Exodus

Stargazer

Nothing more than a rumour at this stage, but according to l'Equipe, Brad Weber will join Stade Français after the RWC.

https://www.lequipe.fr/Rugby/Actualites/Le-all-black-brad-weber-attendu-au-stade-francais-apres-la-coupe-du-monde/1372780

Dan54

@Stargazer Yep not a surprise at 31 unfortunately, time to cash in I guess,

Dan54

Also interesting (although not strictly NZ) according to Christie Doran (usually fairly correct) , Dave Rennie off to Japan to coach Kobe Steelers after WC. He seems to of made statement lat year he was getting his future sorted out by early this year.
(lol as an aside of course like in NZ it starts all the incompetetence of RA etc etc comments)
I actually think if true that perhaps some coaches are more suited to Super'League One etc standard of rugby than test rugby ie Robbie Deans?)

muddyriver

@Dan54 imo deans international record is decent. Japan league is hard to guage as the clubs have very differing levels of professionalism amongst the locals.

He consistently took nz on at their peak and the wallabies were very competitive.

Aussie just simply doesn't have a lot of depth, they punch above their weight due to great weather developing good backs and alot of pacific genetics.

Dan54

@muddyriver fair enough just my thoughts , I was in Aus when they took him on and expressed same opinion before he started, he bloody good coach at super level, but even up until then had not very good reviews with his time with ABs as assistant coach. Even Dan Carter always said he seemed to struggle with players who weren't learners, ie has experience etc, and he was reasonably matey with Deans. I know I heard a few players speak of it, he struggled to communicate etc, and didn't like players having opinions maybe.

Stargazer

Finally, the official announcement of Kianu Kereru-Symes joining NE Free Jacks.

https://twitter.com/NEFreeJacks/status/1612572496204816384

https://freejacks.com/featured-news/free-jacks-sign-hawkes-bay-hooker-kianu-kereru-symes/

Stargazer

Former North Otago and Otago flanker Charles Elton has signed with Seattle Seawolves.

https://seawolves.rugby/news/charles-elton-signed-for-back-row/

Higgins

This one might have even Ken Laban scratching for details but if you are reading this Ken I can't help you with his school (other than it was somewhere in the Auckland region) but whilst he was playing for Otago B for five years he was from the Harbour Club after having previously spent a year at Dunedin's Southern Club playing Colts rugby
https://www.odt.co.nz/sport/rugby/country-rugby/forward-making-most-chance

Stargazer

@Higgins Charles Elton attended Rosmini College.

https://www.provincial.rugby/assets/MediaGuide-Otago-M10.pdf

Mr Fish

@Stargazer said in Exodus:

@Higgins Charles Elton attended Rosmini College.

https://www.provincial.rugby/assets/MediaGuide-Otago-M10.pdf

I'm not sure that's correct. Charles Elton spent his first few years at Westlake Boys and then I was under the impression he was offered a scholarship to a school south of the bridge - but could be wrong.

Stargazer

@Mr-Fish From a quick google search, I got the impression that he moved from Westlake to Rosmini, but to be honest, I wasn't really interested enough to dig deeper.

Mr Fish

@Stargazer said in Exodus:

@Mr-Fish From a quick google search, I got the impression that he moved from Westlake to Rosmini, but to be honest, I wasn't really interested enough to dig deeper.

I suppose I should have also Googled it but apparently I'm even less interested than you are :grimacing_face:

Stargazer

Still only a rumour:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/130990781/brodie-retallick-to-rejoin-japan-club-kobelco-kobe-steelers-after-rugby-world-cup

Star All Blacks lock Brodie Retallick will bow out of test rugby after this year’s World Cup, but has ditched the idea of hanging up the boots completely.

Instead, Stuff understands the 31-year-old will re-join Japan club Kobelco Kobe Steelers, where he spent his two-season sabbatical in 2020-21.

That now also shapes as a potential reunion with his former Chiefs coach Dave Rennie, who on Monday was sacked as Wallabies boss and had already been linked to the Kobe job for 2024. (...)

That has indeed now been weighed up, and Stuff understands Retallick’s Kobe deal will be a three-year one, through to the 2025-26 Japan Rugby League One season, and around the time of his 35th birthday.

Retallick won’t be short on Kiwi company at Kobe. Current All Blacks team-mate Ardie Savea will skip the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season to play there, former All Blacks team-mate Ngani Laumape is making waves in his first year, while others on the current roster include Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, Michael Little, Richard Buckman and Beaudein Waaka.

Wayne Smith – Rennie’s right-hand-man in his title-winning-days at the Chiefs in 2012 and 2013 – is a mentor at Kobe, while one Kiwi has taken over another as coach, with former Waikato and Chiefs loose forward Nick Holten promoted from assistant to replace Dave Dillon, who has returned to New Zealand to be the Highlanders’ defence coach.

Yeetyaah

@Stargazer wouldn't surprise me. He said he was pretty much gonna be finished after the 2023 RWC. Why not take another paycheck and play less physical rugby.