Super Rugby News
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Total minutes in 2018 (SR & Test)
Ben Smith 2,120
Scott Barrett 2,107
Rieko Ioane 1,992
Beauden Barrett 1,946
Sam Whitelock 1,905
Codie Taylor 1,754
Aaron Smith 1,571So yeah Scott Barrett was firing all season in a similar role to Sam, did well.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12168081
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The Highlanders have announced that former England and British and Irish Lions centre Riki Flutey is set to come onboard in January as the franchise’s skills coach, as he replaces the Sunwolves-bound Cory Brown.
Former England international set to coach in Super Rugby
The Highlanders have made a new addition to their coaching staff for the 2019 season following the departure of Cory Brown and it's a name that will be familiar to New Zealand and England rugby fans alike.
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So the Warriors death knell has tolled ...
Rats in Mick Watsonesque 'Warriors will be number 1' rant shock...
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12181688
I took one for the team so you don't have to click on it:
"Rugby is dying" — that's what the man said to me recently and it wasn't a flippant comment from a rugby hater. This was from a rugby fan, with both a strong influence in and a detailed knowledge of the school sports scene. He said — without hesitation — that league was still winning the battle for young hearts and minds in many Auckland places, despite the sport's problems. I was shocked to hear it, particularly as rugby in Auckland feels as if it is on the verge of a re-boot, while league is hardly riding the crest of a wave. ADVERTISEMENT Advertise with NZME. Tell me more, I replied. In a nutshell, in his view, the western and southern Auckland suburbs in particular are total league strongholds with the rising generation of players and fans. The reasons? League was a "sexier" sport, more in tune with modern life. Along with that, Polynesians in particular loved the clean and open confrontations that league offered as opposed to rugby's messier, wrestling-style nature. There was another reason. New rugby heroes easily identifiable with these areas were not emerging. There was a disconnect between rugby and this particular heartland. We started mulling over the 2019 Blues squad, and it emphasised his point. With club rugby losing its importance and profile, suburban connections aren't easy to spot anyway. School rugby recruitment also blurs the suburban lines. -
@booboo said in Super Rugby News:
So the Warriors death knell has tolled ...
Rats in Mick Watsonesque 'Warriors will be number 1' rant shock...
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12181688
I took one for the team so you don't have to click on it:
"Rugby is dying" — that's what the man said to me recently and it wasn't a flippant comment from a rugby hater. This was from a rugby fan, with both a strong influence in and a detailed knowledge of the school sports scene. He said — without hesitation — that league was still winning the battle for young hearts and minds in many Auckland places, despite the sport's problems. I was shocked to hear it, particularly as rugby in Auckland feels as if it is on the verge of a re-boot, while league is hardly riding the crest of a wave. ADVERTISEMENT Advertise with NZME. Tell me more, I replied. In a nutshell, in his view, the western and southern Auckland suburbs in particular are total league strongholds with the rising generation of players and fans. The reasons? League was a "sexier" sport, more in tune with modern life. Along with that, Polynesians in particular loved the clean and open confrontations that league offered as opposed to rugby's messier, wrestling-style nature. There was another reason. New rugby heroes easily identifiable with these areas were not emerging. There was a disconnect between rugby and this particular heartland. We started mulling over the 2019 Blues squad, and it emphasised his point. With club rugby losing its importance and profile, suburban connections aren't easy to spot anyway. School rugby recruitment also blurs the suburban lines.@taniwharugby take note. Rugby needs heaps more sexiness in order to compete.
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@Machpants Looks like image upload is broken since the patch.. I'll look at it soon
Edit - fixed
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@Duluth said in Super Rugby News:
@Machpants Looks like image upload is broken since the patch.. I'll look at it soon
Edit - fixed
Edit.
One of the shittest memes ever.
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More Kiwis signed by the Sunwolves:
Pauliasi Manu
Sam Prattley
Kara Pryor
Mark Abbott
Jamie Boothhttps://sunwolves.or.jp/en/information/article/6804/
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21 Sunwolves players have been officially announced and 12 of them are Kiwis.
The Sunwolves' website shows a squad of 41 players, and in addition to these 12, there's also- Otago lock Tom Rowe,
- two NZ born players with a Japanese passport* (Michael Leitch and Hendrik Tui),
- three Australians,
- five South Africans (at least two of them with a Japanese passport),
- two Tongans (with Japanese passport, one NZ born),
- a Scott (with Japanese passport),
- a Georgian and
- 14 Japanese Japanese players.
*assumption: playing for Japan means having a Japanese passport
If I'm correct, about 20 of the 41 players of this squad don't have a Japanese passport (some of them may already be or may become Japan eligible though).
Four of the five coaches are also New Zealanders (Tony Brown, Corey Brown, Scott Hansen, Marty Veale) and Jamie Joseph is the Director of Rugby.
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@Stargazer didnt know Marty Veale was coaching there
Dan and Kara playing together at Super Level for first time, they're up this way fishing at moment...
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@Stargazer Gee I don’t think they are going to be the easy beats of the past especially when playing at home have seen some gradual improvement but depth has always been an issue..I think a few team might be a little nervous about the trip to Japan.
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Super Rugby: Ins and outs for 2019
Not all final squads have been confirmed yet, but this article gives a nice overview of some of the changes (ins and outs).
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@Stargazer what have I missed....no Israel Folau?
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@Bones said in Super Rugby News:
@Stargazer what have I missed....no Israel Folau?
I assumed you were making some gag about him being IN the closet, or whether he'd finally come OUT.
But - rather - I think what you missed was this little line:"The Waratahs are yet to announce their full 2019 Super Rugby squad..."
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A few words on the squads.
The Sharks and the Lions have lost a lot of experienced players. Without Dreyer, Van Rooyen and Mostert, the Lions front five will look far less impressive.
The Australian conference is even weaker is year. Maybe we could see five NZ teams within the eight qualified for the quarters and the semis.
The Highlanders have made the best recruitment IMO, particularly up front. -
@Bones said in Super Rugby News:
@Stargazer what have I missed....no Israel Folau?
Folau is listed in the squad.
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@hydro11 said in Super Rugby News:
@Bones said in Super Rugby News:
@Stargazer what have I missed....no Israel Folau?
Folau is listed in the squad.
Hah that's funny....they've updated it. There was definitely only one yesterday and it wasn't Israel.
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@Stargazer Tim Bateman is listed as an "Out" for the Crusaders, but that's not correct is it? Or has Tim done a runner since the squads were announced?
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@Chris-B No, I don't think that's correct. He's on the updated teamlist on the Crusaders' website and I haven't seen anything that indicates he's leaving or injured (long-term). He played for the Ricoh Black Rams in their last Top League game on 15 December (not their non-competition game on 22 December).
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