Chiefs 2025
-
@Bovidae said in Chiefs 2025:
There is another article today about the Stevenson situation. It's behind a paywall but "personal circumstances" was a key consideration behind NZR's decision. Chris Lendrum wouldn't go into details publicly. Kubota wanted Stevenson for the full season as they have an injury crisis at fullback.
This is more a general rant about how players and their managers use the get out of gaol free card "personal circumstances" to break contracts at will. I'd like to see them held to their word.
@antipodean mental health is always a good way to get what you want (this is not to diminish those with genuine mental health issues, just is an easy out for too many these days)
-
@Bovidae said in Chiefs 2025:
There is another article today about the Stevenson situation. It's behind a paywall but "personal circumstances" was a key consideration behind NZR's decision. Chris Lendrum wouldn't go into details publicly. Kubota wanted Stevenson for the full season as they have an injury crisis at fullback.
This is more a general rant about how players and their managers use the get out of gaol free card "personal circumstances" to break contracts at will. I'd like to see them held to their word.
@antipodean said in Chiefs 2025:
This is more a general rant about how players and their managers use the get out of gaol free card "personal circumstances" to break contracts at will. I'd like to see them held to their word.
I doubt NZR contracts have a release clause which is the norm in many other sports, so rugby contracts are heavily in favour of the employer.
-
@Bovidae said in Chiefs 2025:
Bugger I had hoped they were taking a game to New Plymouth, kind of to celebrate the new stand and everything. Even being a Canes man I would of been there. In one way I laugh, Naki were going to get regular games supposedy why they sold out to Chiefs!!!
-
On Stuff today:
Breakout All Blacks loose forward Wallace Sititi is set to miss a chunk, if not all, of the Chiefs’ Super Rugby Pacific campaign. World Rugby’s breakthrough player of 2024, and the All Blacks player of the year, is carrying a knee injury, sustained on last year’s northern tour. The Waikato Times reported the 22-year-old requires surgery, which will at least sideline him for a chunk of the season, which kicks off February 14.
Sititi has been overseas on holiday and is waiting to see a surgeon to determine the seriousness of the injury. McMillan is expected to provide an injury update today.
-
On Stuff today:
Breakout All Blacks loose forward Wallace Sititi is set to miss a chunk, if not all, of the Chiefs’ Super Rugby Pacific campaign. World Rugby’s breakthrough player of 2024, and the All Blacks player of the year, is carrying a knee injury, sustained on last year’s northern tour. The Waikato Times reported the 22-year-old requires surgery, which will at least sideline him for a chunk of the season, which kicks off February 14.
Sititi has been overseas on holiday and is waiting to see a surgeon to determine the seriousness of the injury. McMillan is expected to provide an injury update today.
@Bovidae the brutal nature of top-level sport, although being so young it should have less impact on him than if he was a bit older.
-
On Stuff today:
Breakout All Blacks loose forward Wallace Sititi is set to miss a chunk, if not all, of the Chiefs’ Super Rugby Pacific campaign. World Rugby’s breakthrough player of 2024, and the All Blacks player of the year, is carrying a knee injury, sustained on last year’s northern tour. The Waikato Times reported the 22-year-old requires surgery, which will at least sideline him for a chunk of the season, which kicks off February 14.
Sititi has been overseas on holiday and is waiting to see a surgeon to determine the seriousness of the injury. McMillan is expected to provide an injury update today.
-
Sititi in doubt for Super Rugby 2025, I guess it's good from a Canes perspective because he single handedly destroyed us in the semi last year but from a rugby fan POV this sucks to see.
-
Sititi in doubt for Super Rugby 2025, I guess it's good from a Canes perspective because he single handedly destroyed us in the semi last year but from a rugby fan POV this sucks to see.
@Canes4life I reckon it will be good for him long term. Get into the gym and hammer his upper body. Shit for the chiefs and my $20k multi though.
-
When's Fantasy Super Rugby starting because Sititi would have been one of my picks?
-
I think the loose forward trio will now be one of the following (dependent on where Jacobson is played):
6 Finau
7 Jacobson
8 ParkerOR
6 Finau
7 Brown
8 JacobsonThere are plenty of other players who can play no.8 like Wrampling and Boshier. Jacob Norris would be the likely injury replacement.
-
amazing how these rumours come true.@chchfanatic said in Chiefs 2025:
amazing how these rumours come true.You called that a while ago, well played.
-
@Windows97 said in Chiefs 2025:
Give himself one more crack at making the AB's in 2025??
I really rate SS but the fact that Fihaki was brought in ahead of him last year means that he'll need to have a stellar 2025 to move up the pecking order. With Love out for half of Super Rugby there's certainly opportunity for him to get back into the AB environment. I wish him well.
@Canes4life said in Chiefs 2025:
@Windows97 said in Chiefs 2025:
Give himself one more crack at making the AB's in 2025??
I really rate SS but the fact that Fihaki was brought in ahead of him last year means that he'll need to have a stellar 2025 to move up the pecking order. With Love out for half of Super Rugby there's certainly opportunity for him to get back into the AB environment. I wish him well.
If anything bringing Fihaki in is an indication that playing well is not a requirement.
-
Can't remember who was after one but the white Chiefs training tees are for sale to the public now.
-
I think the loose forward trio will now be one of the following (dependent on where Jacobson is played):
6 Finau
7 Jacobson
8 ParkerOR
6 Finau
7 Brown
8 JacobsonThere are plenty of other players who can play no.8 like Wrampling and Boshier. Jacob Norris would be the likely injury replacement.
@Bovidae said in Chiefs 2025:
I think the loose forward trio will now be one of the following (dependent on where Jacobson is played):
6 Finau
7 Jacobson
8 ParkerOR
6 Finau
7 Brown
8 JacobsonThere are plenty of other players who can play no.8 like Wrampling and Boshier. Jacob Norris would be the likely injury replacement.
I think they will start parker at 8. but probably end up with wrampling. LJ has to stay at 7
-
I think the loose forward trio will now be one of the following (dependent on where Jacobson is played):
6 Finau
7 Jacobson
8 ParkerOR
6 Finau
7 Brown
8 JacobsonThere are plenty of other players who can play no.8 like Wrampling and Boshier. Jacob Norris would be the likely injury replacement.
@Bovidae said in Chiefs 2025:
I think the loose forward trio will now be one of the following (dependent on where Jacobson is played):
6 Finau
7 Jacobson
8 ParkerOR
6 Finau
7 Brown
8 JacobsonThere are plenty of other players who can play no.8 like Wrampling and Boshier. Jacob Norris would be the likely injury replacement.
That’s unfortunate for Sititi, hopefully he recovers well from the surgery.
It’ll be interesting to see how McMillan reshuffles his loose forward trio. I’ve taken a quick look at some numbers from this season’s NPC (source: RugbyPass), and how Wrampling-Alec, Boshier and Parker played at eight. These are their averages across six games played at number eight (Boshier played a 7th game at 8 but left the game after 14 minutes so I left that out).
There’s some clear differences between the player profiles: Wrampling-Alec looks to be the most potent attacking threat, making the most metres, offloads and beating the most defenders on average. Boshier’s added value is primarily in his lineout game. And Parker looks to be the most potent threat, if only slightly, for stealing the ball. All seem to be solid defenders, with plenty of tackle involvements.
That being said, it could indeed well be that McMillan puts Jacobson at the back with Brown at openside, the latter being an experienced Super Rugby player with 51 games played for the Brumbies (SR exp.: Boshier, 26 caps; Parker, 22; Wrampling-Alec, 0).
-
Boshier is more suited to no.8 (his position for Taranaki) but I wouldn't read too much into the lineout stats. That's more of a reflection of their NPC team lineout systems. Boshier is easily the shortest of the three and both Wrampling and Parker are good lineout options, and lifters due to their height.
