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New Zealand Rugby Team Watch

waiopehu oldboy

waiopehu oldboy

Stirling Mortlock (74)
Last night on The Breakdown Sir JK advocated throwing lots of money at Cruden for him to sign for next year (apparently he's poised to quit France for Scotland, taking a big pay cut in the process) then bending the no overseas-based players policy as a solution to the 5/8 issue. After initially rolling his eyes big time Ali Williams allowed that it wasn't completely insane IF he (or someone else e.g. Sopoaga or Tom Taylor (!)) were back in time to get some Super Rugby under their belt pre-RWC.

Myself I think they'll add someone like Black to the RC/ Tonga squad but only take two 5/8's to Japan with Black or whoever being on standby in case Beaugan or Mo'unga fall over. Shame we don't have a Jon Preston/ Piri Weepu-type player who covers 9 & 10 (I know TJP ended up at 10 for the 'canes recently but don't think you'd want to start him there even v Namibia).
 
Strewthcobber

Strewthcobber

Mark Ella (57)
waiopehu oldboy said:
There's good news & bad news on NZR's financial front:

* lost $1.9Mn last year which is clearly not good;
* budgeted to lose $3.3Mn last year so I guess you'd have to call that good;
* projecting total losses of $30Mn over the next five years hence their enthusiasm for World League or whatever it's being called now.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...erthanexpected-19m-loss-but-30m-deficit-looms
Click to expand...
Sounds like they need to get a hatchet man in to make the hard decisions and reign those out of control costs

Bill-Pulver-415x285.jpg
 
Dan54

Dan54

Tim Horan (67)
waiopehu oldboy said:
Another "SBW in shock return to Loig" story:

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12223819

By my reckoning that's three in about a month. Someone needs to tell the Hurld's sports writers that a Club or Club owner saying they'd quite like SBW on their roster doesn't actually constitute a "shock return to Loig" quite as much as signing a contract would.
Click to expand...

Actually WOB was reading a quite interesting article in Rugby News the other day about so called journalism, and how so much of it is click bait to compete with social media, and how so many misinformed or partial stories come out because of it. I do get quite amused how many people quote newspaper articles in their arguments etc!
 
zer0

zer0

Jim Lenehan (48)
If it means knocking Brett Cameron one spot down the pecking order then I'm all for it. Other methods to drive him down the order include, but are not limited to:
  • Buying a pair of second hand boots for Fox and/or Foster to lace up
  • Converting Nonu to a first five
  • Poaching some random Japanese player from the nearest club at hand
  • Outsourcing to Gunston & Co Player Provisioning Solutions
 
S

Show-n-go

Guest
waiopehu oldboy said:
John Hart's nominee for third 10 does have some advantages such as currently playing Super Rugby & not in rehab from neck surgery:

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=12224450

Would require the stretching of some protocols but not the dumbest thing I've ever heard.
Click to expand...

Like the article suggests just sign him for mitre 10 or super rugby for next year and he should be good to go. Probably works in their favour the Sunwolves have been cut and don’t know what’s on the cards for next year
 
Brumby Runner

Brumby Runner

David Wilson (68)
Show-n-go said:
Like the article suggests just sign him for mitre 10 or super rugby for next year and he should be good to go. Probably works in their favour the Sunwolves have been cut and don’t know what’s on the cards for next year
Click to expand...

A couple of observations. The provision for selecting players in the test side who have signed for the following year in Super Rugby is just an Aussie situation. As I understand it, other nations have the right and discretion to make their own rules about who to select. Note SA have done away with all restrictions on overseas players being available for the Boks.

The Sunwolves have been cut from 2021. They will still be in Super Rugby next year.
 
waiopehu oldboy

waiopehu oldboy

Stirling Mortlock (74)
^ has to have a "current" Super Rugby contract so the sneaky move would be to sign him to Super Rugby from 2021, but M10 Cup from this year. Kinda worked that way for SBW & The Luke although with them it was ITM Cup this year + Super Rugby next year = available for AB selection. Not that I think it'll happen, but.
 
waiopehu oldboy

waiopehu oldboy

Stirling Mortlock (74)
^ by my reckoning, of the "still to re-sign" players I listed on 1 April (post #1401), those still in that category are:

Lurch
Goodhue
Beaugan
JBar
SBW (who probably won't)
TTT
Hames
Frizell
Todd
Romano

In the interim they've re-signed Coltman, Harris & now RM so, yep, I also reckon they're doing OK.

That said they've yet to nail down SamW on his one-year option which they'll be wanting to do asap esp if the only way to keep Lurch is to let him take a sabbatical in Japan (on which subject I note the mooted back-to-back Top League seasons are now not going to happen which may make retaining Lurch & others just that little bit easier).

EDIT: re: RM re-signing, am I allowed a little "FUCK YEAH!"? :)
 
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