Crusaders 2026
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@SouthernMann said in Crusaders 2026:
@KiwiMurph said in Crusaders 2026:
@SouthernMann said in Crusaders 2026:
@Grooter said in Crusaders 2026:
Oli Mathis signing should be dropping soon look out for that.
But he is ours! The Chiefs fans with their five All Black loosies will grumble.
Kid will be guaranteed a spot in the Crusaders 23. Smart move.
Guaranteed a spot? Don't Crusaders have both Tom Christie and Corey Kellow?
Of course he will be. Kid is will quickly surpass those lads.
Hopefully this comes back to bite me in the years to come, but I don't think he will. He is a magnificent athlete playing the wrong position, but what his right position is, I don't know. He reminds me of Eric Rush.
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@Crazy-Horse said in Crusaders 2026:
@SouthernMann said in Crusaders 2026:
@KiwiMurph said in Crusaders 2026:
@SouthernMann said in Crusaders 2026:
@Grooter said in Crusaders 2026:
Oli Mathis signing should be dropping soon look out for that.
But he is ours! The Chiefs fans with their five All Black loosies will grumble.
Kid will be guaranteed a spot in the Crusaders 23. Smart move.
Guaranteed a spot? Don't Crusaders have both Tom Christie and Corey Kellow?
Of course he will be. Kid is will quickly surpass those lads.
Hopefully this comes back to bite me in the years to come, but I don't think he will. He is a magnificent athlete playing the wrong position, but what his right position is, I don't know. He reminds me of Eric Rush.
Yeah, sort of agree, he'll make a great super player, and be particularly useful off the bench, but seems a bit under sized at 7, and perhaps not quite dynamic enough at outside backs. Will be happy to be wrong, since he's currently one of my favourite young players.
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@Crazy-Horse said in Crusaders 2026:
Hopefully this comes back to bite me in the years to come, but I don't think he will. He is a magnificent athlete playing the wrong position, but what his right position is, I don't know. He reminds me of Eric Rush.
I find it a bit of a strange signing (if true) for this reason: he doesn't strike me as a Crusader loose forward at all. Johnny Lee, on the other hand, looks like he was built specifically for playing for the Crusaders.
So, like you, I don't really know what the plan is here. Both from the Crusaders' perspective as well as that of Mathis. With Savea playing openside at Test level, there's a clear demand for dynamic flankers who have excellent game understanding and the ability to anticipate line breaks and breakdowns. But I'm not sure Mathis will be given that kind of 'freedom' at the Crusaders. Or maybe the Crusaders are trying to get with the times as well?
Should be interesting to see how it plays out.
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@Mauss said in Crusaders 2026:
@Crazy-Horse said in Crusaders 2026:
Hopefully this comes back to bite me in the years to come, but I don't think he will. He is a magnificent athlete playing the wrong position, but what his right position is, I don't know. He reminds me of Eric Rush.
I find it a bit of a strange signing (if true) for this reason: he doesn't strike me as a Crusader loose forward at all. Johnny Lee, on the other hand, looks like he was built specifically for playing for the Crusaders.
So, like you, I don't really know what the plan is here. Both from the Crusaders' perspective as well as that of Mathis. With Savea playing openside at Test level, there's a clear demand for dynamic flankers who have excellent game understanding and the ability to anticipate line breaks and breakdowns. But I'm not sure Mathis will be given that kind of 'freedom' at the Crusaders. Or maybe the Crusaders are trying to get with the times as well?
Should be interesting to see how it plays out.
It could be Mathis is the perfect 7 for under the new roof at the new staduim.
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@Mauss said in Crusaders 2026:
@Crazy-Horse said in Crusaders 2026:
Hopefully this comes back to bite me in the years to come, but I don't think he will. He is a magnificent athlete playing the wrong position, but what his right position is, I don't know. He reminds me of Eric Rush.
I find it a bit of a strange signing (if true) for this reason: he doesn't strike me as a Crusader loose forward at all. Johnny Lee, on the other hand, looks like he was built specifically for playing for the Crusaders.
So, like you, I don't really know what the plan is here. Both from the Crusaders' perspective as well as that of Mathis. With Savea playing openside at Test level, there's a clear demand for dynamic flankers who have excellent game understanding and the ability to anticipate line breaks and breakdowns. But I'm not sure Mathis will be given that kind of 'freedom' at the Crusaders. Or maybe the Crusaders are trying to get with the times as well?
Should be interesting to see how it plays out.
By the same token, he seems like a very crusaderish wing.
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@Bones said in Crusaders 2026:
@Mauss said in Crusaders 2026:
@Crazy-Horse said in Crusaders 2026:
Hopefully this comes back to bite me in the years to come, but I don't think he will. He is a magnificent athlete playing the wrong position, but what his right position is, I don't know. He reminds me of Eric Rush.
I find it a bit of a strange signing (if true) for this reason: he doesn't strike me as a Crusader loose forward at all. Johnny Lee, on the other hand, looks like he was built specifically for playing for the Crusaders.
So, like you, I don't really know what the plan is here. Both from the Crusaders' perspective as well as that of Mathis. With Savea playing openside at Test level, there's a clear demand for dynamic flankers who have excellent game understanding and the ability to anticipate line breaks and breakdowns. But I'm not sure Mathis will be given that kind of 'freedom' at the Crusaders. Or maybe the Crusaders are trying to get with the times as well?
Should be interesting to see how it plays out.
By the same token, he seems like a very crusaderish wing.
Next George Bridge.
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@Mr-Fish said in Crusaders 2026:
About to be announced that Richie Mo'unga is back for 2027.
Well that's just perfect.
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@antipodean A lot of fans will be feeling a bit jaded about that. By the time he has returned we may well have a few very good 10s at the Crusaders. In fact it is pretty fair to say we are tracking pretty well in that direction.
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It'll be interesting to see how he slots back in
RM used to share a lot of the game management with DH. He wouldn't be at first receiver that often and would sit out the back looking for a mismatch and then use his pace
There's a question over whether DH still starts regularly in 2 years time. In behind him, I see a lot of inside centres as opposed to to 2nd 5s
Then theres the question of RM acceleration. So much of his game was based around the initial speed. Is it still there at 32/33?
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@Duluth said in Crusaders 2026:
It'll be interesting to see how he slots back in
RM used to share a lot of the game management with DH. He wouldn't be at first receiver that often and would sit out the back looking for a mismatch and then use his pace
There's a question over whether DH still starts regularly in 2 years time. In behind him, I see a lot of inside centres as opposed to to 2nd 5s
Then theres the question of RM acceleration. So much of his game was based around the initial speed. Is it still there at 32/33?
Yeah the pace thing makes me wonder as well.
I am not sure it actually does any favours for the Crusaders,another year under the belt of Reihana and Kemera and they will be entrenched as 1 & 2 if they keep developing through 2026.
And there is the question of who takes the 3rd First Five spot for 2026 they then could be on a hiding to nothing and have to make way for RM,Is RM only coming back for 1 year that would be disruptive imo. -
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@SBW1 said in Crusaders 2026:
I am assuming there has already been an announcement. Is there still any likelihood he come back earlier and that this is a smokescreen? It is leaving it a bit late.
No back in July 2026
Play NPC for Canterbury 2026
All Black EOYT 2026
Crusaders 2027
then ABs to WC 2027
That would be the plan,I guess we see how that turns out. -
@Chris said in Crusaders 2026:
Play NPC for Canterbury 2026
if you believe this then i have a bridge to sell you.
The AB coaches didn't woo him back to play park rugby during the RC. He might play one game to keep the fish heads happy and then he'll be in the test 23
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@mariner4life said in Crusaders 2026:
@Chris said in Crusaders 2026:
Play NPC for Canterbury 2026
if you believe this then i have a bridge to sell you.
The AB coaches didn't woo him back to play park rugby during the RC. He might play one game to keep the fish heads happy and then he'll be in the test 23
We will see and how big is your bridge ? as I said that is the plan but we will see how it plays out.
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