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Super Rugby 2023

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    #62
    eagle eye
    Registered Users Posts: 37,732 ✭✭✭✭eagle eye


    Poor Sevu, hope he recovers quickly.

    As good as he is it's not going to affect the All-Blacks much. They are stacked on the wing with Leicester, Clarke and Jordan to start with.



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    #63
    sydthebeat
    Subscribers Posts: 41,143 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    poor sevu my hole....



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    #64
    Yeah_Right
    Registered Users Posts: 5,972 ✭✭✭Yeah_Right


    Wing is one position the ABs always have plenty of depth. Wingers never seem to have long careers in the ABs. I think the longest was Howlett with about 60 tests. Any drop in form and there is always someone ready to take their spot.



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    #65
    eagle eye
    Registered Users Posts: 37,732 ✭✭✭✭eagle eye


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120415102#Comment_120415102

    You are forgetting the late and greatest Jonah Lomu.



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    #66
    stephen_n
    Registered Users Posts: 12,920 ✭✭✭✭stephen_n


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120421961#Comment_120421961

    It’s funny, both Howlett and Lomu had 63 caps each. Can’t help but think they would have probably had 100 for any other team.



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    #67
    eagle eye
    Registered Users Posts: 37,732 ✭✭✭✭eagle eye


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120422077#Comment_120422077

    In Jonah's case illness cut his career short. He missed a year over it at one stage.

    Last time he played for New Zealand he was 27. He was an incredible man, many would never have played again after being diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome.



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    #68
    Yeah_Right
    Registered Users Posts: 5,972 ✭✭✭Yeah_Right


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120422077#Comment_120422077

    Agreed. Obviously Lomu had his health problems. Howlett was competing with Sivivatu, Rokocoko and Ralph and a few one season wonders. He averaged less than 8 tests a season without major injuries which is mad.

    On the subject of matches played, Aaron Smith became the 5th NZer to play 350 first class matches. Great effort.



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    #69
    sydthebeat
    Subscribers Posts: 41,143 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    i wouldnt be surprised to see Salesi Rayasi brought into the squad for the rugby championship. he's averaging a try ever 2 games for the hurricances and at 26 is hitting his prime.



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    #70
    Yeah_Right
    Registered Users Posts: 5,972 ✭✭✭Yeah_Right


    Lot of talk in NZ about Shaun Stevenson being called up to the ABs.



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    #71
    sydthebeat
    Subscribers Posts: 41,143 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120423175#Comment_120423175

    hes impressed with the maoris anytime hes played



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    #72
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120423175#Comment_120423175

    He's a guy I imagine a few countries have explored his lineage on because to me he's always looked like an international quality player.



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    #73
    typhoony
    Registered Users Posts: 1,491 ✭✭✭typhoony


    Was watching the Fijian drua play the rebels over the weekend and the no.13 is a real talent.



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    #74
    sydthebeat
    Subscribers Posts: 41,143 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120324531#Comment_120324531

    after the chiefs this weekend our schedule is Home to Force, home to Drua, Paskfika in Auckland. Id be hoping of at least 13 points from those 3 games.

    14 point return from those games is pretty good, even if we're still playing average. we're in 6th at the moment where we never got beyond 8th place last year. Our next 3 games are home to canes, then a bye week, then away to the force and tahs. The tahs have been pretty disappointing so far this season, so if we could get 8 points from those 3 game sit would be a very, very good return.

    we cant be going away to the blues in the last round of the comp needing a victory!

    @Yeah_Right whats happening with your boys? 3 from 6 is a poor start!



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    #75
    Yeah_Right
    Registered Users Posts: 5,972 ✭✭✭Yeah_Right


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120433941#Comment_120433941

    Yes it is. It's strange though. On paper the losses aren't that bad; away to the the Chiefs and the Brumbies and at home to the Crusaders.

    In a season those losses are "acceptable" but when you look into the matches there are issues. Didn't score at all in the second half v Brumbies, soft early tries conceded and in all 3 matches the Blues have gotten over the line 2 or 3 times and failed to ground the ball. Get one of those scores each game and the Blues could be 6 from 6.

    Also Barrett had a really bad game on Saturday. Worst I've ever seen.



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    #76
    sydthebeat
    Subscribers Posts: 41,143 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    Ethan de Groot signs with the Highlanders until 2026.



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    #77
    sydthebeat
    Subscribers Posts: 41,143 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    Are we on for an upset this morning in orangetheory stadium in Christchurch?

    Moana beating crusaders 21 - 17 at half time.



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    #78
    Digifriendly
    Registered Users Posts: 4,021 ✭✭✭Digifriendly


    Crusaders win 38-21. Reds hammered 24-52 at home to Brumbies who look like the only Australian team capable of challenging NZ domination.



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    #79
    Dillonb3
    Registered Users Posts: 1,713 ✭✭✭Dillonb3


    Hurricanes and Chiefs standout tie this weekend



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    #80
    AbusesToilets
    Registered Users Posts: 10,012 ✭✭✭✭AbusesToilets


    Surely McKenzie has to be in pole position for the NZ 10 jersey at this stage, he's been sensational this season. Stevenson is definitely a good shout for a cap too, I'd be shocked if NZ let another country have a sniff of him.

    Watching the Drua, they're a quality outfit. Were quite unlucky against the Brumbies. Think failing to score around the 68min took the wind out of them. Hope Fiji can carry their cohesion and form into the WC



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    #81
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120480012#Comment_120480012

    Big McKenzie fan, great to watch but would he be a Joe style player? Touch of Finn Russell about his play, incredibly creative but frenetic.



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    #82
    Yeah_Right
    Registered Users Posts: 5,972 ✭✭✭Yeah_Right


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120480446#Comment_120480446

    I agree. Great player but Finn Russell would be a fair comparison. Not sure I'd want him as the starting 10 in a big match but a great option off the bench.

    Post edited by Boards.ie: Mike on


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    #83
    sydthebeat
    Subscribers Posts: 41,143 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    He's an incredible 15



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    #84
    eagle eye
    Registered Users Posts: 37,732 ✭✭✭✭eagle eye


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120478281#Comment_120478281

    I watched it, the Chiefs have been very impressive this season.

    On the McKenzie assessments, I don't think he ever costs his team a game but he wins games a lot with his creativity which is manic at times.



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    #85
    sydthebeat
    Subscribers Posts: 41,143 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    Freddie burns named in the bench for the Highlanders just 33 days after breaking his leg against the chiefs last month.


    That's a bit mad altogether Ted

    Post edited by sydthebeat on


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    #86
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    I see they've called time on the Roger Tuivasa-Sheck experiment; and he's going back to NRL in 2024.



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    #87
    sydthebeat
    Subscribers Posts: 41,143 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120498703#Comment_120498703

    it will be interesting to see if hes included in the ABs RWC squad. Personaly i dont think hes up to test level in union.



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    #88
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120498713#Comment_120498713

    Yeah, agreed. I'd prefer David Havili, Jordie Barrett or Anton Lienert Brown as 12 options.

    Will Ngani Laumape be considered for the RWC, no?



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    #89
    sydthebeat
    Subscribers Posts: 41,143 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120498732#Comment_120498732

    no. hasnt been on teh AB radar in 3 years, and not playing in NZ rules him out.

    Jack Goodhue and Quinn Tupaea are the other options at 12



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    #90
    Yeah_Right
    Registered Users Posts: 5,972 ✭✭✭Yeah_Right


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120498967#Comment_120498967

    Will Tupaea be back in time? Really like Goodhue but he has had a horrible run of injuries. I'd go with Barrett. Havili and ALB can be so good at SR level but they've never really excelled at test level. No one has made the jersey their own since Nonu.



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    #91
    Locke_Lamora
    Registered Users Posts: 1,313 ✭✭✭Locke_Lamora


    Tupaea had an interview recently where he seemed fairly annoyed at how his injury came about, don’t think he was too confident about being back in time to make a claim for the WC.

    I think it’s a little harder to really stand out these days as a 12 in test level rugby, given how much quicker and more organised defences have become. Nonu really was the prototype though - if there has been anyone better since his reign, they’ve slipped my mind. Perfect combination of power and skill, just kept adding to his game as well.



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