New Zealand Rugby Team Watch

[qwerty51]

Baiting on McCaw.. really? The guy was pathetic in his only Super Rugby performance. I hope he plays Test rugby again.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

I not sure Crockett is as bad as some of us think Waiopehu, and not really sure we relying on players that should be finished, Hooker and midfield are the 2 that give me most concern, not absolutely convinced that Kevvy will make it, but am also just as convinced if Shag thinks not he will get a tap on the shoulder. Having 3 pretty good locks isn't too bad, and we could well see another like Tuilupotu from Blues come through. Not to worried whether Conrad, Goat etc last through until WC, you can play to your mid 30s generally if you managed alright. In front row Afekai, O Franks etc are all young and as good as most props going around.

Not suggesting it's time to hit the panic button, but by now I'd hoped we would've got our tight 5 sorted - right now I'm not even sure who our 2nd TH & 4th locks are.

Crockett to me has always been poor technique-wise & looks even worse under the new engagement sequence: shoulders are frequently below his hips which is face-plant material any time the opposing TH wants & he also has a nasty habit of dropping a hand on the ground which some NH refs in particular are quick to ping. Always has & IMO always will struggle against a quality TH - hence he looks pretty good v the Wobblies.

Fully expecting Conrad to make the RWC injury permitting, not so sure if sheer willpower is enough to get GOAT through another Cup in a starting role. I still want him in our 23 & the RWC squad but think he should maybe be utilised off the bench or even occasionally drop out of the 23 altogether.

All in all I'm optimistic & expect a series win if not black wash v the Poms & would be surprised if we don't retain the Bledisloe & 4N, albeit likely dropping a game or 2 along the way. RWC defence starts this year IMO so what I want to see is the young props, hookers etc staking their claim for a spot.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Kaino, J. is back and looking hungry for the black #6 Jumper.
Read, K. at #8 and Sir Richie GOAT at 7.

Gonna be hard to get the Bled back.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Kaino, J. is back and looking hungry for the black #6 Jumper.
Read, K. at #8 and Sir Richie GOAT at 7.

Gonna be hard to get the Bled back.

I'd prefer McCaw to be coming off the bench & let either Cane or Todd show us if they're really up to it or just a stop-gap until the next great Black 7 comes along, that in all probability being Ardie Savea.

Kaino looks like he never left, Messam has been a bit up & down but neither would let you down, maybe they could be rotated. Read is now the irreplaceable loosie that McCaw once was & should be captain IMO.

Liking the look of young Fekitoa esp with our midfield stocks looking decidedly thin: SBW may come back & take up where he left off in 2012 - the first & only season he looked like a real rugby (Union) player IMO - or it could take him a coupla seasons. Either way we need some big, fast guys in there & Fekitoa looks the best on show ATM.

Still waiting for the next AB prop(s) & hooker to reveal themselves.

 

[Dan54]

Stop looking for new Props to keep revealing themselves WOP, think the crew there not too bad, and Hame, Toomaga-Allen and even Goodes are not to far away whilst still being pretty young. Coles has got Hooker wrapped up, and his back up will come,one of these young uns will be ok. Midfield after WC may take a little sorting, but although it early in peice Fekitoa, Leinert-Brown and Vinisia lead me to belive it may not be all doom and gloom.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

OK, Dan, I'll stop if you can tell me who in your opinion & having watched a fair few more games than me are our starting & bench FR's; who's the 4th lock esp if Romano's injury takes a long time to come right; & who comes in if Conrad or Ma'a are out - please don't say Ben Smith, I think we saw enough on EOYT to know that he ain't a midfielder. On Vinisia, is he NZ-eligible or have Samoa already got dibs on him?

 

[badabing59]

This just in (as predicted by many)

Hurricanes announce new coaches for 2015. (From NZ Herald)

Chris Boyd and John Plumtree have been named as the Hurricanes new coaches for next season.
The pair, who coached the Durban-based Sharks together in 2009 and 2010, have today been announced as the new coaching duo to lead the Hurricanes into next year's campaign. They will replace Mark Hammett and Alama Ieremia.
Current Wellington Lions coach, Boyd, will take up the head coach role, with Plumtree as his assistant.
Boyd said he was looking forward to the challenges that would come with his new appointment, both on and off the field.
"There has been a lot of hard work poured into the Hurricanes club over the past four years, and it's now our job to build on that foundation," he said.
"Our main focus is to create a brand of football that people find attractive to watch, and develop a team that people want to get behind."
For Plumtree, the move back to Wellington means stepping away from his current international role as Ireland's forwards coach.
The 48-year-old said despite a number of years away from New Zealand, the passion he still held for the team that represents his home region contributed to his return.
"Coming from Taranaki, and after spending a lot of time in Wellington, I've always had a strong allegiance to the Hurricanes so to move to the club will be a nice homecoming.
"I'm extremely excited about reconnecting with Chris and building on our coaching relationship alongside what is, and always has been, a very talented group of players."
Both Boyd and Plumtree have signed two year contracts with the Hurricanes.
Coaching CVs
Chris Boyd
2012-present - Wellington Lions Head Coach
2013-2014 - New Zealand Under 20 Head Coach
2011-2012 -New Zealand Under 20 Assistant Coach
2011 - Tonga Rugby Union RWC Defence & Skills Coach
2009-2010 - Sharks Super Rugby Assistant Coach
2003-2006 - Wellington Lions Assistant Coach
John Plumtree
2013 - Ireland Rugby Union Forwards Coach
2008-2013 - Sharks Super Rugby Head Coach
2007 - Sharks Assistant Coach
2001-2006 - Wellington Lions Head Coach
1997-2001 - Swansea Head Coach

Exciting times ahead for the Hurries!

 

[Dismal Pillock]

All Blacks call on Matt Todd for injury cover

--NZ Herald--

The All Blacks have called in Crusaders flanker Matt Todd as injury cover despite the fact the Canterbury bench-warming substitute hasn't played a single minute of rugby in the last fucking month.

Richie McCaw's back-up Sam Cane might be a bit rooted and shockingly it seems Todd's call up confirms he's still next cab off the rank in the openside pecking order.

The selectors seem happy to pick Todd for New Zealand even though Auckland's captain Luke Braid-Whitelock has been kicking arse and taking names every fucking weekend this season.

When queried on the selection, All Blacks coach Steve Hansen looked genuinely puzzled. "Luke who? I've never even heard of this player you mention, let alone seen his name penciled into ANY Crusaders team sheet. You must mean Luke Whitelock? Yes, he is very much on our radar. Four brothers in the same team! Can you imagine that. Wouldn't it be quite the story if they all got on the field at the same time!"

"***** ***ing **** ******s."
--Luke Whitelock-Todd.

 

[cyclopath]

He really needs to change his name to Black-Sivin. Luke Black-Sivin. You know it makes sense. Shag couldn't ignore that sort of nominative determinism. His sharpie can only write Whitelock so many times on the IAG / IGA / AIG Whitelock-Board.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Hosea Gear making noises about coming home:

"Hosea Gear, who scored two tries in the Barbarians' 39-29 win over an England XV at Twickenham on Sunday, has his sights set on returning to the All Blacks at the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

"The 30-year-old wing is leaving French club Toulouse to play a season in Japan for Honda before taking up a Super Rugby contract in New Zealand, Agence France-Presse reports.

"From here I'm headed to Japan for one season. Their season starts in August and runs through to February," he said after the Twickenham match.

"Then I am heading home to play Super Rugby to give myself the opportunity to make the All Blacks for the World Cup."

 

[Bairdy]

Coaching CVs
Chris Boyd
2012-present - Wellington Lions Head Coach

The Wellington Lions were very good in last year's ITM Cup so Hurricanes maybe one to watch next year? If he can bring the forward power game the the Lions had, couple it with the traditionally strong Hurricanes backs, and anything's possible.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Poms have named 16 extra players to join the 30 already in NZ:

"England squad additions:

Chris Ashton (Saracens), Brad Barritt (Saracens), Luther Burrell (Northampton Saints), Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints), Owen Farrell (Saracens), Ben Foden (Northampton Saints), Alex Goode (Saracens), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Stephen Myler (Northampton Saints), Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins), Billy Vunipola (Saracens), Alex Waller (Northampton Saints), Anthony Watson (Bath), Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens), Tom Wood (Northampton Saints)"

 

[cyclopath]

Just a few additions, then?

 

[Dismal Pillock]

"Then I am heading home to play Super Rugby to give myself the opportunity to make the All Blacks for the World Cup."

Pretty awesome, gotta be in it to win it, (unlike the Haymans & Evans of the world), back to the Canes with Nonu maybe haha just like old times

"I can see him coming but I seem to have left my reading glasses
in the sheds and now I can't tell how close he oh shit."

 

[Hawko]

Poms have named 16 extra players to join the 30 already in NZ:

"England squad additions:

Chris Ashton (Saracens), Brad Barritt (Saracens), Luther Burrell (Northampton Saints), Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints), Owen Farrell (Saracens), Ben Foden (Northampton Saints), Alex Goode (Saracens), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Stephen Myler (Northampton Saints), Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins), Billy Vunipola (Saracens), Alex Waller (Northampton Saints), Anthony Watson (Bath), Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens), Tom Wood (Northampton Saints)"

A squad of 46?? That seems a touch on the excessive side! Two full teams of 23, including benches. For some of them it will be a very cheap holiday.

 

[Bairdy]

Pretty awesome, gotta be in it to win it, (unlike the Haymans & Evans of the world), back to the Canes with Nonu maybe haha just like old times

"I can see him coming but I seem to have left my reading glasses
in the sheds and now I can't tell how close he oh shit."

Surely he wont be allowed to be contracted by any of the NZ franchises due to him playing in Japan and not the NPC? It's the same issue Ellison is facing is it not

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Surely he wont be allowed to be contracted by any of the NZ franchises due to him playing in Japan and not the NPC? It's the same issue Ellison is facing is it not

Only difference being Ellison is a turncoat mercenary wanker who doesn't even want to play for NZ whereas H.Gear is a goddamn motherf***ing stallion.

Exhibit A:

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Surely he wont be allowed to be contracted by any of the NZ franchises due to him playing in Japan and not the NPC? It's the same issue Ellison is facing is it not

May have to be signed as a foreign player initially, don't think the 'canes have any on their books ATM whereas the Clan wanted an exemption for Ellison due to already having filled their o/s player quota. And then there's the other matter @Dismal has reminded us all about.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

A squad of 46?? That seems a touch on the excessive side! Two full teams of 23, including benches. For some of them it will be a very cheap holiday.

I'm guessing they want a 23 for the Crusaders fixture & a 23 for the 3rd Test. God forbid anyone should have to play midweek then be on the bench on Saturday or vice-versa.

 

[Bullrush]

Maybe Rene Ranger will come home?1...please?!?! PLEASE?!?! RENE COME HOME!!