Chiefs 2022
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@bovidae said in Chiefs 2022:
@yeetyaah Norris is a LH so isn't competing with Ta'avao or Mafileo.
If the Chiefs don't support and promote players from within the region they have no reason to stay in NZ.
Although I somewhat agree, we also have to be able to keep some of those players, such as Kneepkins who went to the blues - and would likely be starting for the Chiefs. We can’t go backwards with a ‘local local’ attitude when the local players have already moved beyond that.
Our best Chiefs teams came from us looking beyond the local area too.
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@gt12 If you have the chance to get an AB or quality player that makes your best XV from outside the region, then no problem from me. But if it's just a squad player then I would prefer a local over an import. We will have to wait for the squad announcement to see the rationale behind their decision.
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@bovidae said in Chiefs 2022:
@gt12 If you have the chance to get an AB or quality player that makes your best XV from outside the region, then no problem from me. But if it's just a squad player then I would prefer a local over an import. We will have to wait for the squad announcement to see the rationale behind their decision.
I don’t disagree with that, but as I’ve illustrated, we can’t necessarily keep the really good local talent, so we may as well go looking outside. Essentially, if we follow your logic we’ll be looking at guys coming through 3-6 high schools and the Chiefs will be an HBHS special.
IMO, our local region doesn’t develop enough great talents.
Btw, who are the local talents we’ve lost by choosing ‘outside’ players that you think should be playing for the Chiefs? I can only think of players who were offered contracts and said no.
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Nowadays players are identified at schoolboy level and commit to provinces/SR franchises then. That's how Reihana ended up at the Chiefs as he signed with Waikato despite playing at St Kent's and being from Northland. The Chiefs have more talent coming through than you think with 4 provinces to select from, and would have more depth than any of the other franchises except the Blues. The U20s were undefeated in the NZ competition this year. We are not going to be able to retain all of them but the likes of Vaa'i and Tupaea have come through that pathway. Below that Finau, Slater, Norris, Lord, K Boshier, Roe, Trask and ENS are some of the younger players in the current Chiefs squad.
Selecting Dylan Nel for one season in 2020 didn't make sense ahead of any loose forward from the 4 Chiefs provinces. Ataata Moeakiola was signed in 2019 which meant we eventually lost Sevu Reece.
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Ridiculous talent in midfield, particularly at second five (Tupaea, Nankivell and Wrampling). Barring injuries, this means that two promising players will get a limited playing time, which is not very good for NZ rugby. The other franchises are not so blessed with talented 2nd fives. Nankivell could be a regular starter at the Blues, the Canes and the Landers, while Wrampling's talent could be wasted if he is relegated to the matches played by the Chiefs Development XV.
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@bovidae said in Chiefs 2022:
@cgrant said in Chiefs 2022:
ALB will be the starting centre so Wrampling will be playing only a few minutes there. Wing then ?
That would be the only position he could start with an AB midfield locked in.
Sounds like a good opportunity to give him minutes at the end of games too. I'm actually a bit excited about the midfield stocks.
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The Chiefs have changed their coaching structure for next season with Warren Gatland moving into a director of rugby role and Clayton McMillan retaining the head coach position for the inaugural Super Rugby Pacific campaign.
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@bovidae heard the Chiefs have signed Tyrone Thompson who in my opinion is going to be an absolute rock star and at 183kg & 111kgs will be one of the bigger bodies we have seen the hooker position for a very long time.
Also really liked the look of Gideon Wrampling especially in that midfield position for Waikato against Ta$man last friday.
Plenty of depth coming through at 12 & 13 . -
@steven-harris Yeah, I posted in the Taranaki-Wellington match thread that Ben Castle mentioned during commentary that the Chiefs had signed Thompson.
Is what I was told about Reihana not being re-signed by the Chiefs correct?
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@crucial As I've said before, I don't think the Chiefs were as bad as their record suggested under Gatland or that different under McMillan. At HT at the Caketin you wouldn't have said there had been any improvement from the previous season (a 0-3 start to the season). But a comeback victory and the confidence from that had a flow-on effect.
Chiefs reveal new coaching role for Gatland
