World Cup swan songs

[BoyBrumby]

Christ, half our squad are pensioners. 30+ off the top of my head: Catt, Robinson, Lewsey, Dallaglio, Corry, Worsley, Chuter, Kay, Vickery, Freshwater, Yates, Shaw, Regan & Farrell.

Mind you, Catt was 32 last time around & he's still going so as for swansongs, I dunno. Robinson, certainly as he's retiring from all Rugby and guys like Catt, Dallaglio, Yates & Regan are all 34-36 now so it's stretching credibility to think they'll be around in 4 years.

 

[Perm]

Pot
Kettle
All Black

I'd give one of my testicles to play for the All Blacks, I just hate the rugby public over here that are a bunch of tossers.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Maybe the NZ union will move with the times & start to select players for the national team regardless of where they play their club/provincial Rugby if enough of their top players migrate up here. Union in NZ & Oz & league in Oz must be the last closed shops with regards to international recognition.

 

[ohtani's jacket]

Make it a 4-nations with the Argies every 2 years. Super 14's fine iyam

The problem with the Tri-Nations is that it's too predictable. You know that Australia will lose in South Africa and SA will lose in Australia, meaning NZ can split their away games and win the tournament. When they expanded it last year it was too long and NZ had already won it before departing for SA. It's no surprise that the Bledisloe Cup Tests were always more important to NZers than winning the overall tournament. Maybe we need to lose the Cup again.

 

[chaminda_00]

Maybe the NZ union will move with the times & start to select players for the national team regardless of where they play their club/provincial Rugby if enough of their top players migrate up here. Union in NZ & Oz & league in Oz must be the last closed shops with regards to international recognition.

It's a massive problem in Australia in rugby, you just got to look at how many players in the last two years have come back to Australia and walked into the Super 14 sides and got back into Walliabies squads. Australia doesn't have the depth to just pick home based players and the players know they have short career so they do to Europe so they can make some money off Rugby. The real stupid thing is how little guys who came through the juniors get paid in comparsion to league recuits, but thats another discussion.

If Australia are serious about winning future World Cups, they have to start picking players in Europe. Holding national selection as ransom for not moving overseas, no longer works. Time to get with the times. The same people who love the professionalism in Rugby, are the same ones that have a go at players moving overseas. If you want a professional sport, you got to accept an open market for players. The other problem is Super 14, which is joke and no longer much stronger then European comps.

 

[Son Of Coco]

I like this one:


The Swan Song by Within Temptation

Winter Has Come For Me, Can't Carry On
The Chains To My Life Are Strong But Soon They'll Be gone
I'll Spread My Wings One More Time

Chorus

Is It A Dream?
All The Ones I Have Loved Calling Out My Name
The Sun Warms My Face
All The Days Of My Life, I See Them Passing Me By

In My Heart I know I Can Let Go
In The End I Will Find Some Peace Inside
New Wings Are Growing Tonight

Chorus

As I Am Soaring I'm One With The Wind
I Am Longing To See You Again, It's Been So Long
We Will Be Together Again

Chorus

 

[cbuts]

Who are the players leaving the international game after the World Cup?

New Zealand: Luke McAlister, Aaron Mauger, Byron Kelleher, Chris Jack, Carl Hayman, Anton Oliver, Greg Rawlinson and Rico Gear.

Doug Howlett?

Australia: George Gregan, Stephen Larkham

South Africa: Victor Matfield (rumoured).

McAlister hasnt signed for anyone yet

 

[Fiery]

McAlister hasnt signed for anyone yet

Looks like he will sign for Sale soon...

 

[cbuts]

I don't have a problem with him looking after himself, while it's a bit selfish it's the way the world works these days. What I do have a problem with is that he needs to go overseas to do it, he could quite easily stay put in New Zealand and earn quite a bit of money while getting to play for the All Blacks. Maybe it's just me but it seems that the boyhood dream of the wearing the black jersey is slowly dissolving because of these kind of players.

Thats bull****, there are so many reasons why the head overseas - as you say he already makes a fortune over here - so i dont really think the money is one of them.

One of the major attractions for these players is that they can go over there and be virtual no bodys. The amount of crap that our media and the public put these guys through - who would want to stay? The media constantly hounds McAlister about his divorce - does that have anything to do with him as a rugby player? Another classic example of the tall poppy syndrome in this country.

Also its a chance that for these guys to do an OE, just like most young New Zealanders, i think you are going to find more and more young players going over, and coming back in there late 20's - like Flavell and McDonald

 

[cbuts]

Maybe the NZ union will move with the times & start to select players for the national team regardless of where they play their club/provincial Rugby if enough of their top players migrate up here. Union in NZ & Oz & league in Oz must be the last closed shops with regards to international recognition.

It would be the death of rugby in New Zealand. All the super14 level players would go... the public would soon get sick of watching rugby the quality of the heartland cup every week.

 

[cbuts]

Looks like he will sign for Sale soon...

Na, he went public during the week to say that that was a yarn, and he would not be signing with anyone till after the Tri Nations

 

[cbuts]

Make it a 4-nations with the Argies every 2 years. Super 14's fine iyam

And what do you propose happens in the other years? We play France D or England C? What about Wales or Scotland come for a tour??? Boy that would be very exciting rugby

 

[Fiery]

Na, he went public during the week to say that that was a yarn, and he would not be signing with anyone till after the Tri Nations

OK, hadn't heard that actually

And what do you propose happens in the other years? We play France D or England C? What about Wales or Scotland come for a tour??? Boy that would be very exciting rugby

Fair point. I'm happy with the status quo for now actually

 

[cbuts]

Id like to see the Argies in it, and maybe the PI Lions as well though, it would bring something new to it

 

[cbuts]

Looks like he will sign for Sale soon...

I think his father is behind that, so is prob all crap
His father was the one who told everyone that he had already signed for Manawatu last year....

 

[Fiery]

Id like to see the Argies in it, and maybe the PI Lions as well though, it would bring something new to it

Yeah, that could be good. Would you want each team to play each other twice if it was a 5 Nations type thing?

 

[cbuts]

Yea, home and away would be good

 

[Fiery]

Yea, home and away would be good

Good idea. About time the All Blacks played in some of the Pacific Islands too

 

[cbuts]

They were going to a few years ago, against the PI team, but they choose to move it to Albany as they would get better gate takings.

Juniors have played all their games aginst the Islanders away in the Pacific 6 Nations