Super Rugby News
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@KiwiPie @Cpt-Kumera What were the crowd numbers for the last Chiefs game at Rotorua? IIRC it was the Bulls game that was played in the rain so that may have affected crowd numbers.
As a Chiefs season ticket holder, I think one home game should be played in BOP (i.e., Rotorua) each season, even if that means one less game I'll attend. But the decision will come down to money. Speaking of which, the game in Suva this year made more money for the Chiefs than a full house at Waikato Stadium would have.
The Chiefs play the Bulls in Brisbane of all places in one of their pre-season games. The other is vs the Blues in Auckland.
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16 Nov 2016
The Blues will welcome back their long-term injured players ready for the start of the 2017 Investec Super Rugby season.
Former New Zealand Under-20 star TJ Faiane and fan favourite Rene Ranger are progressing well in their rehabilitation. Both suffered season-ending anterior cruciate ligament injuries earlier this year and both have faced long term rehabilitation – Faiane for 13 months and Ranger for 11 months.
“Both have done a great job in terms of rehabilitation following their surgeries,” said Blues medical director, Dr Stephen Kara. “These sorts of injuries require real patience and discipline and both guys have coped well with the situation and the mental challenges to do things by the book.”
Rehabilitation is a long-term planned activity beginning after recovery from surgery, based on each individual case.
The first phase involves gentle activation of muscles and low-risk cardio work, which increases in phase 2 to include more fitness on the bike and grinder, and neuromuscular training on wobble board and rocker board.
From weeks 7-12 allows for some straight-line running and phase 4 up to 16 weeks includes goals of straight running without pain and jumping without difficulty.
The progression for the next 10 weeks involves aggressive strengthening work with squats and leg press and step ups, agility drills, plyometrics with hopping and jumping and sport-specific interval and other training work which is the final phase until return to play – no earlier than seven months after recovery from surgery.
Both players are expected to play a full part in the Blues pre-season plans which get underway in early December.
New signing Sonny Bill Williams, who suffered an Achilles tendon rupture at the Rio Olympics, is also progressing well in his rehabilitation and is expected to return at some stage later in the Blues’ open eight-game block until their first bye.
Captain James Parsons is due to return for the start of pre-season after more than two months out with acute concussion.
George Moala has returned home from the All Blacks Northern Tour with an elbow ligament injury but Dr Kara believes he should also be ready early in the pre-season training block.
A number of players have minor injuries suffered during the Mitre-10 Cup competition but all are expected to be ready for the start of pre-season training. These include Michael Collins (hand injury), Piers Francis (hand), Blake Gibson (shoulder), Josh Goodhue (ankle), Sam Nock (hand), Declan O’Donnell (wrist) and Jimmy Tupou (face).
The other members of the All Blacks will make gradual returns to the Blues with the likes of Jerome Kaino, Patrick Tuipulotu and Charlie Faumuina the last to come back to the squad before the start of the season.
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Blues news:
EARLY CALL FOR REINFORCEMENTS 29 November The Blues have called on a number of replacement players to fill the void in the early stages of the Investec Super Rugby pre-season. All Blacks do not join Super Rugby squads until January, while Maori All Blacks also make a later start, and some players are still rehabbing from injuries. There are seven players joining the Blues, mostly for December, with three players to take part in all pre-season training until the end of January. They comprise Auckland prop Marcel Renata (pictured), who has just returned from the Maori All Blacks tour; Northland loose forward/lock Tom Robinson, and former NZ Under-20s and NZ Sevens winger Ambrose Curtis from Manawatu. Auckland’s UK-born Pasqualle Dunn and Northland’s Tamati Tua – both midfielders – will join until Christmas, with Tua coming in after the NZ Under-20s camp. Both North Harbour and NZ Under 20s No 8 Hapakuki Moala-Liava’a and Auckland halfback Lisati Milo-Harris will bolster the Blues for two weeks next month. The Blues squad assembles on 1 December.Blues Rugby
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Ambrose Curtis???
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had heard there was interest in Robinson, but word was he wasn't robust enough...guess in a pro environment he might bulk up a little.
Tua is a good prospect, rapid rise for the young fella with this and being part of the NZ U20 camp.
Renata should come back to Northland too, that'll get our token numbers up to annoy the hell out of Rotated.
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@taniwharugby I am surprised that Little and Vui are not rated ahead of Dunn and Robinson (although I did like what I saw of Robinson, especially in the latter part of the npc. How old is he?). Do Umaga and Jackson have issues with them, not rate them or are they off overseas?
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@Daffy-Jaffy is Vui committed to Samoa? I'd heard that may have been the issue?
TBH I am surprised at both selections. even if it is just for training squads.
Unsure how old Robinson is, but he'd be maybe 21/22 whereas Tua is only 19 this year I believe, in 2015 he was playing club footy in Kaitaia.
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Seriously from what I saw of Pasqualle Dunn, he is barely club rugby standard, and yes Chris Vui has played for Samoa.
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Been some interesting recruitment of outside backs for the Blues - a lot of talent from outside the region - Collins, O'Donnell and Curtis.
There is some interesting wingers coming through the Auckland system - in the U19s there was To'o Vaega, Vahakolo and Tameifuna. Hopefully they are part of next year's Auckland Mitre 10 Cup squad at least.
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Two articles about Super Rugby getting more focus from SANZAAR:
Waratahs' CEO Andrew Hore:
Crusaders chief executive Hamish Riach:
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I tend to agree with Andrew Hore that Super Rugby clubs can make money, or at least be better at generating it so they're not all a deadweight on their respective Unions. The problem is not all of them are capable of generating revenues to not be reliant on significant hand-outs.
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@antipodean said in Super Rugby News: Injuries:
I tend to agree with Andrew Hore that Super Rugby clubs can make money, or at least be better at generating it so they're not all a deadweight on their respective Unions. The problem is not all of them are capable of generating revenues to not be reliant on significant hand-outs.
You're right. Just think of the Western Force. Players are now buying into the club in an attempt to save it from being removed from the competition if SANZAAR decides to reduce the number of Australian teams in SR.
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It's a pity that the ARU didn't adopt a better method such as the investment the AFL does in establishing new clubs.
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@antipodean said in Super Rugby News: Injuries:
It's a pity that the ARU didn't adopt a better method such as the investment the AFL does in establishing new clubs.
The AFL has spent over $80 million each on the Suns and GWS since 2011 to get them established. Almost $200 million in total. I'm sure if the ARU had that kind of money to throw at new teams they'd all be very successful.
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Is it a new development in Super Rugby that un-contracted players join SR squads for preseason as either injury cover or "supplementary" players? Or did it always happen and the public were just not told about it?
After the news that Magpies Jonah Lowe and Tiaan Falcon would join the Canes for preseason, and then 7 players were invited to join the Blues, now Southland first-five Wharenui Hawera has been invited to join the Brumbies for preseason:
https://www.brumbies.com.au/2016/12/hawera-looking-take-opportunity-brumbies/
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@Stargazer The Chiefs have always ran an extended squad that included development players and extra bodies for opposed trainings.
I saw Hawera play regularly for Waikato and his club side and never thought he was Super rugby material. Good luck to him though. Jordan Smiler is there too.
