.
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Forget Kini - bring back Zarn Sullivan for fullback
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@Stockcar86 Yep, I second that. Dump Baker.
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@Stargazer said in Shield Snorters 2020:
2021 Super Rugby contracts:
Hurricanes (6):
Gareth Evans
Devan Flanders
Pouri Rakete-Stones
Danny Toala
Lolagi Visinia
Isaia Walker-LeawereChiefs (2):
Jonah Lowe
Brad WeberHighlanders (4):
Ash Dixon (co-captain)
Bryn Evans
Folau Fakatava
Marino Mikaele-Tu'uBlues and Crusaders: 0
All Blacks sevens:
Kurt Baker
Ollie SapsfordWait and see whether competing at the Ignite 7s leads to the step up to a sevens contract:
Caleb Makene
(Anzelo Tuitavuki and Lattrell Smiler-Ah Kiong also selected for Ignite 7s)Unlucky to miss out (age between brackets):
Lincoln McClutchie (21)
Kianu Kereru-Symes (21)
Geoff Cridge (25)
Tom Parsons (30, situation probably similar to Fomai and Ili - see below)
Sam McNicol (25 - could be explained by the number and severity of his injuries)
Neria Fomai and Stacey Ili (respectively, 28 and 29 years old, so age may play a part; their situation is different from Bryn Evans, who already has plenty of experience at a higher level)
According to last Friday's Shield Snorters Today, we can make three changes to the above list.Three additional Shield Snorters Shield Snorters will be looking to get on the pitch in the upcoming Super Rugby season having signed contracts as injury cover. Midfielder Neria Fomai has joined the Blues, prop Joe Apikotoa the Chiefs, and first-five/fullback Caleb Makene the Highlanders in addition to the 12 Shield Snorters players named in the five New Zealand franchises' initial squads in December.
I haven't see it confirmed officially, but this means that we have 6 Shield Snorters at the Hurricanes, 5 at the Highlanders, 3 at the Chiefs and 1 at the Blues. In addition to that, 2 players in the All Blacks 7s.
Also interesting, from the same article in the HBT:Shield Snorters Rugby Football Union Inc commercial manager Dan Somerville said the Shield Snorters enjoyed the highest game attendance and highest television viewership numbers of all the teams in the 2020 Mitre 10 Cup, figures New Zealand Rugby have not yet released.
He added that interest in the Shield Snorters has been trending up over the past few years - unlike other professional rugby teams around the country - for a number of reasons, including the team getting better and better.
Behind pay-wall:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/more-Shield Snorters-scoop-super-contracts/JJXM44P6BVT3KHE3XL45THISCI/ -
Posting it here, because I don't know whether he'll come back to Shield Snorters in 2021:
Stacey Ili is in the Melbourne Rebels squad and will make is Super Rugby AU debut on Friday (26/1).
This is from the Rebels' media release:
Former Melbourne Rising centre, Stacey Ili, has been selected to make his Super Rugby debut after being named at outside centre. The versatile back returned to Melbourne earlier this year, following a successful stint playing overseas in New Zealand and Japan.
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@stargazer Good on him will be good for an aussie team. Was never gonna get a crack over here. I've been off the rugby following last few months but think I saw ex magpie Hugh Renton is in the landers. Did he make it or get brought in? Good on him have chatted online with him a bit and heard his podcast on 'What a lad' really has his head screwed on and seems a hard worker.
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@magpie_in_aus He is temporarily in the Highlanders squad as cover for Japanese player Himeno, who just came out of managed isolation. Renton will wear the 23 jersey against the Crusaders tonight.
Ili has already played for Melbourne Rising in the NRC a few years ago, so that's how they know him.