Mauger confirms return to New Zealand

[munross]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

Aaron Mauger has confirmed that he will leave Leicester Tigers at the end of the season and return to New Zealand where he will try and win back his place in the All Blacks for the 2011 World Cup.

The 29-year-old former All Black says that he is putting the finishing touches to a new deal which will see him go back to Canterbury in New Zealand.

Mauger has held talks with both the All Blacks and former club Canterbury's management in order to finalise his return.

The veteran of 46 Tests for the All Blacks is likely to play for the Crusaders in the Super 15 and said that his decision was partly rugby based but also down to a desire to bring up his two young children (Felix, five, and Zoe, two) near their extended family.

Mauger revealed that the pull of a chance to play for Canterbury and the Crusaders again and compete in a World Cup on home soil was too strong to turn down.

"I am leaving Leicester, which is pretty sad, but I want to go back to New Zealand and look at the opportunities of playing over there again with an eye on the Rugby World Cup," he told the Leicester Mercury.

"My desire is to play again for the All Blacks and Canterbury and give it my best crack.

"I have talked to the All Blacks coaches. I caught up with them during their autumn tour and have had some discussions through my agent with the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) about a possible contract.

"We are sorting out that (central contract) now. It just depends on me being in the right space to sign something.

"I won't sign anything until I am 100 per cent sure that I can give it my best shot because my body has been playing up over the last couple of years.

"I know there are no guarantees but the correspondence I have had with the NZRU has been pretty positive.

"They want me to give it my best shot and, if I am playing well enough, I will be in with a chance of making the All Blacks squad.

"We want to live in Canterbury. We have a house there and that is where we want to settle. We want the kids to go to school in the country where we will be based and have a chance to spend more time with our family."

Mauger made his 50th appearance for Leicester Tigers against Viadana last Saturday and admitted it was a tough decision.

"We have made some lifelong friends here and have loved our time living in Kibworth," said Mauger. "It's a fantastic village.

"The club have been great to me and Leicester has the best fans I have ever come across.

"All of us foreign players acknowledge the support of the fans and it feels amazing to run out at Welford Road with everyone shouting."

"It has been an awesome experience here."[/b]

http://www.rugbyweek.com/news/article.asp?id=23930

He will have a hard time getting back into the All Blacks team with Nonu and McAlister around, but his experience might be a factor at the end of the day

 

[William18]

Nonu is one of the players in the All Blacks who I like the most and I think he has done really well over the past two season. I wouldn't trust him with a World Cup Final, I would put Mauger in there.

 

[candybum]

I reckon it sucks that they leave and then come back and take over from someones who's worked hard and improved a lot.

I reckon once they leave the country, they should be banned from playing for the AB's forever! lol

That said, i agree with you William18 but i'd have a little more faith in Nonu after what's he's done in the couple years.

 

[Nickdnz]

Yeah, he'll definetly have a tough time getting in the AB's. Hayman is the next on the come home list, and I can't see him having much trouble getting the loosehead starting spot off Tialata. Interesting to see how Mauger's season goes though.

 

[Nesreviac]

I think Mauger's first 4-5 games back will see everyone judging how good/bad, ready/not he is, when really it's going to take the whole Super 14 to really get an idea of where he's at.

 

[esoj]

I think he's got a good chance getting his spot back. 12 has been a huge problem area since he left and nobody has really nailed it that well. he will have competition though the likes of nonu and mcalister won't give up without a fight.

 

[MunsterMan]

In Mites absence, I will make the obligatory "He has been shite for Leicester!" post.

Strange how decorated internationals with bags of experience like Chris Jack and Aaron Mauger make so little impact in the NH when guys like Paul Warwick, Nick Evans and Luke McCallister tear it up.

Mauger strikes me as less skillful and dynamic than Nonu/Luke but a much better rugby brain. Will be interesting to see how he does.

Will he even be an automatic choice for the Crusaders? I seem to remember hearing good things about their 12.

 

[jawmalawm24]

There's so many other players he has to go pass before he even considers about trying to get into the All Blacks squad again. So much talent has appeared since he left Canterbury it'll be a mission just trying to compete with his own peers than he has the rest of the teams to worry about.

 

[William18]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MunsterMan @ Jan 23 2010, 01:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

In Mites absence, I will make the obligatory "He has been shite for Leicester!" post.

Strange how decorated internationals with bags of experience like Chris Jack and Aaron Mauger make so little impact in the NH when guys like Paul Warwick, Nick Evans and Luke McCallister tear it up.

Mauger strikes me as less skillful and dynamic than Nonu/Luke but a much better rugby brain. Will be interesting to see how he does.

Will he even be an automatic choice for the Crusaders? I seem to remember hearing good things about their 12.[/b]

The Crusaders have Tim Bateman who is very promising and who I'm guessing will play at 12 and also Ryan Crotty who is almost as promising playing at 13. They have plenty of options.