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Your nation's MASS XV

Just checked him out. Those Pacific Islanders just reach insane weights, it's unbelievable...not French though, and that 140kg monster may not even carry as hard as Burban or Picamoles:

Always been impressed with Burban whenever I watch Stade play. Bit surprised he's never been capped for France.
 
yes he has been capped before. Lots of competition in the backrow.
 
Always been impressed with Burban whenever I watch Stade play. Bit surprised he's never been capped for France.

:lol: it's the age of google and wikipedia and any answer you could possibly want (except to the questions that actually matter...) 2 or 3 clicks away, how could you possibly make such a comment ?! He just played some months ago in Australia...one of the rare Frenchies who had a good tour.

FF: lol 2:12 can't look up "Stade ToulousAIN", you serious ?...errr derrrrr, Stade Toulouse, errrppp...in the country of the Framsce in Urop.
Yeah so I disagree with picking him. My stance is inconsistent, because I think Noa Nakaitaci's case is alright because we don't use him regularly and he doesn't have a big impact on les Bleus, but if we pick this monster he's our no.8 we'll have an enormous weapon on the field that we didn't really produce. I know he and Nakaitaci are similar in paths but they won't be similar in impact, and although that isn't measurable or a clearcut objective argument, it accounts for something. It's the same for me with Kockott: if he's our starting 9, that's a huge part of our game, the starting scrumhalf. I know it's a very shaky argument but the laws for poaching should definitely be stricter.

I understand that Tongan/kiwi monster only played pro ball in France (since 2012, Toulouse), but there's no denying we'd be using and benefiting from a physical specimen we could never produce, and unless he were like Chris Tolofua, a real Frenchman born and raised here (whichever origin he's from), it'd mean we're borrowing from another factory.
But then again, poaching's always been a part of sports and we'd just be playing our cards within legality. "Don't hate the player, hate the game". But I'm against the principle of using a guy who was developed elsewhere, especially when he presents physical attributes like these.
 
:lol: it's the age of google and wikipedia and any answer you could possibly want (except to the questions that actually matter...) 2 or 3 clicks away, how could you possibly make such a comment ?! He just played some months ago in Australia...one of the rare Frenchies who had a good tour.

FF: lol 2:12 can't look up "Stade ToulousAIN", you serious ?...errr derrrrr, Stade Toulouse, errrppp...in the country of the Framsce in Urop.
Yeah so I disagree with picking him. My stance is inconsistent, because I think Noa Nakaitaci's case is alright because we don't use him regularly and he doesn't have a big impact on les Bleus, but if we pick this monster he's our no.8 we'll have an enormous weapon on the field that we didn't really produce. I know he and Nakaitaci are similar in paths but they won't be similar in impact, and although that isn't measurable or a clearcut objective argument, it accounts for something. It's the same for me with Kockott: if he's our starting 9, that's a huge part of our game, the starting scrumhalf. I know it's a very shaky argument but the laws for poaching should definitely be stricter.

I understand that Tongan/kiwi monster only played pro ball in France (since 2012, Toulouse), but there's no denying we'd be using and benefiting from a physical specimen we could never produce, and unless he were like Chris Tolofua, a real Frenchman born and raised here (whichever origin he's from), it'd mean we're borrowing from another factory.
But then again, poaching's always been a part of sports and we'd just be playing our cards within legality. "Don't hate the player, hate the game". But I'm against the principle of using a guy who was developed elsewhere, especially when he presents physical attributes like these.

I don't know if Maka should be picked. It's too early to say. He is only 21.

When he arrived here he didn't know his rugby arse from his rugby elbow. He is only just starting. Huge potential, massive guy with good hands. He is a No8 IMO. More mobile than a 2nd row despite his huge frame.

we are going to hear more foreign sounding names from Fiji and SA. It's only logical that these guys should become eligible if they decide to stay.

In pro rugby terms Maka is being developed here. He hasn't played pro rugby before. So he is a Toulousain product in the making. ;)
 
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:lol: it's the age of google and wikipedia and any answer you could possibly want (except to the questions that actually matter...) 2 or 3 clicks away, how could you possibly make such a comment ?!

Easy, I wasn't 100% sure so I looked him up on Wikipedia and it doesn't have him being capped by France http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoine_Burban

I made a mistake about a nation I barely follow, don't really see it as a big deal...
 
I don't know if Maka should be picked. It's too early to say. He is only 21.

When he arrived here he didn't know his rugby arse from his rugby elbow. He is only just starting. Huge potential, massive guy with good hands. He is a No8 IMO. More mobile than a 2nd row despite his huge frame.

we are going to hear more foreign sounding names from Fiji and SA. It's only logical that these guys should become eligible if they decide to stay.

In pro rugby terms Maka is being developed here. He hasn't played pro rugby before. So he is a Toulousain product in the making. ;)

that much is true. But then again hasn't he learned a little before he came to France elsewhere ?

Easy, I wasn't 100% sure so I looked him up on Wikipedia and it doesn't have him being capped by France http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoine_Burban

I made a mistake about a nation I barely follow, don't really see it as a big deal...

my bad, my bad !! I obviously thought they'd mention he's been capped on the English wiki page and thought you just said stuff remotely with even checking (some ppl do that...).
Since we're on his topic, he was selected to play before 2014 for France but injuries constantly got in his way his whole career. A shame, I think he should've been a France regular. Dude tackles like a monster, always stays with the play, never ever gets lazy. Crazy commitment, puts his body on the line always, and then his more obvious qualities the guy is carrying force against anyone and is a top fetcher. Here, his first actual cap ever last Feb:

 
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that much is true. But then again hasn't he learned a little before he came to France elsewhere ?

as a rugby pro? nothing. nada. zip. In Tonga he knew how to tie his boots. That's about it. He is learning everything now. His true development as a pro player is happening here now.
 
^ mmm, I guess...I suppose it's quite fair in a way. I don't know, would you say in absolute terms it's okay for a nation to pick guys from abroad because they have interesting physiological aptitudes/predispositions, even though they have a past playing the sport in their own country, albeit not at a pro level ? There's definitely some legitimacy in that, but then again it's a lot better if you can just blood your own players who were born and bread home...
Kockott I'd really rather not, because he's clearly got a past before Castres and just simply is South African and not French, but I suppose a Nakaitaci or the Maka Tongan colossus are alright. It's still poaching, but by today's standards, I guess it's just good scouting and setting the right conditions for stuff like this to happen...yeah, it's good recruiting and (hopefully) developing. I'm about 50/50 on that.
 
North over Cuthbert is harsh, haven't been impressed with North since the Lions. Cuthbert and North both had some shockers in defence v SA, but Alex really turned it around second test.

Wowowowowowow, I'm going sheerly on size and impact. You're very much preaching to the converted here: I've said many times I want North dropping from the XV.

I keep reading the other nation's posts, but the season's still off, so I currently don't have the enthusiasm to contribute. Give it a week and I'll be all over the Romanian XV.
 

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