Exodus
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@Higgins What a story that is! From club rugby player to test player at the RWC and now a pro contract in the USA. And that all in less than a year!
@Stargazer You will be pleased to know Ihia West is going OK for La Rochelle in their away match against Top 14 Table Toppers Lyon (I can't sleep so am watching the game on line). He is in the company of Victor Vito (Capt) and Tawera Kerr-Barlow but they are not being helped by their team mates and are currently down 38 - 17 15 minutes into the second half. Of note is that former Frog midfield back (and ocassional captain) Mathieu Fatsoreaud is playing No 8 against Vito but it looks like it won't be too much longer before he finds a new position in the front row!
Charlie Ngatai also going ok for Lyon. -
As already posted in the Hurricanes 2020 thread, Lincoln McClutchie has signed with a Japanese club after being snubbed for a SR contract. His club is NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes. That's the team of Liam Squire, Marty Banks and Keepa Mewett (coached by former AB Mike Brewer). It's also the team where Gareth Evans played a few games, last year.
It's ironic that he is playing for a team called the Hurricanes ...
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Was he snubbed?
Is it definite that he was not offered a contract by the Hurricanes, or was not going to be offered one?
Is it definite that the Japanese contract did not come first, before any approach from the Hurricanes?
@Number-10 said in Exodus 2019:
Was he snubbed?
Is it definite that he was not offered a contract by the Hurricanes,
It seems the only logic explanation. Why would a 20-year old NZ rugby player refuse a full Super Rugby contract? (Development contracts may not pay enough if you have financial responsibilities.)
or was not going to be offered one?
Do they have to buy a crystal ball to know that, or do you prefer a clairvoyant?
Is it definite that the Japanese contract did not come first, before any approach from the Hurricanes?
Most new players for the Japanese clubs were announced before the RWC. Preseason in Japan has been underway for a few weeks already. So it's reasonable to assume that they're now picking up the leftovers ...
But if you have inside knowledge that indicates that McClutchie refused a full SR contract to go to Japan, or that a NZ franchise made an offer after he accepted the Japanese contract, please, do tell ...
Edited to add that as long as there is no complete openess about why certain players were not included in the announced SR squads, you can expect speculation about players being snubbed until the facts are known. I'd love to know the facts! Unfortunately, we have to wait until a journalist asks the right questions, gets clear answers and writes them down in an article on the Stuff or NZH website.
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@Tim That's all because of an article in L'Equipe. Toulon has already responded with a statement that the LNR (responsible for the French domestic competitions) has approved and signed the contract with NMS and that he will arrive at the club in December.
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@Bovidae James Marshall's (and Murphy Taramai's) signing with the Canes was announced on 2 October 2019.
@Stargazer But you don't know when discussions with Marshall began or the contract was signed.
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A list of the South African schoolboys headed to Japan, France, England, Australia & Ireland
Grey College
Tiaan Jonker: Free State, n/a, lock/eighthman, Melbourne Rebels in Australia
Marcell Muller: n/a, n/a, wing, Montpellier, France
Lesley Botha: Free State, n/a, centre, Montpellier, France
FC du Plessis: n/a, n/a, flyhalf, Toulon, France
Danwich Beukes: Free State in 2018, n/a, flank/lock, Toulon, France
George Cronjé: Free State, SA Schools, eighthman, France
Jan-Hendrik Wessels: Free State, SA Schools, prop, FrancePaul Roos
Jarrod Cairns: Western Province XV, SA Schools A, loose forward, Melbourne Rebels, Australia
Kade Wolhuter: Western Province, n/a, fullback/flyhalf, Montpellier, France
Robbie Rodgers: Western Province, n/a, prop, Montpellier, FranceAffies
Werner Kruger: Blue Bulls, n/a, Stade Français, prop, France
Jacques-Lois du Toit: Blue Bulls, SA Schools A, hooker, Stade Français, FranceGarsfontein
Zeilinga Strydom: Blue Bulls, SA School, fullback ck, Stade Français
Jaryd Scheepers: Blue Bulls XV, n/a, lock, University in AustraliaPaarl Gim
Pierich Siebert: Western Province, SA Schools A, flank, Japan
Stephan du Toit: Western Province XV, n/a, centre, JapanBethlehem Voortrekker
Steyl Barnard: n/a, n/a, lock, Béziers, FranceMilnerton
Romuald Ntumba: Western Province, n/a, flank, Pau, FranceNoordheuwel
Sergio Moreira: n/a, n/a, lock, Montpellier, FrancePaarl Boys’ High
Rynhardt Rijnsburger: Western Province, SA Schools A, prop, unclearSt Andrew’s
Chris Poole: Eastern Province, n/a, hooker, Ulster, IrelandSt John’s
Alexander Groves: Golden Lions XV, n/a, lock, Bristol, England -
A list of SA schoolboys heading overseas is really pushing the boat out when it comes to the exodus thread. Fair play for locating this somewhat esoteric information though!
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The Colorado Raptors (MLR), coached by Peter Borlase, have signed several Kiwis:
Rene Ranger (Northland)
Mason Emerson (Hawke's Bay)
Michael Curry ( Ta$man)
Michael Stewart (Southland)
Samuel Slade (Counties Manukau)Also signed:
Digby Ioanehttps://coloradoraptors.com/news/raptors-announce-rene-ranger-as-final-signing-for-the-2020-season/
https://coloradoraptors.com/news/raptors-announce-new-and-returning-players-for-its-2020-season/The round robin of the MLR is from 8 February to 31 May 2020.
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The Colorado Raptors (MLR), coached by Peter Borlase, have signed several Kiwis:
Rene Ranger (Northland)
Mason Emerson (Hawke's Bay)
Michael Curry ( Ta$man)
Michael Stewart (Southland)
Samuel Slade (Counties Manukau)Also signed:
Digby Ioanehttps://coloradoraptors.com/news/raptors-announce-rene-ranger-as-final-signing-for-the-2020-season/
https://coloradoraptors.com/news/raptors-announce-new-and-returning-players-for-its-2020-season/The round robin of the MLR is from 8 February to 31 May 2020.
@Stargazer knew Ranger was heading to the US just hadn't heard where...think he will be back for M10 though, hes keen to notch up his ton for Northland.
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A few more players who have signed with Major League Teams (not all are very recent signings, so may have been mentioned before):
Sam Beard (Canterbury) - has signed for two seasons with New England Free Jacks
Contract duration not published:
Boyd Wiggins (Northland): to Houston Saber Cats
Tim Cadwallader (Manawatu): to Houston Saber Cats
Jason Robertson (BOP): to Old Glory DC
Danny Tusitala (Auckland): to Old Glory DC -
A few more players who have signed with Major League Teams (not all are very recent signings, so may have been mentioned before):
Sam Beard (Canterbury) - has signed for two seasons with New England Free Jacks
Contract duration not published:
Boyd Wiggins (Northland): to Houston Saber Cats
Tim Cadwallader (Manawatu): to Houston Saber Cats
Jason Robertson (BOP): to Old Glory DC
Danny Tusitala (Auckland): to Old Glory DC@Stargazer add Northland Midfielder Blake Hohaia to the list..
I am starting to wonder if this is an issue or a benefit..? -
@Stargazer add Northland Midfielder Blake Hohaia to the list..
I am starting to wonder if this is an issue or a benefit..?@Steven-Harris I'm updating my list. I haven't found a signing by Blake Hohaia yet, but still have 3 teams to go.
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@Steven-Harris I'm updating my list. I haven't found a signing by Blake Hohaia yet, but still have 3 teams to go.
@Stargazer what’s your thoughts..?
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@Stargazer what’s your thoughts..?
@Steven-Harris TBH, neither Wiggins or HOhaia will be an issue, was very disappointed in Wiggins, had high hopes for him this year, looked a athlete for a prop, but struggled form his first scrum and never looked upto it, just vist any game thread form this seaosn to see my views on Hohaia.
Assume both could be back for club footy next season, menaing if they were upto it, could play for NOrthland (given Hohaia is signed for next season too isnt he?)
I know HOhaia is highly rated at club level, seems to be by his Northland team mates too, but I will be pissed if he is able to play for NOrthland next year if he doesnt play club footy.
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@Stargazer what’s your thoughts..?
Upside: these are all players who missed out on a SR contract (some definitely never in contention), but still have the chance to play professionally. If they do that in a competition that runs parallel to SR and finishes in May/June, they can be back in time for Mitre 10 Cup. So they're not lost to their provinces.
Downside 1: the better players among them are lost as possible back-ups for injured SR players
Downside 2: these players are not available for some or all of the club rugby season. So it might be detrimental to club rugby. Also, these are the club rugby players that newer/lesser players could learn from at that club rugby level.
