The "gone too soon" Super Rugby XV

[Tim]

Players that were injured or concussed out of the game, who never recovered form after bad injuries, or who moved overseas prematurely (especially if they fixed their flaws after a couple of years overseas).

A first attempt:

1 Craig Dowd (forced to switch sides by Hart, soon departed)
2 Derren Witcombe
3 Ben Afeaki
4 James Ryan
5 Royce Willis
6 Michael Leitch
7 Andrew Blowers
8 Isitola Maka
9 Jamison Gibson-Park
10 Gareth Anscombe
11 James Lowe
12 Bundi Aki
13 Tony Marsh
14 Jeremy Stanley
15 Isa Nacewa

[Mr Fish]

James Broadhurst, Charlie Ngatai, Richard Kahui all come to mind.

As do Liam Squire, Fritz Lee.

Matt vant Leven is a random one, had one great debut season for the Chiefs, locking down the No 8 jersey in their 2013 Championship run, and was off to Japan at the end of it.

[Tim]

One curiosity found during this search was that Finau Maka was convicted of slavery in France!

https://www.stuff.co.nz/editors-picks/8037671/Rugby-player-fined-over-modern-slavery-case

[Tim]

@Mr-Fish A lot of loose forwards who racked up injuries (especially knees), or blossomed overseas after limited opportunities in NZ.

Glenn Marsh and Joe Edwards were both very handy.

[ACT Crusader]

@Mr-Fish said in The "gone too soon" Super Rugby XV:

James Broadhurst, Charlie Ngatai, Richard Kahui all come to mind.

As do Liam Squire, Fritz Lee.

Matt vant Leven is a random one, had one great debut season for the Chiefs, locking down the No 8 jersey in their 2013 Championship run, and was off to Japan at the end of it.

Kahui did play 90+ Super rugby matches (Chiefs + Force) which is a pretty decent effort given some of his issues.

Definitely agree on Squire. A standout Super rugby player that we certainly didn’t see enough of.

[Tim]

I'd be interested in a gone too soon to league team. You could assemble one hell of a backline.

9. Brett Iti
10. Frano Botica
11. Va'aiga Tuigamala
12. John Schuster (fuck me he was a great player)
13. Craig Innes
14. Matthew Ridge
15. John Gallagher

[sparky]

@Tim I watched this the other night. It really was a remarkable fuckup by NZR to lose Matthew Ridge and Kipper Gallagher to League at the same time.

[Tim]

@sparky That's a really good watch. Kudos to JK for producing it.

[booboo]

Aaron Hopa

[sparky]

10 Richie Mo'unga.

According to Razor.

[Tim]

@sparky boring.

[Bones]

Yeah I came here for Maka and Stanley. Good job sir

[MN5]

Koula Tukino for Michael Leitch

[African Monkey]

Charles Piutau, Steven Luatua, Francis Saili

[SouthernMann]

Jackson Hemopo. Just getting into his stride as an AB and off to Japan.

[Bovidae]

@booboo said in The "gone too soon" Super Rugby XV:

Aaron Hopa

The first player I thought of, given the thread title.

[booboo]

@SouthernMann said in The "gone too soon" Super Rugby XV:

Jackson Hemopo. Just getting into his stride as an AB and off to Japan.

Tamati Ellison

[Bones]

@booboo said in The "gone too soon" Super Rugby XV:

@SouthernMann said in The "gone too soon" Super Rugby XV:

Jackson Hemopo. Just getting into his stride as an AB and off to Japan.

Tamati Ellison

I'd tend to lean more towards Matchbox 20 and Proctor

[MN5]

@Bones said in The "gone too soon" Super Rugby XV:

@booboo said in The "gone too soon" Super Rugby XV:

@SouthernMann said in The "gone too soon" Super Rugby XV:

Jackson Hemopo. Just getting into his stride as an AB and off to Japan.

Tamati Ellison

I'd tend to lean more towards Matchbox 20 and Proctor

Definitely. A lot of the guys in the OP were barely missed at all

[dogmeat]

Sharkey Robinson and Nick Evans