AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?
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@Stargazer said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@nzzp said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@Stargazer said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@gt12 That's not answering my question. What does his selection have to do with playing for the Crusaders?
I'll go there.
It's easier to perform in a well coached winning team with a winning culture, supported by a competent set of administrators, and surrounded by good players.
You just have to look at Bryn Hall recently - discarded at the Blues, but doing enough to do a role at the Crusaders, and look good doing it. And then success breeds success - if you want to be an AB, where do you go? The place where you can showcase your talents best.
This will change eventually (separatling Franchise and Provincial contracts was a big step), but the Crusaders have had an edge in recruitment for a long time and it shows. I mean- just look at the backline they put together last weekend; how many of them were 'home grown' talent? Richie and kinda Will - the rest were all from out of catchment.
And, yet, there are guys like Waisake Naholo who went from the Blues to the Highlanders, and made ABs from there. Or Jordie Barrett, who left the Crusaders academy and went to the Hurricanes, and made the ABs from there. I'm sure there are more.
I think more guys make the ABs from the Crusaders not just because they have "a winning culture, supported by a competent set of administrators, and surrounded by good players." I think it's because the Crusaders are better at identifying the talent in players in the first place. Guys don't just go to the Crusaders, they have to earn and be offered a spot first.
The Crusaders wouldn't have signed guys like Bryn Hall and others from out of the regions, because these players wanted to be there and were "discarded" by other franchises. These players always had the talent. These other franchises simply didn't recognise the talent and/or weren't able to develop the potential.
The Blues don't need talent from out of the region, because of the huge talent pool, but if Leon keeps doing what he's doing and talent identification has improved, you'll see the same happening there in spots they're not able to fill from within the region. The Canes could see the opposite happening, though, and become the new Highlanders.
jesus. Wipe your chin.
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@Bovidae said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@gt12 HBHS brings over a Fijian on scholarship for year 12/13. Other examples include Speight and Narawa. A lot of other schools do the same for PI players.
it's a different thread, but the real questions are: why? And should they?
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In an ideal world you would want Fijians (and Samoans and Tongans) playing for their own country but the opportunities for education and sport are more limited there. France is more a threat to Fiji than NZ is for poaching their players. The same for Fijians ending up in the British army.
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@gt12 said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
I don’t have a huge problem with it until they turn out for the ABs. He should play for Fiji - he’s Fijian who was brought in to help a school be more successful at rugby.
Even if he had been committed to NZ it wouldn't be so bad, but, he'd signed a contract to play overseas which showed he had little attachment to NZ, other than the fact the Crusaders and NZR gave him a lifeline after his being a prick caused him to lose his overseas contract.
The Hansen throw the baby out with the bath water wing experiment was pretty much a failure at the RWC too. Reece only scored against Namibia.
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@gt12 said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
To help develop and educate people from the islands.
the graphic isn't showing up, but i am assuming it is something to show the sarcasm
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@mariner4life said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
@gt12 said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
To help develop and educate people from the islands.
the graphic isn't showing up, but i am assuming it is something to show the sarcasm
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@Stargazer I'll restate my premise; it's 'easier' from the Crusaders.
You kind of make my point for me with this:
The Crusaders wouldn't have signed guys like Bryn Hall and others from out of the regions, because these players wanted to be there and were "discarded" by other franchises. These players always had the talent. These other franchises simply didn't recognise the talent and/or weren't able to develop the potential.If you have the talent, it has been easier to make the ABs from the Crusaders. Because, as you say, other franchises didn't recognise it, or develop them to their potential.
and of course, a winning culture, supported by a competent set of administrators, and surrounded by good players helps
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@gt12 said in AB squad for the Bledisloe Cup?:
I think that Fozzie has said they see him as a winger who can play center (rather than the other way around), so I assume that if he is to start it will be at 11 or 14.
Nope...not the point. He's playing centre, so including his stats in a list of wings is about as meaningful as including Barrett's in a list of 10s.
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@Stargazer SRA stats (by player) available easily somewhere?
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Yeah, they release leaders in some categories here, and games stats on ESPN.
It sucks that ESPN don't seem to put them together in a database for comparison.
Edit 8and edit): A quick look at the game player stats from last week shows that Reece created plenty (2 try assists, 2 Defenders beaten, 1 clean break), but also has the problem of turning it over (4 turnovers which lead the team). Over two weeks he's attempted 7 tackles and made 5.
