All Blacks 2024
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While I don't think it significantly changes anything for the All Blacks, especially in the here and now, the return of Leicester Fainga'anuku is still a great thing.
He's young, he's shown plenty of promise in his career already, and he's had some experience overseas. He might not usurp Ioane at centre or Clarke on the wing, but he's a great player to have in the stocks regardless.
Everyone's so down on everything right now, even great news.
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Fainga'anuku returning is good news he has been playing really well in the centres for Toulon in a tough comp.
We talk about SR not being great at preparing ABs well here is a player coming back after 2 years playing really well in probably the best comp in the world.
I can't see the negatives for NZ rugby. -
@SBW1 said in All Blacks 2024:
Hopefully more to come.All Blacks boost as Scott Robertson lures ex-Crusaders superstar back to New Zealand – report
Scott Robertson looks to have bolstered his All Blacks playing stocks.
Bugger! But we’ve just bought in Fihaki! He’s the future?!
He’s a crusader though so it’s ok!
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@Chris said in All Blacks 2024:
Fainga'anuku returning is good news he has been playing really well in the centres for Toulon in a tough comp.
We talk about SR not being great at preparing ABs well here is a player coming back after 2 years playing really well in probably the best comp in the world.
I can't see the negatives for NZ rugby.It's the All Blacks connection that's the problem. No issue if he wants to come back and make a case for selection playing Super Rugby.
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Firstly, the 'superstar' was not AB superstar, but Crusader superstar - which isn't that much of a stretch.
As others have pointed out, it's very good news. You can't whinge about the quality of Super and whinge when a good player comes back.
Haven't watched him at Toulon, but he would be interesting to see in the midfield - and unlike Rieko he has that most important attribute of a winger looking to make the move infield - a lack of genuine pace. -
It's the headline that has me (and probably others)pissed. "All Blacks boost" implying he's been given a spot if he comes back.
No I didn;t read the article so the headline probably has no relation to the content, as normal for Plane Rugby clickbait shit with Razor having nothing to do with it. just a player coming back
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@antipodean said in All Blacks 2024:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2024:
Fainga'anuku returning is good news he has been playing really well in the centres for Toulon in a tough comp.
We talk about SR not being great at preparing ABs well here is a player coming back after 2 years playing really well in probably the best comp in the world.
I can't see the negatives for NZ rugby.It's the All Blacks connection that's the problem. No issue if he wants to come back and make a case for selection playing Super Rugby.
But the AB connection is media written not coming out of the AB camp so we are guessing on the back of an article on planet Rugby.
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@Chris said in All Blacks 2024:
@antipodean said in All Blacks 2024:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2024:
Fainga'anuku returning is good news he has been playing really well in the centres for Toulon in a tough comp.
We talk about SR not being great at preparing ABs well here is a player coming back after 2 years playing really well in probably the best comp in the world.
I can't see the negatives for NZ rugby.It's the All Blacks connection that's the problem. No issue if he wants to come back and make a case for selection playing Super Rugby.
But the AB connection is media written not coming out of the AB camp so we are guessing on the back of an article on planet Rugby.
Sounds like a plant to me.
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@SBW1 said in All Blacks 2024:
Hopefully this is a start towards getting players back. Richie Mo and Shannon Frizzell hopefully not too far off. Would be cool if we had a whole lot coming back.
After Shannon's performance in the RWC final I want him nowhere near a black jersey.
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@Machpants said in All Blacks 2024:
@SBW1 said in All Blacks 2024:
Hopefully this is a start towards getting players back. Richie Mo and Shannon Frizzell hopefully not too far off. Would be cool if we had a whole lot coming back.
After Shannon's performance in the RWC final I want him nowhere near a black jersey.
Let's be honest, we know he'll be back in black in the next year or so.
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I think Leicester is an excellent get for NZ rugby.
For the ABs, we'll see what he turns up like, but another capable centre / wing with tackle busting capability playing for a Super side? Yes please.
He's still young (24 I think) - so back at 25 - not much time left as a wing by traditional AB standards but plenty of time to gain and hold a spot for multiple years.
He's the best re-signing of the old Crusaders crew, let me put it that way.
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Here's another way of looking at the ABs and the Crusaders.
How many tough decisions has Razor made regarding his old Crusaders players that were already AB capped and not selecting them for the ABs?
Ennor? Injured only just returned to playing now
Moody? It became newsworthy towards the end of Super that Crusaders weren't even offering Moody a contract next year so not sure I'd call that a tough decision
The only other two I can think of are Grace and Drummond.
With Drummond he selected the other younger Crusaders 9
Grace only played in what 1 test during the Foz era?
He hasn't made a single tough call on a capped AB Crusader that I can see.
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Blackadder played well in his last test but he still was getting bullied a bit at the breakdown. The rest of his game was good. His other games were a mixed bag as they worked him back into form. That's how it will be for the rest of his career to the detriment of the team. You can't build a team around players who are constantly injured. It's detrimental to have players working their way back into form in test rugby.
