Canadian to play in the NPC

[Canadian_Rugby_Guy]

Ryan Smith interview

A couple words on how Canadian international Ryan Smith will be joining the Southland NPC side, this is a good side for the Canadian team as he'll probably bring some fresh ideas into the Canadian side.

 

[esoj]

southland aren't the best team but the experince of playing nzrugby will be very worthwhile for smith. He should certianly be able to take back things to canada

 

[kaftka]

Bummer, travels half the globe to get here, and he still won't win his first game of rugby.

 

[Southern man]

Pretty sure he played on Saturday against Canterbury @ second five.

 

[tHe_MaC]

Yeah he played, done ok, but was outshined by his centre partner Ben Smith who is on loan from Otago and played really well.

 

[Canadian_Rugby_Guy]

I'd like to hear more news on how he progresses through the season, I'm interested how it'll turn out for him.

 

[Southern man]

Originally posted by tHe_MaC@Aug 16 2005, 06:55 PM
Yeah he played, done ok, but was outshined by his centre partner Ben Smith who is on loan from Otago and played really well.

Ben will be even better when he has Kawau inside him @ second five, that partnership was great for Varsity and will do well for Southland aswell. Smith loves to run off bigger midfield partners.

 

[THE CHIROPRACTOR101]

this is cool as..we need more players from other countries
(not jus samoa,fiji,tonga and australia an sth africa)
..

this is pretty cool..not a boatload..but say the best players from the other countries...how good is this guy? canadian rugby g?

im def gonna be watchin em an southland jus coz of him...
we need some more canucks an americans..maybe some lesser euro players from uruguay an stuff and zimbabwe..hahaha

everyone..we shud dedicate the 2nd and 3rd division to talented players of the not so great int teams...the best place ta learn the game..is nz

ask martin johnson

 

[tHe_MaC]

Just a wee update, Smith has been playing great rugby for the Southland Development team which is second on the table upsetting many of its opponents and reversing its trend of finishing last over the last 10 years.

 

[Southern man]

Mac,

How many Southlanders do you think will make the Highlanders?

I think there could be around nine.

 

[sambãd5]

Originally posted by THE CHIROPRACTOR101@Aug 18 2005, 10:49 PM
everyone..we shud dedicate the 2nd and 3rd division to talented players of the not so great int teams...the best place ta learn the game..is nz

ask martin johnson

he (was) eligable for nz btw...

south land have done well this year. them vs naki had a awesome 2nd half. i would have (before the game) picked it to be one of the best. a usuall bottom dweller doing good vs a better than average team....

but turns out the 1st half was ********

 

[tHe_MaC]

I don't know to be honest.

Certainties for me are Cowan, Hoani McDonald, Clarke Dermody and Paul Miller if he chooses to stay.

Tim Boys maybe, Pehi TeWhare maybe (would be a much better player in a S14 team).

Who would you choose?

 

[Southern man]

I would have

Dermody, MacKintosh, Macdonald, Boys,Miller (if he stays) other wise T-Pole, Cowan, Lotawa and Smith.

Apanui, Wilson and Te Whare could make it if we don't get the draft players we want or if we don't sign certain North harbour centres.

 

[tHe_MaC]

If they pick Apanui and/or Wilson I will stop supporting them. Wilson is a terrible player, kicks it everytime he gets the ball and mostly out on the full.

I wouldn't pick T-Pole, he is average at best.
And if you pick Jamie MacKintosh without playing any NPC, I think Ryan Glover should be picked again if fit, he is a very good winger, better than Lotawa and Smith. But I still think Lotawa and Smith should get picked ahead of the Otago players that stand by the sideline that think they are wingers.

TeWhare should get picked, a very good player in a pretty average backline.

And back to MacKintosh, I'm not too sure if they are ready to risk him.

 

[Southern man]

MacKintosh would be there to soak up the enviroment and learn, he would play fark all games. Plus we need to keep him in the franchise and away from other franchises who need good young props. His situation is different from Glover who is an average winger, who are a dime a dozen. There are also better wingers than him in the franchise aswell as potentially in the draft. Saunders is the number one winger in the highlanders, the rest will be a lottery. But Otago are looking at signing a winger so if we do he will make it.

Te Whare should depend on what Tuitavake decides.

 

[tHe_MaC]

Saunders the number one wing in the Highlanders franchise?
Are you kidding me? He couldn't find his way to the try line with a map and a marked out track. He might be fast, but that's about it for him.

TeWhare should make it regardless of what Tuitavake decides, they need a reserve.

For once they Highlanders should try stay away from the draft, and they will be able to do that for most positions apart from first five and fullback. The Highlanders will be dead set screwed if Glen Horton is in the 15 jersey.

 

[tHe_MaC]

Oh and from what I remember MacKintosh signed a contract keeping him out of the S12 this year with the NZRU because they felt he is too young, they might do the same thing again for this upcoming season.

 

[Southern man]

Saunders isn't that quick, but he can find his way to the line quite well. He has always had quite a good try scoring record considering he plays for a province/franchise that doesn't use its wingers to their potential. Plus every game he was fit for the Highlanders this year he was picked, so he is rated quite highly by the selectors.

Te Whare as good as he is, you have to remeber that Cooper gets wood over Brew so Brew will always get picked over a player that might be marginally better than him, I would rather Te Whare get picked but it just seems more likely that they will take Brew.

Horton is soo talented it is scary he is just such a stupid footy player, if he could harness that talent and fix his defence he would he very good in the fullback jersey. He just needs to have a coach who will get him to be focused on his rugby and make sure his mind is only on it, so we can see the best of him, As I beleive that we have only seem around 50% of his potential.

MacKintosh has to play super 12 some time, otherwise he will just be another kid who had alot of potential but never played the top level.