Super Rugby News
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Bristol eyeing ex-All Black flanker as replacement for Luatua - reports
Ex-All Black loose forward Victor Vito is a target for Premiership club Bristol Bears, who is coming off contract with La Rochelle at the end of the season.
One of Bristol’s top recruitment priorities for next season, who are preparing to loose another All Black loose forward, Steven Luatua. Luatua is believed to be contemplating a return to New Zealand in order to reignite his international career ahead of next year’s World Cup -
@kiwimurph Yes please!
BTW, the Bristol's regular season ends on May 18.
https://www.bristolbearsrugby.com/fixtures/first-team-fixtures/2018-2019/
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@tim hopefully for the start of next years Super Season.
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@kiwimurph I don't quite see how Luatua can "reignite his international career" ahead of the 2019 RWC.
He's contracted until the end of the 2018-2019 season with Bristol, so that's probably until 1 June 2019. Even if a Super Rugby team were permitted to sign him (for example as injury cover) for the remainder of the 2019 SR season, he would only be able to play the two remaining round robin games.
Looks like his move back home will be too late? Unless he buys off part of his contract?
Who does the Luatua rumour come from? Midol or British media? They're again forgetting to cover the important questions.
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@stargazer Certainly there are more questions to be answered. Perhaps he could come back a couple of weeks earlier if Bristol don't make the playoffs?
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@kiwimurph Bristol's last round robin game is on 18 May 2019. Even if he would play SR immediately the following weekend (unlikely, having to move, jet lag, not having much time to train with the SR team), that would still mean playing only 4 SR games.
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@stargazer said in Super Rugby News:
@kiwimurph Bristol's last round robin game is on 18 May 2019. Even if he would play SR immediately the following weekend (unlikely, having to move, jet lag, not having much time to train with the SR team), that would still mean playing only 4 SR games.
that's all it would take to prove he's better than the current options at 6
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@stargazer Yes, that's why I said a couple of weeks earlier....
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@kiwimurph It would solve one of the selection head aches for Hansen & co (although they weren't too impressed with him leaving in the first place), but somehow I can't see it happening. Unless a sum of money will be transferred to Bristol ...
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@stargazer maybe a mis-understanding like Fifita not liking hitting rucks and stuff
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@mariner4life said in Super Rugby News:
@stargazer said in Super Rugby News:
@kiwimurph Bristol's last round robin game is on 18 May 2019. Even if he would play SR immediately the following weekend (unlikely, having to move, jet lag, not having much time to train with the SR team), that would still mean playing only 4 SR games.
that's all it would take to prove he's better than the current options at 6
It's also more gametime than what got Frizell into the team.
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@stargazer said in Super Rugby News:
@kiwimurph I don't quite see how Luatua can "reignite his international career" ahead of the 2019 RWC.
He's contracted until the end of the 2018-2019 season with Bristol, so that's probably until 1 June 2019. Even if a Super Rugby team were permitted to sign him (for example as injury cover) for the remainder of the 2019 SR season, he would only be able to play the two remaining round robin games.
Looks like his move back home will be too late? Unless he buys off part of his contract?
Who does the Luatua rumour come from? Midol or British media? They're again forgetting to cover the important questions.
Why does he need to be selected based on Super Rugby form? If he's playing well in the Premiership, pick him based on that. The standard of Premiership rugby is pretty decent so it's not like he's coming from a dud competition. Once he gets back into the AB environment, he will get up to speed in no time.
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@akan004 said in Super Rugby News:
cent so it's not like he's coming from a dud competition. Once he gets back into the AB environment, he will get up to speed in no ti
yeah cos other ABs have slotted back into NZ rugby so well after playing well in the NH so many times before....
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@taniwharugby said in Super Rugby News:
@akan004 said in Super Rugby News:
cent so it's not like he's coming from a dud competition. Once he gets back into the AB environment, he will get up to speed in no ti
yeah cos other ABs have slotted back into NZ rugby so well after playing well in the NH so many times before....
Who are you referring to? I can't think of many ex ABs who have returned to NZ at the peak of their careers. Based on your theory, we should be beating England by a record margin since they are all Premiership players.
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@akan004 said in Super Rugby News:
@taniwharugby said in Super Rugby News:
@akan004 said in Super Rugby News:
cent so it's not like he's coming from a dud competition. Once he gets back into the AB environment, he will get up to speed in no ti
yeah cos other ABs have slotted back into NZ rugby so well after playing well in the NH so many times before....
Who are you referring to? I can't think of many ex ABs who have returned to NZ at the peak of their careers. Based on your theory, we should be beating England by a record margin since they are all Premiership players.
Well England have only beaten us once since 2004 havent they?
That suggests their domestic comp is inferior
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@akan004 said in Super Rugby News:
ho are you referring to? I can't think of many ex ABs who have returned to NZ at the peak of their careers. Based on your theory, we should be beating England by a record margin since they are all Premiership players.
so which ABs have returned and played well?
So because he is in good form there, that will translate to good form here? Seen plenty of former ABs playing well up there and then make little impact when they return. Not saying he cant, but history says he wont recapture his form from when he left.
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@taniwharugby Remember when Kaino came back from Japanese club rugby (which is far inferior to Premiership Rugby) and many doubted if he would be an AB again. Well, he started dominating in Super Rugby almost immediately and walked into the ABs. Class players will always step up.
Again, who are the ABs that you are referring to who have come back as duds? I'm not referring to 33 year olds who are well past their peak btw, but guys who still have a lot more to offer. Ranger is the only one I can think of but he was hardly a first or even second choice AB when he left. Luatua is only 27 remember.
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@taniwharugby said in Super Rugby News:
so which ABs have returned and played well?
Kaino, Carter
I don't think you can make a hard rule based on the previous handful of examples
