Rugby
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Its been on the cards for a while… NZ Rugby can't survive without some type of private investment, we're just too small. I think only one Provincial team makes a tiny profit each year and the rest trade at a loss or break even at best. One of the oldest Unions had to be bailed out last year after facing bankruptcy.
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This side of the universe Toulon beat Clermont in the Euro Cup final. Defense + Wilkinson overcame offense. I was gutted.
Next week semis for the French championship my team Toulouse will probably suffer the same fate vs Toulon, while Clermont will crush Castres. So we could have a rematch of the Euro for the French final.
Anyway, wouldnt it be great if there was a final between the Euro winner and the Super 15? It happened once unofficially in 1997 and the NZ team crushed Brives. And wouldnt it be nice if there was a euro Super 15? These national championships drag on and on and are not as exciting as Eu games…
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Hemi, a quick question for you:
nowadays, we see quite a number of League players thriving (Folau being the latest sensation) in Union.
Do you know if there are similar successes the other way round (Union guys trying League and becoming "superbad" in League)?
Here in France, there is nobody I can think of, and I dont think there are examples in England, where League is a force (unlike here).
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Crusaders: Wyatt Crockett, Codie Taylor, Owen Franks, Luke Romano, Sam Whitelock, George Whitelock, Matt Todd, Kieran Read
, Andy Ellis, Dan Carter, Zac Guildford, Tom Taylor, Ryan Crotty, Tom Marshall, Israel Dagg. Reserves: Ben Funnell/Laurence Corlett, Dominic Bird, Luke Whitelock, Willi Heinz, Robbie Fruean, Telusa Veianu.Chiefs: Robbie Robinson, Patrick Osborne, Charlie Ngatai, Bundee Aki, Asaeli Tikoirotuma, Aaron Cruden, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Matt Vant Leven, Tanerau Latimer, Liam Messam, Brodie Retallick, Craig Clarke (c), Ben Tameifuna, Hika Elliot, Pauliasi Manu. Reserves: Mahonri Schwalger, Toby Smith, Michael Fitzgerald, Sam Cane, Augustine Pulu, Dan Waenga, Lelia Masaga.
any of these would win the 6 Nations easy and would be a contender for at least the semi finals of the Rugby World Cup
Fruean on the bench: fucking frightening! I love NZ rugby
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Most of us grow up playing Rugby and Rugby League here, then you choose one. The problem with Rugby League attracting Rugby converts (apart from Rugby is now professional) is that there is only one competition that's any good and its in Australia with only one team from Auckland, New Zealand. Their aren't as many pathways and international League is not as competitive as Rugby in fact we still consider the State of Origin three game series between Queensland and New South Wales as the pinicle of League and NZ's aren't eligible.
But before Rugby went professional many guy's switched to League to earn a living and it was unheard of to switch the other way.
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now, saturday's NZ-France was a bloodbath. inexorability at its best
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cant wait for the trination to start and watch SA-NZ games. Mammoth teams, yet two different approaches to Rugby
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Hasn't Sonny Bill Williams recently switched to League in Australia?
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ive been watching several NRL games on youtube and it is kinda growing on me
the pace is incredible
Seems a bit too simplistic though -
I think the simplicity is a strength. It flows in a more continuous fashion, less kicking and break-up of play and more ball in play time (I think). I wish I'd had a go at League in my younger, playing days.
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Do you call it Rugby (Union) and NRL (League) down there? Up here, it's simply Union and League.
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Well done the Lions!!!
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This Lions concept is a nice tradition. I like the fact that they tour only every 4 years, it keeps the idea special.
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Yeah, the Lions Tours are great!
Wouldn't it be amazing to see a proper Pacific Islands Team put together under the same concept with the same resources. Treatment of the Pacific Islands by the big Nations is one of the great shames of International Rugby.
+100,000
imagine what Samoa could become if they had a tenth of what is being spent in the 6 Nations up North or down South…
NZ would be in trouble -
We'd be alright mate because our styles are similar and we all grow up playing together but the Northern Hemisphere teams would really battle… they don't like the big hits. The Pacific Island Teams really need more top tier games instead of playing Canada, USA and Japan all the time.
There is a real power imbalance on the IRB. The Oceania Rugby Teams of which Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, Cook Islands etc are part of only have one vote between the entire group. Argentina, Canada, Italy and Japan all have one vote each and even teams as sh*t as Scotland have two. Samoa are ranked ahead of six other Countries that have more say on the IRB.
