Exodus

BFA had a short-term sabbatical where he was paid to not play and spend more time with the family. I'm sure Whitelock could do the same thing.

@bovidae said in Exodus 2019:

BFA had a short-term sabbatical where he was paid to not play and spend more time with the family. I'm sure Whitelock could do the same thing.

and spend the entire time reminding how he is far and away the best player in the family.

@mariner4life am sure he is, just putting a number up...although I guess on a sabbatical it'd be more icing to add to his NZR contract anyway?

But yeah, buggar off and spend 6 months doing fuck all would be a better bet for him.

Hello guys, i'm looking for "unlucky" players omitted from Super Rugby squads in 2019, especially at lock and midfield. Thank you

@jauzy019 said in Exodus 2019:

Hello guys, i'm looking for "unlucky" players omitted from Super Rugby squads in 2019, especially at lock and midfield. Thank you

SNAKE!! we got a snake here!!!

Out with you snake!!

Given the double season in Japan in 2020 I think we'll see players going there before Europe as the stress on the body will be less and decent cash

@stargazer The way things are going Toulon are going to be in the Pro D2 next year. All the signs are that they are not a happy playing environment.

@jauzy019 Of interest?

Mitch Jacobson might be injury cover at the Chiefs for Sam Cane.

@jauzy019 said in Exodus 2019:

Hello guys, i'm looking for "unlucky" players omitted from Super Rugby squads in 2019, especially at lock and midfield. Thank you

You can have Jesse Parete.

Kieran Read will be part of Exodus 2019. I hope someone called Bill makes an appearance at his All Blacks leaving party:

Man Ardie must be tall, that jacket doesn't come down anywhere near his waist

man Lima is small!

For what an article in the Daily Mail is worth ..

New Zealand are considering the radical step of releasing three of their superstars for two-year sabbaticals in Japan, in an attempt to fight off a growing financial threat to their global supremacy.

Fly-half Beauden Barrett — the reigning World Player of the Year — is one of those likely to benefit from a lucrative stint in the Far East.

Sportsmail understands that lock Brodie Retallick and rookie try-scoring phenomenon Rieko Ioane are the other front-line players who may be allowed to join Japanese teams in order to keep them away from Europe.

The New Zealand Rugby Union are battling to prevent a damaging exodus of their leading men to French and English clubs. What was once a pre-retirement option has turned into a career move for Kiwis in their prime —which is why the NZRU are having to take emergency steps in an attempt to protect the All Blacks’ treasured status as the best in the business.

The gulf in monetary clout between north and south is biting ever harder. Earlier this season, former New Zealand playmaker Lima Sopoaga, now at Wasps, claimed that more All Blacks in their 20s are likely to defect as awareness grows about their earning power.

Sopoaga’s point was that the fabled black jersey itself ‘is not enough for a better life’. This appears to be dawning on increasing numbers of New Zealand players willing to sacrifice their Test career in return for a fortune overseas.

Toulon are reportedly closing in on deals for All Black lock Sam Whitelock and wing Nehe Milner-Skudder, while captain Kieran Read has confirmed that he will move abroad after next year’s World Cup.

That is of less concern to the NZRU as Read is 33. But Barrett is 27, as is Retallick, while Ioane is an international novice of 21. Allowing this trio to spend time in Japan is a safer bet for the Kiwi authorities than watching them commit to the blood-and-thunder intensity of elite European club rugby.

It also fits in with increasing NZRU financial and sponsorship ties with rugby and government bodies in both Japan and China.
What remains unclear is whether the All Blacks will relax their policy of only picking home-based players for Test rugby. Last week, flanker Matt Todd was called up for national service despite being on a short-term sabbatical with the Panasonic Wild Knights in Japan.

If that selection serves as a precedent, coach Steve Hansen may yet be able to pick Barrett, Retallick and Ioane if, or when, they go to Japan. In the short-term, that keeps New Zealand strong, but it may accelerate an exodus once players sense that the strict selection policy has been compromised.

Despite the commercial allure of the All Blacks brand, the NZRU lack financial clout. They do not own their own stadium and, in a relatively small economy, gate receipts are modest.

In contrast, the RFU will earn in excess of £10m from Saturday’s England v New Zealand match.

IMO, Brodie is the only player of the three who won't have to fear losing his grip on his starting spot any time soon. BB, however, might lose his 10 jersey to Mo'unga pretty quickly if he takes 2 seasons off from the ABs. Even Rieko is not irreplaceable. No doubt he'll still make the ABs when he returns, but he may no longer be an automatic starter. That will also depend on whether Naholo stays, of course.

I doubt Todd's case is a precedent for relaxing their home-based players only policy.

I had to stop reading at 'blood and thunder intensity'

The “cash-rich North vs the parlous South” is becoming increasingly hackneyed and inaccurate.

@derm-mccrum said in Exodus 2019:

The “cash-rich North vs the parlous South” is becoming increasingly hackneyed and inaccurate.

Writers also ignore the family aspect. If you have a young family, for some, it can be very attractive to be raising the kids for a couple of years overseas with an increased income and some negotiated support in the way of nannies etc. Good chance to pocket a bit of dough to help with upcoming schooling etc too

@crucial the travel thing is the bigger issue for me than the £'s, makes it easier to have a family life when you are only away for a few days as opposed to weeks at a time.

I think if you are smart, a fringe AB player could carve out a decent career and make good coin in NZ, but this is at the expense of starting a family or being away form the family for long periods early on (some may see this as a blessing)

The comment from Lima would indicate that players in thier 20s are farking stupid if they didnt know this already.

claimed that more All Blacks in their 20s are likely to defect as awareness grows about their earning power.

I reckon the article might have 2 years mixed up with 2 seasons, from Japans possible upcoming double season

@stargazer said in Exodus 2019:

IMO, Brodie is the only player of the three who won't have to fear losing his grip on his starting spot any time soon.

I don't really see the point of letting a wing have a sabbatical. Reiko is great and all, but he has hardly earned it. That is n't a knock either I don't think there has been an AB wing in history who has been at a point in their career where they have "deserved" one of these and still had quality performances in the tank worth waiting for.

Brodie for sure. Beaudy only if it suits the team (i.e. worth getting a look at Mo'unga and/or shaking up the attack). Ioane no way.

I wonder if these negotiations bode well for the prospect of Hansen staying on, because to some degree he would have to have some input on how the mechanics of this would work.

Teariki Ben-Nicholas has signed a contract with Toulon as injury cover for Facundo Isa. I still don't understand why he was omitted by the NZ franchises for the 2019 SR.

Ardie Savea to Pau is a done deal

@jauzy019 I hope the ABs drop him if true. No point in rewarding fluffybunnies like that.

@jauzy019 said in Exodus 2019:

Ardie Savea to Pau is a done deal

When? Post RWC?

@jauzy019

This article earlier in the week suggested Ben Smith and Julian Savea are off to Pau after the RWC.

You seen anything newer?

@sparky said in Exodus 2019:

@jauzy019

This article earlier in the week suggested Ben Smith and Julian Savea are off to Pau after the RWC.

View embedded content

You seen anything newer?

Not Julian, Ardie. The title is wrong. In the body of the text it says "Le petit frère de Julian Savea, Ardie" (the younger brother of Julian Savea, Ardie), which makes way more sense. Unless Toulon already want to get rid of him, Julian is not going anywhere. He's signed with them until June 2020.

@booboo Yes, all French media who are reporting this move (they're basically repeating each other, no official news yet), speak of BFA and Ardie arriving after the RWC.

@stargazer "Julian Savea's younger brother, Ardie, would be an agreement to a longer period. Indeed, a contract of three seasons awaits its signature. If the different parties have agreed, the players have not yet officially signed but it's only a matter of time."

No signature yet.

@sparky said in Exodus 2019:

@stargazer "Julian Savea's younger brother, Ardie, would be an agreement to a longer period. Indeed, a contract of three seasons awaits its signature. If the different parties have agreed, the players have not yet officially signed but it's only a matter of time."

No signature yet.

Ardie has proved this year that he will actually be a fucken big loss.

For the RWC, there is no room for sentiment and they'll just have to pick the best opensides. Currently, the best three are Cane, Ardie and Todd (not necessarily in that order).

But as it comes to giving opportunities before the RWC, they should look at shown loyalty (Cane, Todd) and who will be there after the RWC (particularly Papali'i, but also Evans) if Ardie will indeed leave after the RWC.

If so, Lima's recent comments make more sense.

Not my life, and i think it's a shame but not surprisingly, given Cane's age, Todd still around, and Paps coming.

@stargazer Todd buggered off to Japan so I don't think he should be in a higher loyalty bracket than others.

@nepia said in Exodus 2019:

@stargazer Todd buggered off to Japan so I don't think he should be in a higher loyalty bracket than others.

Wasn't that cos Hansen never contacted him or something like that ?

@nepia He got a temporary stint in Japan, having already signed with NZR for 2019. He consulted Hansen & co before he signed (who reportedly didn't answer his phone calls). He has stuck around for years after repeatedly being snubbed, despite his great form, coming to the rescue every time he was needed. If anyone has been loyal, it's Todd.

@stargazer I didn't say he wasn't loyal, just that his loyalty isn't 'higher' than others. Ardie has been around for a long time as well.

I also highly doubt Todd will continue after 2019 as well.

@nepia Todd's loyalty has been higher than many others. If Todd leaves after RWC, it's because he's approaching the end of his career (playing SR since 2011 and AB since 2013), while Ardie is still at his prime (with the Canes since 2013, but only an AB since 2016). Ardie will only be 26 after next year's RWC. If he leaves, he leaves early. That's not the same level of loyalty by a long shot.

Anyway, if fit, all three, Cane, Todd, Savea, will be in the RWC squad. That was my main point.
I only think Ardie is using up some of his credit if he's leaving early, but I don't think it will matter much when the coaches will select the team for tests. 2019 is unlikely to be a year for developing players.

@nepia

Short term deal, but I actually agree.

I think it's the arrival of Paps and Cane's age that are the problem here, and probably that Savea may have to move to hold a place in the team.

@nepia said in Exodus 2019:

@stargazer I didn't say he wasn't loyal, just that his loyalty isn't 'higher' than others. Ardie has been around for a long time as well.

I also highly doubt Todd will continue after 2019 as well.

Todd is from Canterbury and they're all much more "Loyal" than the rest of the country. Everyone knows that, that's why Todd Blackadders book which was about as exciting and dynamic as his playing career was called. "Loyal"

Is it unpatriotic of me to mention how much I fucken hate that song ?

@mn5 What a nonsense, but yeah, the dig at Cantabs will get you the cheap upvotes.

No player has been used by the ABs, like Todd. Second openside, but too similar to Cane, so not selected because they wantend a different type of 7. But called up all the time when injury struck. That already started when McCaw was still playing and before Ardie got capped.

That doesn't apply to most other loyal players (from anywhere), but there are plenty of those at, or near, the ABs fringes, from other provinces than Canterbury. Charlie Ngatai - despite being injured often - waited a long time before going overseas; James Parsons is still in NZ; Brad Weber, Rob Thompson; Richard Buckman, Tom Franklin, Elliott Dixon. The last three took short-term Japanese stints instead of going to Europe on longer-term deals and will play SR again in 2019. Dixon, Thompson and Weber are signed through to 2020.