Super Rugby News

[booboo]

@Daffy-Jaffy said in Super Rugby News: Injuries:

Australian prop Guy Millar to join Highlanders for the 2017 Super Rugby season

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/85954161/australian-prop-guy-millar-to-join-highlanders-for-the-2017-super-rugby-season

Really? Surely there are 25 props across NZ?

[Stargazer]

2017 Chiefs squad:

PROP:
Nepo Laulala (Counties Manukau)
Atu Moli (Waikato)
Siegfried Fisi’ihoi (Bay of Plenty)
Mitchell Graham (Taranaki)
Kane Hames ( Ta$man)
Sosefo Kautai (Waikato)

HOOKER:
Hika Elliot (Counties Manukau)
Nathan Harris (Bay of Plenty)
Liam Polwart (Bay of Plenty)

LOCK:
Brodie Retallick (Hawkes Bay)
Dominic Bird (Canterbury)
Michael Allardice (Hawkes Bay)
James Tucker (Waikato)

LOOSE FORWARD:
Taleni Seu (Auckland)
Liam Messam
Mitchell Brown (Taranaki)
Sam Cane (Bay of Plenty)
Mitchell Karpik (Bay of Plenty)
Lachlan Boshier (Taranaki)
Tom Sanders (Canterbury)
Michael Leitch

HALFBACK:
Tawera Kerr-Barlow (Waikato)
Brad Weber (Hawkes Bay)
Finlay Christie ( Ta$man)

FIRST FIVE EIGHTH:
Aaron Cruden (Manawatu)
Stephen Donald (Waikato)

FIRST FIVE EIGHTH / OUTSIDE BACK:
Damian McKenzie (Waikato)

MIDFIELD:
Charlie Ngatai (Taranaki)
Anton Lienert-Brown (Waikato)
Johnny Fa’auli (Taranaki)

MIDFIELD / OUTSIDE BACK:
Tim Nanai-Williams
Solomon Alaimalo (Northland)

OUTSIDE BACK:
Sam McNicol (Hawkes Bay)
James Lowe ( Ta$man)
Chase Tiatia (Bay of Plenty)
Toni Pulu (Counties Manukau)
Glen Fisiiahi (Counties Manukau)
Shaun Stevenson (Waikato)

http://www.chiefs.co.nz/news/news/latest-news/268-continuity-is-key-in-2017-gallagher-chiefs-squad

For who prefers a graphic:

[Stargazer]

The Blues squad is:

Backs: Michael Collins (Otago), Matt Duffie (North Harbour), TJ Faiane (Auckland), Billy Guyton ( Ta$man), Rieko Ioane (Auckland), Matt Vaega (North Harbour), George Moala (Auckland), Melani Nanai (Auckland), Sam Nock (Northland), Declan O’Donnell (Taranaki), Stephen Perofeta (Taranaki), Augustine Pulu (Counties Manukau), Rene Ranger (North Harbour), Jordon Trainor (Waikato), Ihaia West (Hawkes Bay), Sonny Bill Williams (Counties Manukau), Piers Francis (Counties Manukau).

Forwards: Gerard Cowley-Tuioti (North Harbour), Epalahame Faiva (Waikato), Charlie Faumuina (Auckland), Blake Gibson (Auckland), Josh Goodhue (Northland), Alex Hodgman (Canterbury), Akira Ioane (Auckland), Jerome Kaino (Auckland), Steven Luatua (Auckland), Sione Mafileo (North Harbour), Pauliasi Manu (Counties Manukau), Matt Moulds (Northland), Brandon Nansen (North Harbour), James Parsons (North Harbour), Sam Prattley (Auckland), Kara Pryor (Northland), Scott Scrafton (Auckland), Murphy Taramai (North Harbour), Patrick Tuipulotu (Auckland), Jimmy Tupou (Counties Manukau), Ofa Tu’ungafasi (Auckland),

http://theblues.co.nz/experienced-players-return-2017/

[Stargazer]

2017 Highlanders

Forwards
Liam Coltman, Ash Dixon, Greg Pleasants-Tate, Daniel Lienert-Brown, Siosuia Halanukonuka, Guy Millar*, Siate Tokolahi*, Aki Seiuli, Craig Millar, Tom Franklin, Joe Wheeler, Alex Ainley, Josh Dickson*, Jackson Hemopo, Luke Whitelock, Liam Squire, James Lentjes, Gareth Evans, Dan Pryor, Shane Christie, Elliot Dixon

Backs
Aaron Smith, Kayne Hammington*, Josh Renton, Lima Sopoaga, Hayden Parker, Fletcher Smith, Rob Thompson, Patelesio Tomkinson, Teihorangi Walden, Richard Buckman, Matt Faddes, Waisake Naholo, Malakai Fekitoa, Patrick Osborne, Tevita Li*, Jason Emery , Ben Smith

*Debut season for Highlanders in 2017

http://www.thehighlanders.co.nz/our-news/latest-news/787-pulse-energy-highlanders-team-naming-for-2017-investec-super-rugby-season

[Wurzel]

So Michael Little either ends up in Wellington or at the Sunwolves.

[JK]

No room for Brynn Gatland either...

[Whites72]

@JK don't rate bryn gatland at all except for the fact he can kick

[Stargazer]

Damn, the Canes better not disappoint!

[Stargazer]

So we have all teams in this thread:

CRUSADERS SQUAD

PROPS
Michael Alaalatoa
Wyatt Crockett
Oliver Jager
Joe Moody
Tim Perry
Owen Franks

HOOKERS
Ben Funnell
Andrew Makalio
Codie Taylor

LOCKS
Scott Barrett
Luke Romano
Quinten Strange
Sam Whitelock
LOOSE FORWARDS
Heiden Bedwell-Curtis
Jed Brown
Mitchell Dunshea
Kieran Read
Pete Samu
Jordan Taufua
Matt Todd

HALFBACKS
Mitchell Drummond
Leon Fukofuka
Bryn Hall

FIRST FIVE-EIGHTHS
Tim Bateman
Marty McKenzie
Richie Mo'unga

MIDFIELD BACKS
Ryan Crotty
Jack Goodhue
David Havili
Seta Tamanivalu
Sean Wainui

OUTSIDE BACKS
George Bridge
Israel Dagg
Sione Fifita
Mitchell Hunt
Digby Ioane
Jone Macilai
Manasa Mataele

http://crusaders.co.nz/news/1026-2017-heralds-new-era-for-bnz-crusaders

[Daffy Jaffy]

The 2017 Hurricanes Investec Super Rugby squad is:

FORWARDS (22): Props (6): Chris Eves (Manawatu), Reggie Goodes (Wellington), Ben May (Hawke's Bay), Jeffery Toomaga-Allen (Wellington), Loni Uhila (Waikato), Mike Kainga (Taranaki). Hookers (3): Dane Coles (Wellington) (c), Leni Apisai (Wellington), Ricky Riccitelli (Hawke's Bay). Locks (5): Mark Abbott (Hawke's Bay), James Broadhurst (Taranaki), Geoffrey Cridge (Hawke's Bay), Michael Fatialofa, (Auckland), Sam Lousi (Wellington) *. Loose forwards: (8) Callum Gibbins (Manawatu), Vaea Fifita (Wellington), Reed Prinsep (Canterbury) *, Hugh Renton (Hawke's Bay), Ardie Savea (Wellington), Brad Shields (Wellington), Blade Thomson (Taranaki), Toa Halafihi (Taranaki) **. BACKS (16): Halfbacks (3): TJ Perenara (Wellington), Te Toiroa Tahuiorangi (Taranaki), Kylem O'Donnell (Taranaki) *. First five-eighth: (2) Beauden Barrett (Taranaki), Otere Black (Manawatu). Midfield: (4) Vince Aso (Auckland), Ngani Laumape (Manawatu), Matt Proctor (Wellington), Pita Ahki (North Harbour), Wes Goosen (Wellington). Outside backs (6): Cory Jane (Wellington), Julian Savea (Wellington), Ben Lam (Wellington) *, Nehe Milner-Skudder (Manawatu), Peter Umaga-Jensen (Wellington) **. Utility back: (1) Jordie Barrett ** (Canterbury).

[Stargazer]

So now the big question is: are all these players on full contracts? In other words, have they omitted WTG players? Is there still a possibility that players, who missed out (Jonah Lowe, for example), will get a chance somewhere?

[KiwiMurph]

Im pretty certain the above squads include Wider Training Group players.

Of course players get brought in from outside of these squads during the season due to injury.

Broadhurst named in the Canes - interesting - hopefully his concussion woes are behind him.

[Whites72]

@Stargazer Jonah Lowe,visinia,waa and little are the biggest shocks in my opinion not to make any squads plus Caleb makene

[Tim]

The Blues squad has 38 players, so it'd have to include the WTG players too.

[Tim]

So, who missed out? Starting from last year's players:

Hoani Matenga
Jack Ram
Matt McGahan
Lolagi Visinia
Tevita Kolomatangi
Tim Boys
Ross Geldenhuys
Micheal Little
Tony Lambourn
Namatahi Waa

---

Chris Vui
Jonah Lowe
Ereatara Enari
Bryn Gatland
Sam Vaka
Cardiff Vaega
Joe Tupe
Matt Matich
Gafatasi Su’a
Chris Smylie

NZ Maori:

Jacob Skeen
Joe Royal
Leighton Price
Marcel Renata
Whetu Douglas

In Australia:

Jackson Garden-Bachop
Cullum Retallick

[Tim]

NZ TAB odds for next year.

1 Hurricanes 4.50
2 Chiefs 5.00
3 Crusaders 5.50
4 Highlanders 5.50
5 Lions 7.50
6 Brumbies 9.00
7 Stormers 12.00
8 Sharks 15.00
9 Waratahs 18.00
10 Blues 21.00
11 Bulls 26.00
12 Jaguares 51.00
13 Reds 61.00
14 Cheetahs 61.00
15 Rebels 61.00
16 Force 151.00
17 Sunwolves 251.00
18 Kings 251.00

[KiwiMurph]

@Tim Walden is in the Highlanders I think.

[Tim]

@KiwiMurph Cheers. Will edit.

[Tim]

Would've thought Joe Tupe would be an attractive option off the bench?

[Tim]

Centrebet Odds: