Super Rugby News

[taniwharugby]

@bovidae ah ok, I thought he had injured himself fairly early on.

[Bones]

@stargazer said in Super Rugby News:

What a click bait title. If you read the article, he's not "hitting out" at all. He's just expressing his disappointment, which is understandable. He's been excellent for Waikato. We'll never know how their season would have ended if he hadn't pulled his hamstring, but they might just have been able to remain in the Premiership.

Yeah I wanted to be outraged and so decided to have a read! Then couldn't find the hitting out. What a shit headline. Fair enough on Zac, all he's done is state the facts pretty much.

[Higgins]

Pretty sure the 2018 squads and WTGs are being announced today (at least they are according to Radio Sport)

[Bovidae]

Last year it was Nov 2 (Wed) so maybe tomorrow?

[Higgins]

Or 0500hrs Thursday!

[Tim]

Apparently the Crusaders squad will be announced tomorrow morning.

It appears unlikely Leon MacDonald's replacement will be signed-up before the Crusaders' squad is unveiled this week. Applications for the assistant backline coach's position, which became vacant when MacDonald exercised the option to leave the Crusaders after one season into a two-year deal, closed on October 20 but the appointment process may not be completed before the Super Rugby champions' squad is released on Wednesday morning.

[KiwiMurph]

@tim all the squads are being announced tomorrow (well Blues are too, and they typically all get announced together)

[Stargazer]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/98415521/rookie-southland-stags-midfielder-matty-johnson-joins-blues-for-2018-super-rugby-campaign

[Tim]

@stargazer Well I didn't see that one coming!

These guys watch all the tapes, get the stats etc, but they rate him over Matt Vaega, or did Vaega get a better offer?

"I had a phone call from Tana [Umaga] and I had a fair idea he wanted me to jump on board, but I thought it would be part of a wider squad. "But two days later I got a call to say I've got a [full] contract."

[Tim]

From that article:

It is believed the Blues were also keen to lock in another 2017 Stags standout this year, in terms of flanker Phil Halder. However it seems the deal didn't eventuate.

We need an 8, not another 100kg flanker.

[Stargazer]

@tim I've watched almost all Mitre 10 Cup games and I can't say I remember him playing.

[KiwiMurph]

Looking at the Southland lineups he played mostly at 12 but a couple of games at 13.

Colour me skeptical based on the Blues track record with these kind of things.

[Daffy Jaffy]

Squad watch - NZ Super Rugby announcements tomorrow (Wednesday):
5am: Crusaders
7am: Blues
10am: Highlanders
11am: Chiefs
11.45am: Hurricanes

[taniwharugby]

In the games I watched the Southland midfield was pretty leaky and they didn't seem to create much with the decent amount of ball they had either.

Wonder if that means Tua had gone elsewhere, WTG or overlooked.

[Tim]

Well, sounds like we won't be starting games with a slick passing halfback ...

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=11939050

[KiwiMurph]

@tim This was always likely. It's up to Nock to overtake him.

[Stargazer]

@kiwimurph Or Ruru.

[KiwiMurph]

@stargazer Ruru reminds me more of a Pulu style player.

[Steven Harris]

@tim interesting coms,my only issue with Pulu,is that he looks at his option first,as opposed to the team..!,he is a very good player,but coms I have heard from coaches in the know,put heat on Pulu and his game goes to pieces,hopefully the Blues forwards will make sure he gets solid ride.

[taniwharugby]

@kiwimurph yep, Nock has been very good as a kicking/passing 9 this season, with a decent run of being unbroken, he will need to add a bit more running to really push Pulu IMO

Aside form 2 big runs by Savea running over him, he defended well this year too.