Super Rugby News
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/rugby/loophole-means-reds-prop-sef-faagase-wont-miss-a-match-for-using-knee-in-waratahs-clash/news-story/1d5aad6d7db9ba73b8531991f86fbedb'>http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/rugby/loophole-means-reds-prop-sef-faagase-wont-miss-a-match-for-using-knee-in-waratahs-clash/news-story/1d5aad6d7db9ba73b8531991f86fbedb</a></p>
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<div><strong>Loophole means Reds prop Sef Fa’agase won’t miss a match for using knee in Waratahs clash</strong></div>
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<p style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:'Open Sans Regular', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">With the Reds on a bye, Fa’agase will miss only University’s club match against Bond University on the Gold Coast on Saturday and be available to play the Highlanders on April 9.</p>
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<p style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:'Open Sans Regular', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/loophole-allows-waratahs-hooker-tolu-latu-to-serve-punching-suspension-in-bye-week/news-story/2185b81235abdd9ecbc476dba1de363e'>http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/loophole-allows-waratahs-hooker-tolu-latu-to-serve-punching-suspension-in-bye-week/news-story/2185b81235abdd9ecbc476dba1de363e</a></p>
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<p style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:'Open Sans Regular', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><strong>Loophole allows Waratahs hooker Tolu Latu to serve punching suspension in bye week</strong></p>
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<p style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:'Open Sans Regular', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:12px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;background-color:rgb(247,247,247);">THE Waratahs’ hooking crisis has been alleviated thanks to a comical loophole in SANZAAR’s judicial process, which will allow Tolu Latu to serve his one-week suspension for punching Matt Toomua during their bye this weekend.</span></p>
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<p style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:'Open Sans Regular', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/brumbies/act-brumbies-star-david-pocock-to-face-judiciary-for-neck-grab-on-chiefs-no8-michael-lietch-20160402-gnwypc.html#ixzz450aYpte4'>http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/brumbies/act-brumbies-star-david-pocock-to-face-judiciary-for-neck-grab-on-chiefs-no8-michael-lietch-20160402-gnwypc.html#ixzz450aYpte4</a><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12.16px;"> </span></p>
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<p style="font-size:12.16px;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);">The NSW Waratahs successfully argued hooker Tolu Latu would serve his punishment in Sydney club rugby last month after he was found guilty of punching Brumbies playmaker Matt Toomua. <span style="font-size:12.16px;">Pocock could take a similar approach and serve the ban in Canberra's club competition given he's aligned to the Uni-Norths Owls. The Owls begin their John I Dent Cup season against Wests on Saturday.</span></p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Crucial" data-cid="570050" data-time="1459906883">
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<p>He has actually been given a time rather than games so club matches don't matter. He has been given 3 weeks which equates to 2 playing weeks.<br>
Really if you are going down the path of games that are fair there should be a stipulation that a game against the team you infringed against</p>
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<p>So sometimes it's weeks and sometimes it's games? Or is it just that the press has reported it wrong?</p> -
<p>This is the exact wording from the SANZAAR Judicial Officer:<br>
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<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">"With respect to sanction I deemed the act of foul play merited a low-end entry point of two weeks. I then added one week for aggravation due to the need to deter this type of dangerous foul play. However, taking into account mitigating factors including the player’s early plea, his good character, his genuine remorse and his excellent disciplinary record I reduced the <strong>suspension to a period of two games</strong>.â€<br>
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"The player accepted my indication of sanction and is therefore <strong>suspended from all forms of rugby up to and including Sunday, 24 April 2016. The player is free to resume playing on 25 April 2016</strong>.â€</span></span></p>
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<p>So a starting point of two <em>weeks</em>, increased to three <em>weeks</em>, and then again reduced to 'a period of two <em>games</em>'. It's good that he added the 'up to and including Sunday, 24 April 2016', because this wording couldn't be more confusing. Just 'two weeks' could have included the bye week and 'two games' could have included a local club game. With the end date added, it's clear that he'll miss the games against the Waratahs and Crusaders.</p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.sanzarrugby.com/superrugby/news/pocock-banned-for-three-weeks/'>http://www.sanzarrugby.com/superrugby/news/pocock-banned-for-three-weeks/</a></p> -
<p>Not an injury or even news but I saw this article on stuff yesterday, blaming the Crusaders lack of a home semi in 2013 on the pitch invaders:</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote">At the time the Crusaders were unaware how much the loss would hurt their chances of hosting a playoff match in Christchurch.
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<p>Had they left Perth with four competition points they would have finished second overall on the competition log, overtaking the Brumbies on points differential, and hosted a semi. Instead they qualified fourth, travelled to Hamilton to play the Chiefs, and got beaten 20-19. The following weekend the Chiefs beat the Brumbies, who had rolled the Bulls in their semi in Pretoria, at Waikato Stadium.</p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/78585535/crusaders-return-to-the-super-rugby-scene-of-the-streaker-banana-man-and-loss-to-force'>http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/78585535/crusaders-return-to-the-super-rugby-scene-of-the-streaker-banana-man-and-loss-to-force</a></p>
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<p>Never mind the part where that was impossible because of the way the conference system worked from 2011 onwards. They only just changed the format this year and people have already forgotten how the old format worked.</p>
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<p>And for the record, if the conference system hadn't existed at the time, the Crusaders WOULD have qualified above the Brumbies. They both ended up on 60 points but the Crusaders had more wins, a higher points differential and beat the Brumbies earlier in the season.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="KiwiMurph" data-cid="571515" data-time="1460340745">
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<p>Augustine Pulu has signed with the Blues for 2017. Good move for both parties.</p>
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<p>2 seasons: 2017-2018</p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.superrugby.co.nz/News/29022/pulu-shifts-north-for-2017-season'>http://www.superrugby.co.nz/News/29022/pulu-shifts-north-for-2017-season</a></p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Stargazer" data-cid="571522" data-time="1460342012">
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<p>2 seasons: 2017-2018</p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.superrugby.co.nz/News/29022/pulu-shifts-north-for-2017-season'>http://www.superrugby.co.nz/News/29022/pulu-shifts-north-for-2017-season</a></p>
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<p>G</p>
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<p>Great addition. He is the type of halfback to get that forward pack moving forward with his running around the rucks etc. </p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="taniwharugby" data-cid="569994" data-time="1459892859"><p>
I hate how they use a bye week in the suspension</p></blockquote>
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Remember when Tuquri got a 13 or so week suspension for spear tackling McCaw when at the time due to scheduling resulted in missing one game between the 3N and EOYT.<br><br>
The loophole has been known for that long and still not addressed.<br><br>
I spent a lot of time thinking about this over my 6 month ban from watching Super Rugby games over the summer as you can tell. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Tim" data-cid="571531" data-time="1460343531">
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<p>Good signing. Apparently the Blues are after SBW too. Add a lock and a reserve hooker, and there's a lot of promise there. <strong>Then it all comes down to 10.</strong></p>
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<p> twas ever thus</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="KiwiMurph" data-cid="571515" data-time="1460340745">
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<p>Augustine Pulu has signed with the Blues for 2017. Good move for both parties.</p>
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<p>who is leaving or are they letting go...would think Hall or Guyton?</p>
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<p>They have Hall, Guyton, Nock signed at present (with the latter signing for 3 seasons)</p> -
<p>Just had a bit of a look at which players are coming off contract after the 2016 Super Rugby season. It's probably not a complete list & I may have missed a (re-)signing, but there are some interesting players who have yet to commit for the next season(s):</p>
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<div>Barrett, Beauden - Hurricanes</div>
<div>Barrett, Scott - Crusaders</div>
<div>Brown, Jed - Crusaders</div>
<div>Buckman, Richard - Highlanders</div>
<div>Ellis, Andy - Crusaders</div>
<div>Ellison, Tamati - Rebels</div>
<div>Evans, Gareth - Highlanders</div>
<div>Fruean, Robbie - Crusaders</div>
<div>Goodes, Reggie - Hurricanes</div>
<div>Graham, Mitchell - Chiefs</div>
<div>Guildford, Zac - Waratahs</div>
<div>Havili, David - Crusaders</div>
<div>Horrell, Andrew - Chiefs</div>
<div>Latimer, Tanerau - Blues</div>
<div>Mathewson, Alby - Force</div>
<div>McKenzie, Marty - Crusaders</div>
<div>Mo’unga, Richie - Crusaders</div>
<div>NgÄtai, Charlie - Chiefs</div>
<div>Perry, Tim - Crusaders</div>
<div>Ranger, Rene - Blues</div>
<div>Romano, Luke - Crusaders</div>
<div>Savea, Ardie - Hurricanes</div>
<div>Shields, Brad - Hurricanes</div>
<div>Tamanivalu, Seta - Chiefs</div>
<div>Taylor, Codie - Crusaders</div>
<div>Tongia, Ryan - Highlanders?</div>
<div>Toomaga-Allen, Jeffrey - Hurricanes</div>
<div>Volavola, Ben - Crusaders</div>
<div>West, Ihaia - Blues</div>
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<div>Edit:</div>
<div>Number of players per NZ team:</div>
<div>Blues: 3</div>
<div>Chiefs: 4</div>
<div>Crusaders: 11</div>
<div>Hurricanes: 5</div>
<div>Highlanders: 3</div>
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<div>I'm now sure I'm missing players on this list. Particularly, my info on Highlanders signings is limited. I think Tongia is free after this season, but not sure about other players.</div> -
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<div>Barrett, Beauden - Hurricanes</div>
<div>Barrett, Scott - Crusaders</div>
Graham, Mitchell - Chiefs
<div>Horrell, Andrew - Chiefs</div>
NgÄtai, Charlie - Chiefs
<div>Perry, Tim - Crusaders</div>
<div>Romano, Luke - Crusaders</div>
<p>Taylor, Codie - Crusaders</p>
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<p>All potential recruits for the Blues.</p> -
<p>We've been there for the last 5 seasons in a row.</p>
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<p>Pulu is a nice signing and a massive upgrade at halfback. Not too surprised he's coming though, as he was coming off contract and expressed his desire to be here, but regardless, nice to see it confirmed.</p>
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<p>Both Hall and Guyton should be replaced TBH, because I doubt those two can fix their woeful passing at their age, especially Guyton. Pulu replaces Hall and sign Fukofuka to replace Guyton. Maybe even throw a WTG contract out to young Jonathan Taumateine if his form warrants it. This would spruce up a weak position quite nicely.</p>
