Global Rapid Rugby

[kiap]

I ain't stopping ya

See if you can come up with an informed opinion.

 

[southsider]

See, there ya go.

Attack coach in the Mitre 10, including winning the Ranfurly Shield, local premier side head coach, New Zealand Barbarians Schools head coach.

Really cherry picked that post apart didn’t you

And you even mentioned his barbarian schools involvment, which is still high school footy!

 

[kiap]

Really cherry picked that post apart didn’t you

Yep, and I'm doing it again

high school footy

Clearly, he's a done a bit more than that.

 

[southsider]

Yep, and I'm doing it again


Clearly, he's a done a bit more than that.

Zzzzz I’m tapping out, not taking bait today

 

[ForceFan]

Good to see progress on the Malaysia team.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BrUvX39gfEd/

 

[kiap]

Question for you on the Malaysia/South Africa connections if you know of them, ForceFan:

Is the Malaysian team actually the Falcons?

This text seems to imply not:

Afrikaans: Benewens die Force en Valke, salspanne van Fidji, Hongkong, Japan, Maleisië, Samoa en Singapoer ook aan dié toernooi deelneem, wat van Februarie tot middelJunie sal plaasvind.​

…​

Die wedstryde sal in al die deelnemende lande, behalwe Suid-Afrika, gespeel word.​

​

English: Besides the Force and the Falcons, teams from Fiji, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Samoa & Singapore will take part in the tournament running from February to Mid June.​

…​

The games will take place in all participants countries except South Africa.​

​

But is it fake news - with one and the same team out of KL/Borneo?

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Question for you on the Malaysia/South Africa connections if you know of them, ForceFan:

Is the Malaysian team actually the Falcons?

This text seems to imply not:

Afrikaans: Benewens die Force en Valke, salspanne van Fidji, Hongkong, Japan, Maleisië, Samoa en Singapoer ook aan dié toernooi deelneem, wat van Februarie tot middelJunie sal plaasvind.​

…​

Die wedstryde sal in al die deelnemende lande, behalwe Suid-Afrika, gespeel word.​

​

English: Besides the Force and the Falcons, teams from Fiji, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Samoa & Singapore will take part in the tournament running from February to Mid June.​

…​

The games will take place in all participants countries except South Africa.​

​

But is it fake news - with one and the same team out of KL/Borneo?

This piece of news kind of highlights the reason why some are sceptical. There's very few concrete details emerging. It's all so uncertain. We're seeing rumours of two teams dropping out and kick off being moved back to April but this says 7 or 8 and still kicking off in Feb. Something solid would be great.

 

[kiap]

Something solid would be great.

It would. And that means waiting.

For budding translators, the original piece is here - free-walled, needing a suitable fone number to plug in to read.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

It would. And that means waiting.

For budding translators, the original piece is here - free-walled, needing a suitable fone number to plug in to read.

I'd would say if they are looking at a Feb kick off then we will have to see something concrete very early in the New Year.

 

[Clavis Ruo]

Quite a disparity in standards i would say. For a viable comp they would need to pick teams of similar level. If Malaysia and Singapore are playing, then it would have to be the Western Force and Falcons' third grade team, Fiji's and Samoa's under-18s and HK's reserve team. Or Malaysia and Singapore would need to bring in tonnes of guest players.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Quite a disparity in standards i would say. For a viable comp they would need to pick teams of similar level. If Malaysia and Singapore are playing, then it would have to be the Western Force and Falcons' third grade team, Fiji's and Samoa's under-18s and HK's reserve team. Or Malaysia and Singapore would need to bring in tonnes of guest players.

This has pretty much been the consensus so far. Apparently Singapore has signed a couple already.

 

[ForceFan]

Question for you on the Malaysia/South Africa connections if you know of them, ForceFan:
Is the Malaysian team actually the Falcons?

Unfortunately, I have no additional information to what's been made available.

I still see no issue with timing as February was always going to be trial games only with real kick-off in March.
If the number of teams end up as 6 rather than 8 then the season will obviously be shorter.

Looking forward to the announcements and am happy to wait.

The Western Force squad were all in great shape/fitness when they went on break at the end of November.
Evidently there were high expectations created of how they should return from holidays.

 

[Clavis Ruo]

This has pretty much been the consensus so far. Apparently Singapore has signed a couple already.

Interesting. Anyone we know?

 

[kiap]

Unfortunately, I have no additional information to what's been made available.

I still see no issue with timing as February was always going to be trial games only with real kick-off in March.
If the number of teams end up as 6 rather than 8 then the season will obviously be shorter.

Looking forward to the announcements and am happy to wait.

The Western Force squad were all in great shape/fitness when they went on break at the end of November.
Evidently there were high expectations created of how they should return from holidays.

Yep. Thanks

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Interesting. Anyone we know?

No idea who but according to a report out of NZ there were at least 4.

 

[Omar Comin']

No idea who but according to a report out of NZ there were at least 4.

This article names 4 Otago ITM Cup players that have apparently signed with Singapore (Asia Pacific Dragons): Joketani Koroi, Sekonaia Pole, Naulia Dawai and Melani Matavao

https://www.odt.co.nz/sport/rugby/dunedin-premier-rugby/reduction-six-clubs-cards

It's pretty clear that Currie Cup, ITM Cup and NRC players (without Super Rugby contracts) will be a key target for these teams. GRR will finish before these competitions start so it will allow some semi-professional players to essentially be full time pros.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

This article names 4 Otago ITM Cup players that have apparently signed with Singapore (Asia Pacific Dragons): Joketani Koroi, Sekonaia Pole, Naulia Dawai and Melani Matavao

https://www.odt.co.nz/sport/rugby/dunedin-premier-rugby/reduction-six-clubs-cards

It's pretty clear that Currie Cup, ITM Cup and NRC players (without Super Rugby contracts) will be a key target for these teams. GRR will finish before these competitions start so it will allow some semi-professional players to essentially be full time pros.

Fairly certain that's the same article I read.

 

[Clavis Ruo]

Ah, ok. So its those Dragons again. Not really a Singapore team then. Just based there. It's like an invitation, Barbarians-style team.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Quite a disparity in standards i would say. For a viable comp they would need to pick teams of similar level. If Malaysia and Singapore are playing, then it would have to be the Western Force and Falcons' third grade team, Fiji's and Samoa's under-18s and HK's reserve team. Or Malaysia and Singapore would need to bring in tonnes of guest players.

Over on TWF a poster has mentioned that the Falcons will be based in Malaysia for the duration of the competition playing out of both KL and Borneo. They will also be supplemented by some of the local national team players and Borneo Eagles players. Apparently Luke McAllister is over their at present playing and is likely to join this team.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Ah, ok. So its those Dragons again. Not really a Singapore team then. Just based there. It's like an invitation, Barbarians-style team.

Was always going to be those Dragons. A purely Singaporean team would be utterly obliterated at this level. The goal should be to get these guys out there and building up the base from day one with the intent to develop more local representation down the line.