Also depth is a lot more than just a few ABs returning. We’ve lost dozens of decent S14 players over the last few seasons. We’re at the point where the Highlanders will be in a fierce battle to avoid the wooden spoon this year, and injuries to our other sides mean a major fall off in performance. That’s there the depth is missing.

WB

Crusaders maybe, but Hurricanes are dire up front and Blues lack clues at 9/10. They’ll be midtable at best.

And why is Mealamu finished?

McAlister has resigned with NZRU to 2012. Although he is ineligible for ABs this year as he won’t have played S14 in NZ this season, you can bet your last VB that they’ll bend the rules and he’ll be in the 10 come the start of the 3N.

“My question is: If, as a marquee player, the Tahs were going to pay for him out of their own pocket, why could they not class him as a marquee player even if he hadn’t played test rugby?”

Suspect the answer to that is the funding arrangements as noted in your original article. They would have wanted ARU to pay for him to save NSWRU the $$.

I can’t imagine NZRU are going to change their eligibility rules for ABs to allow them to play in Aus/SA. There’s already a pay discrepancy (to Aus at least) and a weakness in depth in NZ S14 sides now, they can’t let ‘marquee’ players head to Aus if S14 sides are going to stay competitive. Imagine how well they’d go if you removed the best player from each franchise (say McCaw, Muliaina, Cowan, So’oialo, and Woodcock)

Oh wait, that happened last week. 1/5 wins, and only from an all NZ contest.

Suspect OJ means two winners per game Ben. His addition is usually better than that 🙂

“The Crusaders played the Chiefs and the Hurricanes played the Highlanders. You can’t get two NZ winners out of that.”

OJ, the way everyone except Crusaders has been playing it’s a good thing that there have been a few NZ v NZ games – otherwise we might be 0 or 1/10.

Maybe I’m a bit cynical, but money = relevance.

I think the Crusaders and Cheifs will both be thereabouts at the pointy end of the season, assuming few injuries. Both packs looked abrasive, mobile and skilled (Crusaders have best backrow in the competition IMO, McCaw, Read, T Waldrom), halves are classy, back 3 great for the cheifs and good for ‘saders and centres excellent.

Crusaders have winning history, albeit with missing worldclass talent they have previously (Deans/Carter esp)

Cheifs have the major monkey of being skilled at losing games they should win. But this year might be their year.

Will be interesting to see how they both go against Aus opposition this weekend, esp Cheifs Tahs game which will give real indication of whether Cheifs are a force this year. If they give that one up too then they’ll be thinking they’ll never win anything again…

WNM

“unique special player”, “a revelation”, “potential to develop into a walking headline ”

I’m with you – what’s with the Bealemania? Let’s watch and see what this guy can actually do. So far, for mine, he’s been a handy S14 player for a season, but not a standout. And of the Aus 10’s I saw on the weekend, Lealefano looked the pick (I only saw the Brumbies and Tahs games).

Now Horne, there’s a guy who I’d be getting excited about. He was the best Aus back I saw on the weekend after Mortlock.

PS And when did Giteau lead his team to the final from 10? I’m unsure but would guess any final he played would have been at 12 outside Larkham?

Yeah I guess that’d be about what I see for them too Mark.

And thanks for clarifying VDM.

Also, are the highlanders really going to be that bad this year? I think they’ll roll a few this year, esp in Dunners. They’re coming off a season where they were a bit unlucky several times and have recruited well from Hawkes Bay in the off season. Have some good young players in the backs – watch Jayden Hayward from Taranaki and Israel Dagg (no relation of Fred). They’ll struggle in the lineouts in the first part of the season potentially as Tom Donnelly is injured.

Ah sorry VDM I got the wrong end of your schtick.

I also agree it’s the differences that make this all worthwhile, please don’t go anywhere.

I’m a NZ fan. I thought our fielding was great, bowling ok and batting shocking. I was flicking back and forward to the tennis, you could watch a whole game with two or three deuces and switch back, NZ were still 4/62 or something.

I think NZ will be fairly disappointed with their batting effort, and pleased with how they went in the field. The win is very welcome, but they’ll feel they should have to bat better to avoid getting slaughtered in the remaining games.

John Mitchell also had to move to Perth… what a shocker!

Oh Keith – apologies, that should have been directed at Craig

Arrogance, even that based on your definition Keith, is a fairly loaded word to fire collectively at an entire nation of rugby supporters. Sure there are people who blame all kinds for losses, but tarring everyone because of this vocal tiny minority is a bit rough.

You’re sure to be able to find plenty of AB Fan Roarers (myself included) who are willing to attribute blame to the team/coaches. The vaguaries of the day (ref/weather/bounce of ball/injuries) are common to any game of rugby, you’ve got to overcome any bad luck with skill, selection, training and approriate game plans, all of which were wanting in Oct 07.

Look at the outcry in NZ when coaches retained their positions (not that that looks such a bad move from 2009).

I’ve got to side with VDM/Brendan. Habana’s the best wing in the SH, IMH(KB)O*.

*In my humble (kiwi biased) opinion.

OJ,

Unfortunately I’ve also seen Roarers rapidley repeat Kearns biased tripe, especially the “Richie McCaw’s Always Cheating/All Blacks Get Away With It and Hypnotise Refs” bollocks…

As far as I’m concerned the best commentator by a mile unfortunately died last year. Fox (Grant, not -tel) will be OK though.

Crosscoder,

I agree entirely with your last two sentences. They back up my assertainment that contracts are open – and that they are legally binding:

“Let me conclude by saying everyone has the democratic right,to do the best for himself.Change codes,change clothes,change jobs midstream,but pay the proper penalty”

Mutually agreed – if either party wasn’t happy, they would have pursued it. They didn’t = they are happy. We’re not talking about “come around and have a beer, get friendly with my sister” happy, but satisfied that, taking everything into account (cost of persuing, likelihood of getting more) they were happy to settle.

Also, I don’t have a problem with the way any of the organisations mentioned above – rugby, union, clubs, whatever – have behaved. They are driven by the bottom line, they exist to make money by providing sport as entertainment. If they want to offer a contracted/committed player another contract, well, they are welcome to, IMO. The only reason for bringing up Ridge et al was to point out that this has always been the way. It just doesn’t make sense to see the clubs as ‘villains’.

What SBW did to his mates at the Bulldogs, well, as I said, lacked class and respect for his mates. He should have discussed it with them. But that’s not Toulon’s fault.

For Erin B, I’d vote for Scarlett Johansson. Reaw.

+1 for DJ. I often why Steffy bothers with this. It’s a bit like trying to convince Aussies that a jandal is a jandal – it might be where I’m from but if I want to be understood in Sydney, I’ve got to call it a thong.

Rotomahana was the handle for the Waratahs Crusaders game. Not sure why it got canned? Seems more sensible for Crusaders not to have to go all the way to Perth for a warm up game.

I was a huge Umaga fan when he was in the ABs, he was all class. But I think he was past it in his last season for the Canes, so I’d be (pleasantly) surprised if he’s got game now. Agree will be interesting to see…

I did and do agree with everyone here that SBW pulled a manouvre that lacked class, especially with respect to team mates and fans.

I just don’t agree at all with the perception that a contract is somehow a holy rit that can never be broken, as maintained by Crosscoder, and others in the popular media when the whole thing happened. There are clear legal and ethical principles for breaking contracts. The guy, and any other guy, can decide to go and play in France any time they like, they aren’t slaves no matter what bit of paper they’ve signed. As long as they/French club are happy with the personal/financial consequences.

I accept that Crosscoder wasn’t thinking about players acquired by league prior to 1996. That was my point – league, like other professional organisations, including French RU clubs, Indian Cricket, NSW Cricket, etc, etc, are out to make $$ and part of that is buying players. It’s the reality of professional sport, you can’t suddenly say French RU aren’t playing by the rules. Anyone’s fair game if you’re willing to pay. And they did pay the Bulldogs. They’d have factored that into the decision to offer him a contract.

I hope he’s enjoying himself in France. He was a fantastic league player, not convinced he’s suited to union. I don’t think we’ll be seeing him in the s14, or a black jersey any time soon.

CC,

It was clearly mutually agreed. If the Bulldogs thought they were owed more they would have persued him in the courts, they’re not a charity. I can’t see how ‘the poor old Bulldogs’ were pressured.

And contracts are “open” – we don’t live in a society where you can’t change your mind, for good reason or bad. Noone is bound by any contract. When you sign one, you agree to undertake your end of the bargain. It outlines what you must do (attend training, play, not get drunk) Conditions in which you or the club may break it (loss of form and being dropped, significant time out injured, ill discipline etc etc) are stipulated. Compensation for early breaking might be outlined. Certainly, courts exist to help sort out any compensation.

Have a look at your foxtel contract, or a phone/internet company etc, for example. You sign up, you get 24 months at some rate, and some freebees, but you undertake to pay for 24 months. If you get the stitch with their crap lineup you can stop early, but you’ll pay something.

“The French ru at times have little regard for contracts particularly players from rland as history has shown for the game of rl.” Er, I think RL and it’s supporters may have short memories. They have had scant regard for agreements in other codes when the economic shoe was on the other foot. I don’t remember them asking the NZRU if it was alright that they offer M Ridge, J Schuster, J Timu, M Ellis, D Halligan, F Botica etc contracts in the 80s and 90s when they were flush with cash relative to RU.

The only issue was whether ‘he did the right thing by his mates’. I agree what he did leaves a sour taste. This point was pushed in the media here (I’m in Sydney). If he had stood up at the end of training and said “Boys I’m off to France for a heap of cash and some french birds” would that have made it ok?? In the end these guys are playing for $$, it’s their perogative who they play for. It’s sad, and if I were a kid following the Bulldogs I’d feel gutted that my hero had abandoned my club, but it’s reality. Maybe they should support NSW cricket.

Oh wait a minute… didn’t they just buy a contracted player to play one game?

There’s nothing “illegal” about signing a contract while contracted elsewhere, as long as you compensate the first party adequately and they therefore agree to your release, as (eventually) occurred when SBW departed. Just because you have signed a contract doesn’t mean you must play out the contract.

Having said that, SBW’s behaviour was erratic and did disenfranchise his fans, to say the least.

It’s been announced that Umanga has been replaced as coach by Philipe Saint-Andre. Umanga is staying on as manager till 2010. Also, amazingly he’s going to play again – I’m not sure he’ll still be up to it (see other Roar story)