New Zealand Rugby Team Watch
- Thread starter Hugh Jarse
- Start date
Dismal Pillock
Michael Lynagh (62)
Dctarget
Tim Horan (67)
Interestingly NZ has gotten one back over France. Patrick Tuifua, born and raised on New Caledonia (like Peato Mauvaka) has signed with the Hurricanes, turning down multiple Top 14 offers. He's most recently been playing with the dominant French U20s and will become eligible for NZ next year.
waiopehu oldboy
George Smith (75)
Not any time soon: the South Island Kea bid, which was reportedly the best of the three put up by NZ consortia, has been deemed inadequate & won't be part of the next phase in choosing the expansion team(s).
Bullrush
Geoff Shaw (53)
If only some of the NZ posters here, guys who have been to Aotearoa and maybe even *shock n horror* born and raised there had suggested this might be the case..
waiopehu oldboy
George Smith (75)
^ to be fair they also rejected five non-NZ bids & the people behind Kea, which include David Moffet, have said they'll re-work & re-submit their bid. But that won't happen in the upcoming tv-rights cycle which seems to be geared towards having an 18-20 team comp to take into the following rights cycle.
waiopehu oldboy
George Smith (75)
Playing numbers up across the board but moreso among women & girls than men:
www.nzherald.co.nz
I'm particularly encouraged by the increase in teen boys given the inroads basketball has been making in that demographic. Hopefully a good percentage will transition to adult rugby post-school.
More women and girls playing rugby in NZ than ever before
A record 33,757 women and girls play rugby, a 15% increase this season in NZ.
www.nzherald.co.nz
I'm particularly encouraged by the increase in teen boys given the inroads basketball has been making in that demographic. Hopefully a good percentage will transition to adult rugby post-school.
waiopehu oldboy
George Smith (75)
Risky* Ricitelli has reportedly signed with Montpellier after his NZR/ Blues contract ends in 2025.
Raises the question did he sign after missing out on AB & ABXV selection or was he not selected for AB & ABXV because they knew he was on his way out the door?
*Edit: damn you autocorrect!
Raises the question did he sign after missing out on AB & ABXV selection or was he not selected for AB & ABXV because they knew he was on his way out the door?
*Edit: damn you autocorrect!
Last edited:
At the end of 2025, I'd suspect this is a move motivated by not being selected.
Dismal Pillock
Michael Lynagh (62)
always had faith in ya Razor, no hard feelings mate
waiopehu oldboy
George Smith (75)
New Caledonia-born France U20 rep Pattick Tuifua will spend the Super Rugby pre-season with 'canes while Kirifi & Lakai are on post-AB tour leave. Quite the specimen at 191cm & 113kg.
Just completed a second NPC season with Magpies & went to Lindisfarne College in Hastings so appears keen on pursuing a career in NZ.
www.stuff.co.nz
Would be nice to get one back on those player poachers from up North.
Just completed a second NPC season with Magpies & went to Lindisfarne College in Hastings so appears keen on pursuing a career in NZ.
Stuff
www.stuff.co.nz
Would be nice to get one back on those player poachers from up North.
waiopehu oldboy
George Smith (75)
Moses Leo has now been given an early release from the last year of his contract & will join Melbourne Storm "in the next few days". Writing was probably on the wall when he knocked back an offer to join 'canes as pre-season cover when not on AB7's duty.
I guess it gives an opportunity to someone a little earlier than would otherwise have been the case but it still sucks to see him go just as he was getting established in the team.
I guess it gives an opportunity to someone a little earlier than would otherwise have been the case but it still sucks to see him go just as he was getting established in the team.
Dismal Pillock
Michael Lynagh (62)
Now Razor and his 2 Cantab gnome chums get 8 months off on full pay.
What a sweet, sweet gig.
They'll watch ZERO Super Rugby games, ("It doesn't prepare players well for the level of test rugby") .............and next July pick the same AB team again. "For their experience."
The entire Aucktown Killdozer should read the tea leaves and sign up en masse with a European team and continue their relentless grinding march to Stalingrad from their new base up there.
What a sweet, sweet gig.
They'll watch ZERO Super Rugby games, ("It doesn't prepare players well for the level of test rugby") .............and next July pick the same AB team again. "For their experience."
The entire Aucktown Killdozer should read the tea leaves and sign up en masse with a European team and continue their relentless grinding march to Stalingrad from their new base up there.
waiopehu oldboy
George Smith (75)
Razor wants NZR to relax the eligibility regs:
"And, I think, using South Africa as an example, they get the opportunity to use a lot of experienced players … looked after and managed well into their 30s,'' Robertson said.
"So they have got a great balance. They have got youth coming through, they have got good benches, they finish over top of teams and they have got big squads.
"They can have two really quality 15s, so what does it look like for us? How many players would we bring back? My next step is, is it case-by-case or how do we look at it? What is the potential opportunity moving forward.''
www.stuff.co.nz
"And, I think, using South Africa as an example, they get the opportunity to use a lot of experienced players … looked after and managed well into their 30s,'' Robertson said.
"So they have got a great balance. They have got youth coming through, they have got good benches, they finish over top of teams and they have got big squads.
"They can have two really quality 15s, so what does it look like for us? How many players would we bring back? My next step is, is it case-by-case or how do we look at it? What is the potential opportunity moving forward.''
Stuff
www.stuff.co.nz
Bullrush
Geoff Shaw (53)
I have never been a Robertson fan but being an AB fan, I wanted to give him time to show his ability on the Test stage. Now, after one season, he is pulling this shit. Fuck him. It was your fucken choice to keep ALB, Cane, Perenara, Havili etc.
Make me wonder if this was his plan all along - have a team that didn't play up the standards we are used to and then blame the non-overseas rule.
If NZR fold to his wishes, "Razor" will kill our domestic game simply to try and cover the gaps in his own coaching ability.
Fuck.Him.
Make me wonder if this was his plan all along - have a team that didn't play up the standards we are used to and then blame the non-overseas rule.
If NZR fold to his wishes, "Razor" will kill our domestic game simply to try and cover the gaps in his own coaching ability.
Fuck.Him.
Dismal Pillock
Michael Lynagh (62)
I was stewing as to how to reply to this insipid cop-out plea from our messianic new head coach without blowing a motherf******* gasket but you've done it here better than I ever couold.