Crusaders 2025
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@Chris-B said in Crusaders 2025:
@SBW1 Seb Calder is, isn't he?
@Chris - So Williams, Bower, Sykes-Martin, Brewis, Newell, Calder - with Tamaiti and George Bower both able to cover tighthead.
Not a bad rotation - ideally Williams and Newell starting - Brewis and Bower/Calder on the bench.
Yep That looks like the mix I would expect to see.
Good mix of props mostly young for props apart from Bower but all have decent Experience.
Sykes-Martin is good around the field playes with aggression good signing imo.Seb Calder born in ChCh has been through the Canterbury system and has had SR experience with the Crusaders for a couple of years.
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@Chris got plenty to learn, but has the skill set to be a very good starting Super rugby 10, think this year was the perfect storm at the 'saders for an indifferent season.
IMO a bit of a confidence issue and have hard he has come back to NPC lacking a bit there, but have seen some aspects of his game improved at NPC after his stint this year, so hopefully his super rugby will get better and consistent next year too.
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Depending on who the 3rd signed First Five will be Rivez looks the best starting option for 2025.
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Former Wallabies playmaker in talks with Crusaders
The Crusaders look to have found a short-term solution to their issues at first five.
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Lol I hope they do, James O'Connor is pretty average these days.
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@Chris Somewhat surprisingly, we probably should have signed Willie Havili back when we signed Kemara.
He's turned into a very good player - as good as anyone else has in the NPC and better than our Crusaders options IMO.
Not a fan of O'Çonnor - but, I guess I'm not surprised. There's no very obvious options to bring in short term as a bridge back to Richie.
Nearly 20 years ago there was an Australian guy called Lee Grant posted here - he had the young JOC marked down as the next Mark Ella. He might have been except he did some dickhead things.
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@Chris-B said in Crusaders 2025:
@Chris Somewhat surprisingly, we probably should have signed Willie Havili back when we signed Kemara.
He's turned into a very good player - as good as anyone else has in the NPC and better than our Crusaders options IMO.
Not a fan of O'Çonnor - but, I guess I'm not surprised. There's no very obvious options to bring in short term as a bridge back to Richie.
Nearly 20 years ago there was an Australian guy called Lee Grant posted here - he had the young JOC marked down as the next Mark Ella. He might have been except he did some dickhead things.
Yeah William Havilli would have been useful with that left boot of his.
O'Connor signing to me could be a repeat of the bad signings from last season Halfpenny etc. -
JOC will be 35 mid way through next season… speaks volumes of the current 10 situation, not just in crusaders territory, but NZ as a whole. Bit of a panicky signing
