Super Rugby News
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<p>i was not referring to Peter Umaga-Jensen (who I watched play yesterday and was impressed with his ability to break tackles with powerful running and subtle hip swerves) but specifically Hugh Renton who is getting paid and very seldom plays for anyone. Incidentally, HB fan that you are Stargazer, Marvan Karawana also played in the game and again did nothing to indicate how he was ever given a HB contract a couple of seasons back. One special missed tackle on the Fijian guy that played in the Heartland Championship at 2nd five for Buller that resulted in a try was rather reminiscent of those nightmaresh days for us Bay supporters.</p>
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<p>Well then there is very little wonder reasonably good players head off overseas when they are overlooked for young players of potential rather than players that are actually proven to be better than them. Willis Haloholo only recently a good example of this. I watched him play for his club Saturday week ago and whilst he did not get all that much involved (play really did not go his way that much) when he did he ran beautiful lines at speed and timed his passes perfectly. I have not really been a fan of his but after watching him closely I have to say he has gone up in my opinion. Strange that he would probably have been overlooked by the Hurricanes next season for the next promising young whizzkid when someone overseas is prepared to pay good money to get their hands on him.</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Higgins" data-cid="586865" data-time="1465681332">
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<p>i was not referring to Peter Umaga-Jensen (who I watched play yesterday and was impressed with his ability to break tackles with powerful running and subtle hip swerves) but specifically Hugh Renton who is getting paid and very seldom plays for anyone. Incidentally, HB fan that you are Stargazer, Marvan Karawana also played in the game and again did nothing to indicate how he was ever given a HB contract a couple of seasons back. One special missed tackle on the Fijian guy that played in the Heartland Championship at 2nd five for Buller that resulted in a try was rather reminiscent of those nightmaresh days for us Bay supporters.</p>
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<p>I always did think it odd that given HBs standing compared to Northland those few years back, that Karawana couldnt get a contract up here, yet could in HB! </p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="taniwharugby" data-cid="586930" data-time="1465691759">
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<p>I always did think it odd that given HBs standing compared to Northland those few years back, that Karawana couldnt get a contract up here, yet could in HB! </p>
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<p>We had some kind of shitty league convert quota going on at the time. It was that Penrith bloke before him.</p>
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<p>I've actually tried to bring up how/why Karawana arrived in HB with one of the coaches but he keeps very quiet about it.</p> -
Peter Umaga Jensen doesnt have a contract. I never said he did but he is defs in their environment. He has been training with the Canes all year so Id say the coaches have bigger wraps on him than the likes of Lowe and Emerson who havent been near the environment at all.
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Canes4life" data-cid="586944" data-time="1465694308">
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<p>Peter Umaga Jensen doesnt have a contract. I never said he did but he is defs in their environment. He has been training with the Canes all year so Id say the coaches have bigger wraps on him than the likes of<strong> Lowe and Emerson who havent been near the environment at all.</strong></p>
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<p>That's no surprise, the Canes have always been backward when it comes to young HB players.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Nepia" data-cid="587004" data-time="1465704517">
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<p>That's no surprise, the Canes have always been backward when it comes to young HB players.</p>
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<p>That, and nepotism. </p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Canes4life" data-cid="586944" data-time="1465694308">
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<p>Peter Umaga Jensen doesnt have a contract. I never said he did but he is defs in their environment. He has been training with the Canes all year so Id say the coaches have bigger wraps on him than the likes of Lowe and Emerson who havent been near the environment at all.</p>
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<p>Right then that raises an interesting question on why this is happening and who exactly is paying the bills for him to be involved. I presume the NZRFU foot the bills for the coaching and other ancillary staff thus money of all members of all rugby clubs in New Zealand is being used to train up a player who at this stage is solely going to represent the Wellington Football union rather than NZ as a whole.</p>
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<p>I know the Hurricanes is some sort of private organisation in which the WRFU, the Horowhenua-Kapiti RFU and a private organisation (Wellnix?) are the shareholders and it is them that are probably meeting the costs of most, if not all, other costs involved but if I was one of the two non WRFU shareholders I would be annoyed if my resources were being poured into subsidising the development of someone who at this stage will not return anything to me as a result.</p>
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<p>I hope the Hurricanes organisation is sending a bill to the WRFU (or directly to the player concerned) to ensure they front up with their fair share of the money involved that goes towards his training. You can just imagine the response if someone asked the International Rugby Academy of NZ to allow someone to attend their courses at no charge. I’m sure that would be met with a thanks but no thanks sort of answer.</p> -
<p>It looks like Will Talataina-Mu is training with the Blues. He's quite a handy player and is probably the form 10 in club rugby this year. He's played mostly in the midfield since he left school, but this year he's played all his rugby at 10. I like that he's solely stationed at 10 this season, because whenever I've seen him there, he's always looked quite good.</p>
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<p>I'd love to see him get some time at 10 for Auckland, because with his attacking ability, he could really create havoc behind what should be a pretty handy pack. Just gotta hope that Nick White isn't in love with Hickey like Feeney was.</p> -
<p>will that just be for the off-week game against a Northland selection this week?</p>
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<p>I expect Peter Breen to be directing NOrthland on Friday from 10</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Dice" data-cid="587063" data-time="1465715357">
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<p>It looks like Will Talataina-Mu is training with the Blues. He's quite a handy player and is probably the form 10 in club rugby this year. He's played mostly in the midfield since he left school, but this year he's played all his rugby at 10. I like that he's solely stationed at 10 this season, because whenever I've seen him there, he's always looked quite good.</p>
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<p>I'd love to see him get some time at 10 for Auckland, because with his attacking ability, he could really create havoc behind what should be a pretty handy pack. Just gotta hope that Nick White isn't in love with Hickey like Feeney was.</p>
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<p>Yes very unlike Ponsonby to put a youngster at 10 with the grandads they've played there since Gareth Anscombe moved on. They seem to be reaping the benefits for it. Interestingly enough, his father is Nigel Vagana.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="African Monkey" data-cid="587098" data-time="1465720195">
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<p>Yes very unlike Ponsonby to put a youngster at 10 with the grandads they've played there since Gareth Anscombe moved on. They seem to be reaping the benefits for it. Interestingly enough, his father is Nigel Vagana.</p>
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<p>Yeah, them moving him to 10 is one of the reasons they're going so well this year.</p>
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<p>Nigel Vagana being his dad is a fact a lot of people don't know because of their surnames.</p>
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<p>I was going to mention they were father and son and then post these two videos where a try they each score looks very similar.</p>
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<p>Will's try at 2:40</p>
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<p>And Nigel's third try here at the :25 second mark.</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="taniwharugby" data-cid="587093" data-time="1465719083">
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<p>I expect Peter Breen to be directing NOrthland on Friday from 10</p>
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<p>Is the game this week? On the Blues website, it says it's on the 24th.</p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://theblues.co.nz/northland-barbarians-take-blues/'>http://theblues.co.nz/northland-barbarians-take-blues/</a></p> -
Ha I am a week ahead of myself....
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<p>It's hard to take this seriously, but the French paper Midi Olympique reports that Ali Williams is close to coming out of retirement and to put on his boots for Racing 92. Apparently, they are short on locks because of illness/injury/suspension of other players. Williams wasn't too keen at first, but is said to be close to signing now.</p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://www.midi-olympique.fr/article/22729-ali-williams-sort-sa-retraite'>https://www.midi-olympique.fr/article/22729-ali-williams-sort-sa-retraite</a></p>
