Aussie giant who rejected Eddie ruled ineligible for World Cup

Anecdotally everyone who goes to England gets fat but Skelton did the opposite. I dunno what’s happening at our clubs but the guys aren’t working to improve. Probably comes back to what LSL said the other week. Koroibete improved and added skills like passing and kicking. Campo improved himself. Pocock improved adding skills. But surely the clubs can sort out nutrition and s and c.

One thing though, I reckon that we should also consider that an NRC broadcast deal could have some monetary value. Not much value but it could be possible to improve the revenue by $1-3m per annum with an NRC. It is a national competition and people would pay to access content. It still wouldn't make a profit of course.

Absolutely. That 8m profit is suspiciously equal to the figure reported that NZR agreed to pay RA. Looks to be buried in the Broadcast revenue line in the accounts. Despite being in the middle of a 100m for three year deal from 2021 to 2023 (that has since had an option to extend to 2025 added). The broadcast revenue reported for 2021 was 40m jumped to 49.5m for 2022. Still a lot smaller than the 14.2m they got from WR, which would normally help them navigate a WC year. Especially when you look at their rising interest costs which is 2.4m per year even before latest draw down of debt and latest rate rise.

I’m not sure either mate. Maybe he just thinks the net movement will be less than the $8m they made last year? Sometimes people also forget that cash flow and profit aren’t the same thing. Just because there is a profit on the books, doesn’t mean cash isn’t tight.

I'll give you Williams but would suggest that Harris is a typo - even in NRC he was an 8, the young bloke they used to pull into the second row was Pat Tafa.

I don’t disagree with you

Although they were backrow/lock hybrids, both Williams and Harris were originally listed as second rowers on the Tahs’ website. Williams was only considered a 6 when he moved there after a few games for the Tahs.

I don't understand how Hamish thinks RA will make a profit this year. RA loses money in world cup years due to hosting less tests. WR offsets that by making payments to the national unions that participate in WC's. In RA's case that, WR money was already spent during COVID interrupted seasons. Salaries have gone up, broadcast deal unchanged, haven't heard of any new sponsors, attendance will be down due to less home Tests, WR grant already spent. Where are the funds coming from to make a profit?

Only one of those was an out and out lock Nick - Roets. Tahs locks, already on the books were: Rob Simmons Jed Holloway Tom Staniforth Ryan McCauley Roets brought in to replace Nick Palmer - that's 5 locks without counting Hanigan. Tafa, Williams, Harris, Sinclair all joined as they were looking for backrowers.

Too many of those unhealthy meals Mitch. I always look at Harry Johnson-Holmes and wonder how much better he could be if he improved his nutrition/s+c. The tale of him getting his Wallabies call up back in 2019 while he was having a post training schnitzel and beer says it all to me. Good on him, he's making good money doing something he loves and seems to be enjoying himself. He's not maximising his ability though. He looked in better shape when he was a younger player.

Guy Porter’s English.

Young enough that Australians will claim he isn’t a Kiwi, but raised in Australia, so fair dinkum Australian through and through. Old enough to be considered a kiwi if he committed a crime and deported back to ‘his country’.

I don’t think that’s necessarily true Scott, the Tahs’ new second row signings in 2019 for example, were Le Roux Roets (who never played a game), Will Harris and Jeremy Williams (who skipped Shute Shield and were signed straight out of HS). One of those spots going to Meafou may have kept him here

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Especially when the Tahs picked up two for 2019 with absolutely no first grade experience

True Mia but just thinking we got jahrome brown and Charlie gamble and both were class nz juniors

Go hard at a 10 12 team nrc and bring in imports to help our guys develop. Someone needs to market it to twiggy though coz he’s super F off rich but he’s not generous. The soccer guy and the jayco cycling guy were in it for love

Jez getting a decent albeit unhealthy meal and a normal priced full strength drink really do help the experience. Club games are much more welcoming than state level games. That’s all attendance wise. Interms of development it’s really hard to understand the disconnect in nutrition and s and c in rugby because we have local expertise in spades.

I wouldn't say he was poach but more immigrated as couldn't find a job at home. I think he is annoyed that RA only wanted to look after his development when after he had to leave Oz and make things happen himself.

Meafou does seem different as per his comments in the article and in the past he is annoyed that he just wanted a place in the development system and was told there was nothing. He is angry and how he was treated by RA when he clearly had the talent which is why Toulouse picked him up. Miles on the other hand is more in line with what you are saying and why he was going to come back but didn't as unless you are doing international stuff from June - November you will not grow as much as in France.