• Welcome to the Green and Gold Rugby forums. As you can see we've upgraded the forums to new software. Your old logon details should work, just click the 'Login' button in the top right.

New Zealand Rugby Team Watch

Braveheart81

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
waiopehu oldboy said:
Ryan Crotty
Sonny Bill Williams
TJ Perenara
Kieran Read (!)
Dane Coles
Ben Smith
Nehe Milner-Skudder
Click to expand...


TJ is the name that sticks out on that list most. His star is rising and he could easily force his way to being the starting 9 by the RWC. He's also only 26. I would say there's some chance he's a future All Blacks captain.

SBW is a reasonable one to name. He is 33 and has missed more rugby through injury than he's played and there are solid arguments that he's no longer the best player in his position.

Crotty, Read and Coles are all injury risks but will be there for sure if they're healthy.
 
Derpus

Derpus

George Gregan (70)
Braveheart81 said:
TJ is the name that sticks out on that list most. His star is rising and he could easily force his way to being the starting 9 by the RWC. He's also only 26. I would say there's some chance he's a future All Blacks captain.

SBW is a reasonable one to name. He is 33 and has missed more rugby through injury than he's played and there are solid arguments that he's no longer the best player in his position.

Crotty, Read and Coles are all injury risks but will be there for sure if they're healthy.
Click to expand...
I don't think he will displace Aaron Smith because he's not as good n that. Plus A.Smith is still only 29 so he's got at least a few years left.

Also, how often do 9s captain? Figure you usually want your captain on for the full 80.
 
Braveheart81

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
Derpus said:
I don't think he will displace Aaron Smith because he's not as good n that. Plus A.Smith is still only 29 so he's got at least a few years left.

Also, how often do 9s captain? Figure you usually want your captain on for the full 80.
Click to expand...


I don't think he'll be a long term captain, more that I tend to think he'll be in the team and a senior player for a considerable time and could be a good chance to captain them for a test or so (like Cane, Whitelock and Ben Smith have done in the time that Read has been captain).

I think if you were picking on form he would have displaced Smith from starting last year and should start this year. I agree with you that Smith will probably start though.
 
waiopehu oldboy

waiopehu oldboy

Stirling Mortlock (74)
Braveheart81 said:
TJ is the name that sticks out on that list most. His star is rising and he could easily force his way to being the starting 9 by the RWC. He's also only 26. I would say there's some chance he's a future All Blacks captain.

SBW is a reasonable one to name. He is 33 and has missed more rugby through injury than he's played and there are solid arguments that he's no longer the best player in his position.

Crotty, Read and Coles are all injury risks but will be there for sure if they're healthy.
Click to expand...

See, that's the kinda piece Rattue coulda written if he weren't such an out&out hack :)

As in 2015, I think provided SBW can get himself to the plane he'll be on it. Word is they like his calming influence on the young'uns & even if he's no longer guaranteed a place in the 23 come the business end of things they'll take him anyway.
 
Dan54

Dan54

Tim Horan (67)
waiopehu oldboy said:
Riewoldt Ioane is reportedly about to sign a five-year contract worth $1Mn+ p.a.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...tions-no-distraction-for-dialledin-all-blacks

I can understand them wanting to lock him in long-term, but five years is a very, very long time in terms of an AB winger's career - just ask JSav.
Click to expand...

Just reading that WOB, I not too keen on 5 year contracts, though I know he only be about 26-7 when it finishes I worry a little if things go wrong! Still I can understand the need to lock him away from NH paychecks, because he probably be close to highest prizes contract to get I think.
 
zer0

zer0

Jim Lenehan (48)
Five years certainly is a long time, but he is 21. Five years would bring him up to 26, which is the typical expiration date for strike wingers. I imagine he'll try and transition into the midfield post-2019. Certainly will do for the Blues, and will aim to be a legitimate midfield option at test level. If he makes it, then he could hang around longer (the Umaga route). If he doesn't, then he'll head off to the NH.

Alternatively any NH side wanting him post-2019 would be staring down a hefty transfer fee.
 
Dan54

Dan54

Tim Horan (67)
zer0 said:
Five years certainly is a long time, but he is 21. Five years would bring him up to 26, which is the typical expiration date for strike wingers. I imagine he'll try and transition into the midfield post-2019. Certainly will do for the Blues, and will aim to be a legitimate midfield option at test level. If he makes it, then he could hang around longer (the Umaga route). If he doesn't, then he'll head off to the NH.

Alternatively any NH side wanting him post-2019 would be staring down a hefty transfer fee.
Click to expand...

I agree zer0, it is generally assumed he will play 13 eventually, is his preferred position, will be interesting to see what Goodhue and ALB have to say about it!!
 
Braveheart81

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
Here's Hurricanes best and fairest, Ben Lam.

DkdCb32UwAAzg-s.jpg:large


Looks like he ordered his outfit from one of Dismal Pillock's Gunston fashion catalogues.
 
Dismal Pillock

Dismal Pillock

Simon Poidevin (60)
Sean Fitzpatrick's (pro era) All Blacks XV:
15. Christian Cullen, 14. Ben Smith, 13. Conrad Smith, 12. Ma'a Nonu, 11. Jonah Lomu, 10. Dan Carter, 9. Aaron Smith, 8. Zinzan Brooke, 7. Richie McCaw, 6. Michael Jones, 5. Sam Whitelock, 4. Brodie Retallick, 3.Olo Brown, 2. Dane Coles, 1. Tony Woodcock.​
Click to expand...
hard to argue with.

Fitzy was a legend but Coles skillset at hooker is just another dimension

Might go Rokocoko instead of BFA, he was dynamite on ice for a few years there
 
waiopehu oldboy

waiopehu oldboy

Stirling Mortlock (74)
Dismal Pillock said:
hard to argue with.

Fitzy was a legend but Coles skillset at hooker is just another dimension

Might go Rokocoko instead of BFA, he was dynamite on ice for a few years there
Click to expand...

I'm comfortable with Bender at 14 & obviously Fitzy can't pick himself. Only close call imo is Brooke v Read & Zinny wins just for kicking that 50m droppie at Loftus or wherever then casually jogging back like it wasn't that big of a deal. If you watch the Bokke in the background, though, it just gutted them. May have even shut the crowd up iirc.

Re: only three CruSadists, look at who's picking the team. Sheesh, I'm surprised he didn't have Carlos in there :)
 
waiopehu oldboy

waiopehu oldboy

Stirling Mortlock (74)
I've used this thread (& others :)) a few times to rant about the ridiculous amount of time it's taking for Christchurch to get a new stadium so I should probably give some credit where it's due:

https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/poli...er-from-councils-plans-for-government-funding

TLDR: Gov't is giving Christchurch City Council $300Mn to spend pretty much as it sees fit & on Thursday they'll likely commit $220Mn of it to a 30K-seat covered stadium, taking total funding to $473Mn. Should be completed by 2023 or thereabouts so a mere 12 years after Lancaster Park got munted.
 
waiopehu oldboy

waiopehu oldboy

Stirling Mortlock (74)
Christchurch City Council have published coatings of three options for the new stadium:

Option 1 is a stadium with covered seats only, estimated to cost about $385m

Option 2 is a stadium with a transparent ETFE plastic roof similar to that at Dunedin's Forsyth Barr stadium, estimated to cost about $470m

Option 3 is a stadium with a solid roof, concrete floor and retractable turf (so grass could grow outside), estimated to cost about $561m.

All for 25K permanent & 5K temp seating.

Given the funding already & shortly to be announced Option 2 looks most likely & happens to be the recommended/ preferred Option. That decision isn't due until November.

https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/poli...hurch-stadium-options-range-from-384m-to-561m

We've an election due in 2020 so the project needs to be sufficiently advanced that no incoming National-led coalition can kill it (with the exception of a handful suburbs Christchurch is a Labour town which IMO is one of the reasons the previous National-led coalition did such a shit job of the reconstruction inc putting the Minister of Wine & Cheese in charge of it).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top