Super Rugby News
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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.
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JAMES BROADHURST TO CONTINUE REHAB ON HIS OWN TERMS
08.12.2016Hurricanes lock James Broadhurst will remain a member of the Investec Super Rugby champion's squad for 2017, but will continue his rehabilitation from concussion on his own terms. Broadhurst, who has been out of the game since suffering dual head knocks during a Mitre 10 Cup match while playing for Taranaki in August 2015, has not placed a deadline for a return to training. The 28-year-old said he understood the public and media interest in his injury, but asked for privacy as he continued his recovery. "It has been difficult being unable to play the game I love for the past 15 months, but dealing with concussion is not something you can rush and in the end my long term health is the primary focus. "I will be continuing a graduated return to exercise away from the team environment because, although I have made progress over the past year I do still experience headaches when my heart rate is elevated."On the advice of my medical advisers I won't consider a return to full training until I'm completely symptom free for the required period of time." Broadhurst said he would continue to be guided by the concussion management protocols set out by New Zealand Rugby and the Hurricanes and was grateful to both organisations for the support he had received to this point. Hurricanes coach Chris Boyd said Broadhurst had the full support of the 2017 coaching, management and playing group. "We all understand what James is going through and will continue to support him through the process of his rehabilitation and recovery. "Concussion is a serious issue and the important thing is our players know they have the full support of the club. "We believe New Zealand Rugby has robust return to play protocols in place to deal with concussion and we will continue to be guided by those processes." -
@Daffy-Jaffy Michael Little spotted at a Highlanders training camp this week...
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That's interesting re: Gatland. I thought I spied him in this Blues training video posted Dec 8.
At min - 1:40 getting up behind Nanai who is hammering a tyre then at min - 1:52 last man at the end of a floor crawl?
