Crusaders (NZ) Rugby Team Thread.

[Dan54]

Naa mate he a rugby man, he doesn't come back just to win comps! But as I say just a whisper, and more about he be back next year.

 

[Wilson]

If he want's to come back "for the pointy end" someone at the Crusaders is going to need to win something though. Unless he just want's to be in a friendly timezone to watch the finals.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ he's committed to Pau for their season which means early June if they don't make the finals (currently mid-table I've read) or late June if they do. So would struggle to get back in time & as he wasn't on the books in March I doubt he'd be eligible for Crusadets selection anyways.

 

[Dan54]

Would need an injury etc to be allowed in squad anyway, but I thin the idea of him coming back for this year was just a hopeful thing, even if Pau didn't make finals and finished in May.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Crowd Goes Wild host (& 'canes superfan) Andrew Mulligan has had the points table printed on the front of the T-shirt he's wearing on tonight's show...

 

[Dismal Pillock]

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ nice scoop from the Onehunga Oracle, it's long been my go-to for quality rugby journalism...

Can realistically only see two wins from last six games, Clan away & Moana at home. Reds at home I'd rate as a 25% chance but even with a heap of players* due to return from injury next week & the week after I can't see them beating any of the currently second-, third- or fourth-ranked Blues at home, Brumbies away or Rebels at home. It's so depressing I haven't even bothered to do the exercise of seeing if Moana and/ or Clan can be overtaken to avoid the wooden spoon

* one being Williams who I doubt will be wanting to leave his newborn in a Dunners incubator any time soon.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

The new Stadium is starting to look like a stadium & said to be on schedule for a 2026 opening & within the revised $683Mn budget.

 

[zer0]

Stupid sexy rectangular stadium.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ footy being a rectangular-field game they're hardly gonna build an irregular heptagon, are they? Who would do that?

 

[zer0]

How many minutes has Ethan Blackadder played over the last few seasons? He'll be 30 at the start of next season and barely seems to play. Surely you'd have to start wondering about the value for money and, perhaps more importantly, the opportunity cost of continually selecting him ahead of other loose forwards? For e.g., they possibly could've got Vaiolini Ekuasi when he wanted out of the Blues loose forward logjam.

 

[Dctarget]

He has 39 caps, for an average of 5.5 caps per season. He's five years older than Samipeni Finau but has two less caps.

Not a great run.

 

[zer0]

Just had a look at some other loosies who debuted in the 2018 season. Both Dalton Papali'i (77 caps) and Luke Jacobson (71) have almost twice as many caps, while Billy Harmon has 51.

EDIT: Some loose forwards who debuted after Blackadder but have more caps:
Du'Plessis Kirifi: 65 caps (2019)
Hoskins Sotutu: 60 caps (2019)
Fraser McReight: 58 (2019)
Cullen Grace: 51 (2021)
Samipeni Finau: 42 caps (2021)

 

[Wilson]

What are these numbers? McReight has 68 Reds caps.

 

[Dctarget]

He's an impressive outlier. More caps than most of his seniors (Leota, Wilkin, Swinton, Hanigan). Liam Wright is almost more impressive with his 80 matches considering all his injuries.

 

[Wilson]

Harry Wilson as well - 69 caps and his debut was the year after McReight

 

[Marce]

How many Saders supporters do we have here?

 

[Dismal Pillock]

$683Mn

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ wait until you see the price tags for the Downtown/ waterfront & Eden Park 2.0 stadium options...

Let's not even mention the one that's actually in the harbour i.e. the playing surface would be below sea level.