'Super Rugby' 2021
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Never has a player retired and got out of touch so fast...
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@tim I hope they're right about Pasifika players being keen to return from Europe and Japan, even if it means that they'll earn less.
Moana Pasifika won't lead to growth of rugby in Tonga and Samoa if they're going to sign NZ players of Tongan and Samoan descent.
I'm less worried about the Fijian team. The Fijian Drua only had players from Fiji and they may be able to get a few returnees, too. Imagine if they could convince players like Peceli Yato, Semi Radradra, Alivereti Raka, even Nemani Nadolo etc to play for them. Would be great!
@stargazer said in 'Super Rugby' 2021:
@tim I hope they're right about Pasifika players being keen to return from Europe and Japan, even if it means that they'll earn less.
Moana Pasifika won't lead to growth of rugby in Tonga and Samoa if they're going to sign NZ players of Tongan and Samoan descent.
I'm less worried about the Fijian team. The Fijian Drua only had players from Fiji and they may be able to get a few returnees, too. Imagine if they could convince players like Peceli Yato, Semi Radradra, Alivereti Raka, even Nemani Nadolo etc to play for them. Would be great!
Have to say I’d be delighted with a super 12 round robin format with our Aussie neighbours and added pacific flair. No travel burden, no South African politics, no turgid NH style box kicking rugby, no southern kings. If the Fiji expats you listed above returned they would be dynamite to watch.
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@tim I hope they're right about Pasifika players being keen to return from Europe and Japan, even if it means that they'll earn less.
Moana Pasifika won't lead to growth of rugby in Tonga and Samoa if they're going to sign NZ players of Tongan and Samoan descent.
I'm less worried about the Fijian team. The Fijian Drua only had players from Fiji and they may be able to get a few returnees, too. Imagine if they could convince players like Peceli Yato, Semi Radradra, Alivereti Raka, even Nemani Nadolo etc to play for them. Would be great!
@stargazer
I'm hoping the Moana Pacifika team is largely capped internationals or not NZ-born. Otherwise you are creating another franchise in an already diluted player pool, and weakening other teams in the process. -
@stargazer
I'm hoping the Moana Pacifika team is largely capped internationals or not NZ-born. Otherwise you are creating another franchise in an already diluted player pool, and weakening other teams in the process.@mofitzy_ said in 'Super Rugby' 2021:
@stargazer
I'm hoping the Moana Pacifika team is largely capped internationals or not NZ-born. Otherwise you are creating another franchise in an already diluted player pool, and weakening other teams in the process.Considering that Fiji have their own SR team and have the 6th most registered players by country, and the Tongan and Samoan international teams rely on NZ born players (Madagascar has more registered players than either country), this will be another dilution of our SR teams. There is no way you'll have big name players taking 75%+ pay cuts to play SR. This is just another Auckland based team, taking mostly NZ players, and fans from the blues.
I would imagine the team will have similar rules to other SR teams, limited to those eligibile to play for a Pacific team. Otherwise how is it a Pacific team? Think about that, that will rule out any capped internationals from other nations, like Kahui for ex, who could be good for the team. The already capped Samoan and Tongan players are on mostly good to excellent money in the NH, so they won't come. So you need a team of players, that haven't had their eligibility captured, that are professionals, or almost, and are SR level. Where are those players? Obviously there will be a few from the islands, but their comps are not anywhere near NPC level. You could do it with locals of you accepted getting spanked for a lot of years and someone had the big pockets to pay for a losing team for those years until hopefully the base had improved. Argentina proved it could be done, but that was one Union and a good player numbers base.
If it was based in the islands with local players (like the Drua), then it could be different, but I don't think it is. This is sunwolves Mark 2, at least those guys played their home games in Japan.
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@mofitzy_ said in 'Super Rugby' 2021:
@stargazer
I'm hoping the Moana Pacifika team is largely capped internationals or not NZ-born. Otherwise you are creating another franchise in an already diluted player pool, and weakening other teams in the process.Considering that Fiji have their own SR team and have the 6th most registered players by country, and the Tongan and Samoan international teams rely on NZ born players (Madagascar has more registered players than either country), this will be another dilution of our SR teams. There is no way you'll have big name players taking 75%+ pay cuts to play SR. This is just another Auckland based team, taking mostly NZ players, and fans from the blues.
I would imagine the team will have similar rules to other SR teams, limited to those eligibile to play for a Pacific team. Otherwise how is it a Pacific team? Think about that, that will rule out any capped internationals from other nations, like Kahui for ex, who could be good for the team. The already capped Samoan and Tongan players are on mostly good to excellent money in the NH, so they won't come. So you need a team of players, that haven't had their eligibility captured, that are professionals, or almost, and are SR level. Where are those players? Obviously there will be a few from the islands, but their comps are not anywhere near NPC level. You could do it with locals of you accepted getting spanked for a lot of years and someone had the big pockets to pay for a losing team for those years until hopefully the base had improved. Argentina proved it could be done, but that was one Union and a good player numbers base.
If it was based in the islands with local players (like the Drua), then it could be different, but I don't think it is. This is sunwolves Mark 2, at least those guys played their home games in Japan.
@machpants said in 'Super Rugby' 2021:
@mofitzy_ said in 'Super Rugby' 2021:
@stargazer
I'm hoping the Moana Pacifika team is largely capped internationals or not NZ-born. Otherwise you are creating another franchise in an already diluted player pool, and weakening other teams in the process.Considering that Fiji have their own SR team and have the 6th most registered players by country, and the Tongan and Samoan international teams rely on NZ born players (Madagascar has more registered players than either country), this will be another dilution of our SR teams. There is no way you'll have big name players taking 75%+ pay cuts to play SR. This is just another Auckland based team, taking mostly NZ players, and fans from the blues.
I would imagine the team will have similar rules to other SR teams, limited to those eligibile to play for a Pacific team. Otherwise how is it a Pacific team? Think about that, that will rule out any capped internationals from other nations, like Kahui for ex, who could be good for the team. The already capped Samoan and Tongan players are on mostly good to excellent money in the NH, so they won't come. So you need a team of players, that haven't had their eligibility captured, that are professionals, or almost, and are SR level. Where are those players? Obviously there will be a few from the islands, but their comps are not anywhere near NPC level. You could do it with locals of you accepted getting spanked for a lot of years and someone had the big pockets to pay for a losing team for those years until hopefully the base had improved. Argentina proved it could be done, but that was one Union and a good player numbers base.
If it was based in the islands with local players (like the Drua), then it could be different, but I don't think it is. This is sunwolves Mark 2, at least those guys played their home games in Japan.
Maybe wait and see before being a merchant of doom?
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@machpants said in 'Super Rugby' 2021:
@mofitzy_ said in 'Super Rugby' 2021:
@stargazer
I'm hoping the Moana Pacifika team is largely capped internationals or not NZ-born. Otherwise you are creating another franchise in an already diluted player pool, and weakening other teams in the process.Considering that Fiji have their own SR team and have the 6th most registered players by country, and the Tongan and Samoan international teams rely on NZ born players (Madagascar has more registered players than either country), this will be another dilution of our SR teams. There is no way you'll have big name players taking 75%+ pay cuts to play SR. This is just another Auckland based team, taking mostly NZ players, and fans from the blues.
I would imagine the team will have similar rules to other SR teams, limited to those eligibile to play for a Pacific team. Otherwise how is it a Pacific team? Think about that, that will rule out any capped internationals from other nations, like Kahui for ex, who could be good for the team. The already capped Samoan and Tongan players are on mostly good to excellent money in the NH, so they won't come. So you need a team of players, that haven't had their eligibility captured, that are professionals, or almost, and are SR level. Where are those players? Obviously there will be a few from the islands, but their comps are not anywhere near NPC level. You could do it with locals of you accepted getting spanked for a lot of years and someone had the big pockets to pay for a losing team for those years until hopefully the base had improved. Argentina proved it could be done, but that was one Union and a good player numbers base.
If it was based in the islands with local players (like the Drua), then it could be different, but I don't think it is. This is sunwolves Mark 2, at least those guys played their home games in Japan.
Maybe wait and see before being a merchant of doom?
@billy-tell said in 'Super Rugby' 2021:
@machpants said in 'Super Rugby' 2021:
@mofitzy_ said in 'Super Rugby' 2021:
@stargazer
I'm hoping the Moana Pacifika team is largely capped internationals or not NZ-born. Otherwise you are creating another franchise in an already diluted player pool, and weakening other teams in the process.Considering that Fiji have their own SR team and have the 6th most registered players by country, and the Tongan and Samoan international teams rely on NZ born players (Madagascar has more registered players than either country), this will be another dilution of our SR teams. There is no way you'll have big name players taking 75%+ pay cuts to play SR. This is just another Auckland based team, taking mostly NZ players, and fans from the blues.
I would imagine the team will have similar rules to other SR teams, limited to those eligibile to play for a Pacific team. Otherwise how is it a Pacific team? Think about that, that will rule out any capped internationals from other nations, like Kahui for ex, who could be good for the team. The already capped Samoan and Tongan players are on mostly good to excellent money in the NH, so they won't come. So you need a team of players, that haven't had their eligibility captured, that are professionals, or almost, and are SR level. Where are those players? Obviously there will be a few from the islands, but their comps are not anywhere near NPC level. You could do it with locals of you accepted getting spanked for a lot of years and someone had the big pockets to pay for a losing team for those years until hopefully the base had improved. Argentina proved it could be done, but that was one Union and a good player numbers base.
If it was based in the islands with local players (like the Drua), then it could be different, but I don't think it is. This is sunwolves Mark 2, at least those guys played their home games in Japan.
Maybe wait and see before being a merchant of doom?
Where's the fun in that?
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@stargazer bit of a surprise to see Kirifi there....
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do they have link to the full lists?
@kiwiwomble it's available on the All Blacks app.
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interesting re the u-20 tournament but on a personal level good to see the Highlanders giving some thought to the future
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Are all matches Saturday/Sunday again this year?
I miss sitting down, putting my feet up with a couple of coldies and end the week watching Friday night footy.
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@kiwimurph fuck really?
What planet am I on?
Must have been thinking about Saturday night footy then? -
@gunner yeah Saturday last week got moved to Sunday cos of covid.
it's a mix of Friday/Sat/Sun this year.
@kiwimurph come to think of it, was it last Friday that both the cricket and rugby were on?
Got too much going on at the moment and can’t remember one week to the next
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@tim I hope they're right about Pasifika players being keen to return from Europe and Japan, even if it means that they'll earn less.
Moana Pasifika won't lead to growth of rugby in Tonga and Samoa if they're going to sign NZ players of Tongan and Samoan descent.
I'm less worried about the Fijian team. The Fijian Drua only had players from Fiji and they may be able to get a few returnees, too. Imagine if they could convince players like Peceli Yato, Semi Radradra, Alivereti Raka, even Nemani Nadolo etc to play for them. Would be great!
@stargazer said in 'Super Rugby' 2021:
I hope they're right about Pasifika players being keen to return from Europe and Japan, even if it means that they'll earn less.
It won't happen. It might stop a small number heading overseas though.
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6 games into the season and we haven’t had a close contest yet
Closest score so far was the first match - Crusaders beating the Highlanders by 13
https://www.thesilverfern.com/sr-results -
@stargazer Clear and concise comments. Good to see.
