Super Rugby 2026
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@mariner4life Inside Centre was mentioned as a possibility. Does he have the pace or skills?
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no. has good basic ball skills, runs good lines and hits good holes. But he's no SBW.
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would lock down that channel on defense though.
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@mariner4life he's a tough fluffybunny
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If I were to compare him to anybody, it would be someone of the Jamie Roberts mould. He'll attack inside shoulders on the carry. Can only see him being a 12, I think he might be a bit one dimensional for union.
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@African-Monkey said in Super Rugby 2026:
If I were to compare him to anybody, it would be someone of the Jamie Roberts mould. He'll attack inside shoulders on the carry. Can only see him being a 12, I think he might be a bit one dimensional for union.
He's likely to be Sam Burgess Mark II. Not as big though, closer in size to Damien De Allende, if he can play like him he'll be going ok !
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Might be a higher starting point (in union terms) than those two.
Be surprised if Burgess had ever played union before his switch.
SBW would have played a bit of union at MAGS, but that'd be it.
Think Crichton has played in the centres at league. -
@Tim said in Super Rugby 2026:
@mariner4life Inside Centre was mentioned as a possibility. Does he have the pace or skills?
Yeah, was an absolute freak at 12 in his school boy years. Going to be a heck of a watch
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@Nepia said in Super Rugby 2026:
Hmm, I just assumed he'd be going to the forwards with his rugby background, but guess I assumed wrong. But I think the days of league backrowers going automatically to 12 should be done. Worked spectacularly with SBW and then not so much with Burgess.
Didn't SBW start on the wing?
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@mohikamo said in Super Rugby 2026:
@Tim said in Super Rugby 2026:
Inside Centre was mentioned as a possibility. Does he have the pace or skills?
If he is a big hit at union it'll be at 2⅝.
More difficult transition, but bigger pay-off if it works out.I don't watch league like one or 2 others, but isn't 2nd 5 one of Wallabies strongest positions ? They got Ikatau and Paisami already, so you would think injury or something would be needed for him to make team there?
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@Kiwiwomble said in Super Rugby 2026:
@gt12 said in Super Rugby 2026:
@mohikamo said in Super Rugby 2026:
I've said it before on here; it was a big mistake to form the SR comp when the game went pro back in the 90's.
Now we have a situation where a pro player can play for four different teams, on four different tiers, in one season (National/Super/NPC/club); no other pro football code does this.
Most pro codes have just one main level, with a small all-star level added.
And some dont even do that (AFL, NFL).We already had a competition which in parts was quite professionally run; and had a long tradition and legacy; then we created another, which now has it's own traditions and legacies.
Hard to argue with that in hindsight, but we now have an established Super competition and that's where the primary professional revenue comes from. We should have Super and reserve sides playing across the year.
I know we have a bunch of very engaged (older) fans who love the NPC; I can't see why they wouldn't equally enjoy that competition if it was focused on local amateur players who have come through the club competition.
This feels like an opportunity of separating the dollars for what different organizations do best - the pro teams for revenue and pathways to the ABs, while the local clubs and provinces focus on key metrics such as the number of local club players and competing for trophies that have traditional meaning. The Ranfurley shield, for example, should stay in this (mostly) amateur system.
i was/am one of those that really love the NPC, i have more of a connection to that that the super teams with their 90's logos, tacky names, sanitised colours/jerseys and branding......but....have come around to that the one that has to be promoted
if super rugby was made longer and as a results players generally didnt play both in the same season, and the NPC became a pure club rep comp...i feel they should do something where each franchice had to keep x number of spots open each year and stand outs were picked up on one year contracts (with an option to extend), make it an event at the end of the NPC season along with an awards night where super coaches annouced who they were taking
Do you think it was easier to have connection with super teams originally when the clubs got first choice of all players in their super BPC teams, up till it was changed in 2012/
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@booboo said in Super Rugby 2026:
@Nepia said in Super Rugby 2026:
Hmm, I just assumed he'd be going to the forwards with his rugby background, but guess I assumed wrong. But I think the days of league backrowers going automatically to 12 should be done. Worked spectacularly with SBW and then not so much with Burgess.
Didn't SBW start on the wing?
I'm not sure, but I think most of his rugby was played in the midfield.
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@Nepia said in Super Rugby 2026:
@booboo said in Super Rugby 2026:
@Nepia said in Super Rugby 2026:
Hmm, I just assumed he'd be going to the forwards with his rugby background, but guess I assumed wrong. But I think the days of league backrowers going automatically to 12 should be done. Worked spectacularly with SBW and then not so much with Burgess.
Didn't SBW start on the wing?
I'm not sure, but I think most of his rugby was played in the midfield.
Oh yeah. My point being he learned the game from wider out before moving in to midfield.
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@booboo said in Super Rugby 2026:
@Nepia said in Super Rugby 2026:
@booboo said in Super Rugby 2026:
@Nepia said in Super Rugby 2026:
Hmm, I just assumed he'd be going to the forwards with his rugby background, but guess I assumed wrong. But I think the days of league backrowers going automatically to 12 should be done. Worked spectacularly with SBW and then not so much with Burgess.
Didn't SBW start on the wing?
I'm not sure, but I think most of his rugby was played in the midfield.
Oh yeah. My point being he learned the game from wider out before moving in to midfield.
He was used on the wing early in his AB career but not at lower levels in NZ:
https://www.rugbyhistory.co.nz/player/sonny-bill-williamsIn Toulon he played a handful of games at 6 but mostly midfield. Not sure if they used him on the wing too
