Hurricanes v Brumbies
-
-
Lam got signed to a multi-year deal by the Canes so they obviously saw something they liked and clearly they want to see what they have with him. Pre-injury he was excellent for the 7s and Auckland (he had improved a lot on his efforts in previous years in both teams). By all accounts he's been carving up in Wellington club rugby recently too.
-
@KiwiMurph Yep, that must be it. Good at sevens and 7 Super Rugby caps. And a pretty standard 2 year deal. I'm not denying he's good; just very disappointed that an awesome local talent doesn't get his debut in front of his home crowd. After playing well and scoring tries for the Canes Brisbane Tens squad, the U20s and Development Team, Lowe has played two local club games in which he scored 7 tries. Fortunately, he has time on his side.
-
@Stargazer I understand your frustration, you asked why Lam was selected and i'm providing an answer. One player is on a 2 year deal and another player is a 20 year old originally signed as short term injury cover. In addition they are playing the leading Aussie side, who are by no means world beaters, but certainly showed some steel in their only other game on NZ shores this season so far.
-
@Stargazer said in Hurricanes v Brumbies:
@booboo Since when is that relevant on the Fern? We all express our opinions on this forum, with all of them not counting for any selection. Why suddenly use that argument when I express mine?
Pretty much because you stated it as a FACT that Lowe is better. Judging rugby players is largely subjective.
My first reply was pretty obvious I thought. The selectors think he gives them a better chance of winning and that takes precedence over any other romantic sentiment.
-
@booboo said in Hurricanes v Brumbies:
@Stargazer said in Hurricanes v Brumbies:
@booboo Since when is that relevant on the Fern? We all express our opinions on this forum, with all of them not counting for any selection. Why suddenly use that argument when I express mine?
Pretty much because you stated it as a FACT that Lowe is better. Judging rugby players is largely subjective.
My first reply was pretty obvious I thought. The selectors think he gives them a better chance of winning and that takes precedence over any other
romanticsentiment.If you use that as an argument, then there's never room for any discussion of a selection. And we do that all the time on the Fern. You only have to read all discussions about the Blues' selections if you need examples.
-
@Stargazer i disagree entirely.
I'm not saying you shouldn't prefer Lowe if you think he's a better player. But don't pick him coz his cuzzies may be in the stand. Pick him because he's a better player.
-
I don't think the coaches take that into consideration greatly when selecting a team.
I recall a pre-season a few years ago when Ranger was in his better form and they played up here, Lam had him come off the bench rather than start.
While frustrating for local fans, Lam was doing what was in interest of the team and the rest of the season...in hindsight it meant jack at the end of the day, but I understand why
-
@taniwharugby You're absolutely right about that. But the problem is that for the last two weeks the Canes have been promoting this game on social and other media by posting pictures, including those of (recent and not so recent) former Hawke's Bay Canes (including Jonah's brother), to lure the local crowd to McLean Park. (I've never seen so many photos, interviews & videos of Mark Abbott in one single week.) That may create certain expectations.
-
-
@Crash said in Hurricanes v Brumbies:
Why is TJ not starting? If you're playing the best Aussie team, you'd like to think you'd play the half back that has given you such good go-forward and front foot ball thus far.
The best indication being "best Aussie team". I would've rested Beauden and Jordie too....
-
@booboo said in Hurricanes v Brumbies:
@Stargazer i disagree entirely.
I'm not saying you shouldn't prefer Lowe if you think he's a better player. But don't pick him coz his cuzzies may be in the stand. Pick him because he's a better player.
I disagree. I side with @Stargazer on this one. It is poor form by the Hurricanes. They need to show more respect for Hawkes Bay. In fact, they should trade Beauden to the Blues for Ihaia West. It would be fitting for the crowd to see one of their favourite sons play.
-
After what happened last year I hope the Canes annihilate them.
Hope to see Fifita take it up a notch this game. Ardie back at 7 is bit disappointing, but Gibbins isn't very good.
-
@mimic Haha, thank you, good effort, but no thanks. The Canes already have a Hawke's Bay first-five in their U20s squad. No trades needed. Good enough to finish the game in the last few minutes against the ponies.
Would be happy to swap a lock with the Chiefs though ...
-
@Stargazer the problem is that you HB lot can't decide where to pitch your tents.
For a while you were happy to send your players to the Chiefs and Crusaders for up-schooling and had written off the Canes because they wouldn't play your players or move to McLean swamp.
Now the Canes are good again you want to hold hands.
Fickle bunch. -
@Crucial You're pretty good at presenting an alternate reality. That's an art form! Hats off
to you! 
I understand it's Have a Dig at Stargazer Day (and I probably deserve that), so - please - continue.
It's really entertaining, though slightly distracting from the thread subject. -
@Stargazer said in Hurricanes v Brumbies:
@Crucial You're pretty good at presenting an alternate reality. That's an art form! Hats off
to you! I understand it's Have a Dig at Stargazer Day (and I probably deserve that), so - please - continue.
It's really entertaining, though slightly distracting from the thread subject.@Stargazer My post was a little tongue in cheek but does have a basis in the history of the Fern.
Were you not around when Guildford left the Canes? Or when David Smith was played ahead of him at times? HB players were scattered around the franchises like confetti for quite some time and the Magpie contingent would often rationalise that as being due to being ignored by the Canes.
The post is also a little bit of a pisstake on myself (and Nepia) jumping off the Canes train to head to the Chiefs. -
@Crucial Your sentence "For a while you were happy to send your players to ..." made me laugh because it seems to suggest that we supporters have a say in which players get a contract at which franchise.
Fact is that I've never changed supporting a franchise because I don't support one particular franchise and never have. I prefer to support individual SR players (especially, but not only, players from HB). My supporters tent is pitched in Hawke's Bay and I don't see any reason to move it to, or to and from, the Super franchises. Even if personal circumstances force me to work and live outside the Bay in the real world.
Hawke's Bay happens to be in the Hurricanes catchment, so I think the Canes should regularly play at McLean Park (it's a much better stadium than that hell hole in Palmerston North btw). The time that franchises only hired players from their catchment is well and truly over; if players are signed and (from my subjective viewpoint) don't get enough game time at their "home" franchise, then I have no problem with them moving to another one (in NZ) if they can expect to progress there.
At age grade level, however, the link between franchises and provinces are different and most HB players will end up with the Canes (if they don't go to, for example, Uni in another franchise's catchment). So at that level, I'm mostly focused on black and yellow.
