Exodus

@darren-nicholson said in Exodus 2019:

@tim said in Exodus 2019:

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This does make me happy.
And NMS is a little past it and always broken.
Ben Smith deserves to cash in, still be sad to see him go though.

Ardie had a breakout 6 months. I'm happy he's staying and happy for the other two to cash in

@canefan said in Exodus 2019:

NZH reports that NMS will join Toulon on a 3 year deal

There should put up a sign. Welcome to RFC Toulon, where All Blacks wingers go when they are not as good as they used to bel

@sparky bet you he'll still be better than Jules!! as in I back NMS to score at least ONE try

was interesting listening on RS when they recalled that BFA was actually missed the 2011 RWC to Dagg & Guildford...

@sparky said in Exodus 2019:

@canefan said in Exodus 2019:

NZH reports that NMS will join Toulon on a 3 year deal

There should put up a sign. Welcome to RFC Toulon, where All Blacks wingers go when they are not as good as they used to bel

The owner certainly has a type doesn't he?!

@taniwharugby said in Exodus 2019:

was interesting listening on RS when they recalled that BFA was actually missed the 2011 RWC to Dagg & Guildford...

Dagg was in career best form and had an amazing World Cup.

Guilford...well...lol

@kiwimurph said in Exodus 2019:

@taniwharugby said in Exodus 2019:

was interesting listening on RS when they recalled that BFA was actually missed the 2011 RWC to Dagg & Guildford...

Dagg was in career best form and had an amazing World Cup.

Guilford...well...lol

BFA wasn't really BFA back then - Dagg was better, Jane was better ... IIRC Guildford took Sivi's place.

Ben Smith the greatest ever fullback to have worn the black jersey in my book..ticked all the boxes in terms of the full all round game and more importantly rarely dropped his standards even when filling in on the wing or centre.
An absolute legend..!

@canefan said in Exodus 2019:

NZH reports that NMS will join Toulon on a 3 year deal

And maybe whitelock, too.

The real good one

@machpants Any chance it's a mistype and they're referring to Reub Luke Whitelock?

@nepia wishful thinking..!,but I like where your coming from.

@nepia or George...

Maybe it'll be Hansen, he is due to make an announcement tomorrow haha

@taniwharugby said in Exodus 2019:

@nepia or George...

Maybe it'll be Hansen, he is due to make an announcement tomorrow haha

I actually think George was a better player than Luke and deserves to have more tests than Luke. Although George looked the oldest of a group of brothers who already looked 40 when in the U20s.

I heart you, Ben Smith. Go and rake in the millions before coming back to coach Green Island in 10 years' time - I suspect that would be all you ever want.

@nepia looking at Georges Wiki page, looks like he retired in 2014.

I liked him as a player, the Crusaders have been well served the last decade and more with quality loosies; Richie, Johnny Leo'o, George Whitelock, Matt Todd (pretty sure there was another quality one in that time too)

Shame BEn Smith is leaving, more so in that the Highlanders, Otago and Otago club rugby lose him and what he could give back to the next wave coming through...but you cant begrudge the guy his retirement fund.

Smith might be the oldest All Black to play on the wing, but the young pups have a long way to go if they are to equal his status. Good enough to win a Commonwealth Games in sevens in 2010, and to captain the All Blacks against Samoa in Auckland in 2017, he has scored 33 tries in tests.

Boyd is bleating in the Herald about how 15 "top" ABs could go next year.

"We could accept that a 28, 29, 30-year-old, a Jerome Kaino who had finished his career with the All Blacks, then he goes to France and has a good few years to help set up his family.

"What is irritating the New Zealand Rugby Union and rightly so is the 23, 24, 25-year-olds that still could go another World Cup cycle in New Zealand have chosen to select the money over the black jersey, and it's as brutal as that."

Name these 23, 24, 25 year old All Blacks that we're losing then.

"The Herald understands up to 15 All Blacks could be missing from the 2020 Super Rugby season."

"That would include Ben Smith and Kieran Read, who will depart post World Cup, but also may encompass the likes of Waisake Naholo, Nehe Milner-Skudder, Owen Franks, Ryan Crotty and Aaron Smith, among others."

All of whom would be unlikely to make the 2023 Cup. Some won't make the 2019 squad, and those who do make 2023 are unlikely to be first choices by then. Maybe Aaron Smith .

We used to lose that sort of guy in the past. They retired.

Then pumping up Sam Whitelock as the next potential AB captain. He'll be closing in on 35 by 2023. It would be a very optimistic man that would be sure he'll still be one of the best locks in the country by then.

Liam Napier should write under the by-line Chicken Little.

@Nepia im obviously bias towards Izzy but though 2010 Izzy >BFA but 2011 Izzy was injured had to play for pirates then magpies then in South Africa to make the squad. Think BFA was better but Izzy killed it at the RWC. Also didn't Zac make it over Gear that year?

Who else will sign overseas.

Izzy, Naholo, Read if he hasn't already, Crotty, Franks, Coles? Sorry if this has been answered

@magpie_in_aus Smith had only played two tests at the time of the 2011 RWC. Italy in 2009 and Fiji in 2011. He became a regular in 2012.

Crockett, Messam and Sivivatu were considered the 3 unlucky players to miss out.

Them arriving back at the airport from SA while the rest of the squad went to Brisbane was not Henry's and NZR's finest hour.

@bovidae when the squad was named Donald was also considered unlucky by many.

@taniwharugby said in Exodus 2019:

@bovidae when the squad was named Donald was also considered unlucky by many.

I don't think that is true, his reputation was shot after 2010 and he only played 1 match for the ABs in 2011.

@taniwharugby Donald was told by Henry earlier in the year that he wouldn't be part of the 2011 RWC squad. He never played any of the earlier tests that season.

Hoeata and Hosea Gear were the other players who played tests in 2011 but were not selected for the squad.

@nepia IMO he was used as a scape goat for that match when there were other players that helped get to those final moments that lead to that loss.

@taniwharugby said in Exodus 2019:

@nepia IMO he was used as a scape goat for that match when there were other players that helped get to those final moments that lead to that loss.

That is possibly true (like blaming Cruden for Sydney, or more accurately crediting Slade for the turn around) but I doubt many fans thought he was unlucky when the squad was named.

@nepia I did, and my opinion is worth many fans opinions....add in most of Waikato, and thats plenty!

@taniwharugby said in Exodus 2019:

@nepia I did, and my opinion is worth many fans opinions....add in most of Waikato, and thats plenty!

And Couties maybe.

@nepia at any rate, the way it panned out made his legend bigger than if he had been included in the original squad.

@machpants Don't do it Sam!

Tell the fucking comic book salesman to go fuck himself!

@chester-draws Boyd's Northampton Saints are 10th in the Premiership table just above the relegation spot. It digs him out of a hole if Saints fans think Beauden Barrett is going to Franklin Gardens next year.

I suspect about 15 of the All Blacks squad are in conversations with clubs about overseas moves away from 2020. But the number who will actually go is closer to 10.

@bovidae said in Exodus 2019:

Crockett, Messam and Sivivatu were considered the 3 unlucky players to miss out.

Them arriving back at the airport from SA while the rest of the squad went to Brisbane was not Henry's and NZR's finest hour.

Timing wasn't NZR's or Henry's choice.

Confirmed. Milner-Skudder has signed a 3 year contract with Toulon.

@stargazer assume he must have seen he was very unlikely to be in the RWC plans given he is off after Super rugby.

@booboo said in Exodus 2019:

@bovidae said in Exodus 2019:

Crockett, Messam and Sivivatu were considered the 3 unlucky players to miss out.

Them arriving back at the airport from SA while the rest of the squad went to Brisbane was not Henry's and NZR's finest hour.

Timing wasn't NZR's or Henry's choice.

Yeah, they didn't exactly want to name the squad for a home RWC in a hastily organized hotel conference room in Brisbane FFS. I think Zac had booked the front bar solid that week.

@taniwharugby Yeah, he was already behind Smith/Jordie/Dmac at fullback and behind Smith/Naholo on the right wing. Possibly behind Bridge, too, now.

NMS, played a valuable part in earning his 2015 RWC cup winner's medal, integral member of the squad that won the Canes' one and only Super Rugby cup. Good on ya mate, time to go pick Mourad Boudjellal's pockets, you did good

@machpants Another bullshit Rugby Pass rumour mongering Article, Their souces are pulled out of their Arse

@sparky Great news, ABs average height up by 2.5cm!

@sparky Surely we now go with Ardie 7 Cane 6 for the RWC? None of the Highlanders WTG have made the cut at blindside..