The "gone too soon" Super Rugby XV

[Tim]

One curiosity found during this search was that Finau Maka was convicted of slavery in France!

https://www.stuff.co.nz/editors-picks/8037671/Rugby-player-fined-over-modern-slavery-case

[Tim]

@Mr-Fish A lot of loose forwards who racked up injuries (especially knees), or blossomed overseas after limited opportunities in NZ.

Glenn Marsh and Joe Edwards were both very handy.

[ACT Crusader]

@Mr-Fish said in The "gone too soon" Super Rugby XV:

James Broadhurst, Charlie Ngatai, Richard Kahui all come to mind.

As do Liam Squire, Fritz Lee.

Matt vant Leven is a random one, had one great debut season for the Chiefs, locking down the No 8 jersey in their 2013 Championship run, and was off to Japan at the end of it.

Kahui did play 90+ Super rugby matches (Chiefs + Force) which is a pretty decent effort given some of his issues.

Definitely agree on Squire. A standout Super rugby player that we certainly didn’t see enough of.

[Tim]

I'd be interested in a gone too soon to league team. You could assemble one hell of a backline.

9. Brett Iti
10. Frano Botica
11. Va'aiga Tuigamala
12. John Schuster (fuck me he was a great player)
13. Craig Innes
14. Matthew Ridge
15. John Gallagher

[sparky]

@Tim I watched this the other night. It really was a remarkable fuckup by NZR to lose Matthew Ridge and Kipper Gallagher to League at the same time.

[Tim]

@sparky That's a really good watch. Kudos to JK for producing it.

[booboo]

Aaron Hopa

[sparky]

10 Richie Mo'unga.

According to Razor.

[Tim]

@sparky boring.

[Bones]

Yeah I came here for Maka and Stanley. Good job sir

[MN5]

Koula Tukino for Michael Leitch

[African Monkey]

Charles Piutau, Steven Luatua, Francis Saili

[SouthernMann]

Jackson Hemopo. Just getting into his stride as an AB and off to Japan.

[Bovidae]

@booboo said in The "gone too soon" Super Rugby XV:

Aaron Hopa

The first player I thought of, given the thread title.

[booboo]

@SouthernMann said in The "gone too soon" Super Rugby XV:

Jackson Hemopo. Just getting into his stride as an AB and off to Japan.

Tamati Ellison

[Bones]

@booboo said in The "gone too soon" Super Rugby XV:

@SouthernMann said in The "gone too soon" Super Rugby XV:

Jackson Hemopo. Just getting into his stride as an AB and off to Japan.

Tamati Ellison

I'd tend to lean more towards Matchbox 20 and Proctor

[MN5]

@Bones said in The "gone too soon" Super Rugby XV:

@booboo said in The "gone too soon" Super Rugby XV:

@SouthernMann said in The "gone too soon" Super Rugby XV:

Jackson Hemopo. Just getting into his stride as an AB and off to Japan.

Tamati Ellison

I'd tend to lean more towards Matchbox 20 and Proctor

Definitely. A lot of the guys in the OP were barely missed at all

[dogmeat]

Sharkey Robinson and Nick Evans

[KiwiMurph]

Anthony Boric
James Ryan

[Canes4life]

Big Reggie Goodes. Started to come into his own for the Canes and was beginning to push for AB selection before concussion cut his career short. Probs would still be playing now but he’s been out of the game for a good 7 years now.

Broadhurst was the other one from the Canes who just made the ABs before retiring from concussion.