Luke McAlister gives up on his World Cup hopes

[FlukeArtist]

In my opinion; he isn't the guy we would want as back-up to DC anyway.

I think he is only playing well for Toulouse because this is the last throw of the dice for him when it comes to a high paying professional contract.

As Chili Plamer says in the movie Get Shorty; "sometimes you do your best work with a gun against your head"

I think that's probably the case here.
Because he looked down right average when he was in NZ

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I'm not so sure - he seemed unhappy to be in NZ the past season or so, and seems ecstatic to be in France - I think he's just enjoying his rugby more

 

[donmcdazzle]

He has a huge ego and probably didn't like having to scrap for a spot as someone else's backup. Once it looked like he wouldn't get there he just dropped his lip bigtime. Now he is probably having everyone treat him like a star again and his confidence/form is all the better for it. Why couldn't you have done this for the blues Luke you idiot.

 

[jawmalawm24]

I'm not so sure - he seemed unhappy to be in NZ the past season or so, and seems ecstatic to be in France - I think he's just enjoying his rugby more

I saw a game with him playing and he looked like the force was with him again. It really does look like he's enjoying his Rugby and good on him going for a contract and living in a beautiful place like France, better than living here in Nz where they offer you half if not quarter the money with a farm

 

[FlukeArtist]

I saw a game with him playing and he looked like the force was with him again. It really does look like he's enjoying his Rugby and good on him going for a contract and living in a beautiful place like France, better than living here in Nz where they offer you half if not quarter the money with a farm

Good on him if that all that matters to him

If it was me, i'd still like to have left with some integrity and honour intact.
By his behaviour, this guy has ostensibly destroyed his own.

If the French team at the RWC is anything to go by, you'd have to question the calibre of opposition he is playing against over there compared to what he faced in NZ too

 

[TRF_Olyy]

If the French team at the RWC is anything to go by, you'd have to question the calibre of opposition he is playing against over there compared to what he faced in NZ too

No you don't - Top14 is a quality competition, the French is just in dire straights, don't whether it's attitude or whatever, but that doesn't reflect the league at all

 

[TNT88]

The reason he is dominating is simply because he is playing at a very high standard, and this is rubbing off on the other guys around him.

He was pretty good last season, but I don't reckon he had as much freedom while playing for the Blues.

 

[psychic duck]

At 28 years old, do you reckon he'll ever return to New Zealand and the All Blacks again?

or have bridges been burnt now

I agree with domcdazzle, when he left to go to Sale he was number 1 number 12 and Nonu was on poor form and didn't even make the World Cup spot and was playing wing at the Hurricanes, so I think he left thinking he could just come back and retake the 12 jersey, but as it turned out Nonu turned out to be arguably the world's best 12 in 2008 and 2009 and then Sonny Bill Williams came along as well

and he was surprised to find himself having to scrap for the reserve 10 shirt with Slade, Cruden, Donald and Delany, and didn't enjoy having to scrap, I think he's a player who plays better with his ego bigger

however I'm glad he hasn't made the World Cup squad, although I think he's best reserve 10 other than Nick Evans, because he disrespected the All Blacks shirt in 2007 by going to Europe aged 24 and expecting to be put back in whenever he felt like returning

I think Graham Henry thought the same thing and was annoyed in 2007, and made him have to work harder for his All Black place than say Delany, and then his confidence went and he went downhill