Super Rugby News
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When you say Loyalty has nothing to do with it well then why did D.C knock back offers from the Blues when he had a wife and house in Auckland..It's because he is a born and bred Cantabrian who grew up watching the Crusaders and had an ambition to wear the red and black jersey. Same goes with Barrett he has said plenty of times that he grew up with a passion for the Canes so why would he throw that away when he already has one hand on the no 10 A.B jersey right now and has nothing to prove. <br><br>
We will see what happens but I would be bloody suprised if Barrett signs for the North. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Canes4life" data-cid="591990" data-time="1466919478"><p><br><br>
All three current All Black first fives have come out of the Hurricanes catchment. Compare that with the Blues and they've produced F all to be fair. Pretty poor considering the population of Auckland.</p></blockquote> and prior to that pretty much every first five came out of Christchurch. It's swings and roundabouts. The All Black captain is from the greater Auckland region, so is a significant number of the team, even if they don't play there anymore. A key issue with Auckland is that even with a huge population a similar number of players will see elite coaching to Chch and the greater Welly area. That's why some only really come on after they leave. But as for comparing a school boy to an All Black, well school boys like Dmac can turn into All Blacks very quickly, and in his case, shortly after being poached by Waikato. -
Why is this then?? Surely Auckland have the facilities and coaching available to keep talent in the region. Don't get me wrong the Blues roster next year looks bloody promising but I guess it could be alot stronger if they were able to hold onto a few more players.
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Canes4life" data-cid="591994" data-time="1466920840"><p>
Why is this then?? Surely Auckland have the facilities and coaching available to keep talent in the region. Don't get me wrong the Blues roster next year looks bloody promising but I guess it could be alot stronger if they were able to hold onto a few more players.</p></blockquote> This is just because of a pressure of numbers. They normally have two Auckland teams in provincial age grade competitions, but that just isn't enough. If you're not in that group, you probably don't get the high level coaching. It probably has a major effect of pivotal positions like halfback and first five. -
Auckland along with Canterbury are still the biggest providers of talent spread around the country,it's only natural some very good players get overlooked,for the very first time in their history,the Blues are finally working harder with the 3 X provinces,one of the real big issues from the past is when Andy Dalton looked after both Auckland and the Blues,Tana had done an awesome job pulling the 3 X unions together,here is some news though I have heard through a very good source,Tevita Li has been let go,and will be suiting up for the Highlanders in 2017.
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I'll take Tevita Li. He can sit behind Patrick Osborne for a year,.before stepping up to the starting team in 2018.
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Tongia for one reason or another has played less than half a dozen games of Super Rugby in the last two years, he's 26 and has massive issues in his defence. Yes, he is a top attacking player. But I'm ok with this decision. Tevita Li has a lot of potential and I like what has happened with Blues rejects at the Highlanders in the past.
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Canes4life" data-cid="591981" data-time="1466917778">
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<p>Dreams are free Aucklanders, Dreams are free!!</p>
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<p>Yeah like Wellington/Hurricanes winning something.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Steven Harris" data-cid="591999" data-time="1466923389">
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<p>Auckland along with Canterbury are still the biggest providers of talent spread around the country,it's only natural some very good players get overlooked,for the very first time in their history,the Blues are finally working harder with the 3 X provinces,one of the real big issues from the past is when Andy Dalton looked after both Auckland and the Blues,Tana had done an awesome job pulling the 3 X unions together,here is some news though I have heard through a very good source,Tevita Li has been let go,and will be suiting up for the Highlanders in 2017.</p>
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<p>Can't say I'm too upset by that. He might flourish in a new enviroment but so far he hasn't really shown anything to suggest that he'll be anything other than a solid Super Rugby player.</p> -
<p>Blues will find it tough to beat a confident Canes outfit on Sat without Faumaina, Moala, Ranger and the two Ioane bros. That is some serious strike power missing from a side desperate for a win and in such a crucial game.</p>
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<p>A comfortable win for the Canes is on the cards with players like Ardie, Beaudy and Coles all in form. The Blues only chance is to prey for rain and even then I can't see them getting the better of us.</p>
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<p>If the Canes lose this one they don't deserve to be near the playoffs.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Canes4life" data-cid="592064" data-time="1466941430">
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<p>Blues will find it tough to beat a confident Canes outfit on Sat without Faumaina, Moala, Ranger and the two Ioane bros. That is some serious strike power missing from a side desperate for a win and in such a crucial game.</p>
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<p>A comfortable win for the Canes is on the cards with players like Ardie, Beaudy and Coles all in form. The Blues only chance is to prey for rain and even then I can't see them getting the better of us.</p>
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<p>If the Canes lose this one they don't deserve to be near the playoffs.</p>
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<p>Yeah Moala's the big loss for us. I'm expecting Tu'ungafasi to really step up and show what he's made of now that Charlie's out. We won't get hammered as we very rarely do but a 7-10 point loss is on the cards.</p> -
<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Zac Guildford has opted to return to NZ after the Waratahs welcomed <span style="color:rgb(102,102,102);">Taqele Naiyaravoro</span> back into the squad.</span></span></p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.waratahs.com.au/Waratahs/News/NewsArticle/tabid/157/ArticleID/17228/NSW-Waratahs-welcome-back-powerful-winger-Taqele-Naiyaravoro.aspx'>http://www.waratahs.com.au/Waratahs/News/NewsArticle/tabid/157/ArticleID/17228/NSW-Waratahs-welcome-back-powerful-winger-Taqele-Naiyaravoro.aspx</a></p>
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<p>Joe Moody has re-signed with the NZRU and Crusaders through to 2019</p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.allblacks.com/News/29378/joe-moody-re-signs-with-new-zealand-rugby-and-bnz-crusaders'>http://www.allblacks.com/News/29378/joe-moody-re-signs-with-new-zealand-rugby-and-bnz-crusaders</a></p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Tim" data-cid="591936" data-time="1466902085">
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<p><strong>Crusaders teammate Ryan Crotty, who started at second-five, is in doubt for the match against the Chiefs in Suva on Friday.</strong></p>
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<p>Read that Crotty has damaged a calf muscle and highly doubtful - fuckity, fuck - we'd got within about 15 minutes of being relatively unscathed by this test window.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="African Monkey" data-cid="592093" data-time="1466971672">
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<p>Yeah Moala's the big loss for us. I'm expecting Tu'ungafasi to really step up and show what he's made of now that Charlie's out. We won't get hammered as we very rarely do but a 7-10 point loss is on the cards.</p>
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<p>12 and 13 are real problem areas for the Blues. Who would you start?? Francis and Sau??</p>
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<p>Hopefully for the Blues sake they get all their injury problems out the way this year and get a clean run next year.</p> -
<p>Little played 13 on Friday night.</p>
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<p>Ngatai is still out as he isn't in the Chiefs squad to travel to Fiji.</p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.chiefs.co.nz/news/news/latest-news/228-gallagher-chiefs-travelling-squad-named-for-fiji-fixture'>http://www.chiefs.co.nz/news/news/latest-news/228-gallagher-chiefs-travelling-squad-named-for-fiji-fixture</a></p>
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<p><span>Mitchell Brown (Taranaki) and Jacob Skeen (Waikato) join the squad as replacement players for the Gallagher Chiefs remaining games. </span></p>
