Exodus 2018
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@arhs Yep, you're not wrong there. Last year's Māori AB squad was the weakest in years, with some odd selections, and now they're losing quite a few players, making this year's selection extra "interesting". That's assuming there will be a tour, or a game or two in NZ.
From November's squad, at least Tom Franklin, Jarrad Hoeata (if he stays in France), Keepa Mewett, Akira Ioane (assuming he'll be in the ABs squad), Ihaia West, Tim Bateman, Charlie Ngatai, Ambrose Curtis and possibly Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi (if he gets a spot in the ABs squad) will no longer be available.
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Plus Blade Thomson, Liam Messam and Jordan Manihera not available in all likelihood.
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That is why I said 'in all likelihood'. He got an overseas clearance to play in France I understood. I was hoping he might be contracted somewhere domestically since his return, but no sign of that yet.
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After Tom Franklin and Richard Buckman, there are a few more NZ players going to Japan.
Elliot Dixon and Tim Bateman have signed with Ricoh Black Rams for the 2018/19 Top League Season. Also signed is Waikato and Māori All Blacks lock Jacob Skeen. Not sure whether Dixon and Bateman will return to Super Rugby in 2019. Both are off contract at the end of the 2018 SR season.
http://www.ricoh.com/ja/rugby/news/information/2018-2019/20180514.html
https://www.rugbypass.com/news/japanese-side-sign-black-crusaders-midfielder
@stargazer said in Exodus 2018:
After Tom Franklin and Richard Buckman, there are a few more NZ players going to Japan.
Elliot Dixon and Tim Bateman have signed with Ricoh Black Rams for the 2018/19 Top League Season. Also signed is Waikato and Māori All Blacks lock Jacob Skeen. Not sure whether Dixon and Bateman will return to Super Rugby in 2019. Both are off contract at the end of the 2018 SR season.
http://www.ricoh.com/ja/rugby/news/information/2018-2019/20180514.html
https://www.rugbypass.com/news/japanese-side-sign-black-crusaders-midfielder
Update: Elliott Dixon will return for the 2019 and 2020 SR season.
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Before jauzy blows his load.
Sevu Reece to Connacht.
I've actually heard of this guy.
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Before jauzy blows his load.
Sevu Reece to Connacht.
I've actually heard of this guy.
@billy-tell said in Exodus 2018:
Before jauzy blows his load.
Sevu Reece to Connacht.
I've actually heard of this guy.
Good. Means he'll probably play for Fiji, assuming IRFU don't do the project player contract anymore now it's extended to 5 years?
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@stargazer said in Exodus 2018:
@bones He was awesome at sevens. He would have been a great addition to the AB7s squad.
He still could be. One year contract.
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@bones said in Exodus 2018:
Reece seems a bit meh to me anyway. Dime a dozen type player.
You reckon? He looks like the kinda bloke who Owen Finnegan and Zinzan Brooke would look at and say 'fuck, look at the size of that melon'
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@bones said in Exodus 2018:
Reece seems a bit meh to me anyway. Dime a dozen type player.
You reckon? He looks like the kinda bloke who Owen Finnegan and Zinzan Brooke would look at and say 'fuck, look at the size of that melon'
@mn5 said in Exodus 2018:
@bones said in Exodus 2018:
Reece seems a bit meh to me anyway. Dime a dozen type player.
You reckon? He looks like the kinda bloke who Owen Finnegan and Zinzan Brooke would look at and say 'fuck, look at the size of that melon'
Holy shit - I had to do a quick AskJeeves... to make sure I wasn't wrong in assuming that had been photo-shopped.
And it turns out... no, his head really is the size of his torso. That is fucking impressive. -
@bones said in Exodus 2018:
Reece seems a bit meh to me anyway. Dime a dozen type player.
You reckon? He looks like the kinda bloke who Owen Finnegan and Zinzan Brooke would look at and say 'fuck, look at the size of that melon'
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TRANSFER NEWS: ALL BLACK LOCK DOMINIC BIRD WAS UNVEILED AS ONE OF EIGHT NEW RECRUITS BY BEATEN EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS CUP FINALISTS RACING 92.
Bird, 27, will leave the Chiefs and comes in to replace retiring Argentinian veteran Patricio Albacete.
Racing, surprisingly beaten by Castres in the Top 14 semi-final, also announced the signatures of Fijian flyhalf Ben Volavola from Bordeaux-Begles and a second No 10 in Raphael Lagarde from second division club Bayonne.
The duo will vie for a starting place with Scotland's Finn Russell, the big-name replacement for the departing All Black legend Dan Carter and France international Remi Tales, with Springbok Pat Lambie out with a long-term injury.
Club president Jacky Lorenzetti confirmed the arrival of Ireland back Simon Zebo from Munster and twice-capped France flanker Fabien Sanconnie from relegated Brive.
Also signed up are Dax centre Olivier Klemenczak and 17-year-old Massy flank Jordan Joseph, currently on duty with France at the under-20 world championships.
Yannick Nyanga, who has retired at the age of 34 after 46 caps for France at flanker, has been incorporated as the club's sporting director under the leadership of co-coaches Laurent Labit and Laurent Travers, Lorenzetti said.
Nyanga will join forces with former Racing teammates Chris Masoe and Casey Laulala, two former All Blacks who also saw out the end of their respective careers at Racing but have been taken on as coaching assistants.
Agence France-Presse
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Bird made the ABs based on his stats on paper. In reality he never lived up to the billing. We see how he goes in Paris.
