New Zealand Rugby Team Watch

[waiopehu oldboy]

Dane Coles making his return to footy today for Poneke v Petone:

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=12234065

Assuming he comes through OK he'll presumably play for 'canes next week.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

a firing Coles would be a crucial difference maker for RWC.

with Cane being back in business does this mean the fruitful search for Next #6 is over?

6 Cane
7 Ardie
8 Read

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Croczilla joining Panasonic for their abbreviated Top League (~10 weeks) but will be back for mighty Mako in M10 Cup:

https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/a...ett-signs-for-panasonic-wild-knights-in-japan

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

Croczilla joining Panasonic for their abbreviated Top League (~10 weeks) but will be back for mighty Mako in M10 Cup:

https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/a...ett-signs-for-panasonic-wild-knights-in-japan

Panasonic frontrow to have about 1,000,000 super rugby games between them (Crockett and King).

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Nonu reportedly heading back to Toulon on a one-season deal while Bastareaud takes his gap year in MLR:

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=12235733

 

[zer0]

I'd 300% have Nonu over Williams in the RWC squad. One is an AB centurion who has returned and demonstrated he has all the skills he had in 2015, is in good form, and has no trouble playing out the entire 80 minutes regularly. Post-2015, the other is a gamble to see if he'll get through 40 minutes of game time, and whose most memorable on-field achievement is getting a red card against the Lions for what is, probably, the single dumbest play I've seen in a professional game of rugby football.

And I've watched a lot of Blues matches.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Tyrel Lomax heading to 'canes next year:

https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/s...ose-all-blacks-prop-tyrel-lomax-to-hurricanes

I'll hear Dan54's "Woo-hoo!!!" from here when he reads this

 

[Derpus]

"Liam Squire, Luke Whitelock, Jackson Hemopo, Elliot Dixon, Waisake Naholo, Ben Smith, Marty Banks, Tom Franklin, Matt Faddes and Richard Buckman will also farewell Dunedin to take up overseas deals as the Highlanders lose a mountain of experience. "

Highlanders lose the majority of their team?

 

[Dan54]

Tyrel Lomax heading to 'canes next year:

https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/s...ose-all-blacks-prop-tyrel-lomax-to-hurricanes

I'll hear Dan54's "Woo-hoo!!!" from here when he reads this

Yep I just did exactly that WOB, missus lookedc sideways at me until I explained that with Scrafton ( supposedly) and now my favourite young prop coming to Canes, they will help overcome their biggest weakness!!

 

[Tex]

"Liam Squire, Luke Whitelock, Jackson Hemopo, Elliot Dixon, Waisake Naholo, Ben Smith, Marty Banks, Tom Franklin, Matt Faddes and Richard Buckman will also farewell Dunedin to take up overseas deals as the Highlanders lose a mountain of experience. "

Highlanders lose the majority of their team?

At which point does NZ Rugby hit the emergency button re their problematic exodus?

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Yep I just did exactly that WOB, missus lookedc sideways at me until I explained that with Scrafton ( supposedly) and now my favourite young prop coming to Canes, they will help overcome their biggest weakness!!

you are soooooooo predictable, Dan

At which point does NZ Rugby hit the emergency button re their problematic exodus?

Good question. Every year they trot out the "we're doing OK retention-wise" line & that's mostly true as far as the core AB are concerned but the great strength of NZ rugby has always been the broad base from which unlikely guys can be drawn when needs must. That's the level we're losing & imo it's gunna hurt us big time at some point in the not too distant future.

 

[zer0]

I really, really hope Scrafton doesn't become another Fatialofa. Doubly so if he was given up for Goodhue or Cowley-Tui-f*cking-oti.

 

[Dan54]

you are soooooooo predictable, Dan

Yep I a very simple man WOB, I can be read like a book!!

 

[Brumby Runner]

you are soooooooo predictable, Dan



Good question. Every year they trot out the "we're doing OK retention-wise" line & that's mostly true as far as the core AB are concerned but the great strength of NZ rugby has always been the broad base from which unlikely guys can be drawn when needs must. That's the level we're losing & imo it's gunna hurt us big time at some point in the not too distant future.

I think it's already starting to hurt, WOB. Big chance that there will only be 2 NZ teams in the finals this year, and despite the outstanding form from the Crusaders throughout the year, they are only a missing Mounga away from a loss at any time.

If the exodus from the Highlanders is typical for other Teams next year, your sides will be well on their way to Aussie Super Rugby standards.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ loser of Lions v Stormers becomes vulnerable to a late run from the Clan - as for that matter do the Rebs after failing to knock over the 'tahs last night.

Agree somewhat re: Crusaders but IMO the problem is that when RM isn't there they keep trying to play as if he were & that's just not Hunt's or Cameron's game atm.

Back on topic I believe the other four Super Rugby squads will have far less turnover than the Clan's & the crunch is still 3-5 years away assuming nothing much changes in the world game structure- & money-wise.

 

[Blake]

Will Jordan linked with the highlanders, makes me sad as they guy is good enough to play 50+ AB caps. Though probably the best thing for NZ rugby.

 

[Blake]

^ loser of Lions v Stormers becomes vulnerable to a late run from the Clan - as for that matter do the Rebs after failing to knock over the 'tahs last night.

Agree somewhat re: Crusaders but IMO the problem is that when RM isn't there they keep trying to play as if he were & that's just not Hunt's or Cameron's game atm.

Back on topic I believe the other four Super Rugby squads will have far less turnover than the Clan's & the crunch is still 3-5 years away assuming nothing much changes in the world game structure- & money-wise.

No team does well without their first choice fly half. Hunt is one of the best 2nd choices getting around.

The crusaders problem is that the half backs are average, so putting up an average 9 & 10 is never going to go well.

 

[Blake]

a firing Coles would be a crucial difference maker for RWC.

with Cane being back in business does this mean the fruitful search for Next #6 is over?

6 Cane
7 Ardie
8 Read

Yeah, I think we win this World Cup easy if we have all our first choice players fit, but that’s not reality.

I feel the gap between the first choice and 2nd choice players is bigger than its ever been when you look across the whole 15.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Yeah, I think we win this World Cup easy if we have all our first choice players fit, but that’s not reality.

wow, more confident than me. The captain is limping into the home stretch..... but then so were Richie and Dan in 2015. Also, I packed a spacco fit at this stage in 2015, CONVINCED nz and their dry powder bollox were rooted.

IF Read is shot then will Hansen swallow his pride and make the hard call? No, not the Luke Shitlock hard call. Or even the Akira one. How about.....

6 platoon of not Kaino's. (porcelain tuff guy Squire/Fffsffita/Landers bench crossword champ/BIG RED)
7 Cane
8 Ardie

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

a firing Coles would be a crucial difference maker for RWC.

with Cane being back in business does this mean the fruitful search for Next #6 is over?

6 Cane
7 Ardie
8 Read

Shag says no way will we see Cane & Ardie at 6 & 7, but we may see them at 7 & 8.

Read copping plenty for a poor night in Suva, but it's only a few weeks ago that he was turning in some powerful shifts so I'm not too concerned about his form just yet. That said Ardie offers a lot of go-forward in contact so it might be worth trialling:

6. Read
7. Cane
8. Ardie
19. S Barrett
20. Todd