Waratahs 2016

[RugbyReg]

Two years it is, but he's going to play ITM first.

 

[Dazzling]

Two years it is, but he's going to play ITM first.

I wonder what is happening with Cameron Skelton. I remember Chieka being quoted as saying he was pursuing the younger Skelton to reunite him with his brother in the Waratahs second row in 2016. Given how much Will has developed his game under the tutelage of the Waratahs coaching crew it would be interesting to see if same worked on Cameron although it has always struck me that Will seemed to be the more driven of the two.

 

[Jagman]

I wonder if Cameron is still eligible for Aus after moving over seas. Does he have parents born here? If not 3 months in NZ and he has to start residency qualifications all over again like Speight.


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[qwerty51]

Wiki Will Skelton moved to Sydney when he was 10. No reason Cam wouldn't eligible too,

 

[Jagman]

Why is that he qualifies through 3 year residency which is spoiled by moving to NZ. Didn't a brumby prop from Ireland spend most of his childhood in Australia (ten years I think) came to Australia with an Aus passport and everything but had to qualify through 3 year residency again according to IRB. He didn't bother and went back, Murphy I think it was. Perhaps things have changed now though.


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[Pfitzy]

Cam Skelton is playing club rugby in Waikato at present.

 

[TOCC]

It would go against World Rugby rules I'm pretty sure. No club can right up a contract preventing a player from national representation. They can demand eligibility at the time of signing that's all. The French clubs would do this all the time otherwise.


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Not necessarily, the RUPA Collective Bargaining Agreement requires players to include a declaration of eligibility on signing their contracts, as we know all Australian Super Rugby players are also employees of the ARU and it's well within the rights of the ARU to terminate the contract of a players who is no longer eligible for the Wallabies/Sevens teams.

The ARU isn't restricting the release of international players, players are free to play for the Wallabies in line with their original declaration of eligibility signed on their contract.

If a player like Adam Byrnes opts to play for another country, then it will be up to the ARU as to whether they keep his contract or terminate it. The ARU also terminated the contract of Josh Afu a few years back after he played test rugby for Tonga.


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[qwerty51]

Ben Volavola to the Crusaders! Wow. Not a big loss and had to leave anyway after he declared he wants to play for Fiji.

 

[fatprop]

I wonder if Cameron is still eligible for Aus after moving over seas. Does he have parents born here? If not 3 months in NZ and he has to start residency qualifications all over again like Speight.


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Full Kiwis get quite a second class citizenry in Aus. It is quite hard for them to get the Aus passport, they can come work and live in Aus, but for the rest they line up

 

[fatprop]

Ben Volavola to the Crusaders! Wow. Not a big loss and had to leave anyway after he declared he wants to play for Fiji.

queue the standard posts next season that the Tahs let another one get away

good luck to the guy, his best spots are 15 & 10 and he has Wob starters in front of him who don't get injured, I hope he kills it

 

[RugbyReg]

queue the standard posts next season that the Tahs let another one get away

good luck to the guy, his best spots are 15 & 10 and he has Wob starters in front of him who don't get injured, I hope he kills it

well you were the first to mention it. Good for him for pursuing the Fiji option first and foremost.

 

[fatprop]

Iain Payten ‏@iainpayten 2m2 minutes ago
Waratahs have signed Blues prop Angus Ta'avao to replace Sekope Kepu. 125kg, 50 Super caps and is eligible for the Wallabies.
Details

Comment from PR on him from a Blues supporter

He's tremendous around the field, but hasn't been able to scrummage for shit here

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Wonder how Dismal Pillock will handle the news, knowing we're (as is Australia) stealing players out of his backyard. Handy to have another Wallabies eligible prop.

Fine! Take Sam Prattley too while yer at it! Theyve all been shit so far. Although knowing the Blues track record for talent identification Tauvao, Prattley and Ofa will probably all be world class props in 5 years time...... just not at the Blues. Jeez, i'm half expecting Liaki Moli the Wild Man of Borneo to run out for the Cantabs against us tomorrow afternoon and play like armageddon on fucking stilts

 

[Dctarget]

Don't know if I've missed anything here, but up till now I always thought that Israel Folau's future in rugby was still undecided. But reading and watching some of the media about the Wallabies' new jersey launch indicates pretty strongly that Israel is very close to announcing that he's staying in Aus for a few more years.

If this is true then it's fantastic news for the 'Tahs and the Wallabies.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Lindo, I think this is where you stand. Happy for others to provide updates: <snip>
Some of these last lads may have signed, however I just haven't captured it.

Contracted:

Hooker:
- Tatafu Polota-Nau (2016)
- Hugh Roach (2016)

Prop:
- Benn Robinson (2016)
- Paddy Ryan (2016)
- Angus Ta'avao (New ex Blues)

Lock:
- Dave Dennis (2017)
- Dean Mumm (2016)

Backrow:
- Jed Holloway (2017)
- Jack Dempsey (2017)
- Michael Hooper (2018)

Scrumhalf:
- Nick Phipps (2017)

Flyhalf:
-Bernard Foley (2018)

Centres
- Jim Stewart (2017)

Wing:
- Rob Horne (2017

Fullback:

Confirmed Leaving:
Sekope Kepu (prop)
Jacques Potgieter (backrow)
Wycliff Palu (No 8)
Brendan McKibbon (scrumhalf)
Adam Ashley-Cooper (centre)
Jono Lance (utility back)
Peter Betham (wing)
Taqele Naiyaravoro (wing)
Ben Volavola (Utility back) to Crusaders

Status unknown:
Kurtley Beale
Israel Folau
Jeremy Tilse
Matt Carraro
Mitch Chapman
Pat McCutcheon
Stephen Hoiles
Tala Gray
Tolu Latu
Will Skelton
Sam Louisi
Michael Alaatoa
Andrew Kellaway
Auvasa Faleali'i
David Horwitz
Thierry Marcial Kounga Kuate
Kotaro Matsushima


Hooper confirmed with the Tahs until 2018.
http://www.rugby.com.au/News/NewsAr...to-remain-in-Australian-Rugby-until-2018.aspx

Fixed in list above, from @RugbyReg..

 

[Pass it to Dunning!]

Here's my merciless clearing-house opinion. Of the ones that haven't been confirmed as signed yet, I'd want Folau, Skelton, Beale, Kellaway, Latu and Hoiles.

I wouldn't mind seeing Carraro re-signed, but I think he's a solid but unexceptional player. Louisi had potential so I wouldn't mind him getting a contract to see what happens.

Gray showed some real promise in the NRC but the fact he hasn't got any game time this year is pretty telling.

I think it's time to replace Tilse. He's a loyal club man, but I don't think that's enough to justify keeping him on. McCutcheon hasn't really been up to his pre-ankle break in 2012 form, and I don't think he's worth keeping, if I'm being harsh.

Chapman is technically good but his best days are behind him.

Alaatoa is a development player so he might be worth keeping. I also wouldn't mind Cameron Orr from West Harbour getting s look in.

Sam Lane from Manly might be good a replacement for Volavola, and I wonder if Matt Lucas might be worth re-signing to replace McKibbin.

 

[AussieDominance]

Lucas has apparently signed for an Italian club.

I wouldn't mind a young developmental prop replacing Tilse, Ala'alatoa would need to step up though.

Carraro and Chapman are good squad players and I would be happy to take them as 1 year options.

McCutcheon's time has come in my opinion and I wouldn't think another franchise would pick him up.

Gray is a good ball runner but we have seen so little of him it would purely be up to the coaching staff to assess if he has just been behind a number of forwards or he just hasn't been good enough.

Lousi surely would be kept on for another year although I am not sure if Chapman stays if he will play at all considering Mumm arrives.

 

[Hawko]

Here's my merciless clearing-house opinion. Of the ones that haven't been confirmed as signed yet, I'd want Folau, Skelton, Beale, Kellaway, Latu and Hoiles.

I wouldn't mind seeing Carraro re-signed, but I think he's a solid but unexceptional player. Louisi had potential so I wouldn't mind him getting a contract to see what happens.

Gray showed some real promise in the NRC but the fact he hasn't got any game time this year is pretty telling.

I think it's time to replace Tilse. He's a loyal club man, but I don't think that's enough to justify keeping him on. McCutcheon hasn't really been up to his pre-ankle break in 2012 form, and I don't think he's worth keeping, if I'm being harsh.

Chapman is technically good but his best days are behind him.

Alaatoa is a development player so he might be worth keeping. I also wouldn't mind Cameron Orr from West Harbour getting s look in.

Sam Lane from Manly might be good a replacement for Volavola, and I wonder if Matt Lucas might be worth re-signing to replace McKibbin.

There are some key positions that we need to think about:

1. LHP. I would give Tilse one more year. Ala'alatoa is not ready yet and we need to sign another up-and-coming LHP for the future. Fat Cat may decide to go OS, especially if he misses the cut for the WC so we need to be thinking hardest about 2017. Next year Fat Cat and Tilse will do.
2. Locks. Next year our starting locks should be Skelton and Mumm. To all those Mumm detractors I say "watch his play". The guy has a very good skillset and a huge engine and will complement Skelton very well. Dennis goes back to 6. Lousi to back up Skelton and any of the notters (Holloway, Dennis) to back up Mumm. So Chapman, despite his good contribution this year is not essential. Put him down as a maybe.
3. No. 8. With who we have, Cliffy is irreplaceable. Gray or Holloway are good, but nowhere near Palu. Maybe they'll go left field and try Lousi; he certainly has the potential from what I saw earlier in the year.
4. Faleali'i has potential but we definitely need another halfback coming through in case he doesn't make the grade. There's a huge shortage of good halfbacks in Oz so if you are half-decent you'll probably get a run. But who is the next NFJ?
5. Foley has had a dream run with injuries, especially given the amount of running he does in the 9/10 channel. Kurtley for mine is a 12/15 so we are down to Horwitz who is yet to prove himself. We need another good 10 up-and-comer, but who?
6. Wing. As the training set-up for the NH the Waratahs are dong a great job. Horne and Kellaway will be fine to start, but then the cupboard is pretty bare.

And here's a left-field thought that Qwerty might like: Move Folau to 13, Beale to 15 and Stewart to 12. When Beale was playing 15 his defence wasn't all that bad - he's got lots of rugby smarts (maybe not so many ordinary smarts) and from 15 he could do what he does for the team now at 12. Stewart is very green but he would have a lot of experience around him at 10,13 and 15. Sad to think that Lance's best chance to get a start may have been at the Tahs in 2016. Jonno often seems to move just as a spot is opening up for him. He would have been priceless for the Reds this year.
Any way you look at it, Gibson has a huge job to do with the number of departures coming up. 2016 could easily become a rebuilding year for 2017.

 

[Gillys_ghost]

So what's the deal with Naiyavoro? is he definitely gone, or if hes selected for the Wallabies is he staying? after his performance last night i hope we keep him. regarding wingers, Jerome Mckenzie would be a solid option and i dont think Tom Kingston has re-signed with the rebels yet, maybe you guys could get him back?

 

[GunnerDownUnder]

Apparently given his word he will play for Fiji
Going to Glasgow for sure according to SRU

Front rows have been raided in shute shield with Poreki the latest to be going
Tahs need to start signing up some of the younger players like Orr and developing them
Plenty of wingers going round that could fill in if need be such as the sevens guys if free or even Hooper or Grant or a random left field pick like Woolf
But Tahs will just shift players round to fill the backs roles if needed