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Rugby News from unexpected places

amirite

Chilla Wilson (44)
Couldn't work out where to post this, but this seems like the best place.

So Cooper Vuna has been named as the 23rd man for Tonga this weekend against Italy. Seeing as there's definitely not another Cooper Vuna running around, this must be the former Rebel and Wallaby.

A quick google has told me he was pursuing that opportunity to change nations that was offered by the Olympic 7s, but it's not clear what happened or if he was successful by what's written online (obviously Tonga didn't play in the Olympics anyway).

What MUST have happened, is Cooper qualified for Tonga. Which means he's the only example I can think of that actually benefitted from that pathway, which people worried would cause a frenzy.

Interesting stuff. Wish there was more of this, even if the conversion rules were relatively strict it would make test football far deeper, and not just for the Pacific Islands.
 

Highlander35

Andrew Slack (58)
Vuna played in the Repêchage in Monaco amirite, for the non-core members, you just had to play in one qualifying tournament, either the regional one or the Repêchage.

Whatsisface, the Chiefs centre with the double barreled surname that played NZ 7s switched to Samoa as well, he played at the world cup IIRC.

EDIT: Tim Nanai-Williams
 

amirite

Chilla Wilson (44)
Vuna played in the Repêchage in Monaco amirite, for the non-core members, you just had to play in one qualifying tournament, either the regional one or the Repêchage.

Whatsisface, the Chiefs centre with the double barreled surname that played NZ 7s switched to Samoa as well, he played at the world cup IIRC.

EDIT: Tim Nanai-Williams

That's interesting. I thought TNW had been playing for Samoa for a few years but you're absolutely right.

He's a bloody good footballer, I don't know why NZ saw value in Milner-Skudder and not him. At their best they offer a similar skill set.
 

stoff

Bill McLean (32)

Good story but they should replace "incredible act of sportsmanship" with "typical display of rugby ethos", although I'm sure there wouldn't be too many sports where a version of this wouldn't happen, albeit without a neatly ingrained term for it. For instance I imagine the competitors at a tractor pull would be all over this sort of thing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

amirite

Chilla Wilson (44)
Hey guys, not a perfect fit for this thread but the 2017 Sunwolves squad has been announced...

Forwards: Keita Inagaki, Masataka Mikami, Koki Yamamoto, Takeshi Kizu, Takeshi Hino, Shota Horie, Takuma Asahara, Heiichiro Ito, Koo Jiwon, Hitoshi Ono, Kyosuke Kajikawa, Shinya Makabe, Liaki Moli, Willie Britz, Edward Quirk, Uwe Helu, Yoshitaka Tokunaga, Shuhei Matsuhashi, Malgene Ilaua, Yuhimaru Mimura
Backs: Keisuke Uchida, Takahiro Ogawa, Fumiaki Tanaka, Kaito Shigeno, Yuki Yatomi, Harumichi Tatekawa, Hikaru Tamura, Yu Tamura, Hayden Cripps, Teruya Goto, Kenki Fukuoka, Timothy Lafaele, Derek Carpenter, Yasutaka Sasakura, Kotaro Matsushima, Riaan Viljoen

Notable additions include:
  • Fumiaki Tanaka - arguably the finest player Japan has produced and probably a top 10 halfback in the world.
  • Willie Britz - a handy South African back rower. Potential to quality for Japan.
  • Hayden Cripps - a handy Kiwi utility back. Potential to quality for Japan.
  • Kotaro Matsushima - ex-Melbourne Rebels outside back.
Notable losses:
  • Akihito Yamada - their star winger from last year. Family reasons cited.
Sidebar - where is that dominant winger from the U20 world cup? He was handy.
All in all an improved squad, probably still will come somewhere close to last but all you can ask for is progress.
 

WorkingClassRugger

David Codey (61)
Hey guys, not a perfect fit for this thread but the 2017 Sunwolves squad has been announced.

Forwards: Keita Inagaki, Masataka Mikami, Koki Yamamoto, Takeshi Kizu, Takeshi Hino, Shota Horie, Takuma Asahara, Heiichiro Ito, Koo Jiwon, Hitoshi Ono, Kyosuke Kajikawa, Shinya Makabe, Liaki Moli, Willie Britz, Edward Quirk, Uwe Helu, Yoshitaka Tokunaga, Shuhei Matsuhashi, Malgene Ilaua, Yuhimaru Mimura
Backs: Keisuke Uchida, Takahiro Ogawa, Fumiaki Tanaka, Kaito Shigeno, Yuki Yatomi, Harumichi Tatekawa, Hikaru Tamura, Yu Tamura, Hayden Cripps, Teruya Goto, Kenki Fukuoka, Timothy Lafaele, Derek Carpenter, Yasutaka Sasakura, Kotaro Matsushima, Riaan Viljoen

Notable additions include:
  • Fumiaki Tanaka - arguably the finest player Japan has produced and probably a top 10 halfback in the world.
  • Willie Britz - a handy South African back rower. Potential to quality for Japan.
  • Hayden Cripps - a handy Kiwi utility back. Potential to quality for Japan.
  • Kotaro Matsushima - ex-Melbourne Rebels outside back.
Notable losses:

  • Akihito Yamada - their star winger from last year. Family reasons cited.
Sidebar - where is that dominant winger from the U20 world cup? He was handy.

All in all an improved squad, probably still will come somewhere close to last but all you can ask for is progress.


Apparently Yamada is weighing up several offers from Europe and the US. His wife is actually American and that's where the family reasons are coming from. So he might be popping up in PRO Rugby.

You also overlooked Andrew Duralto. The Eagles no.6/7. I thought he equipped himself very well last season but hasn't been re-signed. Again, hopefully we'll see him in PRO next season.
 

WorkingClassRugger

David Codey (61)
Hey guys, not a perfect fit for this thread but the 2017 Sunwolves squad has been announced.

Forwards: Keita Inagaki, Masataka Mikami, Koki Yamamoto, Takeshi Kizu, Takeshi Hino, Shota Horie, Takuma Asahara, Heiichiro Ito, Koo Jiwon, Hitoshi Ono, Kyosuke Kajikawa, Shinya Makabe, Liaki Moli, Willie Britz, Edward Quirk, Uwe Helu, Yoshitaka Tokunaga, Shuhei Matsuhashi, Malgene Ilaua, Yuhimaru Mimura
Backs: Keisuke Uchida, Takahiro Ogawa, Fumiaki Tanaka, Kaito Shigeno, Yuki Yatomi, Harumichi Tatekawa, Hikaru Tamura, Yu Tamura, Hayden Cripps, Teruya Goto, Kenki Fukuoka, Timothy Lafaele, Derek Carpenter, Yasutaka Sasakura, Kotaro Matsushima, Riaan Viljoen

Notable additions include:
  • Fumiaki Tanaka - arguably the finest player Japan has produced and probably a top 10 halfback in the world.
  • Willie Britz - a handy South African back rower. Potential to quality for Japan.
  • Hayden Cripps - a handy Kiwi utility back. Potential to quality for Japan.
  • Kotaro Matsushima - ex-Melbourne Rebels outside back.
Notable losses:
  • Akihito Yamada - their star winger from last year. Family reasons cited.
Sidebar - where is that dominant winger from the U20 world cup? He was handy.
All in all an improved squad, probably still will come somewhere close to last but all you can ask for is progress.

The U20s winger you're referring to is stillvat Uni and looks to optimg to finish his studies first.
 

Mr Wobbly

Alan Cameron (40)
Apparently Yamada is weighing up several offers from Europe and the US. His wife is actually American and that's where the family reasons are coming from. So he might be popping up in PRO Rugby.

You also overlooked Andrew Duralto. The Eagles no.6/7. I thought he equipped himself very well last season but hasn't been re-signed. Again, hopefully we'll see him in PRO next season.
Duralto is currently playing 7s for the US.
 

neilc

Bob Loudon (25)
He's their biggest loss.

Tatekawa is a better 12 than a 10, Tamura is alright but not in the same class as Pisi, Cripps is also listed as a 10 - don't know anything about him.

Cripps is an ex Wellington and Tasman Mitre 10 Cup #10, was part of Hurricanes development squad at some stage and appears to have been playing for the Tokyo Gas team in the Japanese comp for the past couple of seasons.
 

Mr Wobbly

Alan Cameron (40)
Cripps is an ex Wellington and Tasman Mitre 10 Cup #10, was part of Hurricanes development squad at some stage and appears to have been playing for the Tokyo Gas team in the Japanese comp for the past couple of seasons.
Thanks for that.

Super Rugby is going to be a bit of a step up for him then. Tokyo Gas aren't even in the Top League, they're the next level down. He wouldn't be getting much competition week to week.
 

neilc

Bob Loudon (25)
Thanks for that.

Super Rugby is going to be a bit of a step up for him then. Tokyo Gas aren't even in the Top League, they're the next level down. He wouldn't be getting much competition week to week.

I thought that Tokyo Gas was a club I hadn't heard of before so that explains why. Yes it will be a step up but he was considered a pretty decent talent a few years back at Tasman apparently, just whether he can make that step up is the question, only one way to find out.

I hope that the Sunwolves can really perform this year - last season was a really rushed setup so this year they should have more preparation time.
 

WorkingClassRugger

David Codey (61)
I thought that Tokyo Gas was a club I hadn't heard of before so that explains why. Yes it will be a step up but he was considered a pretty decent talent a few years back at Tasman apparently, just whether he can make that step up is the question, only one way to find out.

I hope that the Sunwolves can really perform this year - last season was a really rushed setup so this year they should have more preparation time.


Well, Marty Banks was able to make the jump after playing Russia. Cripps should be able to do similar.
 
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