SH International Rugby (other than TRC, ABs)
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@stargazer Fiji and Samoa B starting to look an OK option.....
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@machpants Yeah, the Wallabies may be looking to play the Cook Islands if France cancels their tour to Oz.
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@stargazer said in SH International Rugby (other than TRC, ABs):
@machpants Yeah, the Wallabies may be looking to play the Cook Islands if France cancels their tour to Oz.
Well if some Ozzie posters on here are to be believed, comps are only good when Ozzie teams win so maybe a 3 match probables vs possibles series?
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Good news for Tonga
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@machpants agreed
i'm kind of over worrying about this kind of thing, he's not going to suddenly make them world beaters
a question for those that are a bit older, did people really care much in the 90's when people like either of the Bachops or Bunce or Jamie Joseph switched teams?
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The 29-year-old is one of four former New Zealand and Australian internationals who will represent Tonga at next weekend's final Olympic Sevens qualifying tournament in Monaco.
The others are former Wallabies forward Lopeti Timani, Australian sevens international Afusipa Taumoepeau, and Ta$man winger Tima Fainga'anuku, who is a former New Zealand sevens representative.
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@kiwiwomble TBH I dont recall it being a big deal back then.
Bunce was probably the one that I really noticed and thought it didnt seem right.
I have no issues what so ever players going from playing for us then for the Islands, but for the likes of Fekitoa, Tamanivalu, Reece, Sivivatu et al, I was never hugely keen that they made the ABs, although when they did, I still supported them, but thats just my view.
Was it after Jonah played for the ABs when the 'poaching' talk became more of a thing?
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@taniwharugby Fekitoa has 24 caps for the AB's apparently, more than i would have thought and i was a fan, ive said before i would be happy with a cap limit, less that 10 or something, 24 seems a few too many to me but i think his legacy with the jersey is much smaller and so im more excited to maybe see him pay again, maybe this is a step towards coming back to the PI team?
id be interested if you're right, i definitely only really remember it through the 2000's,
professionalism obviously has something to do with it, a few years after it comes in people realised they can make more money if they move around to keep playing?
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@kiwiwomble Joeli Vdiri was another who highlighted it in the late 90s, more as he spent the best years of his career in rugby exile waiting for his 3 years to qualify for the ABs.
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@kiwiwomble said in SH International Rugby (other than TRC, ABs):
@machpants agreed
i'm kind of over worrying about this kind of thing, he's not going to suddenly make them world beaters
a question for those that are a bit older, did people really care much in the 90's when people like either of the Bachops or Bunce or Jamie Joseph switched teams?
Nobody in NZ really cared. I'd say Vidiri was the only controversial one here in NZ. Personally, I thought that one was disgraceful, we were so stacked, especially in his position, so may be my own prejudices.
Certainly no one barely noticed Joseph or Bachop playing for Japan.
There was no Jason Taumalolo moment. Apart from Tuigamala switching to Samoa after his League stint (and Lam by 99 was probably best NZ number 8 but playing for someone else) there was no move away from NZ by genuine AB level prospects - so NZers weren't concerned from that aspect.
Resistance mostly from British media. I think it was a relief as an NZ fan when they changed rules. Got so much grief for NZers flip flopping countries with barely a poach about. Ironically now-a-days there are loads of genuine PI talent that goes through the NZ system to AB level because of scholarships but get only about 10% of the grief.
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Monaco tournament clashes with Premiership finals, Bristol top, so Piutau can't use the loophole.
There was previous loophole opportunity, I think , for Piutau. A world Cup 7s qualifying tournament in late 2019.
Unfortunately, will have to continue to hear how hard done by the workd's highest paid rugby player is to be prevented from playing for his nation of 'birth'. Too poor to take a weekend off work 18 months ago and have his availability settled back then.
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My snarking at Piutau, aside.
Those are some good pickups for Tonga, and I'm pleased.
I'd prefer a 1 nation only rule if professional rugby had a decent global club system, and T2s had a decent well paying international program . But we dont, so I can live with this compromise.
Fekitoa, obviously class, still 29, but will be 31 next RWC centre is a difficult position at top level.
Timani. Tight forward, excellent pickup.
Fa'ainganuku the elder, a still young outside back, rather than the 30 year olds they normally get after wasting their prime in SR central contracting.
I know nothing about the 4th guy, ex Australian 7s.
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There were rumored to be some Samoan ex-ABs going to do this at the same comp, but couldn't "sort flights".
On original rumours , I had assumed Euro-based players. But flights? To Monaco, surely not an insurmountable barrier to UK based or French based. So is it NZ or Japan based players? Anyone got inside info? Abs or 'AB 7s'?
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Bummer. Looks like Fainga'anuku won't be going through the loophole. Covid and closed borders ...
Ta$man winger Tima Fainga'anuku was set to join the sevens team in Monaco, but because he only has a Tongan passport Immigration New Zealand said he would be unable to re-enter the country on his return.
Tonga names 15 new caps to face All Blacks, Samoa
Fifteen new caps have been included in the Tonga rugby squad to face the All Blacks and Manu Samoa in New Zealand next month.
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Former All Blacks star set to play for Tonga
