Super Rugby 2021....whatever it looks like...Squads

[Kiwiwomble]

Doubt we need separate thread for teams etc

so, at least from a Highlanders perspective we're having a lot of change...for the second year in a row

We've signed Billy Harmon (openside) and Fetuli Paea (midfield) from the Saders but lost Dillon Hunt and out-of-contract trio Ash Dixon, Teihorangi Walden, Rob Thompson, Josh McKay and our head coach

Just signed Japanese international Kazuko Himeno (loosie)....thats a lot of leadership out the door, think we must be trying to save some coin and we'll fill the roster from local "talent"...might be a rough year, Otago are not exactly tearing up the Championship but the Highlanders could be mostly Otago players

 

[Twistie]

Expect the hurricanes to have much the same squad as 2020 ,can see Julien Savea getting in now lams gone and from a Hawkes Bay perspective hope we get a few new names in 2021 squad. Lincoln McClutchie and Kianu Keruru-Symes have connections to my home town so i hope if they dont find a place in the hurricanes they find a spot with another super rugby squad.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

talk of Squire coming back and looking for a contract, assuming we dont loose someone...we dont need him back

 

[Umaga's Witness]

Doubt we need separate thread for teams etc

so, at least from a Highlanders perspective we're having a lot of change...for the second year in a row

We've signed Billy Harmon (openside) and Fetuli Paea (midfield) from the Saders but lost Dillon Hunt and out-of-contract trio Ash Dixon, Teihorangi Walden, Rob Thompson, Josh McKay and our head coach

Just signed Japanese international Kazuko Himeno (loosie)....thats a lot of leadership out the door, think we must be trying to save some coin and we'll fill the roster from local "talent"...might be a rough year, Otago are not exactly tearing up the Championship but the Highlanders could be mostly Otago players

Has ash Dixon signed somewhere else? On average the best hooker in super rugby This year must still have a job?

 

[Kiwiwomble]

Has ash Dixon signed somewhere else? On average the best hooker in super rugby This year must still have a job?

not with the Highlanders unfortunately, agreed had a great season, been a more than solid performer for a while and i honestly dont thing a couple of AB caps wouldn't have been out of order

 

[Kiwiwomble]

Stuff

www.stuff.co.nz

some good news for the Highlanders, i have some faith our backline will look a little more solid

 

[Al Bangor]

Joe Powell, formerly of the Brumbies is my favorite player in Super Rugby. He's now on the Rebels. But I don't know if I can be a fan of his new team? Time will tell...

Rebels sign Wallabies scrum half Joe Powell

The Melbourne Rebels are excited to unveil Wallabies scrum-half Joe Powell, as the club’s first new signing for the upcoming 2021 Season.

melbournerebels.rugby

 

[Kiwiwomble]

Joe Powell, formerly of the Brumbies is my favorite player in Super Rugby. He's now on the Rebels. But I don't know if I can be a fan of his new team? Time will tell...

Rebels sign Wallabies scrum half Joe Powell

The Melbourne Rebels are excited to unveil Wallabies scrum-half Joe Powell, as the club’s first new signing for the upcoming 2021 Season.

melbournerebels.rugby

you have to pick and team and follow through thick and thin!

 

[Al Bangor]

you have to pick and team and follow through thick and thin!

I do in every other sports league that I follow (I've been a fan of the Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Lakers since I was 8 years old) and the USA Eagles and Glasgow Warriors since I started following rugby in 2004. But Super Rugby is so schizophrenic that I keep some distance. Teams come and go too often for my taste. When it comes to Super Rugby, I'll just support whatever team Joe Powell plays for. But I'm loyal to Glasgow and always will be (I saw them play when I went to Scotland in 2012). I'm not real happy with PRO14 either (for kicking out the Cheetahs), but they seem more organized than Super Rugby does to me. Major League Rugby is still young, but I'll be a fan of my local team San Diego Legion for as long as I'm breathing. MLR has done a real good job so far and I'm looking forward to season four this coming Spring.

So to sum things up...let's go Packers, Dodgers, Lakers, USA Eagles, Glasgow Warriors, San Diego Legion and Joe Powell.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

I do in every other sports league that I follow (I've been a fan of the Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Lakers since I was 8 years old) and the USA Eagles and Glasgow Warriors since I started following rugby in 2004. But Super Rugby is so schizophrenic that I keep some distance. Teams come and go too often for my taste. When it comes to Super Rugby, I'll just support whatever team Joe Powell plays for. But I'm loyal to Glasgow and always will be (I saw them play when I went to Scotland in 2012). I'm not real happy with PRO14 either (for kicking out the Cheetahs), but they seem more organized than Super Rugby does to me. Major League Rugby is still young, but I'll be a fan of my local team San Diego Legion for as long as I'm breathing. MLR has done a real good job so far and I'm looking forward to season four this coming Spring.

So to sum things up...let's go Packers, Dodgers, Lakers, USA Eagles, Glasgow Warriors, San Diego Legion and Joe Powell.

a slight exaggeration, the only teams to leave the comp before this seasons explosion were the force, cheetahs and kings...and they still exist so if you'd picked them you old still have followed them

 

[Al Bangor]

a slight exaggeration, the only teams to leave the comp before this seasons explosion were the force, cheetahs and kings...and they still exist so if you'd picked them you old still have followed them

It may be a slight exaggeration to you, but not to me. We don't have those "explosions" in pro sports over here in the USA and Canada. Major League Baseball, the NFL, NHL are all over 100 years old and they continue to flourish. And the NBA is 75 years old or so and it's also doing well too. All of those leagues except the NFL have teams in Canada (although the NFL has played games in England and Mexico for several years now) and there's no quarreling among countries and there's a lot more teams in those leagues than Super Rugby has ever had. MLB and NBA have 30 teams each, NFL and NHL have 32 teams each. Major League Rugby keeps growing, from 7 teams to 13 in just four years and they have a team in Canada too. I don't follow soccer, but I know that MLS keeps growing over here as well.

I've read several stories and comments on this board about who's to blame for the explosion of Super Rugby. Some blame New Zealand, other blame South Africa and others blame Australia. It's probably all of the above. And let's not forget that the Sunwolves and Jaguares are now out of Super Rugby too. Super Rugby at it's peak had what 18 teams? And now it's down to only 10. I think the leaders of that organization should come over to the USA and Canada and take some notes on how to run a successful sports league. That's not a put down, just a suggestion. I want Super Rugby to succeed, the fans (like you) deserve it.

I've been to Australia, but I haven't been to New Zealand. But I hope to get down there someday. I'd like to see a Mitre 10 game. Unfortunately, they don't stream those on ESPN+.

Take care.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

Sunwolves

i said before this year...they were still in it this year

 

[Al Bangor]

i said before this year...they were still in it this year

It doesn't really matter, they're gone now too and so are the Jaguares. Go back and read my amended comment, there's a lot more to it. I'm moving on to another thread now.

Best wishes to ya' Jabby.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

It may be a slight exaggeration to you, but not to me. We don't have those "explosions" in pro sports over here in the USA and Canada. Major League Baseball, the NFL, NHL are all over 100 years old and they continue to flourish. And the NBA is 75 years old or so and it's also doing well too. All of those leagues except the NFL have teams in Canada (although the NFL has played games in England and Mexico for several years now) and there's no quarreling among countries and there's a lot more teams in those leagues than Super Rugby has ever had. MLB and NBA have 30 teams each, NFL and NHL have 32 teams each. Major League Rugby keeps growing, from 7 teams to 13 in just four years and they have a team in Canada too. I don't follow soccer, but I know that MLS keeps growing over here as well.

I've read several stories and comments on this board about who's to blame for the explosion of Super Rugby. Some blame New Zealand, other blame South Africa and others blame Australia. It's probably all of the above. And let's not forget that the Sunwolves and Jaguares are now out of Super Rugby too. Super Rugby at it's peak had what 18 teams? And now it's down to only 10. I think the leaders of that organization should come over to the USA and Canada and take some notes on how to run a successful sports league. That's not a put down, just a suggestion. I want Super Rugby to succeed, the fans (like you) deserve it.

I've been to Australia, but I haven't been to New Zealand. But I hope to get down there someday. I'd like to see a Mitre 10 game. Unfortunately, they don't stream those on ESPN+.

Take care.

you seem to be forgetting 90% of super rugby exploding is down to COVID and the travel restrictions in place, the sunwolves were the only team getting dropped before that and that was down to the Japanese union not bank rolling them as much as anything

all the other arguments between unions and the review NZR had completed were AFTER COVID started so i see the blame game as a bit unnecessary, comparing comps that have been established for over 100 years and contained to 1 or 2 countries that share a land border and share time zones....to a comp only 25 years old and spread over 5 countries and 7 timezones...is overly simple

and none of that has anything to do with the original point about picking a team to follow, even the few teams that have left super rugby, other than the sunwolves, have continued to exist, just in different comps

and all of that is ignoring it was just a tongue in cheek comment about having to live with the pain of supporting a single team

 

[Kiwiwomble]

Highlanders continue off-season signing spree by luring Chiefs speedster to Dunedin

The Highlanders have continued their off-season signing spree by acquiring the services of Chiefs flyer Solomon Alaimalo.

www.rugbypass.com

big signing for the Landers, other 15 options are Hunt and Koroi, both smaller blokes so good to have some different competition, a little excited by this

 

[The_Wol]

Joe Powell, formerly of the Brumbies is my favorite player in Super Rugby. He's now on the Rebels. But I don't know if I can be a fan of his new team? Time will tell...

Rebels sign Wallabies scrum half Joe Powell

The Melbourne Rebels are excited to unveil Wallabies scrum-half Joe Powell, as the club’s first new signing for the upcoming 2021 Season.

melbournerebels.rugby

Sad for Joe Powell that he's going to be playing second fiddle to Tate McDermott for the rest of his career

And in the words of Kanye West "SuperRugby I'm real happy for you but Super 14 was one of the best tournaments of all time"

 

[Al Bangor]

Sad for Joe Powell that he's going to be playing second fiddle to Tate McDermott for the rest of his career

And in the words of Kanye West "SuperRugby I'm real happy for you but Super 14 was one of the best tournaments of all time"

I'm looking forward to the Fiji team that's supposed to join Super Rugby in 2022. Now if Joe Powell ends up there it would be ideal, but I think they're going to focus on home grown Fijian talent. Hopefully Powell will (someday) sign with the San Diego Legion of Major League Rugby. Their stadium is only four miles from my house and I'm a season ticket holder.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

I'm looking forward to the Fiji team that's supposed to join Super Rugby in 2022. Now if Joe Powell ends up there it would be ideal, but I think they're going to focus on home grown Fijian talent. Hopefully Powell will (someday) sign with the San Diego Legion of Major League Rugby. Their stadium is only four miles from my house and I'm a season ticket holder.

there is more to come with the "pacific" team, i believe the Hawaii based franchise is trying to take NZR for not following the tender process properly

Report: Kanaloa Pasifika threatens New Zealand Rugby with legal action over Super Rugby snub

Kanaloa Pasifika have threatened New Zealand Rugby (NZR) with legal action should they not be included in next year's revamped Super Rugby competition.

www.rugbypass.com

Fiji might not be nailed on just yet

 

[The_Wol]

I'm looking forward to the Fiji team that's supposed to join Super Rugby in 2022. Now if Joe Powell ends up there it would be ideal, but I think they're going to focus on home grown Fijian talent. Hopefully Powell will (someday) sign with the San Diego Legion of Major League Rugby. Their stadium is only four miles from my house and I'm a season ticket holder.

If the US Major League can continue to gain investment capital there is a high chance numerous players from Aus/NZ/South Africa will end up there. I mean Digby Ioane and Ma'a Nonu are already playing there.

 

[unrated]

If the US Major League can continue to gain investment capital there is a high chance numerous players from Aus/NZ/South Africa will end up there. I mean Digby Ioane and Ma'a Nonu are already playing there.

Ma a Nonu moved back to France the last I checked ?