Super Rugby 2017

Fulcrum29 said:
That's why. They have more than enough quality centres, but Tamanivalu was their best utility back on the rotation to cover the wing. Also, it is my team. I only want to have Dave Rennie to bag one more Super Rugby title.

But yah, the Crusaders was rebuilding their team and now they will need to continue under Scott Robertson. Kieron Fonotia and Robbie Fruean has moved to Great Britain which is reason enough to draw Tamanivalu into their squad.

There will be many more signings and player movements between now and February.

Another thing, Tana Umaga has been named the Maori All Blacks assistant coach which is a great opportunity to gain experience to carry the continuity over to the Blues.
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Yup. I can't wait for the Blues to become strong again. They already lifted their game this year, with good signs going forward, including SBW...
 
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...-toni-pulu-resign-with-chiefs-for-super-rugby

Kane Hames and Toni Pulu re-sign with Chiefs for Super Rugby

A day after Pauliasi Manu (Blues) and Seta Tamanivalu (Crusaders) had their departures confirmed, the Chiefs have re-signed prop Kane Hames and winger Toni Pulu.

After both players made a good first of their first seasons in Chiefs colours, the franchise announced on Friday that Hames had signed on for 2017, while Pulu had put pen to paper for the next two years.
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:)
 
Cruden linked with mega France move

All Blacks and Chiefs flyhalf Aaron Cruden could ply his trade in France soon according to media reports in that country.

Midi-Olympique reports that a possible salary of $NZ1.2 million per season to play for Montpellier in the Top 14 could tempt Cruden to leave New Zealand rugby.

The 27-year-old is viewed as a as a possible replacement for Demetri Catrakilis who is set to return to South Africa at the end of the current season.

Cruden was viewed as Dan Carter's successor for the All Blacks after last year's Rugby World Cup but despite starting the 2016 season as the world champions' first-choice number 10, he has been replaced in their starting line-up by Beauden Barrett who has delivered several impressive performances for his country at Test level and the Hurricanes during their recent triumphant Super Rugby campaign.

According to a Valuers du Rugby report, Cruden is already negotiating with Montpellier, who will be coached by fellow New Zealander Vern Cotter from next season.

Valuers revealed that the annual salary being offered to Cruden is NZ$1.54m when premiums are included.

Cruden is contracted to New Zealand Rugby until the end of 2017.

Meanwhile, reports in the British media this week have also linked him with Premiership clubs Harlequins and Worcester.

The Rugby Paper reports that Cruden's representatives have made enquiries to a number of Premiership clubs, but he "will only consider making a move if his £700 000 (NZ$1.25m) wage demands are met".
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Hoping this ain't true, although I wouldn't blame him at that salary...
 
Filo Tiatia is to address the Japanese press tomorrow on the Sunwolves status and it is rumoured that he will name their preliminary squad. Now that Jamie Joseph has named the ‘new’ Cherry Blossoms yesterday it may be assumed that many selected may be in the Sunwolves squad.

Ed Quirk has also returned to Japan which gives reason to believe that he may be in the squad.
 
Filo Tiatia and Jamie Joseph was in attendance to address the Japanese press on the Sunwolves status. At this stage they are not in a good position. The JRFU approached 33 players where only 14 players have agreed to enter an ‘possible’ contract with the Sunwolves. To date, they have an empty player roster with little interest in their Super Rugby campaign. They will need to sign 38-42 players, with only 14 players in a verbal agreement. It is clear that Tiatia and Joseph is unhappy.

Furthermore, they will only have a 3-week preseason with 1 warmup game against the Top League All Star XV. The Top League All Star XV team that they warmed-up against this year was hardly all-stars. The only other preseason experience that they may pick up is with the Panasonic players attending the Brisbane Global Tens, it is questionable whether the Sunwolves will be able to sign Panasonic players.

Their warmup match is on the 18th February 2017, and is part in an aid campaign to donate the proceeds to the Kumamoto earthquake victims.

Snippets, what Joseph had to say,

Joseph: "I want to help out (the Sunwolves) in any way I can."
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Joseph: "From my perspective, Sunwolves is about accelerating the development of Japanese players in a really tough competition."
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Joseph: "The Sunwolves are there to help develop Japanese players."
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Joseph: "The Sunwolves are about developing home players or players that are eligible for Japan so we can be stronger for 2019."
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Joseph: "We could buy or contract player from anywhere in the world like other teams, but that wouldn’t help our team."
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And Tiatia’s input,

Tiatia: "It's my duty to get as many players as possible to represent Japan."
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It seems that Joseph is standing strong on promoting Japanese players, or those which may be eligible to represent Japan.
 
OrbitalDawn said:
I like that they're presenting a united front. There needs to be coordination between the Sunwolves and Brave Blossoms.
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Yep, and I also understand why they have limited time to prepare as the Top League only concludes on the 24th January. Here is a media report,

http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2016/10/437176.html

Rugby: Familiar problems remain as Tiatia takes control of Sunwolves

New Sunwolves coach Filo Tiatia will face some familiar problems in his first few months in charge of Japan's Super Rugby franchise.

An inability, so far, to persuade Japan's top players to sign for the team, a far shorter preseason than any of their rivals and a travel schedule that sees them fly more than twice as many kilometers as the other sides sees Tiatia with his back against the wall before he has even had a chance to get on the training paddock.

...

"I am very excited about leading this group of men and management group in one of the hardest competitions in world rugby," the 45-year-old Tiatia said Wednesday at his introductory press conference.

"The biggest thing will be getting this group of men to build on the continuity of last season and build on the foundations created by Mark Hammett."

...

"In the short term we could buy in big contract players but that won't help the Japan team," said Joseph. "The policy Filo and I have going forward is to develop Japanese rugby to the next level."

Joseph, however, admitted that it would be tough to persuade all of Japan' top players to forego overseas contracts and play for the Tokyo-based franchise.

Sunwolves CEO Yuji Watase said 33 players had been approached but that to date just 14 had given a verbal agreement that they would play for the team.

According to some sources, one reason for the reluctance of players to sign has been the uncertainty over who would coach the side -- Tiatia was only appointed last month -- and the travel schedule that sees the Sunwolves fly close on 130,000 km to play games in South Africa, Argentina and New Zealand, not to mention three "home" games in Singapore.

"We've inherited the biggest travel schedule of Super Rugby again. But it is what it is," Tiatia said.

"The challenge for us is how we do become the best organized and prepared team when we travel the world. We are crossing so many timelines that we need to prepare so we can perform when we hit the ground."

However, when it comes to preseason preparation, the Sunwolves are once again at a disadvantage.

The Top League does not finish until mid-January and there are two rounds of the All-Japan Championship following that. So the Sunwolves will have just one warm-up game -- against a Top League All Star XV in the new stadium currently being built in Kitakyushu on Feb. 18 -- before they take on the reigning Super Rugby champions in Tokyo on Feb. 25.

...

And Tiatia is hopeful the team can improve, while playing a brand of rugby that keeps attracting fans to Prince Chichibu Memorial Ground.

"We want to play fast rugby not just in terms of our body profile but also because it's an exciting brand of rugby. My responsibility is improve the team to get performances that are acceptable and get as many of our players as possible going on to represent the national team."
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I’m quite sure that with continuity they may become a top 8 team in Super Rugby, but that travelling schedule is a huge disadvantage. At least they have structures in place now and can only proceed to improve themselves. It is up to 2018 and 2019, maybe 2017 ;)

They need the top Japanese players, and they need the Top League to support their Super Rugby campaign.

There is good news, Tony Brown and Simon Jones will be with the Cherry Blossoms year-end tour, and good results may translate well with motivating the Japanese players to sign with the Sunwolves. Simon Brown will be pro-actively involved with the Sunwolves during the 2017/2018 campaign and then be dedicated to the Cherry Blossoms in 2019. Tony Brown have to coach the Highlanders in 2017, but have a responsibility towards the Cherry Blossoms and will be involved with the Sunwolves in 2018 and then be dedicated to the Cherry Blossoms in 2019. Tiatia is signed with the Sunwolves up to the 2018 Super Rugby conclusion.

Now that Joseph have poached Brown, the Highlanders will need to seek a new strength and conditioning coach.

There is also a question whether the Sunwolves will be a continued participant in the Super Rugby competition beyond the 2019 Rugby World Cup. Results is an importance...
 
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...ve-Ellis-as-skills-coach-for-Super-Rugby-team

Blues snare Dave Ellis as skills coach for Super Rugby team

Blues coach Tana Umaga has completed his Super Rugby coaching team with the addition of Dave Ellis as skills coach.

Ellis, from Putaruru, returns to New Zealand from coaching in Ireland at the Connacht club, under Pat Lam, who won the Guinness Pro12 title for the first time last season.

He ventured overseas when he was 22, playing rugby in several countries before moving into coaching initially in New Zealand and a number of contracts around the world specialising in skills development.

He was a member of the coaching staff at the International Rugby Academy in New Zealand for 11 years and was a resource coach for New Zealand Rugby in that time. He worked with the Black Ferns, USA, the Investec Rugby Academy in South Africa, Hong Kong Rugby and with several clubs in Argentina.

...

He joins a coaching team of Umaga, who will take charge of attack, Alistair Rogers (defence), Steve Jackson (forwards), Kylie Wilson (mental skills) and Jason Price (strength & conditioning).
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The Blues wants to get down to business :)
 
Bulls sign WP's Kotze
http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/CurrieCup/bulls-sign-wps-kotze-20161006

Cape Town - The Blue Bulls have confirmed that they have signed Johnny Kotze from Western Province.

According to the Blue Bulls website, the centre has signed a contract until the end of October 2018.

The Blue Bulls Company's High Performance Manager, Xander Janse van Rensburg was delighted with the signing.

"We are really lucky to get an exciting and experienced player like Johnny Kotze into the squad, as it will no doubt extend our depth in the midfield. He brings some versatility and unpredictability to the party," Janse van Rensburg said.

He also confirmed a number of contract extensions for existing players including locks RG Snyman and Jannes Kirsten who have signed on till 2018 and 2019.

Prop Martin Dreyer also signed a contract extension till the end of the 2017 Super Rugby season while a number of junior players have signed their first senior contracts including Divan Rossouw, Franco Naude and Jan-Henning Campher.
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:crylaugh: How many centres do the Bulls need.
 
Not any new news, but Jordie have been breaking ITM cup records this year,

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...-deal-with-hurricanes-to-join-brother-beauden

Jordie Barrett signs multi-year deal with Hurricanes to join brother Beauden

ordie Barrett will join older brother Beauden at the Hurricanes after signing a multi-year deal with the Super Rugby champions.

The 19-year-old, considered one of the brightest talents in New Zealand rugby, came through New Plymouth's Francis Douglas Memorial College but made his provincial debut for Canterbury this season and had an offer to follow coach Scott Robertson to the Crusaders next year.

It is understood the decision was a difficult one for Barrett. While fellow brother Scott plays lock for the Crusaders, the chance to literally play alongside All Blacks playmaker Beauden was too good to turn down.

Cantabrians may be disappointed but there is little doubt signing with the Hurricanes represents a homecoming for Barrett, who may have found his pathway blocked somewhat by Israel Dagg at the Crusaders.
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It would be interesting to see how these two brothers play interchangeably. At 19, he has much to prove at Super Rugby level.
 
Super Rugby 2017 will be another snore fest, unless they make some drastic changes! Could hardly get myself to watch 5 full games this season. The new format is horrible!!

I read this article with an interesting angle on how to fix it, if it's not too late already.

"How to save Super Rugby"
https://niume.com/pages/post/?postID=111393
 
OT: Is anyone watching the Aviva premiership game between Sarries and Wasps? Interested in the surface they're playing on. Looks like an artificial one.
 
Agent_Smith said:
OT: Is anyone watching the Aviva premiership game between Sarries and Wasps? Interested in the surface they're playing on. Looks like an artificial one.
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It is, think they are the only ones to use it at this level of the game
 
boeriebuffet said:
Super Rugby 2017 will be another snore fest, unless they make some drastic changes! Could hardly get myself to watch 5 full games this season. The new format is horrible!!

I read this article with an interesting angle on how to fix it, if it's not too late already.

"How to save Super Rugby"
https://niume.com/pages/post/?postID=111393
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That's not a bad idea, but I think the second conference will struggle to draw viewers and spectators.

Another option would be two 9-team conferences of equal strength.

- Rank all the teams from 1st - 18th based on the previous season's performance. Odd-numbered teams are placed in Conference A (1st, 3rd, 5th etc) and even numbered teams are placed in Conference B (2nd, 4th, 6th etc).
- Each team plays 4 home and 4 away games against the 8 other teams in their Conference in a round-robin format
- Top-four from each Conference enter the playoffs which are played in a cross-conference format. Winner of Conference A plays against the 4th placed team from Conference B; runner-up of Conference A plays against the 3rd placed team from Conference B and vice-versa.

Fewer games and it can lead to situations where two long-standing rivals don't play against each other for a few years, thus actually adding value and anticipation to derbies when they do finally meet. This should help alleviate the ''fatigue'' fans are experiencing with the current format and ensure greater quality as the load on the players is a greatly reduced.
 
http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2016/10/438357.html

Rugby: Herring to join Brave Blossoms, Sunwolves as defense coach, report

New Japan coach Jamie Joseph took another step toward ensuring the Brave Blossoms and Sunwolves play off the same sheet by getting Ben Herring to take on the role of defense coach with both teams.

The Otago Daily Times reported Thursday that the 36-year-old Herring, who worked with Joseph at the Highlanders last year and is currently an assistant coach with Otago, is heading to Japan for the next three years.

He follows in the footsteps of Simon Jones who leaves the Highlanders to become strength and conditioning coach for both the national team and Super Rugby franchise, and Tony Brown who will be the attack coach for the Brave Blossoms.

"It wasn't really in the plan but we thought about it a lot and then have only just decided to say yes," Herring said. "We really enjoyed our time over there and it is a nice place to live and work."
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So that’s it, the Highlanders coaching administration in their entirety is now with the JRFU. Jamie Joseph wants results and with Tony Brown coaching between the two unions next year they may have a strong knowledge base to coach on the highest level there currently is in World Rugby.
 
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/spo...s/news-story/01f7c797c6d171c3bbcdffdf8868847f

Super Rugby: Queensland Reds assemble best roster in years

Queensland Reds coach Nick Stiles is ready to embrace expectations after assembling argu*ably the best Super Rugby roster of any Australian side in years.

The Reds unveiled their 38-man squad for next season yesterday, capping off a frenzied recruitment drive with the signing of former fan favourite Scott Higginbotham. The 30-year-old returns to Ballymore on a three-year deal that will begin when his duties with Japanese club NEC Green Rockets wrap up early next year.

It means the Reds could field a backrow of Higgin*botham, Hendrik Tui and *George Smith next year — and still have newly minted Wal*laby Leroy Houston and young gun Caleb Timu in reserve.

For Reds fans, the message from Stiles is clear — the rebuilding phase is officially over.
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The Reds have had the best Australian roster at many times in the past, but have never been able to retain their depth. They went on a massive hiring drive to get their old boys back into the squad and I do not know whether these players can promise continuity, new structures and all.
 
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...r-ben-lam-for-their-super-rugby-title-defence

Hurricanes sign winger and sevens star Ben Lam for their Super Rugby title defence

Sevens star Ben Lam will play for the Hurricanes next season.

The defending Super Rugby champions announced the signing of the 25-year-old on Wednesday night as they look to bolster their outside backs following the departure of James Marshall and Jason Woodward.
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I wished that the Blues could had retained him. Oh well, the Hurricanes may be the more suited team to play Lam. Lam and Savea is similar players, but Lam is way quicker. Cory Jane is having a bad season with the Toshiba Brave Lupus, at least he scored a try albeit an easy one. I do not see the Hurricanes play two big wingers at the same time.
 
South African rugby is rotten, says 1995 hero Joel Stransky

South African rugby is "rotten from the bottom up and top down" and needs radical reform if the current slump is to be reversed, according to Joel Stransky, whose drop goal sealed their greatest triumph when they won the 1995 World Cup on home soil.

That emotional extra-time victory over the All Blacks in front of Nelson Mandela, and another World Cup triumph in 2007, underlined South Africa's re-emergence as one of the sport's superpowers, but those heady days are starting to acquire a sepia tinge in the wake of their recent woes.

Last year they lost at home to Argentina and Ireland for the first time, to Japan at the World Cup and followed up with defeat to the Pumas this August during a ragged Rugby Championship.
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