Super Rugby News
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@Higgins said in Super Rugby News:
Moulds and Jmes Parsons are still with the Blues bext season
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Interesting comment there though by their High Performance Manager.
“Leni is a player with proven Super Rugby ability and has developed leadership qualities which make him a valuable acquisition for the Blues,” said Blues high performance manager, Tony Hanks."
If Apisai is all you say he is it was still not enough to keep him at the Hurricanes.I assume with "leadership qualities" they mean captaining the NZU20s in 2016?
Anyway, Apisai was leapfrogged by Riccitelli last season & there's a very good chance that Aumua would have done the same very soon if Apisai had stayed. Or maybe the Canes just did no longer want him. How many hookers do teams usually sign? -
The only confirmed departures from up front are hooker Hika Elliot (US Oyonnax) and loose forward Michael Leitch (Sunwolves), while fellow loosie Tom Sanders is set to be linking up with the Crusaders.
Gone:
Hika Elliot, Tom Sanders, Michael Leitch, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Finlay Christie, Aaron Cruden, Stephen Donald, James Lowe.Staying:
2018: Liam Messam, Dominic Bird, Damian McKenzie, Charlie Ngatai, Tim Nanai-Williams, Toni Pulu, Solomon Alaimalo, Shaun Stevenson.2019: Kane Hames, Sosefo Kautai, Nathan Harris, Brodie Retallick, Michael Allardice, Taleni Seu, Mitchell Brown, Lachlan Boshier, Mitchell Karpik, Jonathan Taumateine.
2020: Nepo Laulala, Atu Moli, Brad Weber, Anton Lienert-Brown.
TBC:
Siegfried Fisi'ihoi, Mitchell Graham, Liam Polwart, James Tucker, Sam Cane, Sam McNicol, Glen Fisiiahi, Johnny Fa'auli, Chase Tiatia.Arriving:
Tyler Ardron (till 2019), Luke Jacobson (till 2020), Tiaan Falcon (till 2019), Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi (till 2019). -
@taniwharugby Kite has played for Tonga so is ineligible for NZ or Australia internationally.
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@Tim
Why the reluctance to play or sign James Tucker? He looks very strong whenever he is sighted. I sure hope that Cane and McNicol and either Graham or Fisi'ihoi are signed promptly. Would be nice to see Melani Nanai, Sevu Reece and Aumua added to fill in the biggest gaps, along with a ball carrier like Akira Ioane. And I would like to see Stephen Donald stay on too for his experience. Hopefully not too much wishful thinking. -
Hall, who signed a one-year deal when he transferred south from the Blues for pre-season training in late 2016, recently told The Press he and his manager were canvassing their options and hoped to make a decision soon.
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@Chris-B. said in Super Rugby News:
Incidentally, SANZAR has named its Super rugby team of the year. No Crusaders make the grade.
DMac is the player of the year.
...
I'm assuming it's one of those selections where it helps to be a good player in a shit team.I understand it's purely statistical. Hence why Pulu made it as halfback of the year. THose of us who have had to watch him play know his limitations- he is comfortably the 4th or 5th worst halfback in NZ, let alone internationally. However, a shit statistical analysis gets him into team of the year.
This is also why AB selectors don't delve too far into statistics. They are usually rubbish and can be utterly mislead.
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@Tim said in Super Rugby News:
Pulu would be a really good option for the last 30 minutes. Not starting though please.
I'd take Pulu of a few years ago. This year's version though ... not so much. Sprayed a bunch of passes, stood around the back of the ruck with ball in hand, basically didn't make decisions and seemed to often take the long one. His passing has dropped off, too.
I love the Blues.
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@Tim So Hall hasn't re-signed yet. He indicated earlier that he'd like to stay ... interesting. Might he be the victim of Fukofuka still having a year on his contract and, possibly, the Crusaders trying to lock in Enari?
Signed-up Crusaders: Codie Taylor (until 2021), Sam Whitelock, Oli Jager, Mitchell Drummond (2020); Kieran Read, Owen Franks, Israel Dagg, Joe Moody, Ben Funnell, Tim Perry, Mitchell Hunt, George Bridge, Jack Goodhue, David Havili, Richie Mo'unga (2019); Matt Todd, Ryan Crotty, Seta Tamanivalu, Wyatt Crockett, Jordan Taufua, Scott Barrett, Luke Romano, Mike Alaalatoa, Jone Macilai, Leon Fukofuka (2018).Jone Macilai, as far as I know, hasn't had any game time for the Crusaders after coming from injury.
MMac not being retained wouldn't be a surprise.Knowler has missed the news that Digby Ioane is staying for another year.
It's confirmed in this article, which is quite interesting for other reasons:Why Australia’s devastating winger Digby Ioane doesn’t want to play for the Wallabies again
“That’s why I’m going to do another year with them next season.” -
@ARHS said in Super Rugby News:
Why the reluctance to play or sign James Tucker? He looks very strong whenever he is sighted.
Tucker has been injured a lot so hasn't been available to play. He will need a strong NPC top push his case. I think he's undersized as a lock but could be a useful lock/6. He's been playing no.8 in club rugby and started there for Waikato vs BOP so that could be a hint that this his long term position.
I'm happy Cooper took my advice and signed Jacobson.
Cane is the must-have signing from that lot and will do so. I'd like Graham back too. Polwart is Rhys Marshall mk2 - he needs serious work on his lineout throwing.
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@Bovidae said in Super Rugby News:
Tucker has been injured a lot so hasn't been available to play. He will need a strong NPC top push his case. I think he's undersized as a lock but could be a useful lock/6. He's been playing no.8 in club rugby and started there for Waikato vs BOP so that could be a hint that this his long term position.
I'm happy Cooper took my advice and signed Jacobson.Thanks Bovidae. Saw Tucker's name in various team sheets, and not on inury lists - which made me wonder. He is an energetic ball carrier - which is something the Chiefs and Waikato will need to get over the advantage line. Yes, I see him as a loosie who can cover lock, and potentially better than Mitchell Brown. Good to see Jacobson signed. I had expected his brother Mitch to make the grade by now too. On the hooker front, do you know what happened to Taukeiaho after his Chiefs debut? He is another one who looks like a dynamic ball carrier, and great around the park. I did wonder if he is vying with Polwart for a spot, or if they are looking for an import like Aumua.
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@ARHS said in Super Rugby News:
@Bovidae said in Super Rugby News:
On the hooker front, do you know what happened to Taukeiaho after his Chiefs debut? He is another one who looks like a dynamic ball carrier, and great around the park. I did wonder if he is vying with Polwart for a spot, or if they are looking for an import like Aumua.
Taukeiaho is in the Waikato squad so could be an option for the Chiefs at hooker. He's just turned 20 so only a kid. I agree about his ball-carrying ability and Taukeiaho alternated between hooker and no.8 in 1st XV rugby.
The other hooker used at the start of the season was Siataga from BOP. I assume Faiva will now be available too for one of the two spots available.
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@Stargazer Razor has an embarrassment of "second-tier" halfback riches to choose from. Hall, Drummond, Enari, Stratton, Fukofuka. I'd tend to rank Fukofuka fifth in that equation, but he's locked in - as is Drummond. I reckon we can afford to carry four halfbacks in the squad and one less outside back than we did this year. So I'd sign Hall and Enari - and if Hall does a runner I'd sign Enari and Stratton.
Of those not mentioned in the article, I'd like to see the following retained - more or less in order : Pete Samu, Jed Brown, Quentin Strange, Andrew Makalio, Heiden Bedwell Curtis, Mitchell Dunshea, Tim Bateman, Manasa Makaele, Marty McKenzie.
I'd probably cut Fifita and Wainui - Fifita, because they seem to have no intention of using him, so we might as well have a 4th halfback. Wainui because he's never particularly impressed and we could sign rising stars Faingaanuku or Jordan. Any of the last five on my list are expendable. I find it hard to see that we could find better options than those down as far as Makalio.
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Interesting ... Will Genia not returning to the Reds and has signed with the Rebels.
http://melbournerebels.com/2017/08/15/rebels-sign-wallabies-vice-captain-will-genia/
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oh how the return of Cooper and Genia was trumpeted as the catalyst for a return to the glory days of Queensland Rugby. Combined with the signing of the creaking legs of Moore, Smith, and Douglas, the Reds were on track to shoot back to their rightful place at the top of the Super Rugby pile (1993 was only yesterday in the minds of some).
Hasn't it all gone swimmingly?
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@Bovidae said in Super Rugby News:
Stirzaker was the Rebels captain wasn't he? So now he's competing with Genia as the starting halfback.
Edit:
According to his player profile Stirzaker was signed with the club until the end of 2017. So maybe he's on the move.He has re-signed for at least another year. Was announced early July.
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