Good Rugby Reads
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="JC" data-cid="539168" data-time="1446612878">
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<p>Jeez did you read some of the comments at the bottom? Some people really are fluffybunnys aren't they?</p>
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<p>There's a fair few fluffybunnies, weirdos, and obsessives who act like this sadly, Gave up on those type of forums years ago for that reason. Some of the articles seem designed to bring them out of the woodwork - e.g any article on PI rugby always has a reference to NZ "benefitting unfairly".</p>
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<p>If you have a black sense of humour, you can have a bit of fun though - once got one fluffybunny who was complaining about alleged poaching to admit the real reason he was upset was there were "too many dark faces representing a predominatantly white country".</p> -
<p>Some interesting points made in this. </p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.the42.ie/milner-skudder-profile-simon-hick-2424563-Nov2015/'>http://www.the42.ie/milner-skudder-profile-simon-hick-2424563-Nov2015/</a></p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Crucial" data-cid="539297" data-time="1446670772">
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<p>Some interesting points made in this. </p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.the42.ie/milner-skudder-profile-simon-hick-2424563-Nov2015/'>http://www.the42.ie/milner-skudder-profile-simon-hick-2424563-Nov2015/</a></p>
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<p>Ireland gets rugby stories like this. We get Reason and Ratturd.</p> -
Excellent interview post final with Nigel Owens. Very good read. <br><a class="bbc_url" href="http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/nigel-owens-rugby-world-cup-10383894">http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/nigel-owens-rugby-world-cup-10383894</a><br><br>
Some of the other links on that page are worth a look too -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Crucial" data-cid="539556" data-time="1446718060"><p>
I think we could change the thread name on this and keep it going. Have discovered the is some good rugby writing out there if you get past the crap.</p></blockquote>
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Done -
<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://eliteperformancesportpsychology.wordpress.com/2015/11/02/why-sonny-bill-williams-handed-the-medal-to-the-child-all-black-culture/'>https://eliteperformancesportpsychology.wordpress.com/2015/11/02/why-sonny-bill-williams-handed-the-medal-to-the-child-all-black-culture/</a></p>
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<p>Austen Healey provides a solution to England's Rugby problems - buy a S15 Franchise.</p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/england/11980146/English-rugby-needs-to-raise-its-standards-they-should-buy-a-Super-Rugby-franchise.html'>http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/england/11980146/English-rugby-needs-to-raise-its-standards-they-should-buy-a-Super-Rugby-franchise.html</a></p> -
<p>only problem is which Country will relinquish a team to stack full of English players? </p>
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<p>NZ teams would still be owned by the NZRU (well 51%) and as such have NZ Rugby interests at heart, Aus teams are the same I think? SA want more teams for themselves to cope with thier abundance of talent...Argies arent gonna let thier chance go by giving up spots to English players, so maybe the Japanese team is where they should look?</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="taniwharugby" data-cid="539828" data-time="1446841172">
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://eliteperformancesportpsychology.wordpress.com/2015/11/02/why-sonny-bill-williams-handed-the-medal-to-the-child-all-black-culture/'>https://eliteperformancesportpsychology.wordpress.com/2015/11/02/why-sonny-bill-williams-handed-the-medal-to-the-child-all-black-culture/</a></p>
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<p>Thanks for that.</p>
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<p>My partner's into <span>Psychology & Team -building and found it fascinating</span></p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Kirwan" data-cid="539847" data-time="1446848877">
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<p>It's an always expanding Comp buy a new place in it.</p>
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<p>Who actually owns the teams?</p>
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<p>NZ franchises and player contracts are all owned (presumably) by NZRU. I suspect the same is true of Aus and SA franchises, but perhaps the provincial unions own their own franchises (dunno), but I've long wondered if expansion would mean franchises in future become property & playthings of individuals like pro sports clubs in the rest of the world; and if so, will there be salary-caps, draft lotteries, unrestricted free agency, player trades & transfers, etc.</p>
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<p>Brave New World...?</p> -
Not sure if all, but at least a couple of the NZ franchises are partly owned by private backers, 49% I think, and yes the provinces have shares in the gpfranchises too.
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<p>Beautiful paean to DC in the Guardian:</p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2015/nov/25/dan-carter-the-future-will-always-be-bright-in-new-zealand-rugby'>http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2015/nov/25/dan-carter-the-future-will-always-be-bright-in-new-zealand-rugby</a></p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="red terror" data-cid="540702" data-time="1447256817">
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<p>Who actually owns the teams?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>NZ franchises and player contracts are all owned (presumably) by NZRU. I suspect the same is true of Aus and SA franchises, but perhaps the provincial unions own their own franchises (dunno), but I've long wondered if expansion would mean franchises in future become property & playthings of individuals like pro sports clubs in the rest of the world; and if so, will there be salary-caps, draft lotteries, unrestricted free agency, player trades & transfers, etc.</p>
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<p>Brave New World...?</p>
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<p>Melbourne Rebels are owned by a private consortium, 'Infinity Sports Group' or something similar. Don't think its made a huge difference in the way they are run, imagine they are free of the blazers in NSWRU/QRU though.</p> -
<p>some good reads on here</p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://thespinoff.co.nz/21-11-2015/rugby-richie-mccaw-is-hippie-and-that-transformed-the-all-blacks/'>http://thespinoff.co.nz/21-11-2015/rugby-richie-mccaw-is-hippie-and-that-transformed-the-all-blacks/</a></p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="taniwharugby" data-cid="544482" data-time="1448504607">
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<p>some good reads on here</p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://thespinoff.co.nz/21-11-2015/rugby-richie-mccaw-is-hippie-and-that-transformed-the-all-blacks/'>http://thespinoff.co.nz/21-11-2015/rugby-richie-mccaw-is-hippie-and-that-transformed-the-all-blacks/</a></p>
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<p>Good read, although McOnie seems to be giving all credit to McCaw when some of it could be going to others like Tana for instance.</p> -
Not a rugby read but entertaining all the same <br>
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.si.com/college-basketball/2015/11/23/caltech-basketball-losing-streak-oliver-eslinger'>http://www.si.com/college-basketball/2015/11/23/caltech-basketball-losing-streak-oliver-eslinger</a> -
<p><strong>The Return to the Top</strong><br>
by Dan Carter</p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.theplayerstribune.com/dan-carter-all-blacks-rugby-injury-comeback/'>http://www.theplayerstribune.com/dan-carter-all-blacks-rugby-injury-comeback/</a></p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Milk" data-cid="546497" data-time="1449523487">
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<p><strong>The Return to the Top</strong><br>
by Dan Carter</p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.theplayerstribune.com/dan-carter-all-blacks-rugby-injury-comeback/'>http://www.theplayerstribune.com/dan-carter-all-blacks-rugby-injury-comeback/</a></p>
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<p>WTF?</p>
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<p>"After some wavering, my provincial team decided to re-sign me. They played me out of position for most of the season, which was tough because I was trying to prove I could still be a fly-half for the All-Blacks."</p>
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<p>DC is talking about the Crusaders here. Was Toddy seriously wavering on selecting him in 2015? </p>
