Exodus 2017
-
Looks like Ben Smith will be hanging around:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=11791575
-
@JayCee good news, there's only so much money people need, and with all the free beds he must get, what more does he need
Seriously though, good stuff Bender, shows the Black jersey still has some pulling power
@taniwharugby said in Exodus 2017:
@JayCee good news, there's only so much money people need, and with all the free beds he must get, what more does he need
Wrong Smith..... and Mrs Smith will thank you to type beers more carefully!
-
Great news!
Although he'll be 32 (or so) by the next WC. That would make him proper old for an AB outside back I guess - but no doubt Rotated will be in soon to talk about that
Who's betting that this means Dagg to Toulon?
-
As much as I love him, particularly for his work at the Chiefs, where him leaving would be bad for us - think it's probably worth going.
I can't see him getting to number 2 in the AB pecking order again, and there are younguns about too.
-
As much as I love him, particularly for his work at the Chiefs, where him leaving would be bad for us - think it's probably worth going.
I can't see him getting to number 2 in the AB pecking order again, and there are younguns about too.
@gt12 said in Exodus 2017:
As much as I love him, particularly for his work at the Chiefs, where him leaving would be bad for us - think it's probably worth going.
I can't see him getting to number 2 in the AB pecking order again, and there are younguns about too.
Yeah its a position with crazy competition at the moment. Could see him going, and wouldn't blame him.
-
-
I'd say Taimanivalu and Fekitoa would both be real prospects to leave after this year, with both only signed to end of this year.
I guess it would be in both interests to keep any announcements until post Lions with both of them, particularly Taimanivalu outside prospects anyway, but any announcement for someone like Taimanivalu could signal the end of his AB career.
-
If Taimanivalu wants to make a halfhearted attempt at being an AB then leave for Toulon, well it's no great loss.
Fekitoa seems to have some sort of anger problem going on. I'd prefer he stay in NZ but it's not too difficult to see him being overtaken by other players, he hasn't nailed that AB 13 jersey by any means.
-
If Taimanivalu wants to make a halfhearted attempt at being an AB then leave for Toulon, well it's no great loss.
Fekitoa seems to have some sort of anger problem going on. I'd prefer he stay in NZ but it's not too difficult to see him being overtaken by other players, he hasn't nailed that AB 13 jersey by any means.
@Billy-Tell I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Buckman stays healthy this Super Rugby season and gets a shot at that 13 jersey.
-
If Taimanivalu wants to make a halfhearted attempt at being an AB then leave for Toulon, well it's no great loss.
Fekitoa seems to have some sort of anger problem going on. I'd prefer he stay in NZ but it's not too difficult to see him being overtaken by other players, he hasn't nailed that AB 13 jersey by any means.
@Billy-Tell said in Exodus 2017:
Fekitoa seems to have some sort of anger problem going on.
Where's this come from?
-
@Billy-Tell said in Exodus 2017:
Fekitoa seems to have some sort of anger problem going on.
Where's this come from?
Facebook or twitter or some fucking social media awhile ago, he posted about having 'anger problems'.
I don't know that BT is talking about rugby, necessarily.
I don't think he is first choice right now, but he's only 1 injury away. I wouldn't go, but if the money is big. Hmm.
Edit: Not TR
-
@Stargazer said in Exodus 2017:
I fuckin' hate Toulon/Mourad Boudjellal
Except this ends up hurting France more than it hurts NZ.
Have you seen their team to play England?
-
@Stargazer said in Exodus 2017:
I fuckin' hate Toulon/Mourad Boudjellal
Except this ends up hurting France more than it hurts NZ.
Have you seen their team to play England?
@Frye That may be so, but that's hardly my only reason for disliking this kind of "news". I prefer our players to play for NZ teams and I'd like to be able to watch them play! Top 14 games are at inconvenient hours for us and not televised by Sky (or anyone else).
-
@Frye That may be so, but that's hardly my only reason for disliking this kind of "news". I prefer our players to play for NZ teams and I'd like to be able to watch them play! Top 14 games are at inconvenient hours for us and not televised by Sky (or anyone else).
@Stargazer Agreed. I was disagreeing with Gavin's assertion.
-
is the player exodus any worse than it has been?
-
The tweeter is going way over the top there.
What would be disruptive to NZ rugby is if they started throwing big bucks and long contracts at the best young players in NZ. We aren't talking Carter level money, but next tier down - Gitteau/Sexton/Parra.
If they blindly gave the Age Grade Player of the year a long contract at big bucks the past few years you are looking at guys like Sam Cane, Akira Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Ardie Savea, Damian MacKenzie. At least you have them making a big decision before they are even capped as ABs.
The black jersey is a valuable bargaining chip, but as we know from the league raids in the 90's perhaps not as much as you think.
All those players I'm happy for them to take all three, just clears the decks for next crop - although with Fekitoa I have some pause. Nonu was rumoured to be switching to league and signing with Wests around the 2007 RWC - general consensus on here was that it wouldn't be a huge loss to NZ rugby and he was a bit of a bust at test level.
-
Story talks about the global season, eligibility and that Dagg looks like staying...
