New Zealand Rugby Team Watch

[waiopehu oldboy]

This for @Dismal:

"Positive injury news for the Blues ahead of the resumption of Super Rugby.

"Midfield back Francis Saili has been sidelined with a high ankle sprain for two months but he's over the injury and is in line to start against the Perth on Saturday.

"Fullback Charles Piutau is a week away from returning, while Blues coach Sir John Kirwan expects injured first-five Simon Hickey to be available for their final round match."

& this for Crusaders (& AB) fans everywhere:

"Dan Carter's comeback to rugby takes another step up this week.

"The record-breaking All Blacks first-five is available to play for the Crusaders this Saturday after one and a half games of club rugby.

"Carter says he's itching to go.

"He says he's been with the Crusaders for the last couple of weeks, but it feels a lot more real now the full squad is together.

"Dan Carter says he'll leave it up to the coaches to decide whether he starts or comes off the bench against the Hurricanes on Saturday."

Both stories fron NZ.yahoo.com who appear to be recruiting their writers from primary school.

 

[badabing59]

Richie out for three weeks though with broken rib suffered in the 1st or 2nd test.(Hansen, NZ Herald) Superman or what! Gotta have one of the highest pain thresholds of any sportsman.

 

[Sully]

Depends on which rib. I broke one of my floaters the second week of my bronze medallion course and still furnished it. Swimming 2 very painful Though.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Richie out for three weeks though with broken rib suffered in the 1st or 2nd test.(Hansen, NZ Herald) Superman or what! Gotta have one of the highest pain thresholds of any sportsman.

I think it would be wise for them to rest the GOAT until after the TRC. Eye on the Prize - RWC 2015.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

This for @Dismal:

"Positive injury news for the Blues ahead of the resumption of Super Rugby.

"Midfield back Francis Saili has been sidelined with a high ankle sprain for two months but he's over the injury and is in line to start against the Perth on Saturday.

"Fullback Charles Piutau is a week away from returning, while Blues coach Sir John Kirwan expects injured first-five Simon Hickey to be available for their final round match."

​

The Blues Cruise is back in business! ​

​

Playoff-bound!

 

[badabing59]

I think it would be wise for them to rest the GOAT until after the TRC. Eye on the Prize - RWC 2015.

Yeah....nah. I advocate resting him after we've secured the Bledisloe, so after the 2nd test in Auckland then.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Richie out for three weeks though with broken rib suffered in the 1st or 2nd test.(Hansen, NZ Herald) Superman or what! Gotta have one of the highest pain thresholds of any sportsman.

Bugger. Todd will be an adequate replacement for the Crusaders, not so much the AB & with Cane having had so little footy of late due to his own injuries that's a worry heading into the 4N.

And yeah, they don't make 'em much tougher than The Cheat.

 

[Bullrush]

Bugger. Todd will be an adequate replacement for the Crusaders, not so much the AB & with Cane having had so little footy of late due to his own injuries that's a worry heading into the 4N.

And yeah, they don't make 'em much tougher than The Cheat.

LUKE F**KN BRAID PEOPLE!!!

 

[MajorlyRagerly]

Luke Braid is out for a few months post Super rugby to get his shoulders right.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Can't wait to see @Dismal's take on this:

"Former All Black Tamati Ellison is set to play out his Super Rugby career with the Melbourne Rebels after signing a two-year deal.

"The 31-year-old centre, who has four New Zealand caps, joined the club this season after nearly 80 appearances with the Blues, Hurricanes and Highlanders in his native New Zealand.

"He was tipped to take his young family home but decided to stay on in Melbourne and continue his dangerous combination with Mitch Inman in the Rebels' midfield.

"I was lucky enough to have options back in New Zealand to consider, and with my family missing home a wee bit I had to consider that," Ellison said.

"At the same time, I've really enjoyed my time here. "This year's gone a bit too quickly, but we're keen to spend more time here."

nz.sports.yahoo.com

 

[Dismal Pillock]

That's from Friday? It's Sunday now so thats probably about 3 contract negotiations ago

http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/community/threads/nz-match-reports.13846/page-15#post-586772

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

He's back baby!

SBW signs with Counties Manukau for 2 yr deal

From NZ Herald:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11274714

Believe It Or Not time:

"Sonny Bill Williams could, conceivably, return to the All Blacks this year.

"The cross-code superstar, who is currently chasing back-to-back NRL Premierships with the Sydney Roosters, has a desire to turnout for Counties Manukau in this year's NPC competition with a view to making himself available for selection on the All Blacks' four-match end of year tour.

"Next year's World Cup was a major lure for Williams to sign a two-year deal with the New Zealand Rugby Union, the Chiefs and Counties. And it appears he realises the best chance for him to cement a place in that squad is to tour Chicago, Twickenham, Edinburgh and Cardiff in November.

"Injuries and fatigue could yet scupper Williams' plans and if the Roosters again reach the NRL grand final on October 5 he would need Counties to qualify for the playoffs, with their last round-robin match just three days later against Auckland, to satisfy eligibility criteria for All Blacks selection.

"But should the Roosters fail to reach the finale, Counties coach Tana Umaga made it clear he would do everything possible to cater for Williams.

"All I know is if he wants to go on the end of year tour he'll have to play some time for us this year," Umaga said. "We've been prepared for that. If he is feeling good and wants to go on the end of year tour after his time with the Roosters then I'm sure we'd have no qualms making time available for him to get on the field.

"It would be great for our community, fans and the guys who get to play alongside a well documented superstar.

"It will be based on how he's feeling and where his head is at after another long season. He's done it before with the Kiwis so it's not as if his body wouldn't be used to it. It's just whether he wants that or good preparation time leading into Super Rugby and a World Cup year."

Can't see it happening myself but weirder things have happened.........

 

[badabing59]

Injuries might fast track him into the squad, otherwise he'll be standing on a lot of toes should he be picked outright.

Still from a purely selfish point of view, possibly would be good to see him touring so he can smash a few poms #ashton #farrell

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Story on stuff.co.nz this morning has Ma'a Nonu heading back to the 'canes next year & Beaugan staying there, both to be announced after Super Rugby wraps up (& in Nonu's case after Hammett has left).

Also looks like AB will go to Samoa next July as part of their RWC prep:

"It now looks all but certain the match will take place in July next year as part of the All Blacks' preparations for the World Cup in England. Yesterday NZR boss Steve Tew confirmed the test was likely.

"Tew said coach Steve Hansen has signed off on the fixture, the IRB had been consulted around Samoan player availability.

"He confirmed negotiations would begin with the Samoan union this week to nail down a date, although July seemed to be the accepted slot in the truncated World Cup year schedule.

"The commercial arrangements will be driven largely by the Samoan union because they will host the game. We haven't yet spoken to them in any detail."

I can hear the "it's about fucking time" comments already.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Here's why Beaugan is staying put:

"Hawke's Bay's Ihaia West has signed a two-year contract with the Auckland Blues for the 2015 and 2016 Super Rugby seasons. The Maori All Blacks fly-half came into the Blues side in April as injury cover for starting fly-half Baden Kerr, but has since become a revelation for the Blues and has earned the starting No.10 jersey for the last three games.
West has lead the side with aplomb and said his decision to turn down a Super Rugby contract in Australia has paid off.
"At the start of the year I was a bit gutted watching Super Rugby on TV and thought what if I took that contract but getting the opportunity to play a few games with the Blues then securing a contract for the next couple of years, I'm certainly stoked with my decision now," West said.
"I've really enjoyed my time up here with the Blues. I've loved the environment, there's a great bunch of guys and coaches so I'm really excited to sign and I'm looking forward to the next couple of years."
Coach Sir John Kirwan lauded the 22-year-old livewire and was happy to retain his skills for the next two seasons.
"We're thrilled to have Ihaia with us for the next two seasons," Kirwan said. "He's incredibly relaxed under pressure and has a great temperament that you need in a 10. Nothing seems to faze him; he came into the football team midway through the year but it was like he'd been here five years.
"We've seen enough of him to realise that, along with Simon Hickey who are quite different footballers, we've got two great 10s we can really build a franchise around."

Read more at http://www.espnscrum.com/super-rugby-2014/rugby/story/232843.html#yVjWGlWtbXteYqSI.99

Anyone know which Oz franchise made him an offer?

 

[en_force_er]

Anyone know which Oz franchise made him an offer?

There was plenty of talk that the Rebels did.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

More speculation that Chiefs backup 5/8 Gareth Anscombe is off to Wales once Super Rugby wraps up & that Gatland is interested in having him play for Wales at RWC (qualifies through his mum being Welsh).

Given he's well down the pecking order for 5/8's in NZ I don't have a problem with him making a career for himself overseas but it's ridiculous that he could be playing RWC less than 12 months after arriving in Wales. That said, how to stop this sort of carry on without penalising the PI, 90% of whose players qualify on ancestry alone & have likely never lived on the island(s) they represent?

EDIT: I'm conscious of the hypocrisy in my comments above & previously on this issue, but I justify it on the grounds that the top NH nations shouldn't need imports to make them competitive whereas the PI can't possibly be competitive without them.

 

[badabing59]

Piri Weepu off to Pomgolia to play for newly promoted London Welsh. Great way to end your career-best of luck.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...n-Welsh?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Piri deserves a decent payday, been a loyal servant of NZ rugby for what seems like forever.

Beaugan has confirmed 2 more years with 'canes & is confident his mate TJP will follow suit. ASmith meanwhile says he'll defo be staying in Dunners, just a matter of for how long.

 

[Dan54]

Agree about Piri Waiopehu, especially with his health scare, hope he tucks away a couple of quid, he has been loyal to NZ. Good news with Beauden staying at Canes, and I think the haircutter staying at the Clan, seems those teams have got culture that works for players.