2018 Brisbane Global Tens
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After today's news, I can't resist starting this thread.
First things first, the 2018 version of the tournament will take place on Friday 9 and Saturday 10 February. So not on Saturday and Sunday anymore, like last year. Another change is that it will be a day-night event, beginning in the afternoon and running into the evening, taking games out of the hottest part of the day.
In addition to the Aussie and NZ Super Rugby squads, participants include French club Pau, Japan’s Panasonic Wild Knights, Fiji and Samoa. There will also be a representative side from Western Australia, despite the Wester Force being pulled from Super Rugby.
And then the reason why I started the thread today. The Blues had been asking fans on social media which player they would like to see included in their squad as a wild card player. Today, the Blues have announced that player: Carlos Spencer!
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Super Rugby title winner Carlos Spencer will play for the Blues at the Brisbane Global Rugby Tens at Suncorp Stadium in February.
Described by some as one of the most precocious talents to grace a rugby field, Spencer played 96 games for the Blues between 1996 and 2005, and was instrumental in the club claiming Super Rugby titles in 1996, 1997 and 2003.
A 35-test All Black, Spencer also made 93 appearances for the legendary Auckland team of the 1990s.
The 42-year-old joins the Blues for the Brisbane Global Rugby Tens as a wildcard selection following an online public poll in which he was a clear favourite with the club’s fans.
“It’s going to be amazing to put that Blues jersey back on again,” Spencer said. “I am very excited to be running around with a bunch of young guys again.”
Spencer has remained extremely fit since retiring as a player in 2010.
“The body’s pretty good,” he said. “I’m actually training for the Cape Epic (an eight-day, 700km mountain bike race through South Africa’s Western Cape) in March next year, so I’m doing a bit of cycling at the moment.
Blues chief executive Michael Redman said the club was thrilled to have the club legend link with the team during preparations for the 2108 season.
“Carlos is one of the greatest Blues players ever and our fans voted overwhelmingly that it was him they wanted as our wildcard in Brisbane,” Redman said. “Seeing him in a Blues jersey again will be something special.”
Being a part of the Blues’ environment again was something he would cherish, Spencer said.
“I still have a lot of passion for the Blue jersey. To get back involved with that culture at a club that has given me so much over the years is going to very special.
“I’ve played a couple of social events over the last couple of years but these guys are a lot fitter, faster and stronger. I’ll be relying on the young guys to put me into space and then back me up so I can offload it. I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
Spencer joins global rugby heavyweights Julian Savea, Kurtley Beale, Conrad Smith, Karmichael Hunt, Liam Messam and Colin Slade in committing to play in the 2018 tournament.
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@duluth said in 2018 Brisbane Global Tens:
Hopefully the other NZ sides make a similar selection.
Hopefully not. It discredits the event from the get-go. Makes it seem like more of a jokeshop tournament than it already is.
I actually enjoyed it this year for the fact I got to see all the young'uns from the various WTG showing off their talents. I'm not really interested in seeing Taine Randell, Norm Maxwell, etc getting 2 minutes off the bench every second game.
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@wurzel said in 2018 Brisbane Global Tens:
Hopefully not. It discredits the event from the get-go. Makes it seem like more of a jokeshop tournament than it already is.
It's a preseason semi serious giggle
Fringe players, an older guy and a handful of the top team seems about right to me.
Most of the top players won't gain much from playing and then there is the injury riskI don't get why people want this to be a super serious tournament. Enjoy it (or don't) for what it is
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This post is deleted!
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@stargazer Given the Blues efforts last year at the 10s i'd say an easy pool for everyone else in the Blues pool.
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@kiwimurph Oh, c'mon, only the Wild Knights will be a serious opponent. Surely, the Blues have the best cattle of that lot.
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All depends on who they send. is it wider squad backs and loose forwards for fitness/ game experience/ shits and giggles or is it their best XV minus the tight five..?
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So Pau have rolled out some familiar names for their Brisbane 10s team.
Wonder this mystery AB will be?
Pau's Brisbane Tens squad: Conrad Smith, Colin Slade, Ben Mowen, Steffon Armitage, Thomas Taylor, Lourens Adriaanse, Frank Halai, Jamie Mackintosh, Ignacio Calles, Lucas Rey Quentin Lespiauq, Jeremy Hurou, Daniel Ramsay, Giovanni Habel Kuffner, Pierrick Gunther, Baptiste Pesenti, Martin Puech, Thibault Daubagna, Clovis Lebail, Bastien Pourailly, Brandon Fajardo, Mathias Colombet, Watisoni Votu, Florian Nicot, Mystery All Blacks legend.
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@kiwimurph probably mn5s favourite author.
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The Brisbane Tens accounted tweeted about the Pau selection having 183 international caps between them. Smith, Slade, Mowen, Taylor, Stanley, Mackintosh, Halai, Armitage and Lauren Adriaanse have a total of 149 caps between them. So, unless other players in this list have international caps, the mystery AB must have 34 caps.
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@kiwimurph said in 2018 Brisbane Global Tens:
@bones my serious guess is Chris Masoe
You could be right, but All Blacks "legend"? Let's not just throw that word around like its candy. I'm expecting someone of Carter or McCaws quality.
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@stargazer According to a quick scan 34 caps means Bruce Robertson, Stu Wilson or Murray Mexted?
Legends, yes. Likely, no.
However, assuming there's one random cap spread among the others then 33 could be Victor Vito.
