Exodus
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Still only a rumour:
Star All Blacks lock Brodie Retallick will bow out of test rugby after this year’s World Cup, but has ditched the idea of hanging up the boots completely.
Instead, Stuff understands the 31-year-old will re-join Japan club Kobelco Kobe Steelers, where he spent his two-season sabbatical in 2020-21.
That now also shapes as a potential reunion with his former Chiefs coach Dave Rennie, who on Monday was sacked as Wallabies boss and had already been linked to the Kobe job for 2024. (...)That has indeed now been weighed up, and Stuff understands Retallick’s Kobe deal will be a three-year one, through to the 2025-26 Japan Rugby League One season, and around the time of his 35th birthday.
Retallick won’t be short on Kiwi company at Kobe. Current All Blacks team-mate Ardie Savea will skip the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season to play there, former All Blacks team-mate Ngani Laumape is making waves in his first year, while others on the current roster include Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, Michael Little, Richard Buckman and Beaudein Waaka.
Wayne Smith – Rennie’s right-hand-man in his title-winning-days at the Chiefs in 2012 and 2013 – is a mentor at Kobe, while one Kiwi has taken over another as coach, with former Waikato and Chiefs loose forward Nick Holten promoted from assistant to replace Dave Dillon, who has returned to New Zealand to be the Highlanders’ defence coach.
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Still only a rumour:
Star All Blacks lock Brodie Retallick will bow out of test rugby after this year’s World Cup, but has ditched the idea of hanging up the boots completely.
Instead, Stuff understands the 31-year-old will re-join Japan club Kobelco Kobe Steelers, where he spent his two-season sabbatical in 2020-21.
That now also shapes as a potential reunion with his former Chiefs coach Dave Rennie, who on Monday was sacked as Wallabies boss and had already been linked to the Kobe job for 2024. (...)That has indeed now been weighed up, and Stuff understands Retallick’s Kobe deal will be a three-year one, through to the 2025-26 Japan Rugby League One season, and around the time of his 35th birthday.
Retallick won’t be short on Kiwi company at Kobe. Current All Blacks team-mate Ardie Savea will skip the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season to play there, former All Blacks team-mate Ngani Laumape is making waves in his first year, while others on the current roster include Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, Michael Little, Richard Buckman and Beaudein Waaka.
Wayne Smith – Rennie’s right-hand-man in his title-winning-days at the Chiefs in 2012 and 2013 – is a mentor at Kobe, while one Kiwi has taken over another as coach, with former Waikato and Chiefs loose forward Nick Holten promoted from assistant to replace Dave Dillon, who has returned to New Zealand to be the Highlanders’ defence coach.
@Stargazer wouldn't surprise me. He said he was pretty much gonna be finished after the 2023 RWC. Why not take another paycheck and play less physical rugby.
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@Machpants :man_facepalming_medium_skin_tone:
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Former BOP midfielder Fa'asui Fuatai has re-signed with Rugby New York.
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Otago halfback Kieran McClea has signed with NE Free Jacks.
https://twitter.com/NEFreeJacks/status/1617550938440626180
https://freejacks.com/featured-news/free-jacks-sign-otago-scrumhalf-kieran-mcclea/
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Otago halfback Kieran McClea has signed with NE Free Jacks.
https://twitter.com/NEFreeJacks/status/1617550938440626180
https://freejacks.com/featured-news/free-jacks-sign-otago-scrumhalf-kieran-mcclea/
@Stargazer
He was pretty good during the NPC and I thought he could have earned a call for the Highlanders WTG. -
Otago loosie Sam Fischli has signed with NE Free Jacks.
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Teihorangi Walden has joined Rugby New York
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Plenty of rumours, but nothing official about Retallick, so not posting that.
This is official:
https://twitter.com/Highlanders/status/1622839620034777090
From the media release (link in tweet):
All Blacks Test and Highlander’s centurion Aaron Smith has announced he will spend time playing overseas at the end of 2023.
Smith and Beauden Barrett have signed with the Toyota club in Japan and while Smith has committed to a long-term contract, New Zealand Rugby is working with Barrett on a return to playing on home soil.
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Toyota Verblitz' announcements:
https://twitter.com/toyotaverblitz/status/1622837695348346881
https://twitter.com/toyotaverblitz/status/1622837762004234241
I wonder where Hansen plans to use BB, at fullback or at 10. The current starting 10 is Tiaan Falcon. Can't see him staying at Toyota if BB is going to take that 10 jersey, unless they shift Falcon to 15. Or Falcon is coming back home ... -
Plenty of rumours, but nothing official about Retallick, so not posting that.
This is official:
https://twitter.com/Highlanders/status/1622839620034777090
From the media release (link in tweet):
All Blacks Test and Highlander’s centurion Aaron Smith has announced he will spend time playing overseas at the end of 2023.
Smith and Beauden Barrett have signed with the Toyota club in Japan and while Smith has committed to a long-term contract, New Zealand Rugby is working with Barrett on a return to playing on home soil.
@Stargazer said in Exodus:
Plenty of rumours, but nothing official about Retallick, so not posting that.
This is official:
https://twitter.com/Highlanders/status/1622839620034777090
From the media release (link in tweet):
All Blacks Test and Highlander’s centurion Aaron Smith has announced he will spend time playing overseas at the end of 2023.
Smith and Beauden Barrett have signed with the Toyota club in Japan and while Smith has committed to a long-term contract, New Zealand Rugby is working with Barrett on a return to playing on home soil.
It doesn't seem to say how longs smith's contract Is? Anyone know?
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@Stargazer said in Exodus:
Plenty of rumours, but nothing official about Retallick, so not posting that.
This is official:
https://twitter.com/Highlanders/status/1622839620034777090
From the media release (link in tweet):
All Blacks Test and Highlander’s centurion Aaron Smith has announced he will spend time playing overseas at the end of 2023.
Smith and Beauden Barrett have signed with the Toyota club in Japan and while Smith has committed to a long-term contract, New Zealand Rugby is working with Barrett on a return to playing on home soil.
It doesn't seem to say how longs smith's contract Is? Anyone know?
@Mackerzzzz I haven't seen the exact duration published anywhere, but "long-term" contracts with Japanese clubs are often 3 years.
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@Mackerzzzz I haven't seen the exact duration published anywhere, but "long-term" contracts with Japanese clubs are often 3 years.
@Stargazer said in Exodus:
@Mackerzzzz I haven't seen the exact duration published anywhere, but "long-term" contracts with Japanese clubs are often 3 years.
I had a quick look at the Japanese media and couldn't find anything.
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@Mackerzzzz I haven't seen the exact duration published anywhere, but "long-term" contracts with Japanese clubs are often 3 years.
@Stargazer said in Exodus:
@Mackerzzzz I haven't seen the exact duration published anywhere, but "long-term" contracts with Japanese clubs are often 3 years.
So long term is the same length as not long term? (Aka Barrett) sound about right
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So weird to think we are what, 16 months from an AB test that will feature a new coaching group.
And that new coaching group will be without the following stalwarts that will feature all this year
Our two veteran starting locks
Openside and Captain
Starting #8
Our starting #9
BOTH our starting options at 10, one who is the starting 15.This alone would be huge if it wasn't also followed up by the fact that, barring one lock and the openside, there is literally no one to step in that has TEST PLAYER written all over him.
Even with the ATGs that left after 2015 we were comfy that there were replacements.
2024 will certainly be interesting. If Foster already knows he is gone come November, then he won't spend even a micro-second doing anything to build depth this year either, he'll be focused on his top 23 being 100% ready for the RWC.
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So weird to think we are what, 16 months from an AB test that will feature a new coaching group.
And that new coaching group will be without the following stalwarts that will feature all this year
Our two veteran starting locks
Openside and Captain
Starting #8
Our starting #9
BOTH our starting options at 10, one who is the starting 15.This alone would be huge if it wasn't also followed up by the fact that, barring one lock and the openside, there is literally no one to step in that has TEST PLAYER written all over him.
Even with the ATGs that left after 2015 we were comfy that there were replacements.
2024 will certainly be interesting. If Foster already knows he is gone come November, then he won't spend even a micro-second doing anything to build depth this year either, he'll be focused on his top 23 being 100% ready for the RWC.
@mariner4life said in Exodus:
2024 will certainly be interesting. If Foster already knows he is gone come November, then he won't spend even a micro-second doing anything to build depth this year either, he'll be focused on his top 23 being 100% ready for the RWC.
Which won't necessarily be bad for the players moving in. I haven't seen much sign that the current AB camp is making players any better. Especially as the current selection strategy means that the new players almost never get a game.
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So weird to think we are what, 16 months from an AB test that will feature a new coaching group.
And that new coaching group will be without the following stalwarts that will feature all this year
Our two veteran starting locks
Openside and Captain
Starting #8
Our starting #9
BOTH our starting options at 10, one who is the starting 15.This alone would be huge if it wasn't also followed up by the fact that, barring one lock and the openside, there is literally no one to step in that has TEST PLAYER written all over him.
Even with the ATGs that left after 2015 we were comfy that there were replacements.
2024 will certainly be interesting. If Foster already knows he is gone come November, then he won't spend even a micro-second doing anything to build depth this year either, he'll be focused on his top 23 being 100% ready for the RWC.
@mariner4life The other way of looking at is players have 2 Super seasons to put their hand up for those spots - that's a long time where a lot can change.
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Plenty of rumours, but nothing official about Retallick, so not posting that.
This is official:
https://twitter.com/Highlanders/status/1622839620034777090
From the media release (link in tweet):
All Blacks Test and Highlander’s centurion Aaron Smith has announced he will spend time playing overseas at the end of 2023.
Smith and Beauden Barrett have signed with the Toyota club in Japan and while Smith has committed to a long-term contract, New Zealand Rugby is working with Barrett on a return to playing on home soil.
@Stargazer said in Exodus:
Plenty of rumours, but nothing official about Retallick, so not posting that.
https://www.chiefs.co.nz/news-item/brodie-retallick-to-play-offshore-in-2024
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@Stargazer said in Exodus:
Plenty of rumours, but nothing official about Retallick, so not posting that.
https://www.chiefs.co.nz/news-item/brodie-retallick-to-play-offshore-in-2024
