Exodus
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@Landers92 said in Exodus:
Montpellier are trying to sign Reihana whose contract with the Crusaders ends in 2026.
Wouldn’t blame him at all if he left.
Razor has made it clear that it’s Richie’s AB 10 jersey with BB and Dmac behind. Crusaders have got Richie back along with Kemara signed through 2028.
If he does in fact leave, this is the exact trickle down effect a lot of people have been concerned about with bringing Mounga back.
On the other hand, if Mo'unga hadn't left, Reihana's probably going to have barely played Super.
Richie left - and left the door open for Fergus Burke to make a run at the ABs - but, Fergus bailed for cash.
This year, it would most likely have been Richie, Kemara, Rivez - OÇonnor never comes. Unless Richie gets broken - the other two are bit part players.
I think @mohikamo's point about NZ Rugby not being unhappy to have other competitions pick up the tab on elite ABs is well-made.
Richie is definitely playing a mercenary hand, but as long as he comes back more or less as good as when he left, then it may well have been a win-win for him and NZR. And seems like plenty of Saffas are able to parlay their Japan form into international rugby these days.
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Serious question, how many NZ players have come back better after a stint up north? Leicester seems at least as good as he was when he left. Jordie only went for a sabbatical, but was better. Ardie came back from his sabbatical short of a gallop, and BB wasn't the same player
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Serious question, how many NZ players have come back better after a stint up north? Leicester seems at least as good as he was when he left. Jordie only went for a sabbatical, but was better. Ardie came back from his sabbatical short of a gallop, and BB wasn't the same player
Jordie’s been about the same for me. Don’t think he’s come back better at all.
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@Landers92 said in Exodus:
Montpellier are trying to sign Reihana whose contract with the Crusaders ends in 2026.
Wouldn’t blame him at all if he left.
Razor has made it clear that it’s Richie’s AB 10 jersey with BB and Dmac behind. Crusaders have got Richie back along with Kemara signed through 2028.
If he does in fact leave, this is the exact trickle down effect a lot of people have been concerned about with bringing Mounga back.
On the other hand, if Mo'unga hadn't left, Reihana's probably going to have barely played Super.
Richie left - and left the door open for Fergus Burke to make a run at the ABs - but, Fergus bailed for cash.
This year, it would most likely have been Richie, Kemara, Rivez - OÇonnor never comes. Unless Richie gets broken - the other two are bit part players.
I think @mohikamo's point about NZ Rugby not being unhappy to have other competitions pick up the tab on elite ABs is well-made.
Richie is definitely playing a mercenary hand, but as long as he comes back more or less as good as when he left, then it may well have been a win-win for him and NZR. And seems like plenty of Saffas are able to parlay their Japan form into international rugby these days.
Mate, how in hell is it win-win for NZR having dogshit play at 10 all year?
It's a win for Mounga and nobody else. -
@reprobate said in Exodus:
@Landers92 said in Exodus:
Montpellier are trying to sign Reihana whose contract with the Crusaders ends in 2026.
Wouldn’t blame him at all if he left.
Razor has made it clear that it’s Richie’s AB 10 jersey with BB and Dmac behind. Crusaders have got Richie back along with Kemara signed through 2028.
If he does in fact leave, this is the exact trickle down effect a lot of people have been concerned about with bringing Mounga back.
On the other hand, if Mo'unga hadn't left, Reihana's probably going to have barely played Super.
Richie left - and left the door open for Fergus Burke to make a run at the ABs - but, Fergus bailed for cash.
This year, it would most likely have been Richie, Kemara, Rivez - OÇonnor never comes. Unless Richie gets broken - the other two are bit part players.
I think @mohikamo's point about NZ Rugby not being unhappy to have other competitions pick up the tab on elite ABs is well-made.
Richie is definitely playing a mercenary hand, but as long as he comes back more or less as good as when he left, then it may well have been a win-win for him and NZR. And seems like plenty of Saffas are able to parlay their Japan form into international rugby these days.
Mate, how in hell is it win-win for NZR having dogshit play at 10 all year?
It's a win for Mounga and nobody else.Its only a win win if RM comes back, slots in automatically and shows that he can run the team as well or better than he could when he left. In the meantime it is a case of wasted opportunity at AB 10
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@Canes4life Jordie looked sharper in the French tests, but had some of the sharper.edges dulled since.being.back.
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@reprobate said in Exodus:
@Landers92 said in Exodus:
Montpellier are trying to sign Reihana whose contract with the Crusaders ends in 2026.
Wouldn’t blame him at all if he left.
Razor has made it clear that it’s Richie’s AB 10 jersey with BB and Dmac behind. Crusaders have got Richie back along with Kemara signed through 2028.
If he does in fact leave, this is the exact trickle down effect a lot of people have been concerned about with bringing Mounga back.
On the other hand, if Mo'unga hadn't left, Reihana's probably going to have barely played Super.
Richie left - and left the door open for Fergus Burke to make a run at the ABs - but, Fergus bailed for cash.
This year, it would most likely have been Richie, Kemara, Rivez - OÇonnor never comes. Unless Richie gets broken - the other two are bit part players.
I think @mohikamo's point about NZ Rugby not being unhappy to have other competitions pick up the tab on elite ABs is well-made.
Richie is definitely playing a mercenary hand, but as long as he comes back more or less as good as when he left, then it may well have been a win-win for him and NZR. And seems like plenty of Saffas are able to parlay their Japan form into international rugby these days.
Mate, how in hell is it win-win for NZR having dogshit play at 10 all year?
It's a win for Mounga and nobody else.Not for the fans.
But, for the hard-headed money men at NZR, the ABs have only lost 6 matches in his absence (may or may not become seven).
You could somewhat optimistically say Richie might have been able to change the result of two or three of those.
But, they've got at least a couple of milion dollars they haven't had to pay him - and they get him back for the big dance.
It's not a perfect win for either party, because I'd imagine Richie would have been pretty happy to have continued to play test rugby - and would've if he was a Saffa.
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@reprobate said in Exodus:
@Landers92 said in Exodus:
Montpellier are trying to sign Reihana whose contract with the Crusaders ends in 2026.
Wouldn’t blame him at all if he left.
Razor has made it clear that it’s Richie’s AB 10 jersey with BB and Dmac behind. Crusaders have got Richie back along with Kemara signed through 2028.
If he does in fact leave, this is the exact trickle down effect a lot of people have been concerned about with bringing Mounga back.
On the other hand, if Mo'unga hadn't left, Reihana's probably going to have barely played Super.
Richie left - and left the door open for Fergus Burke to make a run at the ABs - but, Fergus bailed for cash.
This year, it would most likely have been Richie, Kemara, Rivez - OÇonnor never comes. Unless Richie gets broken - the other two are bit part players.
I think @mohikamo's point about NZ Rugby not being unhappy to have other competitions pick up the tab on elite ABs is well-made.
Richie is definitely playing a mercenary hand, but as long as he comes back more or less as good as when he left, then it may well have been a win-win for him and NZR. And seems like plenty of Saffas are able to parlay their Japan form into international rugby these days.
Mate, how in hell is it win-win for NZR having dogshit play at 10 all year?
It's a win for Mounga and nobody else.Not for the fans.
But, for the hard-headed money men at NZR, the ABs have only lost 6 matches in his absence (may or may not become seven).
You could somewhat optimistically say Richie might have been able to change the result of two or three of those.
But, they've got at least a couple of milion dollars they haven't had to pay him - and they get him back for the big dance.
It's not a perfect win for either party, because I'd imagine Richie would have been pretty happy to have continued to play test rugby - and would've if he was a Saffa.
So... should we let 3 other guys do that too? Lose another 6-9 games and call that a win-win?
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@reprobate They have - Big Leicester and Frizell.
I reckon they're even happier to have the likes of Jordie, Rieko, Ardie - take Super rugby sabbaticals.
Probably prefer Richie to have done similarly.
Come on, Leicester wasn't even a starter and Friz was not a key player. How many games do you optimistically think their absence cost us?
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I think we all knew Sotutu would leave.
Dead horse I know, but no way is Lakai (who I actually support being a Canes fan) a better No8 than Sotutu
Wonder if we will ever get the real story about why he was unwanted.I believe there are four main reasons.
Firstly, Razor prefers hybrid players over specialists. Both Sotutu and Papali'i are basically specialists. Papali'i has played a bit at 8 and 6 but he basically plays the same clean/ruck focused game no matter which position he plays.
Papali'i and Sotutu go hand and hand together. Sotutu is more focused on ball in hand attack while Papali'i is more focused on defense and ruck work.
Secondly, the former Crusaders cohort do not respect the Blues players as much because the Crusaders were their bogey team. Contrast that with the Chiefs who have beaten the Crusaders handsomely a number of times - AB's squads and AB's XV squads are packed with Chiefs players.
Thirdly, they have a completely misguided idea that the Blues fortunes are largely based on Tuipulotu, Barrett, Christie, and Clarke. Tuipulotu is a major factor for sure but he's not the only reason. Clarke has been a great contributor to the Blues success but he is often injured. Barrett wasn't involved in either of the Blue's titles and the Blue's have thrived when he hasn't been there. Christie played a part but wasn't crucial to last years dominant team.
Forth, they do not like flagrant arrogant Aucklanders - I do think this is lower down on the list of reasons but Ryan is the guy who has some kind of chip.
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@reprobate Not many - but, how much money did NZR save not having to pay them?
They''ve got Leicester back and Frizz is apparently coming - didn't have to pay them for two years of the rebuild part of the cycle- yet options for the Big Dance in 2027.
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@reprobate Not many - but, how much money did NZR save not having to pay them?
They''ve got Leicester back and Frizz is apparently coming - didn't have to pay them for two years of the rebuild part of the cycle- yet options for the Big Dance in 2027.
After the WC, neither of those guys were important to the success or otherwise of the ABs. The starting 10 absolutely is, particularly when the next cab off the rank is well past his best. It would be more like losing Codie Taylor and Scott Barrett as well - and even those guys had more depth behind them in their positions.
If it is a win-win to lose games but not have to pay our best players, then why not send them all away? Think of the savings! -
It is quite apparent that NZR can not afford to pay all the players that they want . . . what the players want to be paid.
So there is going to be a certain amount of churn with player contracts.
It'll be like this from now on, whether we like it or not.Or . . . we could go down the SA path.
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@reprobate said in Exodus:
@reprobate Not many - but, how much money did NZR save not having to pay them?
They''ve got Leicester back and Frizz is apparently coming - didn't have to pay them for two years of the rebuild part of the cycle- yet options for the Big Dance in 2027.
If it is a win-win to lose games but not have to pay our best players, then why not send them all away? Think of the savings!
Because obviously, at that point, the marginal impact on results of losing a small handful of players, becomes a major impact on results.
Ryan's on record as saying Frizell didn't really want to go and not enough effort was made on the contracting side to keep him.
Razor would obviously have loved to have Richie, but the money men have clearly decided he's not worth $2 million per season to retain. Probably rightly so - at best he might have won us two or three more games.
I suspect you and I are at the forefront of people who think Richie was a major loss. Plenty here who weren't particularly sad to see him gone - and we'd be fine with DMac, Beauden, Plummer and Burke and a few others bubbling under. I think "over-hyped little Cantab" was one of the terms.
