Blues 2025
-
@African-Monkey I am sure the Blues will be trying to get Sione Ahio back (signed with the Chiefs until 2026).
-
@nzzp said in Blues 2025:
Agreeing with this. The population is not a factor. It generates good rugby players, but in the pro era they head around the country.
Kieran Read springs to mind as a recent-ish example.
Certainly, but to my mind the home region should be better placed to identify and retain the best talent.
-
@Bovidae said in Blues 2025:
@African-Monkey I am sure the Blues will be trying to get Sione Ahio back (signed with the Chiefs until 2026).
I'm still annoyed we let him go in the first place for PJ sheck.
He'd have played 20+ games by now if we didn't stupidly let him go.
-
@antipodean said in Blues 2025:
@nzzp said in Blues 2025:
Agreeing with this. The population is not a factor. It generates good rugby players, but in the pro era they head around the country.
Kieran Read springs to mind as a recent-ish example.
Certainly, but to my mind the home region should be better placed to identify and retain the best talent.
We are better now!
But as someone said very well, the top 15 or so players in each position get snapped up no matter where they are from. So injuries mean you're dipping into a shallow talent pool.
This gets exaggerated by fringe players taking up overseas contracts
-
Kieran Read springs to mind as a recent-ish example.
He wasn't really in the Blues system, the Chiefs dropped the ball. He was due to play for Counties and was allowed to play club rugby in the Waikato but got injured and went to Canterbury the year after.
-
-
They might have made an offer. Just remembering from what I read from his book and what I remember from the time. His first year out of school he was still involved with cricket too I think. No Chiefs or Blues U18/20 back then I don't think. I wonder if Waikato put an offer in as well.
-
@nzzp said in Blues 2025:
@mikedogz I thought he was at Rosehill college, played well and Auckland had to choose between him and Peter Saili to invest in and contract.
Without hindsight you can see why Saili got preferred, he had amazing physical gifts
Ironic as Peter Saili was heavily chased by the Crusaders after he finished school too.
-
@nzzp I thought it was Saili and Nick WIlliams, although Williams is too old to have been in competition with Saili out of school, similarly with Read 3 years Saili's senior, it was probably someone else all together coming out of school at the same time?
-
Read debuted for Canterbury in 2006, Crusaders in 2007. Looking at a list of Blues players, only name that pops out in that time frame is Nick Williams, who debuted for Blues in 2005.
Saili didn't play for them until 2009 (Auckland debut 2008).
-
@African-Monkey interstingly enough Stephen Bates was at the Waitemata v Eden game on Saturday ,Sione Ahio came on in the 2nd half played very well
-
@African-Monkey said in Blues 2025:
@nzzp said in Blues 2025:
@mikedogz I thought he was at Rosehill college, played well and Auckland had to choose between him and Peter Saili to invest in and contract.
Without hindsight you can see why Saili got preferred, he had amazing physical gifts
Ironic as Peter Saili was heavily chased by the Crusaders after he finished school too.
His physical gifts were incredible.
-
@nzzp said in Blues 2025:
@African-Monkey said in Blues 2025:
@nzzp said in Blues 2025:
@mikedogz I thought he was at Rosehill college, played well and Auckland had to choose between him and Peter Saili to invest in and contract.
Without hindsight you can see why Saili got preferred, he had amazing physical gifts
Ironic as Peter Saili was heavily chased by the Crusaders after he finished school too.
His physical gifts were incredible.
Sadly his hands always let him down.
-
