USA and Canadian Rugby

[Hugh Jarse]

Pretty impressive range of talent from the NZ Maori on the US/Canada tour:

Ash Dixon, Hooker, Hawke's Bay, age 25
Hikawera Elliot, Hooker, Counties Manukau, age 27
Corey Flynn, Hooker, Canterbury, age 32
Joe Royal, Hooker, Bay of Plenty, age 28
Ben Afeaki, Prop, North Harbour, age 25
Nick Barrett, Prop, Southland, age 25
Chris Eves, Prop, Manawatu, age 25
Kane Hames, Prop, Bay of Plenty, age 25
Jarrad Hoeata, Lock, Taranaki, age 29
Luke Katene, Lock, Canterbury, age 27
Joe Wheeler, Lock, Tasman, age 26
Luke Braid, Flanker, Auckland, age 25
Shane Christie, Flanker, Tasman, age 28
Elliot Dixon, Number 8, Southland, age 24
Liam Squire, Number 8, Tasman, age 22
Blade Thomson, Number 8, Taranaki, age 22
Jamison Gibson-Park, Scrum-half, Taranaki, age 21
Piri Weepu, Scrum-half, Auckland, age 30
Ihaia West, Fly-half, Hawke's Bay, age 21
Tim Bateman (c), Centre, Wellington, age 26
Charlie Ngatai, Centre, Wellington, age 23
Jackson Willison, Centre, Waikato, age 25
Zac Guildford, Wing, Hawke's Bay, age 24
Matt Proctor, Wing, Wellington, age 21
Kurt Baker, Fullback, Taranaki, age 25
Robbie Robinson, Fullback, Southland, age 24
Andre Taylor, Fullback, Taranaki, age 25

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Māori_All_Blacks

 

[yeahmate]

NZ Maori beat Canada 40-15 in front of 22566. Largest rugby crowd in Canadian history.

it was a really good game, canada showed they can more than compete physically and their expansive attack is capable, just handling errors and pushing the pass that let them down, i reckon if they had their european players it would've taken 10-15 points of the maori's 40

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

Looked like we did well until about 60 minute mark. DTH was out as his wife had a baby the night before. Jebb Sinclair at London Irish and the stormers wasn't there. Nor was jamie cud more, phil Mackenzie at sale, Nathan hiryama and Sean duke our sevens stars.
Disappointing a few of them weren't released.
We have Scotland in toronto in june

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

That will be another sellout

 

[Antony]

Could anyone who watched the game enlighten me - the highlights make it look like Robbie Robinson had a blinder. Is that true of the whole game? I've rated him very highly since U20s, and been disappointed that he hasn't had some of the opportunities that other guys have had. His first 10/15 metres must be among the quickest in NZ.

Good to see a good, free-flowing game. Canada might be the one country that will just never be impressed by rugby being tough (because ice hockey is borderline criminal) so I'm glad they got to see some of the other things the game has to offer.

 

[Antony]

That will be another sellout

Is that at Lamport stadium? I'm just looking it up, and it says that's got a capacity of 9600. That's a decent crowd for a team that's not exactly a massive drawcard. You'd mainly be getting people who are actually interested in rugby along to that.

 

[Antony]

Or do you mean BMO Field? That's 20-odd thousand. That would be incredible.

 

[p.Tah]

Or do you mean BMO Field? That's 20-odd thousand. That would be incredible.

BMO apparently. Same field they played against the Maori.

http://rugbyworldcup-argentina2023....-in-toronto-in.html?showComment=1383527087510

And

http://www.rugbycanada.ca/leagues/newsletter.cfm?clientID=3817&leagueID=0&page=74670

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

That will be another sellout

There's talk of AIG trying to organise the ABs to play in the US next season. If that does appear to be happening Rugby Canada would be well advised to try a score a AB test of their own. Play it at BC Place. They could start it at the reduced capacity but if sales prove it necessary they would have the opportunity to increase it to the maximum 51,000. They sell that out and then we are talking.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Pretty impressive range of talent from the NZ Maori on the US/Canada tour:

Ash Dixon, Hooker, Hawke's Bay, age 25
Hikawera Elliot, Hooker, Counties Manukau, age 27
Corey Flynn, Hooker, Canterbury, age 32
Joe Royal, Hooker, Bay of Plenty, age 28
Ben Afeaki, Prop, North Harbour, age 25
Nick Barrett, Prop, Southland, age 25
Chris Eves, Prop, Manawatu, age 25
Kane Hames, Prop, Bay of Plenty, age 25
Jarrad Hoeata, Lock, Taranaki, age 29
Luke Katene, Lock, Canterbury, age 27
Joe Wheeler, Lock, Tasman, age 26
Luke Braid, Flanker, Auckland, age 25
Shane Christie, Flanker, Tasman, age 28
Elliot Dixon, Number 8, Southland, age 24
Liam Squire, Number 8, Tasman, age 22
Blade Thomson, Number 8, Taranaki, age 22
Jamison Gibson-Park, Scrum-half, Taranaki, age 21
Piri Weepu, Scrum-half, Auckland, age 30
Ihaia West, Fly-half, Hawke's Bay, age 21
Tim Bateman (c), Centre, Wellington, age 26
Charlie Ngatai, Centre, Wellington, age 23
Jackson Willison, Centre, Waikato, age 25
Zac Guildford, Wing, Hawke's Bay, age 24
Matt Proctor, Wing, Wellington, age 21
Kurt Baker, Fullback, Taranaki, age 25
Robbie Robinson, Fullback, Southland, age 24
Andre Taylor, Fullback, Taranaki, age 25

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Māori_All_Blacks

Did Squire play and if so how did he go? He impressed me immensely in the ITM.

 

[yeahmate]

Could anyone who watched the game enlighten me - the highlights make it look like Robbie Robinson had a blinder. Is that true of the whole game? I've rated him very highly since U20s, and been disappointed that he hasn't had some of the opportunities that other guys have had. His first 10/15 metres must be among the quickest in NZ.

Good to see a good, free-flowing game. Canada might be the one country that will just never be impressed by rugby being tough (because ice hockey is borderline criminal) so I'm glad they got to see some of the other things the game has to offer.

yeah he played pretty well, ran alot from fullback and carved up the Canadian defence doing so a couple if times from what I remember, think he put on a pretty big hit on their fly-half Underwood aswell

 

[USARugger]

There's talk of AIG trying to organise the ABs to play in the US next season. If that does appear to be happening Rugby Canada would be well advised to try a score a AB test of their own. Play it at BC Place. They could start it at the reduced capacity but if sales prove it necessary they would have the opportunity to increase it to the maximum 51,000. They sell that out and then we are talking.

I think it's doable in the USA if they picked the stadium and time of year well. If there's any rugby brand in the USA that has any traction at all it is the All Blacks. I've lost count of how many idiots I've seen prancing around in AB jerseys in a city not exactly known of it's immigrant Kiwi population. They also seem to be the only team that anyone without an in-depth knowledge of the international game seems to recognize.

Those are just some passive observations of mine though, totally unrelated to sample size and completely unscientific.

Not sure how many butts they'd be able to keep in the seats after the score balloons to 50+ in favor of the ABs after 30 minutes, though.

As a fan of the international game I am looking forward to watching Ihaia West carve up the USA inside backs this weekend.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Did you get the NZ ITM cup games over in USA and Canada?

 

[USARugger]

Not sure. I'm pretty sure the current arrangements for Southern Hemisphere run through SANZAR and not any of the national bodies themselves so I doubt it got aired anywhere.

I'm still in Uni and don't even have basic cable so I generally catch the games via YouTube after the fact or someone streaming if I feel like getting up a few hours early.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Did you get the NZ ITM cup games over in USA and Canada?

Yes, they do.

 

[USARugger]

Yes, they do.

What network is carrying ITM Cup now?

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

What network is carrying ITM Cup now?

I think it's Direct TV. I can ask if you like.

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

Yes BMO stadium which has become the unofficial home of rugby. 20,000 plus for Ireland, 22,500 for Maori, and I think 15000 for USA.
I think all blacks v USA would be a bad idea. Total blowout and you'd be better off with another Maori test or all blacks v another top tier - England would be good.
I'd rather see USA and Canada play the Scotland's, Italy's and Ireland's who can pull a crowd and provide a more competitive game.
There was talk of nz v wallabies in NYC a few years ago, but I think England would pull better in NYC.
BMO has the wrong turf which is why Vancouver has not gotten a good test in ages. They will shoot for USA I would say if they can get BMO approved as they can pull fans fro victoria, Vancouver Seattle and San Fran easily

 

[Shiggins]

This stuff is great for the game. It's funny though. Robbie Robinson and Taylor are probably 1 tenth Maori. Corey Flynn? It also shows the amount of islanders that play I knew Zealand. If it was the Maori and islander 15 he team would be very very good.

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

sorry
BC place is the wrong turf and rugby canada is working with the IRB to sort it out somehow (i imagine by getting the turf approved as its used by MLS and CFL)
but b.c place is 50,000 capacity