@Paekakboyz

JGB hasn't had enough time. When he did get game time this year against the Blues he had a VG game. Cruden's too injury prone now isn't he. Toala I was impressed with at 2nd vs the Blues and maybe he can become an option at first. I'd still like to see Jordan Barrett tried there is he stays at the Canes.

@Jaguares4real

Plumtree would be an excellent assistant AB coach. He just lacks a bit (and hes almost there) as a head coach. And this slight lack means he's always close but never nails it. Its a shame really. Lam is one example. He prefers him to Goosen. Goosen is a great defender. Lam is crap. Both are good on attack. And its these types of small weird decisions that makes a difference between winning. And not quite winning.

@pukunui said in Hurricanes 2020:

@Jaguares4real Can you shut the f... up about the bloody Jaguares? Go start your own thread about how much you love them. You could even list all the Arg rugby posters you have on your bedroom wall in there.

I even thought of a title for it.

Jaguares. To infinity and beyond!

They thrashed the Canes by a massive 8 points though.

@Canes4life

We are well covered in the midfield. Its a first 5 (I still believe Jordie could possibly be VG at 1st). I.d still like another good lock (Blackwell its still a mystery to me why he's rated so highly). And at least one more quality prop

And if we had to lose one of Perenara or Barrett. It would be Barrett. But its a strange decision for BB to make. It must be an issue with the coaches and if this is the case then its sadly best he goes. Plumtree needs his team that relates to and likes him or his approach even if it includes plodders like Blackwell. And Prinsep. Get his team in place (as Hammett did) and see how it goes. I doubt if its a super rugby winner as it wasn't with Wellington but like Wellington the team will do well but never quite make it.

Plumtree has a liking for plodders.

So Canes are unlikely he will aim high at first five. Maybe try to turn Fletcher Smith into a super rugby first. A lost cause but still. JGB had a VG game vs the Blues but he's too inconsistent. The issue is if JB leaves as well its not a good look for the Canes. Lossing two ABs who stay in NZ but leave for another team. I wonder if Plumtree is rubbing a certian type of player up the wrong way. Jordie looks a slightly moody type and maybe he just doesn't know how to handle these types of players. I remember reading somewhere that Tana wasn't too impressed with the way Plumtree (or at least I think it was Plumtree) talked to players

ok found it
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/archive/national-news/35183/Umaga-sticks-the-boot-in
Umaga also tackles respected coaches John Plumtree and Bryan Williams, saying Plumtree enjoyed humiliating players in front of teammates and that Williams was not "up to speed" with the modern game.

@Stargazer said in Hurricanes 2020:

And while we're at it, some people are full of hypocrisy, too. They are complaining about good players, who are important to a franchise, moving to the Crusaders. But what about Lomax, who's extremely important to the Highlanders, moving to the Hurricanes? I haven't heard a Canes fan saying that that should not be possible because it's damaging the Highlanders (who have by far the smallest player pool). I don't know how Blues fans rate Scrafton, but he's also moving from a weaker performing team to the Canes. Should NZR stop that, too?

Neither of these two are current ABs.

Scrafton got a 4/10 rating in stuff for the Blues season recently. And Lomax was born in the Canes region and is moving back home for family reasons.

@Cyclops

That's what needs to be addressed. something I can almost ensure the NZRU hasn't done. And its not just about the Canes. i want to want to watch the Blues playing the Crusaders again. Or watch a final with the outcome unknown.

And face it. Super rugby is boring and a bit pointless at present. As the winner is known with 99% certainty before the season kicks off. It appalling that NZR has sat back and watch this outcome occur.

@Cyclops

NZ rugby has so much money. This won't decrease (it will though if something is not done about this bullshit boring uneven super rugby set up) but needs to be allocated ina way to ensure a more even distribution of players

Super rugby could be great again but not if NZ stacks (and has a structure to almost ensure this) one team with half or more of the top players

@Jaguares4real said in Hurricanes 2020:

@pukunui

Well said

I'm hearing alot of whinging which essentially boils down to the Crusaders are too good atm

Who the fuck in their right mind want to play for the Blues

Highlanders are bordering on a development team with a good hooker and halfback combination

and you think this is a good thing? Its a poor situation that the NZU has watched happen. Its not only bad for NZ rugby but bad for super rugby as well.

@pukunui said in Hurricanes 2020:

Wait a minute. Exactly who are all these ABs that the Crusaders have been luring away from other teams? What utter rubbish. Teams should be encouraged to develop long term success and part of that is holding onto the talent you have developed.
Forcing players to move completely misses the fact that they are free to move elsewhere at the end of their contracts. More often than not they stay with the successful team where they are happy. Forcing them out is going to push more players overseas.

Oh and BBBR, Cane, TJP, BB, Ardie, Coles, Aaron Smith, Ben Smith, Ioane, Dmac, ALB and a shit load of other good players say the idea that all the good players in NZ are stacked in the Crusaders is bullshit.

At present the Crusaders can attract the best young talent because they have the most ABs. Would say Ennor be at the Crusaders or J Barrett be considering the Crusaders if they were a team like the Blues.

But they key is for the good of super rugby NZ must start spreading the best players out more evenly. This isn't happening and the ways its going it will only get worse. Maybe make a super rugby team pick up all or a % of an AB's salary up to a certain much higher level than at present. So financially it will be impossible to have more than say 8 current ABs in one team.