Chiefs 2020
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https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/117289820/aaron-cruden-to-be-revealed-as-chiefs-big-signing-for-2020-super-rugby-season
Aaron Cruden's return to the Chiefs will be confirmed when the Super Rugby squads are announced on Tuesday.As Stuff revealed in September, the former All Blacks first-five was in line for a shock return to New Zealand.
The deal for him to spend 2020 back at the Chiefs has been completed and he's set to be the key player in the Warren Gatland coached team next year.
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The Gallagher Chiefs and New Zealand Rugby Union have announced today former Gallagher Chiefs co-captain and All Black Aaron Cruden has signed with the Gallagher Chiefs for 2020.
https://www.chiefs.co.nz/news-item/aaron-cruden-signs-new-deal-with-the-gallagher-chiefs
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Even if he doesn't wear the 10 Jersey much, he has alot to give back to NZ rugby.
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@taniwharugby said in Chiefs 2020:
Even if he doesn't wear the 10 Jersey much, he has alot to give back to NZ rugby.
Glad to see him back but I have to wonder what the plan is here. Cruden is back for one year in a position we haven’t really recruited well for. Is he a stopgap while we find someone or cross fingers? Is he here to mentor someone else?
I hope I’m wrong but this all looks like part of the holding pattern the Chiefs look to be in with an in and out coach and muddled recruitment -
@Crucial said in Chiefs 2020:
@taniwharugby said in Chiefs 2020:
Even if he doesn't wear the 10 Jersey much, he has alot to give back to NZ rugby.
Glad to see him back but I have to wonder what the plan is here. Cruden is back for one year in a position we haven’t really recruited well for. Is he a stopgap while we find someone or cross fingers? Is he here to mentor someone else?
I hope I’m wrong but this all looks like part of the holding pattern the Chiefs look to be in with an in and out coach and muddled recruitmentI hope they use him to help develop Falcon (all signs are there that he has re-signed). Falcon (and maybe another young 10 like Trask) should be the Chiefs' focus and be given plenty of game time, because they're the future.
It will be interesting to see if Cruden is still good enough for SR. He wasn't getting better before he left and he's had some difficult years in France.
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Cruden has only come back because Japan aren't having 2 seasons in 1 year like they planned to at first. That means he suddenly had a big gap to fill and that's why he's back I think. Not sure how much of a plan there is behind it....
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@DrivingMaul said in Chiefs 2020:
Cruden has only come back because Japan aren't having 2 seasons in 1 year like they planned to at first. That means he suddenly had a big gap to fill and that's why he's back I think. Not sure how much of a plan there is behind it....
That's my worry about the Chiefs at the moment. There doesn't seem to be much of a coherent plan about anything. Feels like drifting all because they were desperate to grab Gatland.
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@Crucial said in Chiefs 2020:
@DrivingMaul said in Chiefs 2020:
Cruden has only come back because Japan aren't having 2 seasons in 1 year like they planned to at first. That means he suddenly had a big gap to fill and that's why he's back I think. Not sure how much of a plan there is behind it....
That's my worry about the Chiefs at the moment. There doesn't seem to be much of a coherent plan about anything. Feels like drifting all because they were desperate to grab Gatland.
The three 1st 5s in the Chiefs system are still very young - Falcon (22), Trask (20), Reihana (19). If Debreczeni had stayed I doubt they would have entertained the idea of signing Cruden on a short-term deal.
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@Stargazer I think Cruden will slot into the chiefs culture and team like a glove, I personally think the chiefs style of game suits him as opposed to the territory oriented game they play in the French top 14.
It’s a shame Debreczini left , I was given some information yesterday that the All Black coaches wanted him on standby after Mo’unga went down during the rugby championship, unbeknown to them Debreczini signed a deal with a Japanese club halfway through the super season, he was concerned that he was not getting game time because of the niggly injuries and decided to cover his bases
On saying all of that he probably did not know he was in that particular frame at that time
I am 100% convinced had he not signed in Japan the chiefs would have extended his contract .
Talking to the Northland assistant coach yesterday , Debreczini has a very sharp rugby brain, has an awareness of space both outside and in and at 6”3 asks a lot of questions when running at the line .
Personally I think hes better than any pivot they have in Australia, and would have easily been in the top 4 in NZ. -
Is marty meckenzie still with the chiefs
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@Jonty-lean said in Chiefs 2020:
Is marty meckenzie still with the chiefs
I doubt it. That was very much a Colin Cooper signing.
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One of the worst things from Coops was his Taranaki bias. In 2018 when we had Ngatai who was a great 12, he was being chucked at 15 so Fa'auli could be played at 12, he was shite. Parete is another example. MMac was Taranaki and had ties with Coops as well. Annoying to hear Debs was in the running and left, bad timing really.
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As mentioned in the article Cruden should bring up 100 games for the Chiefs in 2020.
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@Bovidae "Should" - the main benefit will be the experience and knowledge he brings to his understudies.
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@antipodean "Should" as in Cruden needs to stay injury free to reach that milestone. The article touches on the benefits he will bring off the field, including mentoring the younger backs.
