Exodus
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Back in the day Peter Thorburn had the job of ensuring the top 145(?) players in NZ were playing Super Rugby.
Then people whinged about how the franchises could not directly contract their own players.
Now we get players who are better than those contracted missing out.
The old system was better.
The old system also had its flaws. Remember MacDonald being forced to move to the Chiefs in 1998? He played poorly that year at 1st 5 and the fans let him know it.
The big problem now is that the franchises have to sign players early to avoid one of the other 4 teams contracting that player before them. This doesn't apply to the established players, but the new young players and those making up positions 30-38 in the squad. I like @ARHS's proposal that a certain number of positions in each squad should remain open until after the NPC is finished to reward form.
Yeah but what positions?
In that case you've got to assume that there is a squad spot open to that specific position.
In MacDonald's case he wasn't good enough (at that time) to be protected by the Crusaders, but instead of missing out in Super Rugby he was drafted to the Chiefs.
At least he was playing as he was one one the in his position(s).
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@Bovidae current system while not perfect is still better than the old one where players were typically enticed to move provinces as well.
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The thing with Fletcher Smith and the Canes is he was with the Hurricanes this year - and didn't get many chances - so obviously the current Canes coaching set up just don't rate him that highly.
I'd take Smith over Hickey but clearly the Canes feel differently.
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@taniwharugby said in Exodus:
@Bovidae current system while not perfect is still better than the old one where players were typically enticed to move provinces as well.
Yep.
Players still move (e.g. Hammington to Otago, Aso to Wellington, Reece to Ta$man). However, it seems to be the players themselves that instigate it, largely to avoid having two bases during the season, than the SR franchises as in the past.
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@KiwiMurph said in Exodus:
I'd take Smith over Hickey but clearly the Canes feel differently.
The Canes selectors also rate JGB ahead of him for some apparent reason so that tends to indicate they can't see the obvious things they way 99% of us experts on here do. THeir love affair with Reed Princep is another example of this.
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Andy Ellis has un-retired!
'My body's never felt better': Former All Black Andy Ellis charts course for rugby's new frontier
Andy Ellis called time on his New Zealand career over half a decade ago, but the former Crusaders and Canterbury halfback is still making waves in the rugby scene and has now signed to play in America.
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Vito looks ahead to next chapter
Former All Black and Hurricanes loose forward Victor Vito has hinted he will end his stint with La Rochelle in French rugby at the end of the 2021-22 season and return to New Zealand.
More returnodous but Victor Vito is coming back to NZ. Wonder if he'll keep playing or retire.
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@Yeetyaah Great player; I always rated him. We're not short of good 8/6 players at the moment, but he could still add value, particularly off-field, mentoring the young ones. Same role as Bryn Evans, NMS, Dan Carter ... (but hopefully without the injuries).
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@Machpants said in Exodus:
It annoyed me that the ABs insisted on playing him at 6, and were disappointed when he suddenly didn;t become big and smashy. Playing at 8 he was awesome, so skillful.
not the first player to have guys in front of him that were just so much better.
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@Stargazer Vito was huge for us in 2015 and 2016 and probably left in his prime. Didn't he win the French club player of the year in his first season over there?
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@Canes4life said in Exodus:
@Stargazer Vito was huge for us in 2015 and 2016 and probably left in his prime. Didn't he win the French club player of the year in his first season over there?
Yup he was great, he was always put at 6 for ABs. Better than Read often
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@yeetyaah Victor Vito was outstanding for the Hurricanes team that made the final in 2015 and won the title in 2016. I thought he did everything asked of him in the 2015 RWC campaign, arguably the second best 6 at that tournament behind Jerome Kaino. He did very well indeed in France initially winning Player of the Season there. If he still wants to play Rugby on his return to NZ, he will be at least NPC standard.
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