RugbyRebels

When rugby went professional, I very loudly and very wrongly predicted the demise of New Zealand rugby within about 5 years. I said that the death knell would definitely ring when you could make a stronger XV of New Zealanders playing overseas than playing at home. Every so often I check whether that could be the case, but really it’s never got close.

Here’s my quick effort at a current NZ Exiles XXIII (players on sabbatical or who have signed with an NZ team are not eligible, e.g. Dom Bird, TJ, B Barrett, Retallick). I've also not included previously NZ-eligible players now capped by someone else. I would be happy to include such players that started their pro careers here and so were realistically All Black prospects if talented enough (e.g .Bundee Aki, Willis Halaholo).

Any suggestions to improve this?

I struggled to find hookers, and might be out of date with the clubs for some…

1. Jamie Mackintosh (Gilgronis, MLR)
2. Hika Elliot (Colomiers, ProD2)
3. John Afoa (Bristol, Premiership)
4. Steven Luatua (Bristol, Premiership)
5. Jackson Hemopo (Dynaboars, Top League)
6. Jerome Kaino (Toulouse, Top14)
7. Matt Todd (Brave Lupus, Top League)
8. Kieran Read (Totota Verblitz, Top League)
9. Tawera Kerr-Barlow (Stade Rochelais, Top14)
10. Lima Sopoaga (Wasps, Preiership)
11. Charles Piutau (Bristol, Premiership)
12. Ma’a Nonu (Toulon, Top14)
13. Malakai Fekitoa (Wasps, Premiership)
14. Waisake Naholo (London Irish, Premiership)
15. Ben Smith (Kobelco Steelers, Top League)
16. ????
17. Jeffery Toomaga-Allen (Wasps, Premiership)
18. Owen Franks (Northampton, Premiership)
19. Isaac Ross (Gilgronis, MLR)
20. Victor Vito (Stade Rochelais, Top14)
21. Andy Ellis (Rugby United NY, MLR)
22. Aaron Cruden (Kobelco Steelers, Top League)
23. Richard Kahui (Western Force, Super Rugby AU)

Ngani laumape is off to France. Sopoaga has been pretty average at Wasps, and you'd probably play old Jimmy Gopperth in front of him at the moment. Really.

I’ve heard Gopperth was doing well, but he never really looked test class in NZ. Would you keep Cruden on the bench or put Richie Mo in there?

Laumape ahead of Nonu? Don’t reckon he’s versatile enough for the bench.

Lizard wrote:I’ve heard Gopperth was doing well, but he never really looked test class in NZ. Would you keep Cruden on the bench or put Richie Mo in there?

Saying you'd have Gopperth ahead of Sopoaga is a heavy critique of Sopoaga's play in the NH rather than an endorsement of Gopperth.

Puja

With the retirement of Tom McCartney, the best back up hooker I can find is Hikairo Forbes ex-NPC player at Provence in Pro D2. Unless you count NZ-born Samoan cap Ole Avei (Soyaux Angoulême, Pro D2), who played for the Reds then Waikato.

EDIT: Wait - there’s also Rhys Marshall at Munster. He’s ex NZ U20 so we’ll give him the 16 jersey.

Lizard wrote:With the retirement of Tom McCartney, the best back up hooker I can find is Hikairo Forbes ex-NPC player at Provence in Pro D2. Unless you count NZ-born Samoan cap Ole Avei (Soyaux Angoulême, Pro D2), who played for the Reds then Waikato.

EDIT: Wait - there’s also Rhys Marshall at Munster. He’s ex NZ U20 so we’ll give him the 16 jersey.

If you're going down that route, isn't Matu'u NZ U20s?

Puja

Puja wrote:

Lizard wrote:With the retirement of Tom McCartney, the best back up hooker I can find is Hikairo Forbes ex-NPC player at Provence in Pro D2. Unless you count NZ-born Samoan cap Ole Avei (Soyaux Angoulême, Pro D2), who played for the Reds then Waikato.

EDIT: Wait - there’s also Rhys Marshall at Munster. He’s ex NZ U20 so we’ll give him the 16 jersey.

If you're going down that route, isn't Matu'u NZ U20s?

Puja

Hmm. Good call, although he was capped by Samoa before he left NZ so might not really be eligible.

Oops. Owen Franks is out. https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/sup ... land-stint

Lizard wrote:Oops. Owen Franks is out. https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/sup ... land-stint

No-one at Northampton will notice his absence. Bizarre how such an experienced and reputable player could make exactly no impact on joining a new club.

Puja

No one cares what you think man.

morepork wrote:No one cares what you think man.

Wow. What'd I do to deserve that?

Puja

I'm bored. No one comes and visits.

For the record, I can't even remember what Owen Franks looks like. I just get an image of a potato. I'm sure he is flogging diet supplements or roids, or something.

morepork wrote:I'm bored. No one comes and visits.

For the record, I can't even remember what Owen Franks looks like. I just get an image of a potato. I'm sure he is flogging diet supplements or roids, or something.

I think that's right.

Hopefully for the Hurricanes he was just bored about being in England and will undergo a renaissance when he gets back home.

Puja

I think the Canes need something more than a 33 year old extra from Quest for Fire. They are frantically looking for a previously unannounced extra Barrett sibling right now.

Read is out of the squad - retired now.

morepork wrote:I'm bored. No one comes and visits.

For the record, I can't even remember what Owen Franks looks like. I just get an image of a potato. I'm sure he is flogging diet supplements or roids, or something.

He looks like the other one.

Lizard wrote:

Puja wrote:

Lizard wrote:With the retirement of Tom McCartney, the best back up hooker I can find is Hikairo Forbes ex-NPC player at Provence in Pro D2. Unless you count NZ-born Samoan cap Ole Avei (Soyaux Angoulême, Pro D2), who played for the Reds then Waikato.

EDIT: Wait - there’s also Rhys Marshall at Munster. He’s ex NZ U20 so we’ll give him the 16 jersey.

If you're going down that route, isn't Matu'u NZ U20s?

Puja

Hmm. Good call, although he was capped by Samoa before he left NZ so might not really be eligible.

What about Matt Moulds? He’s been injured for about 8 or 9mths but prior to that was good for Worcester.

He never really got on the radar in NZ, being 2nd or 3rd choice at the Blues. But some players do improve overseas...

There's a papalipi fella getting red carded every other week at coonaught but he usually scores when staying on the pitch, was he one of yer potentials or just nh fodder

paddy no 11 wrote:There's a papalipi fella getting red carded every other week at coonaught but he usually scores when staying on the pitch, was he one of yer potentials or just nh fodder

Abraham Papali'i. He's a second-rate league convert. He played one season (I think) of Mitre 10 Cup, but no Super Rugby, before heading North. Well out of the frame for higher honours.

You might be getting mixed up with Dalton Papali'i (no relation as far as I know), a 3-cap All Black flanker. He's definitely a prospect but could be stymied by the plethora of loose forwards at our disposal. Sam Cane's injury maybe opens the door a little but Ardie Savea will be ahead of him.

Thanks for clarifying