Pasty Backline
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<p>'Pasty' for want of a better word, and only because it struck me recently that there is a really exciting crop of backs of NZ European heritage in Super Rugby at the moment, or at least was, this season. More often than not in recent years it's been difficult to think up a backline of this ilk which could mix it up with a NZ Maori backline, or a NZ Pacific Islander backline, should such a thing ever exist. I hope no-one thinks the worst of this selection/topic, because it's intended purely as a theoretical exercise, no different to trying to dream up a backline whose names all begin with D, or something like that.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>15 D McKenzie</p>
<p>14 Smith</p>
<p>11 McNicholl</p>
<p>13 Faddes</p>
<p>12 Crotty</p>
<p>10 Barrett</p>
<p>9 Weber</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Others floating around include Drummond, James Marshall, Marty McKenzie Horrell, Parker, Duffie, Buckman, Donald and Banks.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I stand to be corrected if any of these guys posess Maori or Pacific Island heritage. And also, who have I missed?</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Wurzel" data-cid="602506" data-time="1470131348">
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<p>The McKenzies are Maori as</p>
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<p> </p>
<p>I wondered about them. M McKenzie wouldn't be missed from a match day 10, but D McKenzie was a real game-changer if eligible.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Crucial" data-cid="602507" data-time="1470131451">
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<p>Cruden (but even he is Maori eligible I think)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Getting pretty hard to meet a full euro only definition these days.</p>
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<p> </p>
<p>Cruden has a Maori middle name.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Crucial" data-cid="602507" data-time="1470131451"><p>Cruden (but even he is Maori eligible I think)<br><br>
Getting pretty hard to meet a full euro only definition these days.</p></blockquote>
Yeah. If you do a full euro, a full PI or Maori, and a mixed team, the full teams would have very few people to select from. Well the full Maori team would have nobody. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="mimic" data-cid="602516" data-time="1470132683">
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<p>Scott Hamilton?</p>
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<p> </p>
<p>Maybe just but my point still stands, as I said other countries who don't have the Maori and PI population make do with white guys doing this some of whom are excellent at it but NZ Rugby virtually always has a "browner" guy to do it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Case in point sharks backline being seriously short on physical presence overall.</p> -
<p>its funny, i used to always write my "samoan" team whenever i finished my exams early..</p>
<p> </p>
<p>15. Nanai/Toeava</p>
<p>14. Leiua</p>
<p>13. Nonu</p>
<p>12. SBW</p>
<p>11. J. Savea</p>
<p>10. Sopoaga</p>
<p>9. Pulu</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Funnily enough, Leiua is the only player I really rate in the Samoan team, and hes always injured.</p> -
<p>Is it possible to select such a team anymore? I've gotten to the point when someone says player x is eligible to play for the Maori I think the same things when meeting a blond haired blue eyed Aboriginal:</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="mimic" data-cid="602516" data-time="1470132683">
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<p>Scott Hamilton?</p>
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<p> </p>
<p>Craig Innes (going back a bit) Keith Lowen.. Regan King (I think he was probably 1/16th or something...). It is odd that we don't produce more Jamie Roberts / George Norths tho'</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MN5" data-cid="602518" data-time="1470132890">
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<p>Maybe just but my point still stands, as I said other countries who don't have the Maori and PI population make do with white guys doing this some of whom are excellent at it but NZ Rugby virtually always has a "browner" guy to do it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Case in point sharks backline being seriously short on physical presence overall.</p>
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<p>Mark Robinson (the centre not the scrumhalf) when he wasn't injured? He was a bit of a unit.</p>
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<p>Other than that, I got nothing.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MN5" data-cid="602514" data-time="1470132362">
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<p>When was the last time NZ Rugby actually produced a hard running, tackle busting white guy in the backline ?</p>
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<p>No shit, last one I can think of is Scott "Stormy" McLeod. Other countries produce these guys in abundance......</p>
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<p>Because they've got no black guys to compete for places! ;)</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="gollum" data-cid="602528" data-time="1470135013"><p>
Craig Innes (going back a bit) Keith Lowen.. Regan King (I think he was probably 1/16th or something...). It is odd that we don't produce more Jamie Roberts / George Norths tho'</p></blockquote>
Lowen is Rarotongan. <br>
King is Maori (I believe).<br><br>
Craig Innes is a good example. <br><br>
But in general I don't think we have a lot of big white hard running backs because they are earmarked as flankers early on. Whereas in countries like South Africa and England they are considered too small to play in the forwards so get shunted into the midfield.<br><br>
A guy like Andre Snyman would have been a 7 in NZ. -
<p>Back in the day John Gallagher. Ok he was English. But those old clips with short shorts (stubbies basically) and that white skin that required sunglasses it was so bright and reflective.</p>
