Exodus
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@Stargazer Gosh, that is a surprise. He is closing in on 30 and was not even a regular starter at the 'Poo. Don't think he made the Wellington Lions the three years he played there, almost made it the first year but something cropped up and he did not make it. Did not look that flash whenever he turned out for the MPs and if he was up to standard how come it has taken the 'Ikale Tahi this long to pick him?
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Anyone heard of an 18-year old rugby player called Darius Thomas? He may be from Auckland, but is also listed as from Sendai Ikuei High School.
He has signed a contract with Kamaishi Seawaves in Japan.
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Bryn Hall has signed with Top League One club Shizuoka Blue Revs.
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@Stargazer said in Exodus:
Bryn Hall has signed with Top League One club Shizuoka Blue Revs.
Shame. But good on him.
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@Stargazer Big loss for them.
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@Stargazer He would’ve been a good pick up for Wellington in the NPC being a local boy. Surprised MP didn’t sign him long term.
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Unwanted All Black George Bridge is set to leave New Zealand to take up an overseas deal. Bridge won’t be back at the Crusaders for a seventh season next year, and had been linked with a move to the Chiefs in recent weeks. However, it’s understood the 27-year-old isn’t interested in playing for another New Zealand franchise and will relocate somewhere considerably further north than Hamilton.
He doesn't have the right skillset for wing but I've always thought he should have a crack at fullback with another franchise
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@Duluth assume they told him he is well down the pecking order and therefore not worth fighting for a spot for the RWC?
Shame, cos guys like him are exactly the type NZ need at NPC and super level!
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@taniwharugby said in Exodus:
@Duluth assume they told him he is well down the pecking order and therefore not worth fighting for a spot for the RWC?
Shame, cos guys like him are exactly the type NZ need at NPC and super level!
The year before a WC is a good time to leave as the market is a bit light this year and will be heavy next year.
Good luck to him.
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@gt12 yep realise that and don't begrudge these guys to make money while they can, but keeping experienced guys like this is quite important for the next wave of players, after all, we got a whole buncha cash comin'
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@taniwharugby said in Exodus:
@gt12 yep realise that and don't begrudge these guys to make money while they can, but keeping experienced guys like this is quite important for the next wave of players, after all, we got a whole buncha cash comin'
Agreed, but I’d rather we spent the money on Hall or someone like Dixon so they could help develop game drivers. Sadly, we cant invest in experienced wingers with no more AB life (especially those who should be fullbacks)
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@gt12 I did say "guys like this", which captured guys like that too...
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How on earth does a player go from a lock in the AB squad one year to not getting a new contract from his franchise and buggering off overseas the next?
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How on earth does a player go from a lock in the AB squad one year to not getting a new contract from his franchise and buggering off overseas the next?
Because he was incorrectly getting selected ahead of better players last year. I blame Foster & Robertson. At least they both realised their error this year
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How on earth does a player go from a lock in the AB squad one year to not getting a new contract from his franchise and buggering off overseas the next?
Because he was incorrectly getting selected ahead of better players last year. I blame Foster & Robertson. At least they both realised their error this year
Doesn't help when you aren't even a lock in your Super team
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I rate Bridge. High work rate, usually low error rate, versatile and usually dependable. Doesn’t have the x-factor of Jordan or Fainga’anuku so I can understand why he was overlooked especially when his form dipped.
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@TheMojoman said in Exodus:
I rate Bridge. High work rate, usually low error rate, versatile and usually dependable. Doesn’t have the x-factor of Jordan or Fainga’anuku so I can understand why he was overlooked especially when his form dipped.
Yeah but when those qualities let him down there was nothing to fall back on.
Dropping him is one of the only things Foster has gotten right.
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@TheMojoman said in Exodus:
usually low error rate
I'm not sure I buy that. Does this just mean he doesn't drop it? Because he definitely makes errors ball in hand - things like getting chucked over the sideline, somehow not scoring when the line is wide open, etc, etc.
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@TheMojoman said in Exodus:
usually low error rate
I'm not sure I buy that. Does this just mean he doesn't drop it? Because he definitely makes errors ball in hand - things like getting chucked over the sideline, somehow not scoring when the line is wide open, etc, etc.
Agree. Even at Super level I never fully trusted him. I guess I still had PTSD from his effort against the BIL where he dropped nearly every high ball that went his way. Yes, I hold a grudge.
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@TheMojoman said in Exodus:
usually low error rate
I'm not sure I buy that. Does this just mean he doesn't drop it? Because he definitely makes errors ball in hand - things like getting chucked over the sideline, somehow not scoring when the line is wide open, etc, etc.
Perhaps Bridge was just playing to the AB coaching strategy and it is only now the current ABs have caught up?
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@nostrildamus said in Exodus:
@TheMojoman said in Exodus:
usually low error rate
I'm not sure I buy that. Does this just mean he doesn't drop it? Because he definitely makes errors ball in hand - things like getting chucked over the sideline, somehow not scoring when the line is wide open, etc, etc.
Perhaps Bridge was just playing to the AB coaching strategy and it is only now the current ABs have caught up?
No, they were definitely doing so last year and the year before.
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@nostrildamus said in Exodus:
@TheMojoman said in Exodus:
usually low error rate
I'm not sure I buy that. Does this just mean he doesn't drop it? Because he definitely makes errors ball in hand - things like getting chucked over the sideline, somehow not scoring when the line is wide open, etc, etc.
Perhaps Bridge was just playing to the AB coaching strategy and it is only now the current ABs have caught up?
No, they were definitely doing so last year and the year before.
Yes but he was more consistent. Plus he had more natural empathy, jogging directly into the opposition so they could see what he was doing more clearly.
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According to Rugbyrama, Lyon has announced during a press conference that they have signed Fletcher Smith on an injury replacement contract (joker medical) for injured Lima Sopoaga, who required surgery.
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Didn't expect Super Rugby Aupiki to lead to a female player exodus that quickly.
Matatū and Canterbury back Liv McGoverne has signed with Exeter Chiefs Women.
https://www.exeterchiefs.co.uk/news/appleby-confirms-six-new-arrivals
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I have a different view on Laumape. I think he was never really given a full shot to develop at test level.
A few consecutive games starting with the same 13 could have been a different story. He was always comparable to Nonu, with the difference that Nonu was fortunate enough to start constantly with his Canes team mate, Smith.
Not saying he defo would have kicked on and nailed the 12 jersey (in my view, that is a distinct possibility though) but I don't think he was ever really given a proper full shot at it.
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@MajorRage but the other contenders played consistently better than him when he had his chance. So why on earth would you give him a prolonged run to develop a combo and leave one of them out?
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@MajorRage but the other contenders played consistently better than him when he had his chance. So why on earth would you give him a prolonged run to develop a combo and leave one of them out?
Who played better than him at 12? Our most selected player during that period was ALB? Who seems to have been shifted between 12 and 13 all the time.
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@MajorRage Agreed. ABs just never committed to him. Looked like the kind of player they just tried to find faults with instead of just letting him run. Initially, with SBW around it made some kind of sense but post 2019 he wasn’t given the crack he deserved and had to take the bag. If he had left for Ireland 6 years ago, we all know how it would have ended up.
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@Bones I think this is where our coaches were picking and choosing when to apply the 'no dickheads' policy...
I never rated him above super, especially on d, and then the whole disrespected my name thing...and now this, confirms he is a knob imo...I think someone like him might be of value now, if I had to choose between him or Frizzell for the biggest dickhead to select, it'd be Ngani...
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@taniwharugby oh yeah he would certainly have been handy and I would also have liked to see him given just half the chance a select few others have had
Alas, he saw bigger and better things for himself and just look what he's become! Unemployed.
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@nostrildamus exactly. ALB and Goodhue played well and took their chances. Shame about the injuries since.
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