Crusaders 2016 and 2017
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<p>This is where I hope we get to for 2017:</p>
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<p>Hookers - Taylor and Funnell, A.N Other. Taylor is obviously quality, and I can see him leading the side sooner rather than later, taking some pressure off Read. Funnell has fallen way behind Taylor but is still useful. We just need another youngster.</p>
<p>Props - Franks, Moody and Crockett will between them get the job done, and Ala'alatoa and Perry are servicable if retained. Otherwise, this is an area where we typically are able to bring through good local talent, or Paranihi from the NZ U20s.</p>
<p>Locks - Handy group in Whitelock, Romano and Barrett, but could do with another tall. The Canterbury youngsters in the U20s of late though - Dunshea, Dalzell and Tucker (with the Chiefs anyway) - are all around 1.96/1.97m so in short (hehe) we need Bird back.</p>
<p>Loose forwards - Again in Read, Todd and Taufua we have a high quality starting trio. I'm not at all excited by Boys and Samu but not bothered by the departure of Tupou as we'll have Prinsep back next year to add balance as a taller blindside option to Taufua, and back up at 8.</p>
<p>Halfback - Seems a bit of negativity around about Hall, but I've always liked him, and he adds leadership to partially replace Ellis' experience as well. Drummond is average. I'd consider Stratton over Fukofuka.</p>
<p>First-five- thank fuck Mo'unga settled in so quickly and easily this year, as Blackadder had done next to nothing to aid this transition. Absolutely a case of good luck rather than good management. But he needs a back-up. Hunt maybe? Volavola and McKenzie aren't Super quality.</p>
<p>Midfield - Crotty is our rock and a highly admirable player. But there's not a lot of flair there. Hopefully Barrett and Goodhue convince quickly in the M10 Cup and become options inside or outside of Crotty, respectively. A fit Freuan could be in that mix also with Havili'i the utility.</p>
<p>Wingers - The cupboard is nearly bare here. Macilai appears a certainty with McNicholl and Nadolo departing. I don't have any faith in Fifita. Havili'i and Goodhue could fill gaps but ideally we need good young specialists. </p>
<p>Fullback - The value of a motivated Dagg is clear. But he needs a back-up and I'm sick of seeing five-eighths (Taylor, Havili'i, Volavola and to a lesser degree Sladfe) used there and would rather a wing/fullback was selected. Maybe Makene also from the U20s.</p> -
<p>The Crusaders need to capitalise on that forward pack before it's too late. A collection of players the calibre of Franks, Moody, Crockett, Whitelock, Romano and Read won't happen again soon, particularly without the guarantee of success enticing players <strike>south</strike>.</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="shark" data-cid="599844" data-time="1469354503">
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<p>This is where I hope we get to for 2017:</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I'm not at all excited by Boys and Samu but not bothered by the departure of Tupou as we'll have Prinsep back next year to add balance as a taller blindside option to Taufua, and back up at 8.</p>
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<p>Halfback - Seems a bit of negativity around about Hall, but I've always liked him, and he adds leadership to partially replace Ellis' experience as well. Drummond is average. I'd consider Stratton over Fukofuka.</p>
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<p>First-five- thank fuck Mo'unga settled in so quickly and easily this year, as Blackadder had done next to nothing to aid this transition. Absolutely a case of good luck rather than good management. </p>
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<p>Wingers - The cupboard is nearly bare here. Macilai appears a certainty with McNicholl and Nadolo departing. I don't have any faith in Fifita. Havili'i and Goodhue could fill gaps but ideally we need good young specialists. </p>
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<p>Samu can play, but he's like a lightweight Taufua - I don't think he's what we need in a blindside. Prinsep doesn't seem to offer much dynamism to me - Luke Whitelock 8.1 (and I have written nothing good about 8.1). I'm hoping Dunshea is a better replacement for Tupou.</p>
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<p>Actually, I think Toddy's done a good job with Mo'unga. Vastly better than the musical chairs JK (and several other past coaches) played with his first fives.</p>
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<p>Why don't you like Fifita? He's raw, but a 105kg winger who can run fast. Sounds like just what the doctor ordered.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="wildman" data-cid="599913" data-time="1469402604">
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<p>Digby Ioane is the first piece of the puzzle apparently</p>
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<p>If he's the same player he was before his injuries he'll be handy.</p> -
<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/rugby-union/digby-ione-heads-to-crusaders-for-super-rugby-return/news-story/1e7a7edfb8910faa79934cc5b1f77619'>http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/rugby-union/digby-ione-heads-to-crusaders-for-super-rugby-return/news-story/1e7a7edfb8910faa79934cc5b1f77619</a></p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Tim" data-cid="599918" data-time="1469402890">
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<p>Source?</p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/rugby-union/digby-ione-heads-to-crusaders-for-super-rugby-return/news-story/1e7a7edfb8910faa79934cc5b1f77619'>http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/rugby-union/digby-ione-heads-to-crusaders-for-super-rugby-return/news-story/1e7a7edfb8910faa79934cc5b1f77619</a></p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Chris B." data-cid="599920" data-time="1469403001">
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/rugby-union/digby-ione-heads-to-crusaders-for-super-rugby-return/news-story/1e7a7edfb8910faa79934cc5b1f77619'>http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/rugby-union/digby-ione-heads-to-crusaders-for-super-rugby-return/news-story/1e7a7edfb8910faa79934cc5b1f77619</a></p>
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<p>Can you copy and paste that article, please. It's subscriber-only.</p> -
<p>The only reason for hiring a 31 year old player after a stint in France & Japan is that they hope to benefit from his experience. Playing in those competitions doesn't make a player better. Apparently, he's injury prone.</p>
<p>I'm not thrilled. Seriously, couldn't they find anyone better?</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Stargazer" data-cid="599942" data-time="1469406326">
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<p>The only reason for hiring a 31 year old player after a stint in France is that they hope to benefit from his experience. Playing in France & Japan doesn't make a player better. Apparently, he's injury prone.</p>
<p>I'm not thrilled. Seriously, couldn't they find anyone better?</p>
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<p>Yeah I'm with you on this one. I did rate him quite highly a few years back but now feel that he's over the hill and yes he has had his fair share of injuries.</p> -
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<p>Former Wallabies winger Digby Ioane is rumoured to be heading back from Japan to play Super Rugby, but not for Queensland nor any of the other four Australian franchises.</p>
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<p style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:'Times New Roman', sans-serif;font-size:19px;">It is understood Ioane, who played the last of his 35 Tests for Australia against the British and Irish Lions in 2013, has been lured to the Crusaders by incoming coach Scott Robertson as a replacement for giant Fijian winger Nemani Nadolo who is headed to Montpellier to play under Jake White.</p>
<p style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:'Times New Roman', sans-serif;font-size:19px;">Ioane was a critical member of the Reds’ championship-winning team in 2011, frequently teaming with five-eighth Quade Cooper to create some of the most dazzling rugby seen in Australia. It was, for instance, Ioane who was the target of Cooper’s outrageous behind-his-own-goalposts crosskick against the Cheetahs that almost led to a 110m try.</p>
<p style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:'Times New Roman', sans-serif;font-size:19px;">Yet although indications are Cooper almost certainly is heading back to Ballymore, Ioane, who left the Reds at the end of the 2013 season to join Stade Francais Âbefore moving to the Honda Heat, will not be joining him.</p>
<p style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:'Times New Roman', sans-serif;font-size:19px;">Instead, he will resume his Super Rugby career — 20 games for the Western Force in 2006-07 before playing 66 matches for Queensland from 2008-2013 — with the Crusaders, assuming he has no more difficulties with the knee injuries that have dogged his career.</p>
<p style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:'Times New Roman', sans-serif;font-size:19px;">That presumably would place the 31-year-old out of the reach of Wallabies coach Michael Cheika because players returning from overseas to the Super Rugby competition must play for an Australian franchise.</p>
<p style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:'Times New Roman', sans-serif;font-size:19px;">Meanwhile, the Melbourne Rebels have boosted their depth in outside backs by signing former Australian sevens star Pama Fou. Had it not been for a freakish fall in his bathroom in June, resulting in a ruptured ACL, Fou almost certainly would have been heading to Rio as a key member of Australia’s Olympic rugby sevens team.</p>
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<p>I wonder if he'll be eligible for the Wallabies - he's not at the 60 caps for the Giteau rule, he's not signed for the ARU but is playing Super Rugby - and the Wallabies aren't exactly flush with wingers - also, if he is, I wonder if this might start a bit of a precedent. </p>
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<p>Before he left for France he wasn't the same player he was in his prime so i'm not sure he's the answer for the Crusaders but there were plenty of question marks when the Crusaders signed Nadolo and that worked out rather well - will be interesting. </p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="KiwiMurph" data-cid="599977" data-time="1469408811">
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<p>Before he left for France he wasn't the same player he was in his prime so i'm not sure he's the answer for the Crusaders but there were plenty of question marks when the Crusaders signed Nadolo and that worked out rather well - will be interesting. </p>
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<p>Yeah - I guess it's a wait and see. I was certainly sceptical about Nadolo. Hopefully Scotty has done his due diligence.</p>
