Menu
Forums
New posts
Search forums
What's new
New posts
Latest activity
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles and first posts only
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Search forums
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Help Support The Rugby Forum :
Forums
Rugby Union
General Rugby Union
All Blacks in the ITM Cup
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="smartcooky" data-source="post: 525964" data-attributes="member: 20605"><p>We have to finally come to terms with the fact that the ITM Cup is a development competition. Yes, its our National Provincial Championship, but ultimately, it has been superseded by Super Rugby as our Premier domestic rugby competition. ITM Cup has taken the place that Club Rugby once held in this country; and note, that I did not say it was <em>"only"</em> a development competition.</p><p>.</p><p>Overseas fans and players have often jokingly said that we seem to have a conveyor belt of new talent here, and we have... its called the ITM Cup. They are astounded at the frequency with which we seem to produce crops of talented young players in key positions.</p><p></p><p>Recent players that fit this description have been Aaron Cruden, Israel Dagg, Zac Guildford and Kieran Read. Among the current crop are names like Sam Kane, Aaron Smith, Beauden Barrett, Luke Romano, Julian Savea and Brodie Retallick. For the future, get your pen and paper out, and write these names down....Steven Luatua (Auckland), James Marshall; (Taranaki) and Luke Braid (Bay of Plenty). IMO you will be hearing more about them in the not too distant future. </p><p></p><p>The ITM Cup is vital to the future of NZ Rugby, with its main role being talent identification and development. IMO, as a general rule, it should not have any of the current All Black squad playing in it at all (with exceptions that I'll cover later). By having a core of Super Rugby Players and no All Blacks, we leave space open to develop talent to fill the gaps left by those All Blacks. This helps us to "pre-fill" positions ahead of the time when those All Blacks will be coming up for retirement and/or leaving our shores. I firmly believe that every time a top player goes to Europe to play out the last years of their rugby career, a door opens for a new young player to step up, and another door closes on their counterpart in Europe. </p><p></p><p>The ITM Cup as it stands now, runs concurrently with the International season. This allows the fringe players to keep match fit in case they are called up, and allows the All Blacks managers to give some non-playing members a run, or to bring players with minor injuries a game or two to bring them back up to match fitness. IMO, these should be the only reasons for having All Blacks in the ITM Cup.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="smartcooky, post: 525964, member: 20605"] We have to finally come to terms with the fact that the ITM Cup is a development competition. Yes, its our National Provincial Championship, but ultimately, it has been superseded by Super Rugby as our Premier domestic rugby competition. ITM Cup has taken the place that Club Rugby once held in this country; and note, that I did not say it was [I]"only"[/I] a development competition. . Overseas fans and players have often jokingly said that we seem to have a conveyor belt of new talent here, and we have... its called the ITM Cup. They are astounded at the frequency with which we seem to produce crops of talented young players in key positions. Recent players that fit this description have been Aaron Cruden, Israel Dagg, Zac Guildford and Kieran Read. Among the current crop are names like Sam Kane, Aaron Smith, Beauden Barrett, Luke Romano, Julian Savea and Brodie Retallick. For the future, get your pen and paper out, and write these names down....Steven Luatua (Auckland), James Marshall; (Taranaki) and Luke Braid (Bay of Plenty). IMO you will be hearing more about them in the not too distant future. The ITM Cup is vital to the future of NZ Rugby, with its main role being talent identification and development. IMO, as a general rule, it should not have any of the current All Black squad playing in it at all (with exceptions that I'll cover later). By having a core of Super Rugby Players and no All Blacks, we leave space open to develop talent to fill the gaps left by those All Blacks. This helps us to "pre-fill" positions ahead of the time when those All Blacks will be coming up for retirement and/or leaving our shores. I firmly believe that every time a top player goes to Europe to play out the last years of their rugby career, a door opens for a new young player to step up, and another door closes on their counterpart in Europe. The ITM Cup as it stands now, runs concurrently with the International season. This allows the fringe players to keep match fit in case they are called up, and allows the All Blacks managers to give some non-playing members a run, or to bring players with minor injuries a game or two to bring them back up to match fitness. IMO, these should be the only reasons for having All Blacks in the ITM Cup. [/QUOTE]
Verification
Post reply
Forums
Rugby Union
General Rugby Union
All Blacks in the ITM Cup
Top