Exodus 2018
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@taniwharugby said in Exodus 2018:
apparently Fekitoa not enjoying his time in France and looking at returning for a tilt at the RWC...
Playing on the wing according to these highlights. Messam at 7.
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@taniwharugby said in Exodus 2018:
apparently Fekitoa not enjoying his time in France and looking at returning for a tilt at the RWC...
Barring a career ending injury to someone, I cant see any new mid-fielders being added to the current equation, even then he would probably still struggle with others who have stepped up in his absence.
No surprise. France is not where you go to iron out the faults in your game. When you get dropped from the ABs you put in the hard yards, not take the easy money in France. The boat has sailed, replaced by HMS Goodhue.
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In the article I read, it was implied that he wanted to play in the WC again, but I don't think it directly said he wanted to return to the ABs.
I wonder if he would take the sevens work around and try to play for Tonga? That would be much easier.
Malakai Fekitoa not done with international rugby
Former All Blacks centre Malakai Fekitoa is reportedly not yet ready to rule out another Rugby World Cup appearance.
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Maybe so. When a centre gets moved to wing for his club that is never a good look.
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A reflection on his passing.
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@gt12 said in Exodus 2018:
In the article I read, it was implied that he wanted to play in the WC again, but I don't think it directly said he wanted to return to the ABs.
I wonder if he would take the sevens work around and try to play for Tonga? That would be much easier.
A possibility for 2023. But for 2019, no. The Olympic loophole still requires a 3 year stand down period, and he last played for NZ mid 2017.
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Must say, I don't trust French billionaire club owners if they say they want to invest in NZ rugby; but could this stop/slow down the exodus of players?
One of the richest men in world rugby wants to invest in New Zealand. Montpellier billionaire Mohed Altrad has expressed an interest in New Zealand rugby, opening the door to the national body to potentially form further relationships in the Northern Hemisphere, or to a Super Rugby club keen on extracting extra, valuable revenue.In an interview with the Weekend Herald, Altrad has now expressed a desire to strike a deal with NZ Rugby. "If I can find some sort of interest in a club in New Zealand then, yes, I will do it," Altrad said. Last year Altrad's attempt to buy a 45 per cent stake in Gloucester was knocked back by England's Premiership Rugby. Had the sale gone through, Altrad later revealed he planned to invest £10m ($19.5m). "Unfortunately that was rejected, not for rational reasons but because some English and French clubs didn't like that Montpellier would have more solutions than themselves," Altrad said. "In the New Zealand case we would not have the same objections because we are not playing in the same competition so there is no reason for that not to happen, provided we have some shared interest such as medical jokers, academy, and whatever we can put together. I can envision this."Most New Zealand Super Rugby franchises already have partnerships with Japanese clubs — and some in the United States — mixing commercial and player-related deals. [Montpellier head coach Vern] Cotter noted NZ Rugby's existing connections abroad, including London-based Harlequins. He believed a similar arrangement — sharing information and eventually players — could work in Montpellier. "Whether or not that's something to explore ... it's obviously happening with New Zealand players going to Japanese clubs. "We'd be very open to discuss that sort of thing if it was to come about. Altrad is someone who is innovative and always looking at ways to move forward." Georgia, led by fellow New Zealander Milton Haig, use Montpellier and its stadium, built for the 2007 Rugby World Cup, to prepare for their November internationals each year. "Montpellier is a great place to be and as a training camp for any national team," Cotter said. "If you were in the southern hemisphere and you wanted a base in the northern, Montpellier would be great."Part of the strategy behind forming relationships with overseas clubs such as Harlequins is to, where possible, help facilitate short-term sabbaticals. In a rapidly evolving contracting space, this could see NZ Rugby guaranteed to get a key player back. Last week the national body also stepped in to purchase a 40 per cent stake in the battling Blues franchise; a temporary solution with yet-to-be-sourced investors expected to eventually take over. The Weekend Herald spoke to two leading NZ Rugby figures, both of whom indicated, given these ongoing revenue challenges and the need to find creative solutions, Altrad's interest could not be dismissed. There would be challenges. Altrad sponsors the French national team, and the European season is a long, hard slog for any player. Expectations around recruitment could be another barrier. Any formal partnership, or private investment, in a Super Rugby club would require consent from NZ Rugby. But when a man of Altrad's wealth comes knocking, there is sure to be no shortage of mutual interest.https://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?objectid=12121328&ref=twitter
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OVERSEAS-BASED EX-ALL BLACKS
FRANCE (23): Joe Rokocoko (68 tests, Racing 92), Jerome Kaino (83, Toulouse), Neemia Tialata 43, Narbonne), Rudi Wulf (4, Lyon), Hosea Gear (15, Narbonne), Jamie Mackintosh (1, Pau), Colin Slade (21, Pau), Tom Taylor (3, Pau), Benson Stanley (3, Pau) Liam Messam (43, Toulon), Victor Vito (33, La Rochelle), Aaron Cruden (50, Montpellier), Julian Savea (54, Toulon), Charlie Faumuina (50, Toulouse), Tawera Kerr-Barlow (27, La Rochelle), Frank Halai (1, Pau), Dominic Bird (2, Racing 92), Malakai Fekitoa (24, Toulon), George Moala (4, Clermont), Isaia Toeava (35, Clermont), Charlie Ngatai (4, Lyon), Seta Tamanivalu (5, Bordeaux-Begles), Zac Guildford (11, Nevers). TOTAL CAPS: 584.
JAPAN (11): Andy Ellis (28 tests, Kobelco Steelers), Richard Kahui (17, Toshiba Brave Lupus), Isaac Ross (8, NTT Shining Arcs), Tamati Ellison (4, Ricoh Black Rams), Rene Ranger (4, Sunwolves), Israel Dagg (66, Canon Eagles), Augustine Pulu (2, Hino Red Dolphins), Elliot Dixon (3, Black Ricoh Rams), Dan Carter (112, Kobelco Steelers), Mose Tuiali'i (9, Yamaha), Stephen Donald (24, NEC Green Rockets). TOTAL CAPS: 277.
ENGLAND (9): John Afoa (36 tests, Bristol), Ben Franks (47, Northampton), Bryn Evans (2, Sale), Charles Piutau (16, Bristol), Francis Saiili (2, Harlequins), Steven Luatua (14, Bristol), Scott Hamilton (2, Hinckley), Lima Sopoaga (18, Wasps), Sam Tuitupou (9, Coventry). TOTAL CAPS: 146.
IRELAND (1) : Alby Mathewson (5, Munster). TOTAL CAPS: 5.
SCOTLAND (1): Lelia Masaga (1, Glasgow). TOTAL CAPS: 1.
AUSTRALIA (1) : Jeremy Thrush (11, Western Force). TOTAL CAPS: 11.
WALES (1): Regan King (1, Neath). TOTAL CAPS: 1.
FORMER ALL BLACKS (14) STILL BASED IN NEW ZEALAND (not including the current 2018 squad)
Brendon Leonard (13 tests, Taranaki), Tanerau Latimer (6, Bay of Plenty), Wyatt Crockett (71, Ta$man), Mike Delany (1, Bay of Plenty), Jarrod Hoeata (3, Taranaki), Jeffrey Toomaga-Allen (1, Wellington/Hurricanes), James Parsons (2, North Harbour), Matt Duffie (2 non-test games), North Harbour/Blues), Brad Weber (1, Hawke's Bay/Chiefs), Kane Hames (9, Chiefs), Atu Moli (1 non-test game, Chiefs), Akira Ioane (1 non-test game, Auckland/Blues), Hika Elliot (4, Tamatea club, Hawke's Bay), Ma'a Nonu (103, Blues). TOTAL CAPS: 214
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@nepia wow Hika Elliott is in Nz? Thought he was overseas
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So I'm having an extremely slow day at work so thought I'd select France v the Rest XVs. Both teams struggled to make complete XVs so I've added a few players from the NZ based ex ABs - they're marked with an asterisk (*).
France:
1 Tialata
2 Hika*
3 Faumuina
4 Bird
5 Hoeata*
6 Kaino
7 Victor Vito
8 Messam
9 TKB
10 AC
11 Joe Roks
12 Maori Jesus
13 Fekitoa
14 Savea
15 SladeRest:
1 Afoa
2 Parsons*
3 Franks
4 Ross
5 Thrush
6 Luatua
7 Dixon
8 Tuiali’i
9 Ellis
10 DC
11 Ranger
12 Ellison
13 Kahui
14 Piutau
15 DaggNo idea who would win.
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@allblacksfan72 said in Exodus 2018:
@nepia wow Hika Elliott is in Nz? Thought he was overseas
I think that he came back in between contracts and played for Tamatea (and they lost points because he was ineligible). @Stargazer might have more accurate information.
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@nepia said in Exodus 2018:
@allblacksfan72 said in Exodus 2018:
@nepia wow Hika Elliott is in Nz? Thought he was overseas
I think that he came back in between contracts and played for Tamatea (and they lost points because he was ineligible). @Stargazer might have more accurate information.
Hika Elliott is in France and recently signed with Nevers (Pro D2). He's been training (and traveling) in France for (approx) the last two months, spending some time in Clermont with Tim NW and his family, among others, before heading to Nevers.
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Tamiti Elliosn isn't with Ricoh Black Rams anymore. He and his brother are playing for Kurita Water Gush (Top Challenge League).
About Regan King: https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/welsh-rugbys-strange-regan-king-15182160
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@stargazer LOL, is "Water Gush" a literal translation of something like "torrent"?
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@stargazer said in Exodus 2018:
Tamiti Elliosn isn't with Ricoh Black Rams anymore. He and his brother are playing for Kurita Water Gush (Top Challenge League).
About Regan King: https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/welsh-rugbys-strange-regan-king-15182160
Interesting that there’s no full time ex-NZ test players in Wales, Ireland or Scotland. King plays for an amateur/semipro club. Mathewson is a 3 month medical joker, and Masaga plays for Glasgow Hawks amateur club.
They’re investing their monies now mainly in their academies as you can see in the PRO14.
