Exodus 2017
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Piutau and Fekitoa, both young and 'exiled' with their test careers over mid 20s. But both would be able to switch via the Olympic loophole to Tonga if they wanted to.
Seems money is motivating factor and both come from huuuuuuuge double digit sibling immediate families. Let alone extended family, then village .....
Play some Olympic qualifying 7s tournaments before 2019.
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I did a study too, for all worldwide pro clubs/provinces/franchises and got 253 kiwis and 221 South Africans. Only 113 Australians, but that is why their issue in fielding 5 strong Super rugby squads nonetheless. What is hugely worrying though is 128 Tongans, 123 Fijians and 96 Samoans. No wonder the depth in super rugby is being diluted heavily. That is a huge number overall - and reaches 1000 players if you add 45 Argentinians, 9 Namibians, 4 Japanese and 8 other Pacific Islanders. That is a huge number of players choosing to play 'overseas'.
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@arhs said in Exodus 2017:
What is hugely worrying though is 128 Tongans, 123 Fijians and 96 Samoans
Hi.
I don't agree with this part though.I don't think it's hugely worrying. It's good that Tier 2 players get contracts in the pro leagues.
Even if I'm a bit contemptuous of the Top14's ability to improve players and not turn them to either lard or immobile balls of roids.
There's only 5 fully pro teams in NZ for example, with limits on non-NZ qualified players. Similar with all the SH unions with pro teams.
There are worries ( project players, clubs comps during int windows, the lax eligibility laws), but this area of the world simply produces too many players than it can pay.
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The worry is the number of Islanders lost to their national side, and also to the visibility of Super Rugby. IMHO Super Rugby is the best of Southern Hemisphere rugby and needs more of a Pacific Island flavour to rejuvenate interest. I think it would be great for Pacific rugby if it were financially viable for more of the top players to stay down under for at least a few prime years - and hopefully develop combinations that transfer through to national teams. Samoa in particular seems to be declining on the international scene, and the Tongan side has constantly changing selections.
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I think the NZRU and ARU are the main cause of PI players not playing in Super Rugby.
It's an unintended consequence of trying to protect our own pool of pro players against the lure of the north.
The restrictions on the number of non-nz qualified spots mean that guys like Leiua, Levave, TJ Ioane etc delay, defer their PI test careers while they are in the NZ system.
I don't see a fix, except 100 years in future NZ may have a population to support 12 pro teams rather than 5 and we ease up on limiting who takes these spots.
Or
European clubs pay players 30-50% less than they do now and NPC level in nz returns to a pro standard.
Since NZ's population has increased 25% since 1996 when rugby went pro and we have the same amount of pro teams, I'm not holding out much hope for the first.
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@bones said in Exodus 2017:
@Crash @canefan steady on, he's only gone as an injury replacement from what I can see. No mention of contract length?
Injury replacement or no, he's gone isn't he? I can't see how the NZRFU would be thrilled with him popping over for part of a season, he certainly won't come back to a contract I'd think
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@bones said in Exodus 2017:
@Crash @canefan steady on, he's only gone as an injury replacement from what I can see. No mention of contract length?
I read the media release on Lyon's website and the contract is only until the end of the season, so June 2018. He could be back for Mitre 10 Cup.
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Pita Ahki has signed with Connacht. Media release doesn't say for how long.
That probably also means that the Black Ferns 7s lose Kayla McAlister, a bigger loss to NZ rugby than Ahki. -
Not TJP.
