Super Rugby 2017

[Fulcrum29]

Meh, the Sunwolves are in trouble again. Good to have Shota Emi back, but they announced today that Takaaki Nakazuru is ruled out and will be missing the tour to Argentina as well. The depth in their backline is compromised again.

 

[Fulcrum29]

Apparently Michael Leitch was told that he has to sign with the Sunwolves in 2019 to represent Japan at the 2019 RWC. This is probably to secure his captaincy, but he replied that he is open to talks and signing with them in. 2018.

 

[Fulcrum29]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...to-play-super-rugby-for-the-sunwolves-in-2019

Chiefs loose forward Michael Leitch to play Super Rugby for the Sunwolves in 2019

He might be facing off against them this weekend, but Chiefs loose forward Michael Leitch has revealed he will be playing for the Sunwolves himself, come 2019.

The 28-year-old Japan international had originally turned down the opportunity to lead the new franchise in their debut Super Rugby season last year, instead believing the best way to better his game was to stick with the Chiefs - who he signed for in 2013 but never got to play for because of injury, before linking back up with them two years later.

But now, Leitch - who has earned 29 caps for the Chiefs and who has played 47 tests since 2008 and captained his country 18 times - is eyeing a switch to the struggling Sunwolves in two years' time, in what will be a massive year for rugby in Japan, leading up to their hosting of the World Cup.

Leitch believes having a lot of the players in Super Rugby together will bode well for the global showpiece, where the Brave Blossoms will be looking to build on their stunning upset of South Africa at the 2015 tournament, where he was skipper.

New Zealand Super Rugby sides can only contract two foreign players a season, and only for one year at a time, so Leitch's plan is - assuming new coach Colin Cooper wants him - to go around once more with the Chiefs, then make the move, which would see him stay on in Japan after the local season with his Toshiba club side.

"[In] 2019 definitely will be playing for the Sunwolves," Leitch said.

"If you look at it, it's a great building block using the Super Rugby to build the [national] team."

Leitch said even 2018 was "fully negotiable", but he would wait to see what the revamped competition looks like.

"We don't know what the draw is, when the tournament's going to start, how much travel is involved," he said.

This switch, Leitch said, was of course dependent on him being in the frame for national duties, as currently he is out of the Japan setup, having removed himself from contention last year after feeling the effects of burnout.

The national side will be complete with Micheal Leitch, Hendrik Tui, Yoshikazu Fujita and Kosei Ono. I wonder whether these will be contracted, other than Leitch, to the Sunwolves in 2018/19. Amanaki is still representing the Cherry Blossoms, but he is likely to move pending on the Aussie axe. These are 5 strong players, and they have better u/20's coming through. I think they will have a strong Sunwolves roster in 2018/19, especially now with players like Shota Emi, Yutaka Nagare and Jumpei Ogura being exposed to Super Rugby. They have the wingers and the centres, only need to condition the 8-pack. I expect the national team to be very competitive at the RWC.

 

[OrbitalDawn]

Chiefs will miss Leitch's firepower, but Sunwolves will be getting a lot of experience and a very strong player. Their loosie stocks are well stacked.

 

[OrbitalDawn]

Sad loss for rugby. Poor guy.

James Broadhurst retires from rugby

One-test All Black James Broadhurst is hanging up his boots after struggling to recover from a concussion suffered in 2015.

The 29-year-old lock has continued to suffer from headaches with medical specialists advising him to keep his heart rate below 120-beats-per-minute to avoid them. This made exercising - let-alone playing rugby - practically impossible.

Broadhurst enjoyed a breakout season for the Hurricanes in 2015, winning a spot in the All Blacks to make his test debut against the Springboks at Ellis Park, Johannesburg. New Zealand were 27-20 winners that day.

 

[Sl8er]

The guy landed on Kebble...seriously...WTF :wtf:

 

[OrbitalDawn]

Yeesh, what an offload by Rob Thompson. :wtf:

 

[Agent_Smith]

If this is the game they were targeting as a win on their tour, then it's not looking good for their tour.

 

[Solitude]

The New Zealand teams are so far in front of everyone else. It's a shame that we won't be seeing the Lions against any of them until much later.

 

[Agent_Smith]

Stormers just nowhere at the breakdown. If anything, they're playing worse than last week.

 

[SpiderMonkey]

I came here looking for KOPITE's complaints about the ref again

 

[MDE]

Had to turn it off...was starting to hurt my eyes !! :erm:

 

[SpiderMonkey]

It really does feel like the NZ sides are in a completely different league. The Highlanders are running circles around the Stormers with 14 men.

 

[D4N]

I came here looking for KOPITE's complaints about the ref again

:crylaugh:

 

[SpiderMonkey]

I have a suggestion to make the tournament more exciting next year. The NZ teams have to play all games with 14 men and the aus teams get to play with 16 men for either one of the half's .

 

[Devo1]

Jeepers this is even worse than last weekends slaughter!

 

[Sl8er]

I came here looking for KOPITE's complaints about the ref again

This isn't a sharks game...and you misspelled "Mephisto_Helix"

In all seriousness though, at the start of the game the ref was definitely the Highlanders' 16th player -which is mind boggling, because they're perfectly capable of killing the Stormers without any help. :erm:

 

[Creag]

I came here looking for KOPITE's complaints about the ref again

Only so many excuses from sad member before realising that your team are getting their butts legitimately handed over. Makes their early successes look a little suspect.

 

[Sl8er]

I have a suggestion to make the tournament more exciting next year. The NZ teams have to play all games with 14 men and the aus teams get to play with 16 men for either one of the half's .

:crylaugh:

 

[Sl8er]

Well played Highlanders.
Stormers were nowhere to be found.