Super Rugby News

gt12

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Billy Tell" data-cid="557828" data-time="1455084173">
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Does anyone else think Buckman was an outside bet for an ABs squad (in the midfield)?
 
Over the years I went from thinking he was pure journeyman to not too bad to pretty good actually to maybe maybe a possible AB.
 
Or am I completely deluded?
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Probably a bit from column A and a bit from column B ;)
 
Seriously though, the timing is horrible. A good run of games and he would have been right in with a shot, I'd imagine.

Crash

Last couple of seasons Buckman has featured heavily for the Landers, may have been an outsider for the ABs,
Not a fan of the pre-season games either. Injuries always seem to occur,

Stargazer

I think Buckman was already on the All Blacks radar as he played for the NZ Barbarians side that trashed the Maori All Blacks last year.

hydro11

I reckon Buckman has a bit of Ben Smith in him. He's a very intelligent rugby player and he could have provided balance to a lot of our explosive young backs. Hopefully, the injury isn't too serious.

Stargazer

That's shit news for the Buck-truck
 
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote">
Highlanders back Richard Buckman ruled out for Super Rugby season
 
LOGAN SAVORY
Last updated 21:08, February 11 2016
 
Richard Buckman is set for a season of off-field promotions - rather than lining up in the 2016 Super Rugby competition - but he remains positive.
 
Buckman injured his shoulder while scoring a try in the Highlanders' first pre-season fixture against French club Racing 92 in Hong Kong on Saturday.
 
The hope was he would would be sidelined for seven weeks and would be able to rejoin the Highlanders for the second half of the competition.
 
However, he was handed the news on Wednesday night which he didn't want - he requires surgery and will miss the remainder of the campaign.
 
"It is obviously pretty disappointing, I was looking forward to another big season trying to defend that title. But it is just one of those things you can't do too much about now and look forward to the future and see the positives and get all my injuries right," he said.
 
"I went and saw the surgeon last night and he gave me the news which was pretty tough. It was a tough sleep last night."
 
He will spend the new few weeks strengthening the shoulder before surgery in March.
 
Buckman has been an unlikely star for the Highlanders since 2014, when he made the move from the Hurricanes, where he saw little game time.
 
The utility back has proved more than useful, both on the wing and in the midfield, and the man dubbed the Barracuda has developed a cult following.
 
Much of that can be put down to his Highlanders team-mate Joe Wheeler, who created a song in his honour.
 
Wheeler and his team-mates pulled out the song at the aftermatch function in Hong Kong as a tribute to Buckman, which proved an internet hit.
 
"I was getting an x-ray at the time, I think he was looking for that limelight again. No he's a good man, I'm just not sure how he's got that song back out there."
 
 - Stuff
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mooshld

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="hydro11" data-cid="557988" data-time="1455166998">
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I reckon Buckman has a bit of Ben Smith in him. He's a very intelligent rugby player and he could have provided balance to a lot of our explosive young backs. Hopefully, the injury isn't too serious.
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I second this last season he really punched well above his weight.

Bones

Gutted about Buckman, he became a huge asset in the backline last season - real gutsy player and was starting to read the game better and better, the perfect midfield partner for someone as explosive and erratic (in a good way) as Fekitoa.

ACT Crusader

That really sucks for Buckman. It didn't look good when he came off holding his arm like that. I thought he was superb last season. He's got good size and was often a bail out option to get over the gain line and straighten the attack. Reliable defender as well.

Unco

How many players are already out for the entire season? Laulala, Buckman, Pollard and any others?
 
Chiefs suffered another injury today, Vaipulu. I know Rennie said they're lowering the intensity a bit at training because they're conscious of the injuries but so far it seems like the same old.

leytonandamanda

And Mitch karpik injured and had his arm in a sling 
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Stargazer

We'll have to wait and see how serious they are, but these are the casualties from yesterday's training and today's Blues v Hurricanes preseason game: 
 
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote">
TJ Perenara, Brad Shields, Motu Matu'u, Matt Proctor, Leni Apisai, Willis Halaholo and Ben May were among the Hurricanes forced from the field. Locks Blade Thomson and James Blackwell had injured themselves the day before, while the team was still in camp up in Gisborne.
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<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/76858839/blues-come-out-best-in-super-rugby-clash-with-hurricanes'>http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/76858839/blues-come-out-best-in-super-rugby-clash-with-hurricanes</a>

Unco

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="leytonandamanda" data-cid="558383" data-time="1455277511">
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And Mitch karpik injured and had his arm in a sling 
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Yeah, forgot about that one, though I thought it was the knee he hurt?
 
Wow at that Canes injury list.

No Quarter

I wonder how much value teams really get out of these pre-season games, and with such a long season now if they should think about scrapping them.

Glath

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Stargazer" data-cid="558518" data-time="1455345246">
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We'll have to wait and see how serious they are, but these are the casualties from yesterday's training and today's Blues v Hurricanes preseason game: 
 
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/76858839/blues-come-out-best-in-super-rugby-clash-with-hurricanes'>http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/76858839/blues-come-out-best-in-super-rugby-clash-with-hurricanes</a>
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Christ.

milkshake

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="No Quarter" data-cid="558527" data-time="1455351552">
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I wonder how much value teams really get out of these pre-season games, and with such a long season now if they should think about scrapping them.
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I think you do need them. Playing amongst yourselves gets stale and you have to give the whole squad some time in a real(ish) game situation to see where you are before the real season starts.
 
The season is 1 game shorter now than it was too. S15 was 16 games, S18 is only 15. That's in the regular season, obviously, which as a Blues fan is all I know.

Stargazer

Hurricanes:
 
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote">
Matt Proctor, Ben May and Motu Matu'u sidelined for Hurricanes
 
Three out of seven isn't a bad result for the Hurricanes.
 
TJ Perenara, Brad Shields, Ben May, Matt Proctor, Leni Apisai, Willis Halaholo and Motu Matu'u all made early exits from Saturday's 40-12 pre-season loss to the Blues in Eketahuna.
Thankfully, for last year's Super Rugby runners-up, most have now been passed fit to play the Crusaders, in their final pre-season match on Friday in Blenheim.
 
Proctor, May and Matu'u have not, with Proctor sounding as if he's copped the worst luck. The centre appeared to go down clutching a hamstring after 14 minutes of Saturday's match, but was later seen icing a knee.
 
He's now been diagnosed with a Posterior Cruciate Ligament injury, although it's yet to be revealed how severe that is or how long Proctor might be sidelined. At best it would seen unlikely that he would be fit to play in the Hurricanes' season-opener against the Brumbies in Canberra on February 26.
...
 
May, meanwhile, has a shoulder problem which isn't thought to be serious enough to keep him away from tighthead prop for too long, with Matu'u suffering a calf strain during his brief stint on the field against the Blues. His absence at hooker will be offset by the return of captain Dane Coles, who was at a wedding last weekend.
...
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<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/76901164/matt-proctor-ben-may-and-motu-matuu-sidelined-for-hurricanes'>http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/76901164/matt-proctor-ben-may-and-motu-matuu-sidelined-for-hurricanes</a>
 
[hr]
 
Chiefs:
 
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote">
Chiefs flanker Mitch Karpik ruled out of Super Rugby season with ruptured ACL
 
Chiefs flanker Mitch Karpik will miss the 2016 Super Rugby season after suffering a knee injury in their preseason game against the Waratahs in Rotorua last Friday.
 
The 20-year-old ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and will now undergo surgery. He is expected to take six to nine months to recover, meaning he will miss the forthcoming season, which begins on February 26 and runs until August.
...
 
The Chiefs beat the Waratahs 17-12 on Friday, but have already racked up a lengthy injury list, still two weeks out from the start of the season.
 
Prop Nepo Laulala is also out for the season with a knee injury, while lock Dom Bird and halfback Augustine Pulu are both expected to be out for at least two months with foot and arm injuries respectively.
 
Backs Andrew Horrell (groin) and Toni Pulu (ankle) are both on the comeback trail after off-season surgery.
...
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<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/76917108/chiefs-flanker-mitch-karpik-ruled-out-of-super-rugby-season-with-ruptured-acl'>http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/76917108/chiefs-flanker-mitch-karpik-ruled-out-of-super-rugby-season-with-ruptured-acl</a>

Siam

Christ it's heartbraking to hear all these fellas ruled out for the season before the month of Feb is even half way over
 
That pro rugby job thingee might not be all it's cracked up to be....we'd all still love to do it though eh!
 
Should be a catchphrase in the industry that injury time = hit the study books between rehabs

Bovidae

Squad depth is going to be so important as teams suffer injuries. While I don't think Karpik would have played much he would be a useful foil to Cane at trainings. I suppose Kolomatangi will be used more as a no.7 now, and there's Leitch as well. Perhaps a player like Mitch Jacobson might be looked at for the WTG and squad trainings. 
 
Vaipulu's shoulder problem seems to be OK.
 
Playing on hard grounds at this time of the year can't help with these high impact injuries.

taniwharugby

NEW ZEALAND (TAB)
Chiefs $6.50, Hurricanes $7.50, Waratahs $8, Brumbies $8, Highlanders $8.50, Crusaders $8.50, Stormers $10, Sharks $13, Jaguares $13, Blues $18, Bulls $18, Lions $31, Reds $41, Rebels $61, Force $101, Cheetahs $101, Kings $151, Sunwolves $501.
 
AUSTRALIA (Centrebet)
Hurricanes $6, Chiefs $7, Waratahs $7.50, Crusaders $7.50, Brumbies $9, Highlanders $9, Sharks $13, Jaguares $13, Stormers $15, Bulls $17, Blues $21, Reds $26, Lions $34, Rebels $51, Force $81, Cheetahs $81, Kings $251, Sunwolves $251.
 
SOUTH AFRICA (Interbet)
Hurricanes R6.30, Chiefs R6.50, Crusaders $R7.30, Waratahs R7.50, Brumbies R8.30, Highlanders R8.50, Stormers R12, Jaguares R12, Sharks R13, Bulls R17, Blues R19.50, Lions R29, Reds R31, Rebels R54, Force R78, Cheetahs R86, Kings R200, Sunwolves R300.

ACT Crusader

Any ferners heading to Blenheim for the Saders preseason hitout vs the Canes? I'd be interested in a (real) match report before the season proper starts. The stuff report from the Landers game in Southland was more about the occasion (which is fine) rather than how players were faring.
 
Starting to get excited about the 'unknown' element of what the Saders will be like this season.

The Silver Fern

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