Exodus
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A list of SA schoolboys heading overseas is really pushing the boat out when it comes to the exodus thread. Fair play for locating this somewhat esoteric information though!
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The Colorado Raptors (MLR), coached by Peter Borlase, have signed several Kiwis:
Rene Ranger (Northland)
Mason Emerson (Hawke's Bay)
Michael Curry ( Ta$man)
Michael Stewart (Southland)
Samuel Slade (Counties Manukau)Also signed:
Digby Ioanehttps://coloradoraptors.com/news/raptors-announce-rene-ranger-as-final-signing-for-the-2020-season/
https://coloradoraptors.com/news/raptors-announce-new-and-returning-players-for-its-2020-season/The round robin of the MLR is from 8 February to 31 May 2020.
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@Stargazer knew Ranger was heading to the US just hadn't heard where...think he will be back for M10 though, hes keen to notch up his ton for Northland.
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A few more players who have signed with Major League Teams (not all are very recent signings, so may have been mentioned before):
Sam Beard (Canterbury) - has signed for two seasons with New England Free Jacks
Contract duration not published:
Boyd Wiggins (Northland): to Houston Saber Cats
Tim Cadwallader (Manawatu): to Houston Saber Cats
Jason Robertson (BOP): to Old Glory DC
Danny Tusitala (Auckland): to Old Glory DC -
@Stargazer add Northland Midfielder Blake Hohaia to the list..
I am starting to wonder if this is an issue or a benefit..? -
@Steven-Harris I'm updating my list. I haven't found a signing by Blake Hohaia yet, but still have 3 teams to go.
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@Stargazer what’s your thoughts..?
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@Steven-Harris TBH, neither Wiggins or HOhaia will be an issue, was very disappointed in Wiggins, had high hopes for him this year, looked a athlete for a prop, but struggled form his first scrum and never looked upto it, just vist any game thread form this seaosn to see my views on Hohaia.
Assume both could be back for club footy next season, menaing if they were upto it, could play for NOrthland (given Hohaia is signed for next season too isnt he?)
I know HOhaia is highly rated at club level, seems to be by his Northland team mates too, but I will be pissed if he is able to play for NOrthland next year if he doesnt play club footy.
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Upside: these are all players who missed out on a SR contract (some definitely never in contention), but still have the chance to play professionally. If they do that in a competition that runs parallel to SR and finishes in May/June, they can be back in time for Mitre 10 Cup. So they're not lost to their provinces.
Downside 1: the better players among them are lost as possible back-ups for injured SR players
Downside 2: these players are not available for some or all of the club rugby season. So it might be detrimental to club rugby. Also, these are the club rugby players that newer/lesser players could learn from at that club rugby level. -
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@Tim said in Exodus 2019:
Glendale Raptors re-signed Marco Fepuleai for the 2020 Major League Rugby season. The 24-year-old prop is 6’0″ and 262 lbs.
I do feet and inches ... but I don't get pounds ... (119kg)
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I think I have beaten Stargazer and Jauzy19 to this somewhat obscure one. Leon Fukokuka has signed for Ampthill RFC who play in the Green King IPA Championship in England.
Further reinforcements for Ampthill’s Championship Challenge! - Ampthill Rugby
Head Coach Paul Turner is delighted to announce that Tongan International, Leon Fukofuka and South African, Luvuyo 'Papi' Pupuma have joined Ampthill
Leon comments “I’m excited to be joining Ampthill and playing in England. I have heard lots about the club and hope to help them achieve further success in the future”
This has got to be pure PR claptrap if ever I heard any!!!!
For those equally excited 7th placed Ampthill RFC are currently down 07 - 12 at home to the might of 5th placed Jersey after about quarter of an hour.
Other possible recognisable players on Ampthill's roster include Soane Tongaʻuiha (who propped a few times for Auckland way back in the early 2000s) and Aleki Lutui (who once hooked for BoP and the Chiefs also way back in the early 2000s). The also have Maama Molitka (who played about 15 Tests for Tonga back in the late 1990s/early 2000s running around at No 8 for them). Looks like they could field a formidable Pressies Grade team when the first team has a bye!
And in the meantime whilst I have been assembling the above titillating information it's nearly half time and Jersey have increased their lead to nineteen ten. -
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@Stargazer Neither had I. Ahhhh the things you do when you can't seep!
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@Stargazer said in Exodus 2019:
@Number-10 said in Exodus 2019:
Was he snubbed?
Is it definite that he was not offered a contract by the Hurricanes,
It seems the only logic explanation. Why would a 20-year old NZ rugby player refuse a full Super Rugby contract? (Development contracts may not pay enough if you have financial responsibilities.)
or was not going to be offered one?
Do they have to buy a crystal ball to know that, or do you prefer a clairvoyant?
Is it definite that the Japanese contract did not come first, before any approach from the Hurricanes?
Most new players for the Japanese clubs were announced before the RWC. Preseason in Japan has been underway for a few weeks already. So it's reasonable to assume that they're now picking up the leftovers ...
But if you have inside knowledge that indicates that McClutchie refused a full SR contract to go to Japan, or that a NZ franchise made an offer after he accepted the Japanese contract, please, do tell ...
Edited to add that as long as there is no complete openess about why certain players were not included in the announced SR squads, you can expect speculation about players being snubbed until the facts are known. I'd love to know the facts! Unfortunately, we have to wait until a journalist asks the right questions, gets clear answers and writes them down in an article on the Stuff or NZH website.
I haven't said he was snubbed - but out of the two of us, one of us did.
I have to prove he wasn't snubbed but you don't have to prove he was snubbed - do you like experimenting with irony?
I don't know if he was or wasn't snubbed.
But It can't happen very often that a supposed "second-best" option (Japan) offers you more money.
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@Number-10 said in Exodus 2019:
But It can't happen very often that a supposed "second-best" option (Japan) offers you more money.
The second best option is very subjective. Just look at the Honey Badger situation where he took up a Japanese contract simply because he saw it as a way to get his mitts on a large pile of cash needed to fund a family member's medical treatment. The "best-option" for that situation but the HB did say at the time that he was reluctantly leaving his Super Rugby team. He was assured of continued Super selection but what of the player in the 50/50 situation of being given a Super Contract.
Do they take a decent overseas offer or wait on the off chance they be awarded a Super contract? I know of a player that had played about two thirds of an NPC season that really wanted to play super rugby after having trained with a team as an injury replacement. A contract did not come so he signed to play overseas with a base salary of almost three times the existing super contract (and that did not include selection, win/loss, accommodation, air travel and car payments). He did not want to go but had to as NPC payments did not pay all his bills whilst still allowing him to train full time.
