Super Rugby News

Frye

@gt12 said in Super Rugby News:

@Stargazer

Cheers. Not surprising to see him go there. Should make them a better team.

A little surprising from the french perspective. He loves it down in Toulon, always seemed really settled.

He doesn't have many years left in him.

Not playing Heineken Cup would certainly extend his career.

Has he retired from tests?

Billy Tell

PT had a chance to promote his claims in Chicago, which he flunked somewhat. Especially given Barrett made a more than decent cameo off the bench.

He would be pushing for an impact bench spot, wouldn't see him starting in the near future.

All academic anyway if he's not going to play Super Rugby.

nzzp

@Crucial said in Super Rugby News:

@antipodean said in Super Rugby News:

Kinda related. George Smith showing the upstart who the king of Australian flankers is.
https://twitter.com/rugbyhack15/status/825704692365660160

That is awesome. Before I hit play I was wondering wtf Pocock was doing standing on that side of the ruck. I guess Smith was thinking the same.

I loved that he smashed Pocock and hardly broke stride going after the ball. What a sensational player, absolutely top class. Just a pity he didn't get to Play enough at the top level

Stargazer

Now this is shit news:

Charlie Ngatai could miss entire Super Rugby season

While it was far from a certainty that he would get a spot in the ABs team for the Lions tour if he had played Super Rugby this season, he can forget about it now completely.

taniwharugby

never good to hear about a head knock keeping a player out for that long!

gt12

Fuck. That's going to mean TNW at center I guess.

We might regret not trying to keep a hold of Seta.

Edit: And, feel horrible for him for CN, but it's better that he7s stays away and gets healthy.

Tim

Woeful midfield depth is major reason why the Chiefs will miss the playoffs this year.

Bovidae

The Chiefs managed to win in 2012 and 2013 with injuries to first-choice midfielders. Obviously it's not ideal if Ngatai is out but there are options, albeit less experienced options.

Still at least we have depth at 1st 5.

Tim

No problem with Championship Winning 1st 5 Bryn Gatland waiting in the wings.

Now if Cruden gets injured ...

Add to that the usual absences from Retallick and Cane, and injuries to Bird and several frontrow players, and you've got a disaster in the making.

mariner4life

@Tim so, last year then

If you're out for a year with a head knock, then perhaps giving it away is the best option.

mariner4life

actually, for those paying attention, what does our first choice XXIII look like now?

Bovidae

@Tim It's Beaver time!!

Bovidae

@mariner4life

My guess would be:

Hames
Harris/Elliot
Laulala
Retallick
Bird
Messam
Cane
Leitch
TKB
Cruden
Lowe
Ngatai (or Fa'auli/Donald)
ALB
TNW/Pulu
DMac
Harris/Elliot
Graham
Moli
Seu
Sanders/Boshier
Weber
Fa'auli/Donald
McNicol/Stevenson

Unco

@Tim said in Super Rugby News:

Woeful midfield depth is major reason why the Chiefs will miss the playoffs this year.

People said the exact same shit at the start of last season when SBW went off to play Sevens and how'd that turn out?

What's up with your snipes at the Chiefs lately though? Getting a bit uppity before the reality that the Blues are still the Blues comes crashing down? :thinking:

Anyway, gutted Ngatai's still out. They sounded pretty positive late last year, so I was hopeful he'd come right in time for a full season. Great to hear he is on the improve though, even if it is a slow process.

Also gutted they're seriously looking at TNW as a midfield option. He should really only be looked at as emergency midfield cover and nothing more, dude can't tackle for shit.

That 23 looks ideal, Bovidae.

Chris B.

@Stargazer said in Super Rugby News:

Now this is shit news:

Charlie Ngatai could miss entire Super Rugby season

While it was far from a certainty that he would get a spot in the ABs team for the Lions tour if he had played Super Rugby this season, he can forget about it now completely.

Doubly shit in that the Chiefs have got their grubby hands on Nankivell!

Tim

@Unco I'm having a laugh in the preseason.

Good to see that you're as sensitive as ever.

Bovidae

Speaking of the preseason, Blues vs Chiefs at Takapuna on Feb 17.

Wurzel

So Cruden doesn't like the fact the world knows about him buggering off to France. Maybe wanted to keep it secret from Hansen until afterJune...

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/88916881/chiefs-firstfive-aaron-cruden-still-prickly-over-montpellier-move

mariner4life

@Bovidae solid pack, good halves, now a bit light in midfield. But the bench looks ordinary, and i don't know about the strike power out wide

Bovidae

@mariner4life I think there is the potential to have a strong bench with impact, especially in the forwards. All of those players started in a number of games for the Chiefs last season. The 2 back reserves could be between 4-5 players depending on the selections at 12/13 and 14.

The Silver Fern

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