Chiefs 2025
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@Bovidae said in Chiefs 2025:
What to make of this...
McMillan was contracted with the NZR until 2026, but they have taken the decision to release him early from that contract so that he could take up the offer of a three-year deal at Munster.
They've realised prospective All Black coaches need OS experience. The sooner he gets that on his resume, the sooner he can come back.
@antipodean said in Chiefs 2025:
@Bovidae said in Chiefs 2025:
What to make of this...
McMillan was contracted with the NZR until 2026, but they have taken the decision to release him early from that contract so that he could take up the offer of a three-year deal at Munster.
They've realised prospective All Black coaches need OS experience. The sooner he gets that on his resume, the sooner he can come back.
Yup definite positive. Good luck to him in breaking the Chiefs drought this year, but yes, good to see him getting a feel for northern rugby as opposed to resting on his laurels down here.
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@Bovidae said in Chiefs 2025:
What to make of this...
McMillan was contracted with the NZR until 2026, but they have taken the decision to release him early from that contract so that he could take up the offer of a three-year deal at Munster.
They've realised prospective All Black coaches need OS experience. The sooner he gets that on his resume, the sooner he can come back.
@antipodean although a 2 yr contract woulda been better...
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@gt12 said in Chiefs 2025:
Do we want Jono? He's in charge of what right now
Forwards/lineout. Gibbes is only contracted for 2025.
If you bring in a new coach that often means new assistants too. They (current assistant coaches) were told a few weeks back.
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Saw a comment on SM saying Penney will be looking for a new role next year...
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Saw a comment on SM saying Penney will be looking for a new role next year...
@taniwharugby said in Chiefs 2025:
Saw a comment on SM saying Penney will be looking for a new role next year...
Mods!
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@Bovidae said in Chiefs 2025:
What to make of this...
McMillan was contracted with the NZR until 2026, but they have taken the decision to release him early from that contract so that he could take up the offer of a three-year deal at Munster.
They've realised prospective All Black coaches need OS experience. The sooner he gets that on his resume, the sooner he can come back.
@antipodean said in Chiefs 2025:
@Bovidae said in Chiefs 2025:
What to make of this...
McMillan was contracted with the NZR until 2026, but they have taken the decision to release him early from that contract so that he could take up the offer of a three-year deal at Munster.
They've realised prospective All Black coaches need OS experience. The sooner he gets that on his resume, the sooner he can come back.
FABC McMillan...
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My wife's boyfriends husband said he heard that Mark Hammett might be coming to help improve the culture.
@Darren said in Chiefs 2025:
My wife's boyfriends husband said he heard that Mark Hammett might be coming to help improve the culture.
You must have interesting social gatherings.
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My wife's boyfriends husband said he heard that Mark Hammett might be coming to help improve the culture.
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I am expecting a few players to be rested for the trip to Fiji. I wouldn't have risked DMac before the injury, and Lord is probably doubtful with the knock to his knee. Expect Tupou to come into the 23 for a run, Stevenson to be straight back at fullback, Carter to return and probably some continued rotation amongst the props. MSR to get another opportunity.
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@ploughboy said in Chiefs 2025:
Dmac been spotted walking around fine. hopefully all good then
Confirmed as bone bruising but he has sat out training.
Lord will be out for a few weeks. Jacobson is back training too. Stevenson also there.
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Has anyone else felt like Tupaea has made some changes to his carrying style? In the past I often felt like he was too much focused on winning ‘the hit’ in contact, where he just accelerated into the defender as much as he could, without using much footwork or deception.
These past few weeks it looked to me like he was less focused on accelerating into contact than on staying on his feet post-contact, standing in the tackle and trying to use his hip- and upper body-strength to break loose. It looks quite similar to how someone like Mark Tele’a carries close to the ruck, where the emphasis lies more on shifting the carrier's weight into contact rather than making a dominant impact.
I couldn’t really find a great example but this sort of captures what I mean. Typically I’d expect Tupaea to go for the crash-ball in these situations, where here he uses footwork first to wrong-foot the defender while also not accelerating too much in order to stay on his feet and try to step through the tackle.
This might just be me imagining things but it did look somewhat different to me. With Tele’a's success in beating defenders, it wouldn’t surprise me if other players are taking some notes.
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Has anyone else felt like Tupaea has made some changes to his carrying style? In the past I often felt like he was too much focused on winning ‘the hit’ in contact, where he just accelerated into the defender as much as he could, without using much footwork or deception.
These past few weeks it looked to me like he was less focused on accelerating into contact than on staying on his feet post-contact, standing in the tackle and trying to use his hip- and upper body-strength to break loose. It looks quite similar to how someone like Mark Tele’a carries close to the ruck, where the emphasis lies more on shifting the carrier's weight into contact rather than making a dominant impact.
I couldn’t really find a great example but this sort of captures what I mean. Typically I’d expect Tupaea to go for the crash-ball in these situations, where here he uses footwork first to wrong-foot the defender while also not accelerating too much in order to stay on his feet and try to step through the tackle.
This might just be me imagining things but it did look somewhat different to me. With Tele’a's success in beating defenders, it wouldn’t surprise me if other players are taking some notes.
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@Mauss the extra power vertically to throw the tackler off balance is very noticeable in that clip.
@Bones said in Chiefs 2025:
the extra power vertically to throw the tackler off balance is very noticeable in that clip.
I did feel his carrying had become a bit predictable in the 2024 SR season so, if it is indeed a conscious choice to add different elements to it, I think it's a smart choice. He's too skilled as a player to play in a one-dimensional manner.
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@Bovidae Wow thats massive. i wonder if any (or how many) sabbatical years negotiated into this one
