New Zealand Rugby Team Watch

[waiopehu oldboy]

Steven Luatua appears to have just broken his wrist or lower forearm, was grabbing at it before he even hit the ground & they medicabbed him off.

Also (& yes I know it's only been 2 games & he's made a coupla fuckups) but how good could Akira Ioane be?

 

[ChargerWA]

Steven Luatua appears to have just broken his wrist or lower forearm, was grabbing at it before he even hit the ground & they medicabbed him off.

Also (& yes I know it's only been 2 games & he's made a coupla fuckups) but how good could Akira Ioane be?

I think we all enjoyed him stiff arming and then running around the outside of McCaw a few weeks back.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

"Perhaps you didn't hear me buddy... the kid has changed his mind..."

Seems to have worked:

"French media have reported that Clermont have agreed to release standout Highlanders wing Waisake Naholo from a two-year contract he signed before the current Super Rugby season."

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...-stay-with-highlanders-in-new-zealand--report

Cory Jane be very nervous right now.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Jane looked like a dad out there last night. A dad having a run around 2 grades up too high for him. Weak and ineffectual, especially compared to the young stud Skudds & Saveas. Nice hair though.

Hosea Gear went shockingly well.

Being back in Welly must've awakened his dormant jailbreak murder gene.

Back in business.

 

[Dan54]

Think Jane is one of best thinking wingers around, does great stuff in defensive reads etc at times, but probably needs to do a touch more in attack I think. Not sure if Naholo will be gambled on in WC year, but sure looks likely for next year or so.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Can't say I'm comfortable with NZRU facilitating a player reneging on a contract, pretty sure Tew would be spewing if the roles were reversed. Also hope the kid doesn't end up like Kupu Vanisi, given a Test cap just so he couldn't head overseas & qualify for someone else.

Cory Jane's future, I think, depends on Piutau's: if Piutau is 100%, Hansen & Co. will pick him irrespective that he's departing. If Piuatau's not up to it then Jane is next man picked IMO, can't see them taking a punt on Milner-Skudder just yet.

Another option, of course, is to take Dagg & have Smith on the wing but only a cyclopian Cantab would dare suggest it

 

[Dan54]

Um WOB, Naholo can't play for anyone else anyway, he's played 7s for NZ. I have no probs with NZRU or ARU or whoever trying to help pleyers out of contracts if it keeps them at home. F##k the NH clubs throwing their money around, lets fight back!!

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Um WOB, Naholo can't play for anyone else anyway, he's played 7s for NZ. I have no probs with NZRU or ARU or whoever trying to help pleyers out of contracts if it keeps them at home. F##k the NH clubs throwing their money around, lets fight back!!

Aren't the Junior All Blacks still officially our 2nd team despite not having played for a coupla years now? And call me old fashioned but whereas a man's word may no longer be his bond, his signature on a contract that's been perused by him & his advisor(s)/ agent(s) should be. No exceptions. Ever.

 

[Dan54]

Not sure about Juniors WOB, just recall reading that if you play 7s for a country, that ties you to said country as far as international duties go. Hell then I could be wrong, I was once before (though that was my wife's fault)!

Yep up to a point I agree about contracts etc, but contracts that have as many out clauses etc as players ones, I bet if he arrived with an injury etc he would of found no contract, or if he played real crap he would find said contract sold of to a lesser club pretty quick. Mate even old dinasours like yours truly no longer have faith in those bits of paper.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Brodie Retallick & Julian Savea on the verge of signing four-year contracts:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...o-resign-with-nz-rugby-for-another-four-years

Unusual to see such long-term contracts these days, one or two years seems to be the norm, but provided they both stay healthy then it's a good move by NZRU to tie up these future greats through to RWC 2019.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

If Carter and Mccaw play like they did last night vs NSW in the upcoming TRiNations+1 then I would fully expect them to abdicate for the greater good. AND ALL OF NZ WILL BE WATCHING THEM LIKE MOTHERFUCKING HAWKS. A secession of ground, an owning, a non-advancement of The Cause and thats it. Time. Bring on Cane, Slade, Barrett, whoever. Who cares if the RWC is only 4 months away. Mils was dropped right on the eve of the first fucking game in 011 wasnt he? They know the score. Let's see if they can walk the talk of this "caretakers of the jersey" carry-on or its just weepy PR bollocks.

 

[da_grubster]

Mccaw I nailed on. They can't go back on him now surely?

Wouldn't mind seeing cane for 50 minutes and mccaw to close games out?

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

OK, so D-day for naming our RWC 31 appears to be September 7. I'm thinking our squad will need to comprise:

5 x prop
3 x hooker
4 x lock
2 x open side
4 x 6/8
3 x halfback
2 x 5/8
4 x midfield
4 x wing/ fullback

There'll be some cross-over between 5/8, midfield & wing/ fullback, & to a lesser extent lock & 6/8 but I think that's a good blueprint. Gonna have to ruthless in filling some've the spots, though, & take a coupla punts on filling others esp. hooker & lock.

Above all weve gotta attend to the fundamentals (1st phase, goal kicking options, tactical kicking options) rather than just trying to find a spot for as many good players as possible by playing some of them out of position, and accept that some seriously good players are gonna miss out & some guys who no-one will remember in 5 years' time are gonna take their places.

 

[qwerty51]

Did you find Sept 7 anywhere? I thought it was Aug 31.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

PlanetRugby about a month ago. Obviously they'll come out at intervals in the week(s) prior so that.

 

[Dan54]

Good to read that Savea (the older) and Retallic have signed with NZRU to 2019!! Happy days getting some long term signings.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Conversation-starter AB 31 for RWC:

Prop: Crockett, O Franks, B Franks, Faumuina, 1 other (Toomaga-Allen or Moody)
Hooker: Coles, Elliott, 1 other (Coltman or Parsons: please not Mealamu, he's done)
Lock: Retallick, Whitelock, Tuipolotu, 1 other (Thrush or Romano)
7: Cane, McCaw (c)
6/8: Read, Kaino, Messam, 1 other (Shields or Luatua)
9: A Smith, Perenara, Pulu
10: Barrett, Carter, Slade
Midfield: C Smith, Nonu, Fekitoa, 1 other (SBW if fit, then Crotty if fit, then pick another wing/ fullback)
Wing/ fullback: B Smith, Savea, 2 others (Piutau &/or Dagg if fit, otherwise Lowe &/or Jane)

 

[Dan54]

Think the other prop will be Woodcock, if not Moody
Mealamu will be there
Tuipolotu probably won't go with injuries he's got so Romano not sure they'll take 4 locks if they do wouldn't mind either Thrush or Broadhurst
Luatua will probably go as 6-8 who can cover lock
Think Jane will go as will perhaps Milner-Skudder who can cover wing/FB, and also plays on left wing.

 

[qwerty51]

PlanetRugby about a month ago. Obviously they'll come out at intervals in the week(s) prior so that.

Foxsports reporting Aug 31 too.

WALLABIES coach Michael Cheika has until August 31 to submit his 31-man squad for the September 18-October 31 World Cup in England.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Also (& yes I know it's only been 2 games & he's made a coupla fuckups) but how good could Akira Ioane be?

the Ioane kid would never have been sighted if Kaino didnt go down? how wild would it be if he just turned up out of nowhere and usurped all the expected future AB loosies, the Savea's, the Todd's, the Shields. He looks that goddamn good. Just a kid and he's making yards every time, doing plenty of shitwork and outpacing outside backs for tries in the corner.

Tuipulotu ditto, might not have got his shot if some other Blues lug didnt get injured.

Please do not tell me there are more freaks like this running around unknown in Auckland club rugby while the Blues locking engine room is staffed by Triggs, Beknuts and Wayne Gunston.