McAlister to Leicester?

[The TRUTH]

Leicester eye up Luke McAlister

Sunday December 10 2006

AB fringe player assesses his options

Leicester Tigers have changed their focus from Aaron Mauger to his New Zealand midfield partner, Luke McAlister, according to the Blues player's father and agent.


Former Manawatu Turbos coach Charlie McAlister claims the Guinness Premiership giants opened talks during the All Blacks' European tour in November.

"Luke is miles away from committing to anything," McAlister senior told The Herald On Sunday.

"He has only just got back from Europe and it has been a big year for him so he's looking forward to some time off.

"I met some people from Leicester. It was an informal chat and they are just one of a few big clubs that have expressed an interest."

McAlister recently signed a one-year extension to his New Zealand Rugby Union and North Harbour provincial contract.

He spent part of his childhood in England, living in Manchester when his father played professional Rugby League for Oldham and Salford.

http://www.planet-rugby.com/Teams/New_Zeal...ory_55778.shtml[/b]

 

[woosaah]

i wouldnt be sad to see him go

 

[Dmx#1]

hez a good player but he wnt be missed that much.

 

[Dumbo]

Would be surprised to see him go... looks like he's being groomed for the AB's number 12 spot

 

[Ripper]

i wouldnt be sad to see him go
[/b]

Thats because he's about to displace Mauger and he showed up Panadol twice in 2004 when he had to dig us out of the hole Featherhead had got us into (When he was supposedly a better Fly Half than Nick Evans)

And I thought McAlister had signed with some French Club 6 months ago

 

[SaintsFan_Webby]

If Leicester talked to him then I'm sure there was someone from Nothampton not far away either.

Would suprise me if he moved over here though, I thought he was pushing for the AB's strongest XV.

 

[Caledfwlch]

i think if mauger moves to leicester after the RWC, which he was offered, luke mcalister would make the incumbent 12, if he isnt already. and cover 10as well. and if smith milsand nonu are out of actin, he might be a last choice replacement for 13 as well?

 

[Bullitt]

If Leicester talked to him then I'm sure there was someone from Nothampton not far away either.

Would suprise me if he moved over here though, I thought he was pushing for the AB's strongest XV. [/b]

Unlikely with Spencer and Cortese on the payroll for at least 2 1/2 more seasons.

 

[esoj]

hez a good player but he wnt be missed that much.
[/b]

us blues fans would beg to differ. we finally got rid of lavea and don't want to go backwards after making such great progress. I would be amazed if he went now that he is a regular in the abs squad. and will get lots of gametime with the blues

 

[NZL Fan]

i think if mauger moves to leicester after the RWC, which he was offered, luke mcalister would make the incumbent 12, if he isnt already. and cover 10as well. and if smith milsand nonu are out of actin, he might be a last choice replacement for 13 as well?
[/b]

He isn't a 13, and would never be considered by Henry and co for the position.

They would draft in another outside centre, or temporarily use someone like Rico Gear instead.

Can't see him going overseas at his age - I suggest his father is making noises so the NZRU starts thinking about opening their wallet come renegotiation time after the world cup.

 

[BigTen]

Well he still has a year left on his NZRFU contract that will take him through until the world cup. I think that he would be crazy to leave before the 2011 World Cup. He could easily tie down the number 12 jersey, especially if Mauger goes overseas and if he left it would be very hard to come back.

 

[esoj]

Well he still has a year left on his NZRFU contract that will take him through until the world cup. I think that he would be crazy to leave before the 2011 World Cup. He could easily tie down the number 12 jersey, especially if Mauger goes overseas and if he left it would be very hard to come back.
[/b]

maybe although macDonald left and made it back into the abs. so did flavell

 

[Prestwick]

It kind of shows how far Rugby has to go as an international sport when moving to the Northern Hemisphere means near enough exile and/or retirement from top flight international rugby.

Imagine how weak the Brazillian Soccer squad would be if going to the European leagues meant the same thing?

Obviously, the reason why the All Blacks keep their players close and their best players closer (usually in a dungeon somewhere below Wellington) is because if you have teams with at least five All Blacks playing with each other day in day out, they get to know each other better and work better together, etc. It wouldn't make sense to them to start letting them play for Tom, Dick or Harry across the globe.

 

[fcukernaut]

It kind of shows how far Rugby has to go as an international sport when moving to the Northern Hemisphere means near enough exile and/or retirement from top flight international rugby.

Imagine how weak the Brazillian Soccer squad would be if going to the European leagues meant the same thing?

Obviously, the reason why the All Blacks keep their players close and their best players closer (usually in a dungeon somewhere below Wellington) is because if you have teams with at least five All Blacks playing with each other day in day out, they get to know each other better and work better together, etc. It wouldn't make sense to them to start letting them play for Tom, Dick or Harry across the globe.
[/b]

Well you're sort of right, the only reason the All Blacks have this rule is because of money. Nothing else. Keeping top flight players in the country means you're directly making profit so that you can continue to produce top shelf players and continue making money. There just isn't enough dough in NZ to compete with the salaries that are offered in the NH, so you need to find some incentive to keep these elite athletes in the country.

 

[Dmx#1]

<div class='quotemain'>
hez a good player but he wnt be missed that much.
[/b]

us blues fans would beg to differ. we finally got rid of lavea and don't want to go backwards after making such great progress. I would be amazed if he went now that he is a regular in the abs squad. and will get lots of gametime with the blues
[/b][/quote]

True, true...But everyone else (besides auckland) wud b happy...

 

[Caledfwlch]

its that chemistry, i guess, that the players develop after playing with each other for awhile...

 

[Prestwick]

<div class='quotemain'>
It kind of shows how far Rugby has to go as an international sport when moving to the Northern Hemisphere means near enough exile and/or retirement from top flight international rugby.

Imagine how weak the Brazillian Soccer squad would be if going to the European leagues meant the same thing?

Obviously, the reason why the All Blacks keep their players close and their best players closer (usually in a dungeon somewhere below Wellington) is because if you have teams with at least five All Blacks playing with each other day in day out, they get to know each other better and work better together, etc. It wouldn't make sense to them to start letting them play for Tom, Dick or Harry across the globe.
[/b]

Well you're sort of right, the only reason the All Blacks have this rule is because of money. Nothing else. Keeping top flight players in the country means you're directly making profit so that you can continue to produce top shelf players and continue making money. There just isn't enough dough in NZ to compete with the salaries that are offered in the NH, so you need to find some incentive to keep these elite athletes in the country.
[/b][/quote]

That argument is true to a degree, but its about how you develop the game and expanding it's profitability that helps as well. When New Zealand negotiated that exclusive dual sponsorship and kit deal with Adidas, no such deal of such a scale had ever been negotiated in either Union or League before.

Lets not kid ourselves here. They can only keep saying "we're just a small country, we can't afford anything" for so long before people start saying in reply "well, why don't you do something about it?

If you believe the doom sayers about New Zealand, you'd think that Scotland capitalises on it's players and commercial interests more efficiently! However, in the end, its all how you work expand the game and thus your profits.

After all, everyone knows that when the yanks finally get into the swing of things with rugby, they'll be the best on the planet on market capitalisation in Rugby and making the most money, dwarfing whatever the RFU makes easily.

 

[Ripper]

<div class='quotemain'>
<div class='quotemain'>
hez a good player but he wnt be missed that much.
[/b]

us blues fans would beg to differ. we finally got rid of lavea and don't want to go backwards after making such great progress. I would be amazed if he went now that he is a regular in the abs squad. and will get lots of gametime with the blues
[/b][/quote]

True, true...But everyone else (besides auckland) wud b happy...
[/b][/quote]
Yeah, I know, everyone else would just be dancing gleefully in the streets that a player with that much potential would be leaving when he was still in his early twenties and not even at the peak of his playing abilities yet.

Dipshit.

 

[sambãd5]

<div class='quotemain'>
<div class='quotemain'>
hez a good player but he wnt be missed that much.
[/b]

us blues fans would beg to differ. we finally got rid of lavea and don't want to go backwards after making such great progress. I would be amazed if he went now that he is a regular in the abs squad. and will get lots of gametime with the blues
[/b][/quote]

True, true...But everyone else (besides auckland) wud b happy...
[/b][/quote]

how about everyone apart from the low-lives who despise auckland players for no reason. even i who wants canturbury to sink into the ground still likes players such players as richie mccaw and dan carter.

 

[woosaah]

<div class='quotemain'>
<div class='quotemain'>
<div class='quotemain'>
hez a good player but he wnt be missed that much.
[/b]

us blues fans would beg to differ. we finally got rid of lavea and don't want to go backwards after making such great progress. I would be amazed if he went now that he is a regular in the abs squad. and will get lots of gametime with the blues
[/b][/quote]

True, true...But everyone else (besides auckland) wud b happy...
[/b][/quote]

how about everyone apart from the low-lives who despise auckland players for no reason. even i who wants canturbury to sink into the ground still likes players such players as richie mccaw and dan carter.
[/b][/quote]

I (from canterbury) still like players from outside my provice also. but some players i cant stand (mcalister being one, flavel, Muliana) and some that i wont ever stand for (spencer being a prime example of that). But there are players that i do like, like Braid, Hollah, ***o, Slater they might not have been the best players out there but i still liked to watch them.

he wont go anyway