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| Hey Kip, I also think that Justin Marshall could put on a AB jersey and still be one of the best for the ABs. He is a tough and good player. Blessings Mel |
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| kip: >Great players from OS are bringing the game on.< See today that Wendell Sailor is looking at the Dragons now that his suspension is about up. Presumably not what you meant. Just some gentle ribbing. Mark L. |
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| Not so. You can't equate Football here in england with Rugby Union. Union has a quota system. Great players from OS are bringing the game on. Best example is Justin Marshall who in my opinion remains the best scrum half around. It is a delicate balance but these "imports" are bringing the game on with tremendous youth development pushing through. We have some real talent on its way!!! No - my big worry is club v country. If you recall a couple of days ago both Matthew Tait and Toby Flood were released by the owner of Newcastle because they have too many england internationals in the team who can only play half the games in the premiership. The owner states that he is looking at two imports to replace them. Now that is worrying. kip |
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| Hear hear Mark. If anything it's simply damaging to their own rugby development... if players can't get a run at Heineken Cup level because a SH international star has their starting spot, how will their footy get any better?? Quite simply, it won't. SH will continue to dominate. |
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| The other end of the stick: In the EPL this season, only 37% of the players are Englishmen raised and trained in England. And England failed to qualify for Euro-08, Different sport, of course, but still. Mark L |
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| I don't think we have seen any ill effect on the game with the players leaving for the $$$$ OS. It gives the "understudy" to opportunity to rise to a new level. Kellegher did not get his opportunity until Marshall went OS. And so it is.... if Dan Carter leaves, another will rise to the occasion. With him there for a 10 year spell, others do not get the opportunity. The game will continue in good stead. With Nick Evans, the NZRU offered him a contract that was close to what he was being offered OS. So it was not just money for him. Blessings Mel |
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| All the more reason for Australia to buy NZ. They would retain their players and we would win every Bledisloe from here on. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I don't think it's a huge deal because the guys that are leaving Aus/SA are generally the older guys whose careers are finishing up (e.g. Lyons). It will be a shame to lose Vickerman though as he's got plenty of footy left in him in Aus. In NZ it's more of an issue cos you've guys going that are still young in their careers. We haven't seen much of Evans, and Carter might be about to sign an OS contract. McAlister was just start to hit his prime, and would have been the best no. 12 choice for AB selection (in my opinion). But they are chasing big money, and will earn a truckload and then come back and retire in NZ bringing most of their hard earned cash back to the NZ economy. |
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| Man, at one stage i was pissed all the union guys were getting luered to Legaue by the big $$$$ but this is starting to worry me.......Will the Super14's end up being a talent less comapetition because all the talent in NZ and Aus are all going OS for the big bucks.. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I am certainly not blaming them. This is the profession they chose, and they are entitled to ply it wherever they can be hired (and gain a work permit). With the initial rise of professionalism, there was great enthusiasm for the improvemnts in the game, in terms of fitness, skill, strength. Now we see another aspect of the nature of the game, first exposed in Serge Blanco's threat to withdraw the French teams from the Heineken Cup: with the owners footing the bill for the clubs, they are not at all keen to see their investments put at risk on non-club business. They recoup their investment and make the profit that will allow them to hire yet more new players (at yet higher salaries) by bringing the crowds into the club parks. We'll also see the effect that until now was really felt only by the Argies: many (for them almost all) international-level players will be overseas. There's no way back, so I'm looking forward to NPC, er Air NZ or whatever it's to be called this year. Something a little closer to the soil. Go Mooloos. Mark L |
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| Willie Ripia has stepped up for the Canes, maybe he will be the next big thing. He will have more opportunity with Evans gone. If Carter goes someone will step up to the plate, it might be the incentive Donald needs to improve his game. I would like to see the Chiefs make it to the semis so we can see if Donald plays well or implodes. |
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| Can't say I blame them, the power of the Euro and Pound is more than attractive. It is about money, if they were not offering better money would they go? In most cases I think not. As an expat working in Europe it is easy to see why they go, the Euro is currently worth two NZ dollars, thats a big deal when you are making top dollar. I don't expect them all to miraculously return back to NZ, once they've dipped thier finger in the honey they will want to keep on tasting it. |
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| So Nick Evans elects to try his luck in England, as a few days ago we learn that Lyons and Cordingley fancy overseas opportunities, too. And this on top of the "expected" host of changes after RWC. Dan Carter is "weighing his options". Top-level forwards saw several years ago that their options for reward here on Earth were much greater overseas, where a tighthead prop is properly acknoweldged. I reckon we'll hear more about all the wonderful young talent coming up. As there surely is. But in the fully professional world, will we now see that the SH systems become the training grounds for grown-up rugby, yet another example of globalization? And is this good for the sport? Mark L |
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